California

Well, our long-awaited trip has come & gone! :( We went to San Diego this past week & had a great time! We were sad to leave the 70-80 degree weather & return home to 110!! We left on Monday & came home on Friday! We went to the beach twice & to SeaWorld! We all LOVE the beach & had a great time relaxing! The first day we went, Tuesday, the water was FREEZING!! I know the water is usually cold, but it was literally like ice!! Luckily, when we went back on Thursday, the water was a little warmer & Shayne and Madelyn were able to boogie board! Once again, we had a hard time keeping Madelyn out of the water - she LOVES it!! :) Shayne was lucky this year, because Thursday was his birthday & he got to spend it at the beach!! After the beach, we showered & went to Olive Garden for dinner - YUM!! (Yeah - the waiter brought a plate of mints with a candle - how cheesy is that??.... Oh well, we had a sundae for "brunch" at IHOP!!) :)

On Wednesday, we went to SeaWorld! Hunter had never been, and the last time we were there, Noah was about 15 months & Madelyn was 3!! They've added a lot & we had a good time! Unfortunately, Hunter couldn't go on a few rides, but we had fun looking around while everyone else went on the rides!! (And if you wonder why there are so many pictures of him - - that's because it was just me, him & Olivia quite often!!) :) Since the SeaWorld tickets allow you to come back a second time in 2009, I'm going to be trying to convince Shayne to take us back!! :)

**Mission Beach:

Olivia's 1st time on the beach!!

Boys in their element with the sand!!

An injured pelican on the beach - SeaWorld came to rescue it!!

Madelyn in her element with seashells & surfing!! She was a little bummed that we couldn't bring the unopened "clams" home!!

The surfer dude & beach bums!! :)

Shayne & I - my only picture to prove that I went on the trip!! (Too bad it wasn't a more glamorous one!!) :)

**I'll have to post more pictures tomorrow - it's late & I'm going to bed!! :)