Note To Self: Take Vinegar To Beach

On the second day of our little spend-as-little-money-as-possible-but-still-have-a-fun-time family vacation in San Diego, we went, where else? TO THE BEACH! We love the beach. This time, since we were in downtown San Diego, we decided to try the beach on Coronado Island. It was packed but still fun.

Troy, Ben and Lizzy out in the water

Can you see the golden flecks in the sand? It was beautiful!

 This beach has lots of local sea life. We hunted for crabs in the rocks (no pics - I was too busy helping the kids with a bucket and shovel) Troy was brave enough to pick one up. I thought he was crazy.

 See this guy? It is a dead jelly fish. It washed up onto shore...in almost the exact place where Lizzy was standing. She was very curious, as Lizzy naturally is and so she got closer. I saw her quick enough to get her out of the way but not quick enough to keep her from getting a bit of a sting. Yes, dead jelly fish can still sting.

 She started screaming! I didn't know it had even touched her. My mind raced...what do I do for a jelly fish sting? One of the locals ran up and said, "You've got to get some vinegar asap! She is in a lot of pain!." Thanks but...where in the world am I going to get vinegar?! Luckily we had already started packing up to go and so we just grabbed everything and ran (as fast as you can run through loose sand). Lizzy continued to scream. I stopped at a couple of vender booths by the Coronado hotel there on the beach but they didn't have vinegar! Who are these people?!

We finally found a Subway Sandwiches about 1/2 a mile away ( it seemed so much longer!) They graciously gave me a bit of vinegar. The instant I put it on Lizzy's foot, she stopped crying and she said the pain was gone. Amazing! I will, forevermore, pack vinegar with us each time we head to the beach.

 Well, once the drama was over, we had two sleepy kiddos.  Aren't they cute?

Our time together was just so fun! If you ask me that was the best part - we were together. The next day Troy left for Utah and the kids and I headed home. We continued our party until daddy got home but he doesn't need to know that! :)

Sorry Yuma, I love ya, but...

I have always loved the 4th of July! The parades, the carnivals, lying on my back in the nice cool grass watching an amazing fireworks show. That all ended 11 years ago - when we moved to Yuma. The only thing in Yuma that resembles a 4th of July celebration is a dinky fireworks show put on by one of the local casinos. It lasts for about 5-10 minutes and leaves a lot to be desired AND it is usually watched while sitting by your car in a parking lot in 100* weather.

I get it, it is the heat. Truly, who wants to be outside celebrating anything during our Yuma summers? No one. I understand. I'm not faulting anyone here. I just know how things could be and I want them that way. I want my kids to experience this as well.

Troy had to go to Utah for a training during the first week of July. He was going to take a plane to Utah from the San Diego airport. Our budget didn't allow the whole family to go but we could do a couple of super inexpensive days in San Diego before he left. Wonder of wonders! We were there on the 4th of July!!! It was wonderful! San Diego knows how to do the 4th of July and I am now hooked for life (or until we move somewhere else)

We started out in Old Town San Diego at the Mormon Battalion (the previous post). Then we just walked down to the Old Town center and wham bam! it was a PERFECT 4th of July celebration!!! Period costumes everywhere - parades - crafts - booths - speakers - stage shows - a band - I was sooooo happy!! Here are some of the highlights of the day...

Look at those costumes!! A real 4th of July parade! See the guy to the left playing the piccolo flute?! I thought I would cry!

Corn husk dolls

Quilt blocking. This is the only picture I have of Lizzy sewing two squares together. She wrote her name on one square. With all of the squares sewn together that day, the ladies above will sew an entire quilt and raffle it off next year! I plan on being there to win the quilt!! :)

The old school house

This is the desk in the back for the misbehaving child. Funny how Ben was immediately drawn to that desk. I told him that better be the last time he is there - but I'm not going to hold my breath. :) Love you Ben!!

The old fashioned candy store was PACKED!! Lizzy, Ben and I waited outside while daddy bought freshly pulled taffy and other old fashioned candy. (Ben loves to pose for pictures.)

They have a store completely devoted to....ROOT BEER! Troy couldn't help himself he bought two six packs with 12 different kinds of root beer. Troy's heaven will have a store like this.

Watching the women spin thread

Old Town was so much fun. It is in my plans to be back there next year for sure. Anyone wanna come?

After we left Old Town, we checked into our fabulous hotel in downtown San Diego which Troy found on priceline.com for a screamin' deal! (Yay Troy!). Lizzy loves staying in hotels. She loved this one because it was a suite with a sitting room and a bedroom. Out of all of the fun stuff we did, this may have been her favorite part of the whole trip - staying in a hotel. 

After we checked in, we took the train down to Seaport Village for the fireworks. Taking the train was fun and we didn't have to find a parking space or fight the traffic when it was all over.

Look what I saw sailing in the harbor near Seaport Village. Very cool!

Ben and Lizzy waiting for the fireworks to begin

Still waiting. After we found some dinner, we decided to find a good spot for the fireworks. We wanted the bench which meant we waited for a long time. We'll know better next time, the fireworks can been viewed perfectly from almost anywhere and everyone is standing up anyway so we didn't need the bench.

So, in San Diego there are barges sitting out in the ocean on which perfectly timed fireworks are set off. This picture shows 3 but we could actually see two more to the left that didn't fit in the picture. It was spectacular. Lizzy and Ben were amazed and my heart was happy! :) (and we didn't spend a ton of money!!)

Have You Gone Here Yet?

If you are anywhere near San Diego, a trip to the Mormon Battalion Historic Site is a MUST! It has been remodeled into an interactive and moving portrayal of life for these brave men and women.

 Ben playing the spoons during part of the presentation.

 An uncharacteristically stoic and shy Lizzy very reluctantly tried on some Pioneer clothes.

One of the presentation rooms where the story of the Mormon Battalion was dramatized in beautiful fashion.

While going from room to room during the presentation Ben kept asking, "Mom, where is Jesus? Is he behind that rock?" or if there were crates in the room he would ask if Jesus was hiding in the crates. I didn't understand exactly why he was asking those questions until I payed more attention. Ben was feeling the outpouring of the Spirit during the presentation. He knew he felt the Savior there but he couldn't see him so he thought that Jesus must be hiding somewhere. He looked for him in every room but never found him. I finally told him that we can feel the Savior's love in our hearts and that was what he was feeling but he was still convinced that Jesus was in that building and he was determined to find him. 

 It is soooo unknown that the Mormon Battalion helped settle San Diego. Their contribution to that great city was tremendous. This sister missionary is helping Ben pretend to make bricks like the pioneers did to build some of the first buildings in San Diego.

 Washing clothes.

Panning for gold.

We had such a memorable trip and it was free! :)

On The Way Home...

On the way home from San Diego, we stopped at the Viejas Outlet Mall. It is a beautiful area with bronze statues of local wildlife, streams, rock formations and this fun water fountain amphitheater. I think we could have stayed a couple of hours just letting the kids run around identifying the animals and playing at this fountain.

The loud speakers were playing some festive, Spanish dancer type music. Lizzy and Ben were swept up with the beat and had a ball.

Lizzy dancing like no one was watching.

Still dancing like no one was watching.

Still feeling the music in her soul.

Ben, looking through the fountain. (Finally! Someone looks at me while I take a picture!)

The music just swept this little dancer away. She WAS a Spanish dancer and I loved every minute of watching her.

The Beach Bum Loves

A couple of years ago, on a hot September morning, I decided on a whim to pack things up and head to the beach. (click here to read that fun adventure)Since then, Ben and Lizzy think the beach is the greatest. Although Troy's schedule is booked solid, he was able to move some things around so that we could take off for a quick little family trip during Lizzy's spring break.

We left early Friday morning and headed to Moonlight Beach in Escondido, CA (near San Diego). We played and played and laughed and played.

Lizzy was brave only if I was with her. She wanted me to hold onto her as we walked out further and further into the ocean. The waves were so much fun!

Ben was brave enough this time to try the waves a bit but I could never get him to look at the camera. This is the best I could do.

Of course, what trip to the beach would be complete without some digging in the sand. We brought our sand toys along and had some fun.

Ben didn't just want to be buried in the sand, he wanted a castle built on top of him. Troy was happy to oblige.

Ben was pretty excited to get daddy all covered up with sand.

The sand fortress of Love

 

Ben joined some locals as they created a "hot tub". They all got a kick out of him.

Troy does a three day retreat with a group of his therapy clients. They rent a beach house in California. We wanted to see the house so after dinner we headed up to watch the sunset by this gorgeous beach house. The steps in the back lead directly to the beach.

The silly Love family love to spend  time together!

No overnight trip with the Loves would be complete without a picture of Lizzy in our hotel room. She LOVES hotels. Troy is so good to find FANTASTIC hotels with FANTASTIC prices on Priceline.com (I think I should get some commission for that advertisement)