SANTA CRUZ BEACH BOARDWALK

Fancy twinner hair braids courtesy of Auntie Taryn

Quick walk to the overlook to show Eli and Addy

Ready to start their Boardwalk adventure!

Twinning with PawPaw!

In line for the Haunted Castle

Lunch at the arcade

On the Sky Glider with mama (who was more scared than he was for once...)

They loved the Speedway so much they rode it half a dozen times!

Fancy faces! (The boys had skulls and flames, but I don't have a photo)

On the Giant Dipper with Auntie Taryn

"Get that corn away from me!"

Uncle Davey was not so excited to do the log ride...

And neither was Jay!...

Meanwhile, Grambot took James on some of the kiddie rides. And he was happy!

Kid-sized bumper cars. Uncle Davey took one for the team and rode with them.

(That's why Jay and David didn't like the log ride... too easy to see how high up you are!)

On the kiddie coaster with my wild child

The Bacons making faces at the ride's camera...

James requested two rounds of the Cave Train

Long day at the Boardwalk, followed by a delicious seafood dinner = NAPTIME

And yet they were ALL still awake at 10:00pm...

CORA'S TOOTH FAIRY VISITS THE BEACH

 Cora lost her second tooth (bottom right incisor), so her Tooth Fairy made a flight to the beach and left her another sparkly dollar. Lucky for her, daddy had made a deal with all the kids (since all have loose teeth at the same time) that whoever lost their tooth first would win $5 from him (because daddy was worried that the tooth fairies would have a hard time visiting 4 kids sharing a room at the beach house...), AND, after nobody was willing to pull a tooth during the first few days of vacation, Grambot upped the ante with a matching $5 - so Cora earned $11 for just one little tooth...

FOGGY MORNING RUN

Jay and I ran ONCE while we were on vacation... Luckily it was at the beach on a cool, foggy morning! We ran around town, down a steep trail to the beach, along the waves, and back (up, up, up the hillside). We saw a plethora of California coastal blooms, lots of gulls and cormorants, a sea lion swimming along the shore, some cute (and fancy) beach homes, and driftwood art. 

BEACH BOUND ON GRAMBOT'S BIRTHDAY

Cora told PawPaw to "just follow the palm trees!" to get to the beach. Seemed like legit directions to us... Jay bought the kids their first scratch-off tickets (neither won anything), played their Kindles, and we were there before we knew it! We checked into the beach house rental, grabbed lunch at Burger.Aptos, played at the beach for an hour, then hung out at the house and played games until Auntie Taryn and Uncle Davey arrived with cousins Eli and Addy. There was a bit of goofing off while we waited for our dinner reservations at Margaritaville, then we came home after to celebrate Grambot's birthday with cupcakes that David and Taryn brought for the occasion! It was such a fun start to our beach weekend!

Cookie snack on the upper deck overlooking the bay

On the upper deck at Burger.Aptos

Aptos beach overlook

Lots of driftwood logs and makeshift beach shelters/forts to play in

Posing on the beach at Capitola before dinner (yes, it was COLD once the fog rolled in)

Be still my heart... these boys love each other SO MUCH!

Helping Uncle Davey burn off his dinner calories...

Happy Birthday Dear Grambot!

PARTY LIKE IT'S YOUR LAST DAY!

Mom was honored today at her retirement cake walk and it felt so good to be there to witness her many coworkers stopping by to thank her for everything she's done over her years at St. Joseph's and wish her well on her retirement. Eli was still in school, but the rest of the kids came along and were very well behaved (and I'm not just saying that). The cake was delicious, the flowers were gorgeous, and while I know it was a little crazy for mom to be on her feet doing the meet and greet for 2 hours, it really was very cool!

All dressed up to impress Grambot's coworkers

James got to ride in the booster seat we bought last night to make the 3 kid trip possible today

Flowers from a coworker's garden, flowers from us, and flowers from the hospital

After the party, Jay and dad took the kids home for lunch and I took mom out for appetizers and a cocktail to celebrate the end of her very impressive career! (Wish we could go out to lunch together more often - it was so much fun!!)

CALIFORNIA BOUND

All packed up and ready to head to Grambot and PawPaw's house!

 Lunch with Great Grandma and Great Grandpa, and Auntie Margie and Uncle Daryl. Complete with an early birthday cake for Grambot and Cora to share!

 Followed immediately by a couple of very much deserved naps...

 And then the kids (and us!) were reunited with Eli and Addy and all was right in their world:

 (Same look I give her sometimes Addy. I'm with ya...)