I have so much to blog! Since my last entry we're actually back home but, before that, we went to the aquarium, explored Carmel, hiked, seen the best sunrise EVER and more. I need to catch up so I'll start with some exploring in Carmel. After seeing the Monterrey Bay Aquarium (which is a whole other post for later) we set out down the 17-mile drive through Pebble Beach. It's a beautiful drive with dramatic coastal views and cool forests too. We've stopped by the side of the road and did a little hiking...
and made a few wishes
and made tiny discoveries.
Next up, we found a little beach along the 17-mile drive that had beautiful bright white sand, barking seals, and amazing tide pools. Inside all the little nooks and crannies of the rocks you had an incredible variety of marine life. The world is such an amazing place.
We spent hours exploring this little beach and practically had to drag them away. This is my favorite thing about traveling - you never know what you might find. We never planned this excursion and it ended up being one of the kid's favorite things that we did. Do you have any little finds like this? Some amazing little gem that you found on one of your journeys? I'd love to hear about them.
A few days ago we set off on a road trip from Santa Barbara to Carmel and saw some amazing sights...like crazy, amazing, blow your mind vistas, colors and landscapes. The pictures don't do it justice though. You lose the enormity of it all.
If you have a chance, take this amazing drive. Here's a sampling of what you can see if you take the pacific coast highway route from San Simeon up to Carmel.
One of the first stops would be to see The Hearst Castle in San Simeon. We had done that once before so we opted out for this day but it is a pretty amazing tour. After that, you can pull off the highway to watch a colony of Elephant Seals.
A little bit beyond the seals, the trees and hills get bigger and the views become more and more incredible by the mile.
There were so many places that I wanted to stop and photograph but with 2 kids in the car it makes it a little tricky. The area has tons of campsites and places to stay (hotels, inns, etc. if you are not a camper). However you do it, put this drive on your bucket list. You'll be glad that you did.
If you have a chance, take this amazing drive. Here's a sampling of what you can see if you take the pacific coast highway route from San Simeon up to Carmel.
One of the first stops would be to see The Hearst Castle in San Simeon. We had done that once before so we opted out for this day but it is a pretty amazing tour. After that, you can pull off the highway to watch a colony of Elephant Seals.
A little bit beyond the seals, the trees and hills get bigger and the views become more and more incredible by the mile.When you are standing here there is no guard rail or fence...just you one step away from a sheer drop. This is the same view as the above image but without Steven and Sayer.
Jewels says:
Wow, some of those shots look so high up they almost give me vertigo! What an amazing coastline California has. Looks a bit different than the Jersey Shore I grew up with!
Not sure we'll make it quite that far South on our explorations the weekend, but it looks well worth it if we can.
(07.24.09 @ 11:44 PM)
JuliaT says:
What beautiful pictures! I can't believe how blue and clear the water is. I wanna go! Enjoy your long break from Houston.
(07.28.09 @ 04:24 PM)
Today is Monday and I know that some of you are expecting a Monday photography lesson. I really should be working more and staying on top of things but I can't. I am completely and totally on vacation. Sure, I check email and sometimes my phone messages but when it comes to actually working, I just can't bring myself to do it.
I'm not sure if this will make sense but I feel so happy at times that it makes me actually sad. When I think about going back to the grind my heart just aches a little. I don't want to wake up way too early and race to get everyone to school on time. I don't want to get back into the hot car. I don't want to send the kids off to school all day. I want it to stay very much like it is right now.
My heart is here right now...At least three of the days each week I have sand in between my toes. I might put some makeup on if I think about it, which I usually don't. I am living in flip flops. Everyday I am greeted by the Pacific Ocean and each day it gives you something a little different to see. I pull on a sweater when the sun goes down. I wake up every morning with at least one of my kids in my bed with me. The windows are open all day and the ocean breeze fills the house.
We've been drinking a lot of chocolate milkshakes and watching the sun go down while we play on the beach.
We have been exploring...and finding.
We have been snuggling...a LOT. We've been picking our own vegetables at local farms and spending a lot of time at the farmer's markets (which happen here 6 days a week). I ate corn on the cob the other day that was so good that I literally gasped.
We picnic at the foot of the Santa Barbara Mission in the Rose Garden.
So, I hope you will forgive my absence. My heart is on vacation and it needed it. Soon enough it will be back to the regularly scheduled programming.
I'm not sure if this will make sense but I feel so happy at times that it makes me actually sad. When I think about going back to the grind my heart just aches a little. I don't want to wake up way too early and race to get everyone to school on time. I don't want to get back into the hot car. I don't want to send the kids off to school all day. I want it to stay very much like it is right now.
My heart is here right now...At least three of the days each week I have sand in between my toes. I might put some makeup on if I think about it, which I usually don't. I am living in flip flops. Everyday I am greeted by the Pacific Ocean and each day it gives you something a little different to see. I pull on a sweater when the sun goes down. I wake up every morning with at least one of my kids in my bed with me. The windows are open all day and the ocean breeze fills the house.We've been drinking a lot of chocolate milkshakes and watching the sun go down while we play on the beach.We have been exploring...and finding.We have been snuggling...a LOT. We've been picking our own vegetables at local farms and spending a lot of time at the farmer's markets (which happen here 6 days a week). I ate corn on the cob the other day that was so good that I literally gasped. We picnic at the foot of the Santa Barbara Mission in the Rose Garden.So, I hope you will forgive my absence. My heart is on vacation and it needed it. Soon enough it will be back to the regularly scheduled programming.
kaytee says:
you capture the energy of people (especially kids!) and the beauty of landscapes so well. so much talent!!
(07.23.09 @ 02:23 AM)
kaytee says:
you capture the energy of kids and the beauty of the landscape so well. you're such a versatile and talented photographer!!
(07.23.09 @ 02:24 AM)
For those of you who don't know this little tid-bit about me, I am a Francophile. I love France! We spent part of the summer there last year and were all in heaven. I speak pretty good French too (when I am practicing and not being shy). So, I was excited when I saw a poster for a French Festival here in Santa Barbara. Come to find out it is one of the largest in the country!
The kids played in "pump it ups!" (inflatable bounce house thingies), ate baguettes, had their faces painted, ate frozen lemonade and celebrated the finale by watching the poodle parade.
The face painting looked amazing but Sayer decided that he didn't like his at all. To be exact, he "hated it" and we had to wash it off as soon as we got home. He had a specific idea what he wanted and was trying to explain it to the lady. He wanted the dragon to start on one side and go around the other eye and have flames going down his nose. She just said "oh, yeah, dragon, ok, I love dragons" and started painting away. Poor Sayer...I tried to tell him how cool it looked but he wasn't buying it. On the flip side, Finn loved his and wanted to sleep in it.
As is the case at all festivals, there is always (at least one) festival weirdo. You know, the person wandering around almost naked or staggering around drunk. At this festival, we had the one I will title the interpretive dancer. The kids just sat there staring not knowing what to make of it.
You know, I have never really understood the anti-French sentiment that I hear. The French have throughout history been great supporters of us and loyal allies. We give them so much grief though and I just don't get it. I saw a guy in Houston shortly before we left wearing a t-shirt that said "Texas, it's better than France". I mean, really? Has he ever even been there? I don't know, I just don't get it. No matter how I might feel about another country I can't imagine purchasing a shirt that had a message like that printed on it and then actually wearing it in public. I can assure you that all of the times that I have visited France, I have never seen a similar t-shirt there. Okay, no more soap box...
The final of the day was the poodle parade. The kids thought it was hilarious. Here are a few of my favorite poodles and poodle wanna-bes.
Au revoir!
Michelle Mustari says:
Amazing pictures - which lens did you use? They are so clear I love your sons' face paintings too - amazing clarity.
(09.05.09 @ 09:48 PM)
In my previous life, before Steven and before my children, I lived in LA and worked in the movie industry. I did all sorts of set jobs from being the underpaid PA (production assistant) to a scenic painter, sign writer, muralist, art director, set decorator, props assistant, and so on. One of the first people that I met when I moved to LA was Rob. We ended up becoming roommates. I hadn't seen Rob since I moved away from LA, which was about 10 years ago!
For our little reunion, we met down at the beach and the kids played like crazy! They got along so well and we had the best time. When they finally left the next day the boys were all so sad. We had to promise them that they would see each other again soon. The best part for me was standing back and watching us both as parents. We kinda looked at each other laughing about how much life has changed. I remembered driving down the freeway in LA singing ABBA songs out the car window with a megaphone (where did we get the megaphone anyway?). He laughed and reminded me about how I used to sleep in a tent in my room. Now here we are 10 years later navigating tantrums and car seats. It's awesome.
Sayer was so funny, he was standing at the water's edge and, all of a sudden, said "Mommy, you want to see something so weird?! My feet are disappearing!". Ah, simple discoveries...
Other than the joy of seeing an old friend there was a little extra magic added to our day. All morning pods of dolphins kept swimming by just beyond the breaking waves. It was so beautiful! I wish I had a longer lens so I could do it a little more justice.
Thanks Rob and Ryan! It was a blast. Can't wait to come see you guys in LA!