San Diego Spring Break

This year my wonderful sister and her family invited us to tag along with them to San Diego for spring break. It just so happens that we had spring break the same week, so it worked out well. We couldn't leave until Thursday because of Jon's work schedule, but Jon actually took a little time off which was so nice and needed. Before we went though, we spent a quick day in Mesa, and got to meet sweet little Lincoln, Amy's brand new baby. Jackson was in love with Grandma's valentine's balloon and enjoyed stories with Grandpa.

  

Then Jon joined us that evening and we were off to California. We had so much fun there. We were in a beach house right on mission beach and literally would just fall out of the door and be at the beach. It was perfect. It is especially nice to be that close to the beach with little kids because they are constantly needing something (naps, food, bathroom, drinks, etc). Being so close we could watch the kids play on the beach from our balcony even. They made Grace into a lovely mermaid, and then uncle Paul buried all the little girls and made a 3 headed octopus.

                    

  




Last summer when we were at the beach, Jackson had just learned to walk so everytime he stumbled and fell, his hands would get covered with sand and then he would try to suck his thumb and just get mad that he had sand in his mouth. This year, he loved the beach! He would play for hours digging in the sand and loved the water and the waves.

 Thursday night, the Harmers ordered us the biggest pizza I have ever seen. The kids were so excited.

Sunsets over the ocean are always so beautiful. 

We were also next to an small amusement park there that the kids enjoyed one day. They just went back and forth between the beach and the rides. It was super fun for them. My sister's kids are older and braver than mine, but they were so patient and such good sports going on all the kiddie rides with my little ones to make them happy. The picture below is Jacks reaching out his hand to hold his cousin Seth's hand. 

 Jacks loved it. The carousel was his favorite. He would cry and beg us to put him on it, and then cry when it was over and we had to pry his little fingers off his horse to take him out of the ride.

 

On Saturday we went over to the bay and rented paddle boards and had lots of fun paddling around and the kids found a ton of sand dollars and even found an octopus that had been washed up in high tide. They saved it and put it back in the bay. It was pretty cool. It got a little windy, but we ran back to the house and got the kites and had a great time flying kites.

Hailee and Jackson flying their kite

That afternoon we were pretty much all sun burnt and the beach was crazy crowded, so we headed over to the Mormon Battalion museum. It was pretty amazing. They have redone it recently and it was pretty interactive and fun for the kids. Here they are panning for gold. 

Sunday we finally connected with my aunt Martsy, who is serving as a couple missionary in the San Diego mission. She is so wonderful and it was great to get to chat with her and see her love for the missionary work and the missionaries. She was just glowing with the missionary spirit. Then we took a quick stop by the gorgeous temple. Grace thinks it is Elsa's ice palace. Then all the sudden it was over. It was so fun, but always too fast. We loved getting to be in such a beautiful place, but mostly it was so nice to spend time with these people we are lucky to be related to. Wish we could have stayed there another week...or month.