Marla and I spent last week basking in the golden California sun with our families. Our sister, Lyndsay, lives out in Santa Barbara and we got to spend Thanksgiving week with her and her husband. I was so glad to be able to spend some time visiting her and finally getting to see her California life (it was the first time Mike, the boys and I had been out).
Some highlights from our trip::
- first airplane ride for the boys – they loved it! (It was a little tough keeping Levi quiet and happy on such a long flight, but we made it with no major breakdowns!)
- the weather – it was absolutely perfect. I just can’t get over that it’s like that all year – it’s amazing! And makes me really want to move there.
- Lyndsay lives in the most perfect spot – you’ve got the ocean on one side and mountains on the other. Breathtaking views everywhere.
- the ocean – my boys were little beach bums. They loved going and playing in the sand and surf. It was a little cold to really be swimming, but the boys (and my brother!), did venture in for a quick swim one day. We had lots of fun walks on the beach.
- the giant sandbox – aka the sand volleyball court at the rental house my parents, Marla and my brother stayed at. When we went over the boys were so excited about the biggest sandbox ever in the backyard! 🙂
- we got to see dolphins, a seal, and giant starfish!
- donuts!!! Of course there were many donut trips while we were on vacation. We tried out Spudnuts and their delicious doughssants.
- driving the breathtaking Gibraltar Road to the top of the Santa Ynez mountains. This was really incredible and I’m in awe of my brother-in-law who bikes that beast!
- eating some of the best tacos – Lyndsay’s fish tacos and dining at La Super-Rica’s!
- my dream Thanksgiving feast – a fiesta! I think I request a fiesta Thanksgiving meal every year and finally my dream came true – not a turkey in site Thanksgiving day! (Not that there’s really anything wrong with turkey, but I’d pick mexican food everyday of the year if I could). And we ate outside – could it be any better?! I was so thankful that we got to spend Thanksgiving with Lyndsay – it was the first time since moving out there that she has spent Thanksgiving day with anyone. Her husband always works during the day on Thanksgiving so she’s always been by her lonesome till he gets home.
- being with my family – I love that it worked out for everyone to be out there together, my parents, Marla’s crew, and my brother, Craig, and his girlfriend Ginger flew in from NYC. (and we even had a mini reunion with some of my cousins who were vacationing out there too – holla mini Bann-Clan west coast meet-ups!)
So there’s our Cali trip in a few photos. So thankful for my seester for hosting us and for the time we got to spend together. It was an incredible trip and I’ll be dreaming of those California days for sure during these bitter cold winter days in western New York. (We went from balmy 70 degree weather to 4 degrees on our drive home from the airport…4!!)
xo. Manda
