When Danie and Dustin moved away to San Diego this past Spring, my heart broke a little. Call it raging pregnancy hormones or lack of sleep, but I would randomly shed some tears over it for a week straight. I was convinced we wouldn't see them until they moved back to Utah. It was a painful thing to say goodbye. And although Danie and Dustin assured us that there was a queen-sized bed waiting for us to come visit them, I was convinced we wouldn't actually be able to survive a road trip with a 3-month-old baby.
Thank goodness I was wrong!
Despite my apprehensions about making the 11 hour car ride to San Diego, we couldn't turn down a trip to San Diego when Danie reminded us we were supposed to come visit. I also enjoyed my new found freedom of not having to write sub plans in order to take a vacation day!
Running on a little faith and prayer that Rylee Girl would enjoy spending so much time in her carseat, we planned a trip to sunny California for the end of August. After an early departure at 4 o'clock in the morning, we made our way to our first stop to St. George and then onto Vegas to visit with some Kussee family members and let Rylee Girl out to stretch and eat after sleeping for 6 hours in the car- score one for leaving early!
^ ^ ^ mornings are so not my thing ^ ^ ^
^ ^ ^ sleeping baby ^ ^ ^
After calculating that we'd be a tidbit early to San Diego before the Romrell's were off work, we decided to see some of the tourist stops on our way. One of them was a national cemetery where we walked around and saw numerous gravesides of WWI, WWII, and other war veterans. Then it was back in the car and onto our last stop!
^ ^ ^ first family road trip picture! ^ ^ ^
^ ^ ^ what a grump ^ ^ ^
After just one baby meltdown, a half-eaten bag of licorice, and 12 chapters into listening to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, we heard the faithful GPS on Tyler's phone announce that we had "arrived at our destination."
Suffice it to say, I was quite happy to see Danie and Dustin. Rylee was pretty stoked to finally meet Aunt "Nanie" and Uncle Dustin while we chowed down on pizza. Then Dustin surprised us with the offer to go flying with him- an offer we just couldn't turn down. We kissed Rylee Girl goodbye, left her in Danie's good care, and headed to the airport to ride in a little four-seater plane.
Before takeoff, Dustin showed us all of the pre-flight checks and quizzed us on the airplane body and parts. Then we hopped in and got ready for takeoff! No matter what plane we go on, I always detest take-off. I'd much rather feel like I weigh more than that I weigh less. Once we were in the air, we flew up the coast over the San Diego temple and looked down across the bright city lights. A pretty dang cool way to check out San Diego.
^ ^ attractive man alert ^ ^
^ ^ ^ first timer excited for her first small plan ride ^ ^ ^
^ ^ view over San Diego ^ ^
After a safe landing we went home and hit the sack.
We spent the next morning at Coronado beach and introducing Rylee to the beach for the first time! The seagulls also attacked our unopened bag of Bugels. Word to the wise- don't trust those darn birds around any food. Opened or otherwise.
Rylee Girl had the time of her L-I-F-E at the beach! She loved the feel of the sand and kept getting her father's analytical face on trying to figure out what it was! Surprisingly enough, she loved the cold Pacific ocean on her feet and would dig her toes into the cold sand when the water rushed up over her toes. She looked legit in her little sun hat, onesie tank, and flip flops. She just about killed us with how cute she looked.
Dustin took the pair of us out boogie boarding where I finally tried my hand at it and we got pretty good riding the waves up onto the beach. It makes me wish we lived a little closer...
^ ^ figuring out the sand on her toes ^ ^
^ ^ Mama and Ry-Ry ^ ^
^ ^ Danie and Ry-Ry ^ ^
^ ^ Aunt Nanie!! ^ ^
^ ^ family beach picture ^ ^
^ ^ first feel of the ocean surf and wet sand! ^ ^
^ ^ burying feet in the sand ^ ^
^ ^ baby toes ^ ^
^ ^ squishy kisses ^ ^
^ ^ baby flip flops ^ ^
^ ^ Mama and Ry-Ry ^ ^
After a full morning at the beach, we grabbed some quick showers and headed to see a lighthouse and grab some burgers in the city and watch the sunset over the ocean.
^ ^ looking up into the lighthouse ^ ^
^ ^ baby snuggles ^ ^
^ ^ some statue of a spanish guy who opened up the trade something-or-other and helped establish San Diego ^ ^
^ ^ poking at things with straws in the tide pools and trying to catch a crab ^ ^
^ ^ the crab we never caught... ^ ^
Then it was back to the house for Danie's traveling baby shower! Since she couldn't come to a baby shower in Utah, we brought the baby shower to her! Thanks to a lot of friends that made it successful and got them off to a small start on getting some of the fun things for a baby!
Sunday was spent eating good food, catching up and talking, and trying to pay attention during church while their body-building-organ-playing-bishop talked. After a movie, we said our goodbyes and snoozed until leaving the next morning to head back to Utah...
^ ^ Daddy dressed little Batgirl for bed after we said goodbye ^ ^
