Bakersfield to Del Mar

Morgan and Grace get ready to climb down to the beach.

Daddy and his girls.

Looking for seashells and rocks.

Running after birds.
(We climbed those stairs in the distance along the cliff).

Grace sports a sand moustache.

Proof that Morgan really did have to work.

This is a funny picture.

He had to come get the car keys from me after lunch.

Daddy shows the girls how to boogie board.

Hitching a ride.

Tomboy in action.

Faith rides in.

Gotta love those dimples.

Grace, having a ball.

Morgan, in proper beach attire.

Life's a beach!

Grace, the beach bum.

Morgan drove up to Fresno for another appointment while the girls and I stayed in Bakersfield last Wednesday. He was only gone for half the day so our original plan was to pack up and head home when he returned. Just the day before, Morgan found out that he had to be in Del Mar on Thursday for another appointment. At the time, we didn't give it much thought. We just figured that we would all be home on Wednesday night and then he would make the 2 hour drive to Del Mar the next morning. As we left Bakersfield on Wednesday afternoon, we decided that it might be fun to go to Del Mar with him and continue our adventure. We're sure glad that we did! The next morning, we were able to go to beach and take a family stroll.

We also got in some exercise. We carried about 35 pounds (one daughter each) down the stairs to the beach and then back up again. Talk about burn in your thighs! It actually felt great. After lunch, Morgan met up with us on the beach where we spent the last part of our trip before heading home.

All in all, it was a wonderful time of being together and experiencing new things. Sure, it was a lot of work at times but the fun outweighed any labor. The two times that we stayed in a hotel, we stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in Pasadena and Solana Beach. We have stayed in many Marriott properties around the world and typically we do so because our good friend, Emily works for them and gets us a great deal. We especially love the JW properties (who doesn't?). I have to say though, the Courtyard was great, especially for families. The rooms tend to be bigger and they all have a microwave and fridge in each room. It was extremely convenient and also nice that the girls got to eat their normal foods for breakfast and lunch. They also got in plenty of swimming. Everywhere we went, people were amazed and constantly asking us, "How old are they?"

In just a week, I saw a rapid development in their swimming skills. They are swimming much faster than before and getting across the pool in no time. In general, the girls traveled quite well. Normally, I'm not a big fan of much TV or video watching but I have to say that the DVD player in the car is a huge help when traveling for more than 2 hours at a time. Morgan wrapped up a successful week in business but more importantly, we are thankful that we got to be together as a family and make some fun memories along the way.