Because I may otherwise not get our awesome California trip into a post, we're just going to dedicate my first Seven Quick Takes in so many months to our California adventure!
-One-
Ah, California. While I have very little connection to it, my husband's family is completely interwined with that state, so we've been twice in the last four years. Both of my in-laws were born, raised, and met in LA, my husband was adopted from California, and then they moved back to Cali for the first few years of his life after his Dad finished residency in Colorado. His grandparents and several sets of aunts and uncles still live there.
-Two-
Two years ago, we spent almost a week in California for Deda's 80th Birthday (my father-in-law's dad). This year, we went out for Baba's 80th Birthday (my father-in-law's step-mother).
Baba's name is actually Ilinka, and she is a tough, outspoken, serious softie-on-the-inside, Yugoslavian grandma. It was so much fun to celebrate her life and meet her friends and hear stories. I feel that my littles are lucky that they have the chance to know so many of their great-grandparents.
Yep, there was a signature drink, because Daniel's Aunt Jan is fabulous. The Ilinkatini was a ginger and basic martini and was the one (alcoholic) thing I got a few sips of that... so yummy!
The girls were kept busy with cousins, dogs, and the amazing taco bar. At one point they were playing "pass the baby".
We rounded out the evening with some cake and dancing. There were so many sweet moments, but I think the tears started flowing as Deda (PopPop to many of the grandkids) danced with his granddaughter, Katie. She's leaving in a few weeks for college, after years of living just a few blocks away from her grandparents. So, yes, lots of bittersweet tears.
-Three-
Doggies.
Or, if you're 17 months old and obsessed with them, "Dah-eee!"
Both of my girls were delighted by all of the doggies they got to interact with on this trip... especially Ollie, a very patient and sweet old dog owned by Daniel's aunt and uncle.
-Four-
Because all of my in-law's living parents live near each other in California, the weekend was filled with great-grandparent moments.
This last one is one of my favorite moments. My mother-in-law's mother mostly doesn't know who we are (as far as we can gather), but she recognizes sweet babies either way. At the end of the evening, Colette was running around barefoot. Grandma Irene got worried about her little toes getting cold, and tucked Colette's little foot into the sleeve of her jacket. As worn as her body and mind are getting, these sweet gestures are such beautiful memories to pass onto my girls someday.
-Five-
The beach. So many photos to share, but I've got to get this posted, so I'll try to keep it shortish. We were able to go twice, both times to Mother's Beach, a waveless beach (awesome for our littles) on the Marina. The first time we went we have no swimsuits with us as it was a cloudy day and we decided to go spontaneously. It was still lovely, the girls loved exploring! The second day was "Mommy and Daddy get a sunburn day", with lots of swimming and sandcastles. I've always claimed I'm more of a mountain girl than a beach girl... and while that holds true (the sand gets everywhere!), I definitely enjoyed our beachy time more than any other time I've been.
-Six-
There were so many cousins to love! Anni didn't entirely remember her cousin Bella from two years prior, but she knew she had one and that she had given her her Rapunzel doll, so their reunion was eagerly anticipated. They played hard for the few days they had together, and there were many, many tears when they had to say good-bye. Anni cried and told us, "But, I love her, and she loves me, we love each other! We are each others' cousins!" A little heartbreaking, but so very sweet. Anni was also thrilled by her older cousins that listened to her rather involved stories... I am a lucky girl to have married into such a fun family!
-Seven-
You can find more quick takes at Conversion Diary! For your sake, I hope they are a little more accurate with their "quick" adjective than I was...
You did a really good job of recording your trip. A great memory for the girls!
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