Beautiful Country

We live in a beautiful state! And we have a minivan. Need I say...ROAD TRIP! The occasion this past weekend was to celebrate my birthday with Will & Shiying. We met in between San Fran and L.A. in Paso Robles.


It was our first road trip with two girls and they did great!

Is it a bad idea to finally let a 2 year old taste her Easter peep right before a road trip?

Lucy loved looking out her window

Zane and I have always enjoyed long car rides together but we especially enjoyed this one when...

My iphone camera can't do the scenery justice. Even though it was rainy, it was a beautiful drive - the ocean to the west and rolling hills to the east.

Pit Stop

It was my birthday, after all...

Arrived at our vacation rental around 5pm, 4 1/2 hr drive with a Starbucks stop. Will, Shiying, Lisi & Tiara arrived not long after we got there.

Will, Tiara and Grace playing on one of touch pads

I should have taken a picture of the TV as well!

Grace & Lucy: some day, you will have no idea what this is.

My delicious birthday cake from Jackson Market. Red velvet!

Uncle Will read Grace her bedtime story - in honor of you, Uncle Alex!

 Saturday 

The view we woke up to

After breakfast, we loaded up the van and headed to a hike along the coast. Shortly before our trailhead, we found this beautiful beach. The California coast is so different from East Coast or Golf beaches. I love it!

Grace was obsessed with throwing sand into this shallow puddle.

The "sand"

I think Shiying was a little nervous about this...

Got the climbing itch just like her uncles

Will & Shiying have known Tiara since she was Grace's age. They have been a wonderful "uncle" and "auntie" to her. She is a sweet little girl!

Poor Lucy isn't facing the camera in too many of our family pics!

 

There's her sweet smile!

We picked up amazing tri-tip sandwiches in San Luis Obispo and had a picnic in the back of the van because it was a little too windy to eat outside. 

Next stop...a hike along the coast to Point Buchon.

Grace ADORED Tiara!

Hiking with a 2-year-old is...um...slow. Grace needed to pick up as many rocks as she could fit in her pockets along the way!

Tiara wanted a walking stick. Of course that meant so did Grace!

Aren't they cute? :o)

Another beautiful, secluded beach.

A sink hole - aka a cave that has collapsed inward on itself. Very cool! 

Isn't it amazing what the waves can do? 

We live in a beautiful state!

Quite the scenic stop for a poo. (Alex, this pictures is also for you.)

As Shiying says, doesn't this make you want to eat free-range beef? These cows do have the life!

The way back

She did so well on the hike but was absolutely spent!

 Back at our place, the girls befriended a neighborhood dog.

Grace was really just doing whatever Tiara did.

Sunday morning, we hung out at a park in downtown Paso Robles before going our separate ways.

The drive home was sunny and beautiful and the girls slept almost the whole way!

Grace taking after her Gigi and "writing" about her trip in her "diary."