Oceanside

Oceanside

What is all of this babbling? I think I should edit more but I thought that you might like the “right now” feeling of the passages I tried to write while I was still on vacation. I have just decided that I should never try to blog when I am at the end of a vacation. If you notice I am a bit sad in the below passages, in fact I think I state that in the first line. I kept trying to muster some good writing and happy feelings about the vacation that I was still enjoying but really I was just thinking about the fact that it was almost over.

“Well we are almost done with our family vacation and it makes me kind of sad. We have had such a nice time relaxing and going to the beach and now everyone is talking about packing up. I just don’t like that part of the vacation. I want to keep the fun and  party feeling that was happening to continue right until we throw everything back into our bags and fly out the door.

Aunt Pam taught Allie how to say “ahhhhhhh …” after taking a big long drink.

Babar (Barbara) went to Sea World with us and played with all of the cousins.

Jgdklbghbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbf n rn n n rf (Allison had a few things to say here. She is having a great time too!)

Tuesday - Arrival and Pot Luck.

Wednesday – Beach Day

Thursday – Sea World

Friday – Blogging, shopping, beach day, kite making!!!

Saturday – Leaving

I have tried to get this blog going but people keep coming and going, coming and going. It is really nice though because as I have mentioned I just don’t want to end the vacation. These gatherings just never last long enough. I thought it would help if I set up a list of days and what we did on those days but it just seemed so paltry. There are piles of homemade muffins, used glow bracelets and this week’s newspapers lying around the large farmhouse table, a testament to the fun we already enjoyed.

The boys are making kites! Uncle Tom brought blank white kites and very large sharpies. Gabriel has already broken out the green and made a MoneyMan!”

What is the point that I want to make on this blog? I love travel, vacations and family. If all three of those things come together then my world is pretty much exploding in rainbows and fairy dust. That was my week in Oceanside, imagine the meadow in Legend when Princess Lili and Jack meet the unicorns and you will understand the way I felt all week with my family. My Babykins was surrounded by cousins, aunts & uncles and a whole lot of Grandmas.  She enjoyed every minute of it. Twenty-one family members were able to spend three days frolicking in the sun and sand: Grandma Jean, Grandpa Bud, Jean, Mike, Yasuko, Tom, Pam, Sarah, Rhonda, John, Barbara, Sally, Katie, Julie, Robert, Gabriel, Xander, Emi, Terry, Allison, and me. Aunt GaGa, are you out there? Allie continues to find the SeaWorld picture and asks for GaGa, she is pointing to you Julie in the picture. On my phone when the slideshow scrolls through the vacation pictures she points and points and raises her eyebrows. A few days after we came home I took Allie to my Mom’s house before we went out to dinner and she cried when we started to walk out the door, she thought we were leaving and not just going to a restaurant. She liked the coming and goings just as much as I did. It is so great to spend time with everyone and as Karen Ashcraft used to say “We’re making memories!” I just love that.

When we got home Terry and I started reminiscing, kind of like the “moment of potential” but at the other end of fun, and he really enjoyed having access to all kinds of water activities. Spending almost an entire day boogie boarding with Xander and Gabriel was a highlight; he usually has to do that alone. Julie and I were very happy to have some time out in the salty blue Pacific with Barbara, Sally, Katie and Sarah while the babies splashed around with all of the rocks. Let’s just take a couple of moments to lament the amazing amount of  rocks littering the entire beach; poor Katie, her legs got into a fight with a some of them and sadly the rocks won. But good show Katie’s legs! I think it was some of the best beach time I have ever had because instead of packing everything back up into the car to get home it was just a quick walk to the condo and a shower.

The weather was just wonderful, breezy and cool with the sun peeking in and out of hazy summer clouds. Along with the water activities, there was shopping along Main Street, eating at Harbor Fish and Chips and drives along the coast to fill our few days with fun. There was a family Bonfire and Weenie Roast and a few of us went to Sea World. We watched the dolphins jump and swim with high diving actors dressed as birds and laughed as the Seals danced with the Stars.  We decorated kites, made dog tag necklaces and enjoyed homemade breakfasts lovingly prepared by Grandma Jean. One morning Tom, Sarah, Mom and I went to a yoga class at Pier View Yoga, the studio was located on the second floor and had impressive bay windows looking out toward the pier. The sea breeze blowing through the open windows brought the raucous calls of the seagulls and a salty tang to the air.

It was a magical week for me and hopefully for everyone else. When we got home Julie posted on Facebook a gorgeous picture of the view from her room stating “Missing vacation and everyone that went. Had such a great time.” and that pretty much sums it up. It was a beautiful place, a relaxing and enjoyable time with some really great people.

Enjoy yourselves. Enjoy your family. Enjoy magic filled valleys with unicorns!