Bear Hole

Chico is only about an hour away from us (like most everything).  One afternoon before school got started we were able to take the big kids over there to explore Upper Bidwell Park.  Earlier this summer we had a fun family day in Lower Bidwell.  This day was hot so we went looking for water.  We quickly settled on the Yahi Trail which follows the creek for several miles.

It was so nice to take a hike without the little boys.  I mean, we love going out as a family but when everyone has generally the same stride you don't have to worry about telling this one to slow down and this one to hurry up.  It was really peaceful.

So, we walked.

Took in the scenery.

Jumped in the creek if we got hot.  Walked some more.

 We made our way to Bear Hole, one of several swimming holes along the trail.

Those black rocks were hot enough to fry eggs but the water felt amazing!

 

And it felt good to make some special memories with Abs and Joe.

We topped the afternoon off with take out from Tong Fong Low-the best Chinese food around!

 

If you are local,

what's your favorite afternoon getaway?

Summer Days (lower bidwell)

What makes a great summer day?

Running in the sun, getting hot and sweaty, cooling off with a swim, and repeat.

Sound good?

This was a great summer day.

We drove into Chico to lower Bidwell Park.

Checked off running and sweating at Caper Acres.

(Being with the ones you love makes any summer day great!)

Cooled off at Sycamore Pool.

It is seriously cool--fed by Big Chico Creek, it stays cool all summer.

(It's similar to the pool my sis took me to in Austin.)

 What more could you ask for, right?

 How about a nap.

I hope all your summer days are great!

Best of Cali: Carpinteria

This is Carpinteria, CA.

This might be my favorite spot in Cali so far!

There is a trail that goes all along the bluff next to the ocean.  From up there you have a bird's eye view of the seals rookery where they come to have there pups every year.  We got to see them last year.  It seemed like there were more this year. 

I love that this beach town has so much wildlife.

Pelicans.

Horses.  On the beach.

This is movie stuff to me.  People really do that?!

And dolphins.

Cool rocks.

The kids were divided on whether or not they would let me take their picture in this perfectly idyllic place.  These two were cooperative.

These two were not.

The other thing that makes this place a winner.

That's right.  The Burger Spot.

Walk right up from the beach for a very satisfying burger and fries!

{This is that final post from our spring break trip.  Due to internet troubles, I am a bit behind on posts.  This week will be catch up.  I mean I haven't even posted about Project Milk Goat!  Soon.  Very soon.}

Ojai

This is Ojai Valley.

This place is amazing.

You'd never guess that LA was just a few miles down the road.

Farms and orchards flourish.

All kinds of natural spaces to explore.

Rocks to jump in the river

with friends.

Nature to observe.

Sasquatch huts to discover.

And good books to be found at this adorable outdoor bookstore.

Love it!

It is so exciting to see the kiddos diving in, searching for those favorites that just must come home or discovering something that holds a new adventure for them.

This is what we added to our library...

2 Harry Potter books

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

a Little Monster book by Mercer Mayer

On Good Land by Michael Ableman

Have you read any good books lately?

Poppies on the Grapevine

 The Grapevine is a road grade that starts at the mouth of Grapevine Canyon at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and ascends the canyon to the Tejon Pass in the Tehachapi Mountains via Interstate 5.

The mountains are quite impressive.  Steep.  And appearing to jump up out of nowhere.  You are driving for days down the middle of California seeing nothing but cows and orchards and then BAM! 4000 feet.  On the way down we saw these poppy fields.  Aren't the colors just amazing?! (Jono wouldn't stop for a photo op.  Something about traffic and getting somewhere.  Blah. Blah.)  Then on the way back it had disappeared into a snowstorm!  So many reasons to lift my eyes up!

"I lift my eyes up to the mountains--where does my help come from?

My help come from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth."

Psalm 121:1-2 



Laguna Beach

The real Orange County

(right?!)

 What do you do at the beach when it is too cold to go in the water?

Go treasure hunting.

Chase waves.

And stomp on them.

Practice pitching.

And posing.

Protect sunbathers from wild animals.

Take a geological survey.

International Surfing Museum

At the International Surfing Museum in Huntington Beach we learned a little history.

Some of the first surfboards were these monsters.  Nine to ten feet long.  Made from Redwood trees.  They were so heavy they couldn't even transport them off the beach.  They just buried them in the sand and dug it up the next time they went out to ride!

Of course, we think we all would make pretty sweet surfers.

Check out these sweet surfers...

Sunset Beach

I love going, doing, and seeing new things and places and our family had some great adventures over spring break.  So much so that by the end of it Abby was begging for a "lazy day".   But our favorite part of the week by far was hanging with our friends.

These peeps.

They took us over to

SUNSET BEACH

for some sand and surf!

Heather took a quick pic of the fam.

Joe's brother from a different mother photo bombed us. :)

Things we saw...
kite surfers

pelicans

I love the beach.