The Bussis Stop: California Vacation 2014 Week 1

We just got back on Monday from a 2 week vacation to California to visit my family and celebrate my grandparents' 90th birthday! Rather than flood you with 2 weeks of pictures, I'm just going to flood you one week at a time :). We did have a wonderful time, unfortunately all of us except Steve got sick at some point so that was a bummer. But even in spite of that we managed to have some fun:

Before we headed to California we did a hay ride with Steve's family. His Dad recently bought a tractor and he borrowed a wagon, got some hay and took his grandkids on a fun hayride

Micah and his cousin Bentley all ready for the ride

Our driver

Even Morgan got to join in on the fun

We have come a long way with this boy, the first time we did a hay ride he trembled, this time he was actually having fun

After we got home from Steve's parents and put the boys to bed we tried to turn the TV on and it didn't work. We could get sound but no picture. So Saturday morning the boys got to watch their morning cartoon in the basement

And then off to Costco we went to buy a new TV :) Just what you want to do when you're getting ready to go on a trip, but we really didn't want to have to deal with it when we got home

Thankfully we didn't have an early morning flight so the boys had had a full night of sleep and were all fresh and excited to be on the airplane.

We got them each a train from Thomas that they got on the plane which they were pretty excited about

Jonathan holding Thomas very protectively

The boys did such a great job on the plane, thanks in large part to watching a movie on my iPad. :) They were all pretty excited when I showed them their new headphones.

Helping Daddy play Euchre

Thankfully on the second flight David and Jonathan took a little nap

They also did a little coloring but unfortunately the twins colored the tray tables more than the papers, so it didn't last long :)

We had it! And we even got to meet my niece Reagan who came with my parents to pick us up!

Tuesday morning my grandparents came over to see us. The boys even got Grandma to pop the bubbles with them.

Steve and I went away just the two of us for 2 nights so the boys got to have Grandpa and Grandma all to themselves (something Micah was very excited about when we told him, however, he did let us know that he really would have preferred if we took his brothers with us as well so he could have Grandpa and Grandma all to himself :)). So they rode the scooters a lot...

And "helped" Grandpa with the cows

Played in the little pool

And slip-n-slide

And built block towers. They also got to go to the Children's Museum and a park, but I don't have pictures of those. From what I hear they all had a wonderful time and my mom told me I have very well behaved boys which makes this mamma happy :)

While the boys had fun at Grandpa and Grandma's Steve and I enjoyed 2 beautiful days at the beach. It was absolutely gorgeous and relaxing and just oh so wonderful!

The first day we went to the beach in Carlsbad which was where we were staying. I sat and read the whole time and Steve boogie-boarded (and sat and read part of the time too).

A big part of our trip was making it to our favorite places to eat. On our way down there we went to lunch at a Mexican Restaurant that was one of Steve's favorites when he was in seminary and I have come to love as well (and of course I forgot to take a picture :)). Then at night we headed over to Oceanside to go to Ruby's on the pier. We got to sit outside upstairs looking out at the ocean.

Steve decided we should share a shake after dinner and I didn't argue :)

The next morning we headed over to Coronado Island. We went here one Saturday when we were dating so it always brings back great memories. Plus, they have absolutely beautiful tennis courts and they are free to play on, bonus! It was so peaceful and beautiful, the only way it could have been better was if I beat Steve, but I can't do that when I'm feeling 100% and I was battling a bad cold, so yeah, that didn't happen, but it was still fun.

After playing tennis we took a walk around the island (not the whole island, just part of it :))

Then we headed back to San Diego and went to the beach for the afternoon, this time at Mission Beach. Once again it was so beautiful and the water was so clear you could see the bottom even when you were way out. And this day even I boogie-boarded. I hadn't done that in years and it was a blast! After a beautiful afternoon at the beach we headed to downtown San Diego to walk around and then have dinner at Anthony's Fish Grotto, another one of our favorites (and again I forgot to take a picture :)). That place too has good memories because that's were we went to dinner the night Steve met my parents. :) So many good memories down in San Diego!

We headed back to our hotel in Carlsbad and after getting cleaned up (I forgot how much sand you get on you when you boogie-board :)) we went to get some Cold Stone. So yes, we had a wonderful time full of good food, beautiful beaches, and lots of relaxation!

And then we came home to this, I just love my boys! Jonathan loves hats and was definitely a fan of the cowboy hat

The twins loved getting to sit at the table at Grandma's. I was a little afraid that when we got back home they wouldn't want to sit in their high chairs, but they haven't argued so far :)

We had to run to a store one morning and Jonathan was the lucky one to come along. He thought he was pretty special

He's also a pretty big fan of Grandma

Friday night my sister, brother-in-law and nephew Caleb came down to join in on the fun. Caleb got right in there with my boys for Sheriff Callie time (seriously, all 4 of those boys are obsessed with Sheriff Callie)

So much so that when Micah got this badge at a restaurant he had to be Sheriff Callie (I had just sorted through some clothes my mom got from her neighbor and found that vest, perfect!). He even got Grandpa to be Deputy Peck (yes, my Dad already had the vest :)).