California

A year ago I got bumped on Delta and was able to get a $300 flight voucher. We had to book a flight and use it before October 8th so I texted my cousin Amanda and we planned a fun weekend in California staying with them in San Clemente. I also had a free car rental from work so it was perfect! Free flights, free car, amazing cousin to stay with...we're there! We left on a Friday afternoon and got to CA at about 3 pm. We got our car and headed down to the Santa Monica Pier. We shared a hamburger and walked along the beach, the sat watching the sunset stretch across the sky. It was so beautiful and perfectly peaceful. We then met our good friends Kim and Dave who moved there recently and walked along the 3rd Street Promenade. We got dinner and talked with them for a couple hours. It was great to catch up! We then drove to San Clemente and talked with Blake and Amanda before we went to bed. They gave us their bedroom which I thought was so thoughtful and generous!

The next morning we woke up and went to a delicious breakfast. I got eggs benedict and coconut pineapple pancakes with coconut syrup. We ate outside the weather was absolutely perfect. We then headed to the beach and laid out and played in the waves. Xander was so cute and wanted me to let him go into the waves by himself. Not so fast, buddy! Xander then had to go home for his nap so Tyler and I went back to the beach by ourselves and wrapped ourselves in towels because it was getting a little chilly, then listened to music and watched the sun set. Dreamy. We went back to Blake and Amanda's and showered and changed, then went to dinner at the most delicious taco place. We got shrimp tacos with delicious guacamole. YUM. We then got gelato for dessert and walked around then went back to their house and played card games.

The next morning we got up and had German pancakes compliments of Blake, then Tyler and I went to Balboa Island. It was the most charming day walking around all of the adorable houses. I couldn't stop snapping pictures! It was cloudy at first then the sun broke through. We had a second breakfast for lunch and I got eggs benedict again. We walked along the shoreline and crossed using the ferry. We walked along the beach and rented a tandem bike. Tyler didn't really want to rent a tandem bike but I convinced him to do it and it was hilarious! It was hard to steer it but it was such a blast and we rode along board walk all the way past Newport Beach. That evening we went back and had dinner with Blake and Amanda the house then went to have a bon fire on the beach and roasted 'mallows. We then went back to the house and played card games and finished by watching a movie.

The weekend was a dream! Seriously. It was so nice to get away and just enjoy time with each other and with the people that we love. No stress, just doing fun things and eating delicious food and relaxing. I could get used to weekends like that.

We were walking in the mall and turned around to see Tyler pretending to be a mannequin ha ha ha