Our Family Trip To Cali: Santa Barbara/Solvang (Part Three)

Day three had us leaving our first city and heading on our first road trip portion, but we were excited to be venturing to Solvang. The Danish capital of the US is where we were married. It is where we got engaged. It has been a constant since we began dating back in 2009. It is our magical, safe place where we will return for many, many years to come. To be able to show Adelaide where mommy & daddy were married was beyond special.

But first we had to get there...and a 5 hour drive with a teething, time-zone adjusting 11 month old can be challenging. It requires lots of stops and activities. So the drive took us double the time! All for good reason of course; yet utterly exhausting.

We decided to make a day of it and stop in Monterey at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Amazing! One of the most interactive aquariums that I have been to featuring the most unique sea creatures in the most elaborate exhibits. Adelaide loved seeing the fish, sea horses, jelly fish, octopus, and stingrays. She chirped at the birds and touched the star fish. We spent an hour and a half exploring and could have stayed another two hours. Truly a great stop and experience for her.

Venturing on south a little further, we stopped for dinner in San Luis Obispo. It is a hidden gem that we often stopped at on our way to & from Solvang while planning our wedding. With cute little shops & restaurants it makes for a nice resting point. After grabbing a quick bite, we finished up the last leg to Solvang and checked into Hotel Corque where our wedding guests stayed.

Monday morning we were anxious to get up and walk around Solvang. We enjoyed danishes & coffee from Solvang Bakery while strolling along the main drag of shops. I love the little niche boutiques that line the streets of Solvang. After a late morning nap for Miss Adelaide, we ordered Paninos to go and headed to Lincourt. Sue, our favorite wine pourer, greeted us with open arms and full wine glasses. A gorgeous day with blue skies and warm temperatures, we sipped wine and recounted our engagement & wedding story to fellow tasters. Adelaide played in the grass and enjoyed hearing our stories of the countless times we've been to Lincourt. We didn't want to leave...ever!

For dinner, we headed to the neighboring town of Los Olivos to Brother's Sides Hardware & Shoes. We had never been to this particular restaurant but heard rave reviews and had to been to another restaurant owned by the same people. I enjoyed the lamb with gnocchi & split peas while Ryan munched on their signature burger. The food was amazing and will definitely be a spot we return to.

We nestled back in our room with a bottle of wine and snuggled as a family. Savoring our first trip with our baby girl to our magical place.

The next morning we walked the streets again to buy a few trinkets & such while, of course, getting a danish or two to go. I can't wait to return to Solvang as Adelaide grows up and comes to love it as much as we do.

Our Family Trip to Cali: San Francisco (Part Two)

On day two, we awoke dazed & confused between the two time zones the three of us were struggling to figure out. But we had places to go & people to see so we quickly showered and dressed preparing for the day.

We met the Mahonys in downtown Petaluma at the Apple Box for brunch. Amazing homemade breakfast aromas filled the air and our tummys. Adelaide & Hope loved smiling and cooing at one another. To work off a few calories, we strolled around town chatting and catching up. Then it was time for them to return to Sacramento and for us to venture into San Fran.

San Fran has so many fabulous areas and special places to our time there, but we wanted to go somewhere that would be family friendly. So we parked at Golden Gate Park and took Adelaide to the playground. It was a chilly day with the fog covering the place so we wrapped her in Ryan's shirt. Haha typical SF weather and poor planning on my part...it is SUMMER for God's sake! A little swing action and watching the other bustling families was enough for Miss A.

Still concerned about her not eating & drinking, we made a lovely stop at the pediatric urgent care center. They were beyond amazing, taking us back right away and putting us at ease. If you ever have need care in the SF area, this is your place to go. Of course she was just teething miserably on her molars with clear ears and a smiley face, but we felt better knowing she was medically a-ok!

After a good report from the doc, we joined our friends Julie, Stan, & Jeb at Marengo on Union. You will probably remember this place because I was obsessed with it while we lived there. Bourbon & burgers...what's not to like really? We all dined on the fabulous mini sliders and salads while enjoying champagne & bourbon. Julie & Stan got married last year and it was so great to be able to celebrate with them in person. Jeb has been one of my closest friends since we met in San Diego in 2008. It meant so much that they were able to spend some time with us.

No trip is complete without dessert from American Cupcake. Yea you know I am beyond obsessed with this place. We hopped on over across the street for the best cupcakes on earth. Parting ways, the three of us headed up to Petaluma for a late night talk with Kimmie.

Kimmie and I have been best friends since we were 18 years old. We have been through more in our lives together than most people could fathom. We know each others secrets and shortcomings. We have cried many a tears and smiled many a smiles with one another. One of the biggest highlights of our trip was getting to spend time with her.

Our time in San Fran was short but sweet. It is a city that is near to my heart because it is where Ryan & Is life as an engaged couple began holding many special memories. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there...then we were off to the most special place to us.

Our Family Trip To Cali (Part One)

Last Friday we headed out to California for a week of family-filled fun along the west coast. We hadn't been back since our wedding in 2011 and thought now was a good time to set out for a long journey of seeing friends.

INSANITY

We flew into Oakland arriving around lunchtime. With a jam-packed car we headed north to Sonoma for a little wine tasting. BR Cohn is an amazing winery that Kim & Jerrad suggested when we moved to San Fran. It is owned by the manager for the Doobie Brothers so it has a laid back, car-collecting, music-loving feel that suits us perfectly. We felt like this was the perfect place to kick-off our vacation.

And man did we need a little wine after our travels. Adelaide was perfect from NY to Houston. She was perfect until about half-way through our flight from Houston to Oakland. Then explosive screaming & crying ensued for a bit before she tired herself into a nap. Same thing on the LONG car ride up to the winery. We thought it was maybe the time difference...until she wouldn't eat or drink anything. If you know her, you know that she does NOT skip meals ;)

So upon our arrival to BR Cohn, we settled onto a blanket on the lawn and got to drinking a bottle of crisp chardonnay while snacking on cheese & crackers. Our dear friends the Mahonys came down from Sacramento to spend the evening with us. Autumn, Tim, & Hope joined us to kick-off our Cali tour. After chilling out with wine, we all headed to Kimmie & Jerrad's in Petaluma for a cookout.

Kim & Jerrad bid us farewell when we moved to NY by hosting us in their new house. I loved seeing all of the decor and progress they have made as the house has become their home. It is such a homey, warm place and made us feel at home. We enjoyed yummy burgers, sweet potato fries, and fresh caprese salad from Kim's garden. And more wine of course :)

Our first day was filled with anxiety, exhaustion, and memories. Just the best of life showing its finest skills...

Adelaide Jane: 11 Months

Dearest Adelaide,

Eleven months has brought so much to your life. A month of many firsts, mostly in terms of travel & food. Surprise, surprise I know!

You ventured on your first camping trip with mommy & daddy (and Beau!). We swam in the lake, roasted s'mores, and slept in a tent. Oh you also loved to put rocks in your mouth. Yucky!

We took our first mommy/daughter road trip to Rhode Island. We went to the Roger Williams Park Zoo, the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and the Providence Children's Museum. We covered a lot of ground in Providence & Newport. It was your first time to a museum and our first time to Rhode Island. 

On that fun trip, you tried your first happy meal from Mc Donald's. You loved it. You are my child 110% for sure now ;) You have also tried grilled cheese which you absolutely love as well as meatballs, apple juice, and a plethora of other little munchies.

You had been to Tennessee before but not Gatlinburg. We traveled their to celebrate your great-grandmother's birthday, Grandma Lee. That is daddy's grandma. We stayed with lots and lots of people in one big cabin. We took daily walks and swam in the pool. And everyone loved on you.

The basement stairs and entry stairs are your favorite toy at the moment. You love to climb both flights of stairs all day. This is why we started putting gates up because we spend all day chasing you if not ;)

You gained two teeth this month and I have a feeling more are on the way. You are chewing on just about anything from my arm to your toes to anything in between. Teething is a real treat.

As we speak, our family of 3 is on a trip to California. You are meeting all sorts of little friends along our trek from San Francisco to San Diego plus seeing all sorts of sights where mommy & daddy used to live. Truly a great trip and one that we will remember & cherish for years to come.

But my all time favorite part of this month is your ability to understand what hug means and hug me (or your stuffed animals). You give them all on your own. You give them when I say can I have a hug. It melts my heart as your little arms reach around my neck and squeeze. It especially melts when you lean in for an *open mouth* kiss ;)

I can't believe that in 30 short days you will be one year old. It doesn't seem possible. Life moves pretty fast especially when you are growing up with each passing second.

I love you baby boo!

Love,
Mommy

Snapshots on a Saturday: Pool Days & Play Dates

Here is what we've been up to in picture form...

Trying on hiking backpacks with daddy

Getting up close & personal with the A/C

Swinging at the park

Enjoying lunch & a swim at Camp Weiner

Hanging with my BFF Caileigh at Knollwood CC

Play date at Stone Barns with Allie & Matthew

Cheers to the summer and lots of fun friends!