spring break!

spring break was last week, and i still can't believe that our little preschoolers have a spring break, but they do. and since they do, that means that at least one of their working parents also gets to have a spring break (from work, at least). last week, we both took time out of work to provide childcare, and decided to take it on the road. we loaded up, spent a night in chicago o'hare land, and flew away to california at 6 o'clock the next morning. the kids were ace travelers (with the exception of james' 3 am screamin meltdown and complete refusal to get dressed when we woke him early at the hotel for our departure...it was a low point), and the travel was smooth.

check out the joy this little girl experienced at 5 am in the light tunnel connecting to c concourse at o'hare. i forgot to love this tunnel for a few years. last week she reminded me that it is really pretty incredible.



our first destination (after the harried hustle to the luggage, train, car seats, car rental, snacks, toilets) was santa cruz. we love santa cruz. our dear readers (we know who you are because you are our friends and family), i know we don't have to tell you that we used to live there. but we did. and we loved living there. we took the kids to our old hood, drove past the old house, ate at the old lunch spot, had a beer at the old brewery, and dug our toes into the sand at our old beach. we were seabright people, and still are. you know, deep down.

we spent the majority of our time with our dear friend jackie, and her lovely family. she lives in santa cruz, next to a state park beach that is of unparalleled central coast beauty. her baby is almost one, and is one of those sweet easy babies. i love her. and the kids loved the baby, the dog, the beaches, and the excellent climbing tree in jackie's yard. it was only two days, but they were two of the best days in a long long time. santa cruz is a happy place, and we are thrilled to report that the kids seem to think so, too.

happy travelers, warm sunshine, distracted happy beach kids are somewhere nearby but not super nearby, but you know what? we're fine with that.

daddy daughter beach run

james and the sea gulls. upon arrival at the beach, james went a little bananas, and loudly proclaimed himself to be a sand wolf, which is the fasted animal on hard sand. hard sand is wet sand. and he IS fast.

whale sitting. i love that whale. 

sea lion watching, which didn't last long. james said they had "otter stink" and he wanted nothing to do with that stink. he spent the rest of the coastal vacation complaining that the foggy marine layer smelled like otters. i don't know where he gets this stuff, but it kills me. 

from a peaceful long run along the coast.

same run, headed home, fog cooking off and hottentot fig in full bloom. 

david ran up the mountain to campus, and snapped this gorgeous shot in the redwood forest. 

happy kids on the climbing tree

these two.... lucille is standing on her own for the first time here in the photo, and jackie is nailing the role of beaming mom.

some of the best people, right there on one of the best beaches.

and that cute babe, one more time, for good measure.

just when we start to miss it too much, this song always provides a little reassurance. santa cruz, you're not that far.