down by the bay

Over the last few weeks I was just itching to get out of town and escape the brutal 110 degree daily heat. Do you guys ever get like that? Need to go and see some things and have a change of pace… seems it always happens towards the end of the summer for me. Anyway, I decided last minute to take the kids down to Monterey to see the aquarium and play at the beach a little bit. Jazz had to work because he is a grown up, so we invited my mom to come. We are so lucky because my mom makes everything better and way more fun. Sunday night we threw some clothes in a bag and Monday we drove the 5+ hours down south to Highway 1.

We stopped in Los Gatos to see some cousins and have lunch in their amazing backyard. The kids got to swim for awhile and get their energy out. Lincoln thinks he doesn’t need a floaty in the pool anymore (usually I am in the pool with him.) so this made things interesting slash dicey.

We eventually made it to Monterey and played at the beach for awhile. Water was freezing. Lincoln didn’t care at allllll, got right in. We drove around to try to get some fish and chips but had a hard time finding anything without a significant wait that was also kid friendly. After almost an hour we gave up and hit mcds. Win some/lose some.

(also, if you get the chance to stay in a hotel room with my mom, do it, cause she tells the best stories when the lights are out. just sayin.)

The next morning we got to the aquarium a little bit after opening and it was BIZZAY. Yes it’s summer, I assumed it would be crowded but it was sort of insane. The weirdest part was people weren’t very polite or accommodating, you think the taller adults would stand back and let the little ones stand by the glass during feeding times but OH NO. I felt like we were the only humans who knew how to say “Excuse me please.” What is that about. ALSO one more thing, the cameras! Like people holding their big ipads up to every single exhibit… video taping every fish…. selfies in front of all the glass. I get it, we like taking pictures, and I’m the first to admit that I’m completely guilty. I love pictures! But cmon, time and a place, people.  Take a few here and there and move on..You really don’t need 100 pictures of a moon jellyfish or ten angles of the shark tank on your iphone. I promise you aren’t gonna blow them up and hang them in your house, especially with no people in the frame.

All that being said, we (I) love that aquarium. Last time I was there was about six years ago and they had a juvenile great white shark on display, it was amazing. We don’t have anything like that up here where we live so the kids got to see sea otters, tons of jelly fish, sharks, rays, starfish, turtles, big tuna, octopuses (is that the correct plural form. Cause the other option just doesn’t sound right.) all up close in really beautiful displays. This kind of stuff is so interesting to me and I think in another life I was like a biologist or a vet or something because I’m always drawn to animals. The kids had a really great time and wore themselves out running around. So thankful my mom was with me- we ended up sort of ditching the stroller and each taking a kid so we could get up close and see better. Lincoln = fast. Isabelle’s favorites were the sea otters and the starfish that she could see down on the reef. Linc loved the jellys and also the fruit snacks I snuck in to get him to sit still.

Of course, there was the ocean like right there out the window. We watched the boats go by and the fog roll away, spied the sea lions down on the rocks and tried reallllllly hard to see whale spouts. The weather was gorgeous and so refreshing. Totally worth the drive and all the sand in my car.

We finally got our fish and chips (halibut!) right on the wharf… loaded the kids back up and headed north. A quick stop in vacavillle for sandwiches and a peek in the home goods store, and then we were home. Two days away was the perfect little mini vacation.

And now here is an embarrassing amount of pictures.

Isabelle, Ellery, Lincoln, and Tucker the dog.

This backyard was unreal.

Some of our lady cousins! Vicki, Stephanie, Kathryn with Cosette, Me Iz and Mom

Lover’s Point Beach

my mom is my best friend. we love adventures.

We found this big heart made out of rocks and the kids took it upon themselves to take all the rocks back to the ocean. In my mind, it was a little love note from maxwell.

his legs. seriously.

Aquarium! with her “nap”. Had to have the nap at all times.

this shows the inside of a wave.

exploring various sea textures

sharkssssssssss.

That view! And Lincoln’s face…