For Fall Break this year (week of October 4th), we were ready TO GET ON A PLANE ALREADY! HG has been jealous that John has started back his work travel, and she wanted to GO. Since John was going to be working in Vegas at the start of that week, we decided to go to Dana Point, California. John and I had been out there together years ago and knew the girls would love it too.
The girls and I flew out on Sunday and checked into the Ritz Laguna Niguel, and John met us at Disneyland on Tuesday. We came home Friday so that we could make it to the Ole Miss home game on Saturday morning. (Whew)
The afternoon of the first day we were there, I heard someone mention in passing an oil spill north of us (Huntington Beach). By the next day, it had made the Today Show. Beaches north of us shut down pretty quickly, but luckily, ours always remained open. We weren't able to go out on our whale watching trip as all the water closed, and many of the things I had planned on finding on nearby beaches weren't doable since police were set up on the beach to keep people off of them. But I think we got pretty creative and found some fun adventures together! And how nice to have a beautiful change of scenery and routine!
Up and at 'em before the sun- ready to go!
Thank you, sweet baby Jesus, for a little naptime
CANDYYYY
Waiting for lunch in the Salt Lake City airport (which is delightful, by the way)
We are obviously out of our travel patterns and habits. Poor Cressey was so confused about where her suitcase was and when she'd get it back. She was very eager to see it come down that belt!
We have arrived!
What could be better than a view of the beach and the best sweet potato fries???
That's our hotel up on the bluff behind them.
That water was COLD
S'mores!!! Happy girls (scared moma with that big flame)
Beautiful moment right before Cressey fell into a flowerbed and scraped her arm on a cactus. It's like a Toohig trip tradition now.
Girls are in bed watching their iPads, Mama is eating their leftover fries and watching the sunset with a glass of wine. Life is good.
Now THIS is breakfast!
Monday means all the beachgoers from yesterday are at work today (Ritz shares with a public beach)- whoop whoop! Surfers are still going strong though.
This girl lives for a pool and a 'strawberry milkshake' (aka a daiquiri)
Dinner on the marina at Harpoon Harry's in Dana Point
So HG helped us plan the Disneyland excursion, and she thought it'd be fun to surprise Cressey with it. We told Cress we had a surprise, and she wanted to wait until the last minute to hear it. Even after we put her in a Minnie dress, she wasn't quite sure what we were trying to say. When HG finally told her, she was so excited!!!!
First ride was the Storybook Boats
And then on to the tea cups!
2018 vs. 2021
Where these two belong...in a cage! Casey Jr. Circus Train
LOOK WHO WE FOUND!
Chewy spotting!
A pic for Granddaddy; we found a penny press machine at this little trading post, which is a whole new favorite Disney activity for us. The girls were ALL ABOUT tracking down these machines and seeing which designs they could add to their collection.
2018 vs. 2021
Quite the family competition on Toy Story
Character encounters are a little different now post pandemic
Little Mermaid
You can see HG's feet just to the right of us
Now for HG's favorite!
Cress liked it until they really got going fast, and then she was ready for it to be over!
'Disney done' tired
But perked up for s'mores
A beach we wanted to see was closed. HG went down to investigate, and she found a policeman at the bottom. Oops!
So we took ourselves on an art tour around Laguna Beach; first, Painted Stairs
Colette Miller wings
Art-A-Fair
Cressey had been driving us crazy asking for a donut. John found a shop for her, and she was STOKED.
We took ourselves to San Juan Capistrano to see the historic mission, and we found this amazing restaurant, Trevor's at the Tracks.
The girls were given a scavenger hunt to complete at the mission, and they took it VERY seriously.
Lighting candles for GG and Peg
Was trying to take an artsy pic, and this cute girlie hopped in it. I think I like it better this way anyway.
Poor working guy
They could have played at this coy pond for hours
Back to the pool
This view and the people in it are phenomenal
She loves to paint her fingernails with that little water brush (the restaurant brought those activity book to entertain her)
This dessert was worth the entire trip
We checked out the Pacific Marine Mammal Center which rehabilitates seals and seal lions. They had three buddies there at the moment, and it was so fun to see them up close!
This climbing thing at the Irvine Spectrum Mall was such a hit! Do you see them in the top left (both in blue)?
While we were walking to lunch in another part of the mall, HG stopped dead in her tracks. She said, "I know that girl! She's a YouTuber that I follow! (Lexi Hensler)" She wouldn't go up to her, so I snapped this quick pic and we kept walking. HG headed to the bathroom.
As HG turned to walk off, we heard someone holler at us from behind. We turned to see Lexi approaching with her friend and a cameraman, asking us if we wanted to play a Trick or Treat game. I immediately grabbed HG and pushed her forward, and she got to pick a pumpkin- a treat or a trick. She picked one, and inside she found $100! They were doing a 'thank you' to all their YouTube followers. I might have embarrassed HG, but I refused to let them leave without a pic so I asked for one. It was a pretty surreal experience!
And HG made her appearance in her weekly video!
A quick ride on the ferris wheel before we headed back to the hotel with our internet sensation.
Walking down to the beach for our last goodbye
We found all kinds of sea anemones and clams and shells around the rocks- it was so fun!
And when we got back to the room to change for dinner, I had a surprise knock at the door and found this angel....
Last (quick) trip to the pool
On a night with no sight of the sun and a sky covered in clouds, we soon realized that this last sunset might have a fighting chance...
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