Spring Break Trip to CA

Our family trip for spring break took us across the country to California this year.  The kids had never been to the West Coast (that they could remember), Dan and I love San Francisco and Ellie really wanted to see the baby panda at the San Diego Zoo.  Sounded like perfect reasons to hop on a plane and fly west...

Our trip took us from Northern California all the way to Southern California in seven days.  We started off in San Francisco and our first stop was Chinatown.  We took the kids to Chinatown in New York and couldn't wait to share Chinatown in San Francisco with them.  It's so much prettier and so many more pandas for Ellie!

We heard about a tiny shop that makes fortune cookies and stopped by to see them for ourselves.  This lady was so fast and never once looked at us or any of the other people that were lined up out the door.

Ellie found panda items everywhere! 

No trip to San Fran is complete without a trip to Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 to see the sea lions.  There were sooo many of them and they were very entertaining.  The chill was enough to chase us back inside after too long though.

While at the Wharf we the Boudin bread company for some fresh sour dough bread to go with our lunch.  They make loaves of bread in the neatest shapes.  When Dan and I came to visit we brought home a big turtle for Emory and Ellie just for fun.  It was hard as a rock three days later when we arrived!  This year they had really cute bunnies for Easter. 

Our next stop was Muir Woods just north of San Francisco to see the massive redwoods.  These trees are amazing on their own but even more so when you realize they are growing right outside of a major city.

 

On the way back from Muir Woods we drove down the very famous curvy Lombard Street.



On our last afternoon in San Francisco we rented bicycles and rode across the Golden Gate Bridge. 

The weather wasn't the best for bike riding as it had turned chilly and drizzly in the afternoon but we still made the ride.  The top of the bridge is hiding in the clouds over the Bay.   We all did it and can now mark this one off of the bucket list!

After we left San Francisco, we drove down the Pacific Coast Highway headed towards Los Angeles.  The clifts overlooking were breathtaking.  Pictures really don't show their magnificence. 

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Boating

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Ellie turns 10

On April 11th, our "baby" turned 10!  Where did the time go?  Ellie has grown from a sweet and easy baby into a beautiful, funny and still sweet young lady right before our eyes.  We have enjoyed watching her grow up so much and wouldn't want to change a minute of it!

Each year for her birthday, it is a tradition to cover her floor with balloons while she sleeps.  This started when she was really small and she has come to expect it each year.  This year to mix it up and provide a little surprise for her, I found this cute idea on pinterest.  Emory and I blew up around 150 small water balloons.  While Ellie slept, I put a piece of clear plastic over her door and carefully filled the space between her door and the plastic with the balloons.  When Ellie opened her door early on the morning of her birthday, all of the balloons fell down on top of her.  Suprise accomplished!!!

Next came the special birthday breakfast.  This year it was a stack of ten mini pancakes with sprinkles! 

She opened a couple of presents in the morning before school because she was just so excited.  Pandas are still a favorite this year. 

While Ellie was at school, I made the cupcakes of her choice.  She too is a fan of Pinterest and found cute mini panda cupcakes that she asked me to make.  They were so small and cute!

For her birthday dinner, Ellie requested her favorite - spaghetti and homemade meatballs.  She always makes these with her daddy and they are so yummy.

Afterschool, her first request was to come home and open the rest of her presents. 

The biggest surprise this year came in the smallest package.  Ellie has been asking for years to get her ears pierced and we have always told her that she could when she was 13.  She is definitely responsible enough to have pierced ears now, so in this small box she got her first pair of earrings.  She was beyond excited!!!

The next afternoon I  made an appointment at the pediatricians office where nurse Robin pierced her ears.  Her first earrings are simple little silver balls that she has to wear for a month.  After that she will have a hard time choosing which earrings to wear first.  She received so many cute earrings from her friends for her birthday.

For her party with her friends, Ellie decided months ago that she wanted to go to Rebounderz which is an indoor trampoline arena.  There are huge trampolines to bounce on, a dodgeball trampoline arena and a trampline basketball court.  The girls had a great time and were super hot and tired by the time we called them back to the party room for cake.

 Happy 10th Birthday, Ellie Bean!!!  We love you so much!!!

Happy 4th Birthday, Piper!

Our sweet Piper celebrated her 4th birthday on March 8th! 

She (and Owen) enjoyed opening all of her presents and tearing through all of the bags and tissue paper.  That might be more fun than the actual presents for them! 

 

Happy Happy Birthday Baby Girl!  We all love you sooooo much!!!

Happy 13th Birthday!