We arrived to verdant hills, spring blooms, blue skies, lots of strawberries and other fabulous produce, sunshine, and exceeded Anchorage's summer quota of 70 degree days by a factor of five! We visited my brother, Roby, and his family on the front and back end of our trip. My mom and dad flew out from Indiana to meet up with us at Roby and Kim's. Then we drove up with my parents to spend the bulk of our trip in Los Osos. My parents and Russell's love to get together so we had a ball with all four grand parents doting on us and the kids. We returned to Burbank via the Amtrak Pacific Coastliner train making our visit truly one of train, planes, and automobiles.
Morro Rock as viewed from Los Osos during one of many walks with the kids and Tanner (Sue and My's dog).
We spent our second day with Roby and Kim at Carpenteria playing on the beach. Shelby is six and Rachael is just 5 months older than Liam. The cousins had a fabulous time together and for the first time were at ages when they truly played together.
Liam initially fell into a tide pool, then jumped in again fulling drenching himself and not minding the cool Pacific in the least.
Rachael Wilson hamming it for the camera.
Duck, Duck, Goose in Shelby and Rachael's backyard.
The kids enjoying a bedtime story from Uncle Roby.
Picnic Dinner out on the dunes in Morro Bay. We used the Hoods' two canoes to make the short journey across the Bay.
Beachcombing with Grandad
Reading with Granny Sue
We visited the tidal pools at Coralina Cove in Montana de Oro State Park. Liam is practicing is one finger touching technique he learned at the Alaska Sea Life Center to get an anemone to close up.
The kids enjoying a hike through the live oaks.And... a couple of parting shots from home before our trip south.
Natalie in all of her adorable grandeur telling one of her grandmothers about her fifth birthday.
