Point Loma

After a relaxing morning of watching Ally's kids while she went in to do a surgery, we all loaded up and made a trek down to see Old Point Loma Lighthouse.   I heard about tidal pools that were close by so we ventured off the path and ended up there 20 minutes after high tide haha.   Probably not the best time to see critters in the ocean but the view was fantastic.

Then we headed up the road to the Light house.

This was Jane's idea for this picture.   I think it turned out cute

After a stop for frozen yogurt, we drove to Balboa park to hang out and avoid some traffic before heading back to Ally's

All aboard the San Diego Zoo's mini train.  

Legoland 2

We went into the vacation wanting to play it by ear.  Ally had an inside scoop about a way to get season tickets to Legoland for the price of a daily admission.  One of the perks is you also get into the water park and the aquarium that is attached to the park.    After a long fun day at Legoland we start discussing what we should do the next day.  Bart mentions going back to the waterpark at Legoland and Aaron exciting exclaimed  "Oh I drive cars again"  Emily says "Yeah I can do the other robot programming session" and Jane and I both said "Ooh maybe we can drive those boats that had too long of a line".    The vote was unanimous and we set out for Legoland the next day.

After a lecture from me about how she and I will feel bad when we look back on this trip and Emily isn't in any of the pictures, Emily had a change of heart and wanted to get her picture taken with all of the Lego Friends.

 

Being seasoned Lagoon goers we know how to maximize our time a amusment park.  Since we knew the park already we go their bright and early ready to take it by storm.

Bart and Aaron ran over to the cars!  Something must have happened over night with Aaron because he all the sudden became an expert driver.  

Jane, Emily and I ran up to the boats and got right on.  

Emily was a natural captain.

Meanwhile Bart took the boys on the pirate ride.

Then we discovered the boys weren't too little for the boats so  they all went on them again

We then went to the waterpark for a couple of hours.  Emily and I slipped away to go program her robot to do heart surgery.

Robot is ready to go kill those bad blue cells

Emily and I had a few minutes to spare before meeting up with the rest of the gang so we strolled through mini world again.  Emily just had to show me her favorite part.  She got such a kick that the couple walked out of the chapel.

We ended  with a quick trip through the aquarium.  

Aaron did not want to touch but soon warmed up to the idea

The kids happily made these crab hats at the craft table

It was hard to leave but we left with a hope that we will be back again before our season passes expire.  

Aahhh...... California

We love California.  We love it even more now that Ally has her own house with plenty of space for us to spread out.    My kids loved spending time just hanging with Hazel and William in the backyard.  I loved sitting in the porch swing watching and enjoying some cool ocean air.    It was hard to leave and since then I've been calculating how I can move there and live close to my sister (the one injustice of my life is I don't live in the same town and any of my sisters).  

Hazel loved all the rides with Jane

It feels a little more close to home to drive a pirate ship and look for pirates when you are only a short distance to the ocean.  

Hazel is taking a few steps here and there.  My girls took it upon themselves to become her personal walking trainers.  

Legoland

You might not know this but Emily and Jane will often escape to Emi's room and play with a combination of Lego friends, duplo blocks, calico critters and Fisher Price people for hours.  Their complicated dramatic i.e. messy play often continues the next day and the next.  Is it any wonder they were so excited to experience Legoland.

Jane was all about  the Lego Friends and wanted pictures with each of them.

  

          

 Aaron loved riding and sliding with William...

but he fell in love with the cars...   I have a very strong opinion about how my  kids will not own Battery operated cars of their own.  I think it comes from my own sad battery operated car less childhood and feel that any kid who has one is truly an over the top spoiled kid.  Plus kids have legs to pedal a bike don't they.  

So when Aaron stepped into the car for the first time he had no idea what to do an ended up stuck in the side of the wall most of the ride.  When the short ride after a long wait in line ended Aaron started to bawl and bawl and bawl.  He did not want it to be over!   When we came around later in the day he begged and begged to get on but I was not going to wait in that long line again so the tears started rolling again.  Luckily for my ears we found some stationary cars.  This prevented a major meltdown for my boy.  

  

Sometimes it's hard for a boy like Aaron to obey the "do not touch" signs

You'll notice a lack of Emily in the pictures.   She who is moving into being a  'tween'  and did not want her picture taken. She begrudgingly posed for this one with all the Friends.

And of course with Emmit.

Ally had some insider scoop about a place you can go and sign up kids 9 and older to go and program their very own robot to do things.  She and Bart went to program this robot to find treasures.  I may have gotten a little mad at both Bart and Emily for not taking more pictures.  Bart said Emily refused.   He's seriously too nice sometimes.  

Meanwhile I got some time with these two.

"Do you want the pony to go  faster just say "yee-ha"

Lego land seemed to be crazy  about height restrictions and other "rules".  Ally told me to stop comparing it to Lagoon when I said that to her.  "Parent must ride in between horses on the carousal" was one of them so I took a moment to snap a selfie with these two.

We went into a building where you build your own race cars made from Lego parts.  I stink at building things.  If Aaron has any hope for success with the pine wood derby Bart will have to take over.  

Fun times!!

Wally World Adventure

A few days before our big trip to Cali we were at Cowabunga Bay and over the loud speaker they announce that all season pass holders can use their passes at the Cowabunga Bay in Vegas.  I talk to Bart and we decide that it would be fun to stop in Vegas and stretch our legs on a few water slides.

The plan was to leave early Saturday morning but plans changed as Bart decided to cash in to a few hour comp time he needed to use so we set out Friday afternoon.  Our first stop was a quick visit to see my Grandma Morrell.  It's been a couple of years since I've seen him but he is just as sharp as he ever has been.

We spend the night in Mesquite.  Jane my early bird had us all up at 6 due to a "starving stomach" that was going to kill her if she didn't eat something ASAP.   We all got up stuffed ourselves at the Casino Buffet and set off to Vegas.    Cowabunga Bay wasn't set to open until 10:30 so we had an hour to kill so we drove down the strip and went in to the Bellagio and looked around at their latest Garden creation.

Soon we were on our way to the water park but when we got there we the parking lady informed us that Cowabunga Bay was closed today due to the inclement weather.    Really?  It was just cloudy but I guess in Vegas clouds warrant a complete shut down.   It felt a little like the National Lamboon's vacation when the get to Wally World to see it was closed.  Oh well!  We set off again to our final destination Carlsbad.

As we pulled up Matt and Ally were loading up for a ward surfing party at the Beach.    We tagged along and got to hang out with this cutie.