Vacation #2-- California!

We were lucky enough to get to go on vacation with both families this summer. This time we were headed to California. The 3 of us left a day early to spend time in California before heading up the coast to meet up with my family in Hermosa Beach. After much preparation for the longest car ride for Emery to date, complete with new toys from the Dollar store, plenty of snacks, and a borrowed DVD player we were off. Of course, no amount of planning can prepare a sweet 2 year old for the bumpy road around Gila Bend. However, I'm sure that we looked ridiculous pulled over on the side of the (basically) highway, changing clothes, washing toys, and trying our best to clean out the carseat. Some nice man even stopped and asked if we needed help. Luckily, we got a laugh out of it before getting back in the car and Emery crashing for over an hour. Someone did forget to stop in Gila Bend once Emery was asleep so that I could hop back in the front seat.......oh well, all's well that ends well and we certainly had a fun time in San Diego that night.

We checked into our hotel and then headed out to start our adventure. First stop was the Mormon Battalion and Old Town San Diego. Before we headed in we had a picnic and let Emery stretch her legs. Poor girl was terrified during the whole Mormon Battalion presentation. There was fake thunder and lightening and the pictures moved and talked. It was all just too much but she did like panning for gold and absolutely loved pumping water from the 'well.'

Emery is obsessed with trolleys, thank you Daniel Tiger so we followed the tour trolleys around.

There may have been a picture that specifically said not to try on sombreros just to take pictures. The hat may have already been on her head so one quick picture before moving on.

This place was on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives. El Indio. It was pretty good.

Pictures on the pier and then walking around Seaport Village. Emery loved looking at the boats and the water. She was pretty disappointed that she couldn't get in the water that night because we were going to the beach the next morning. She did like the spinners so that helped the cause. We ran around until it was dark and then headed back to the hotel.

Vacation #1-- Southern AZ

We were so lucky to be able to get away with Jeff's parents over Memorial Day weekend. I think that we were all ready for a break. We decided to do a Southern AZ trip since I had never been to any of the places and Jeff had only been when he was little. We got up Friday morning, hopped in the van, and headed off to the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson.

There were peacocks everywhere! Emery loved them until one walked right in front of her and squawked so loudly. It was literally right in front of her and scared her. She ran behind me crying.  

She found a lizard. 

Giraffes are her favorite!

The great thing about the Reid Park Zoo is that it's not as busy and the animals are so close to you. 

Our next stop was to the hotel in Sierra Vista. It was Emery's first time staying at a hotel and she thought it was great! We went to the mall there and then ate Mexican food that night. We stopped at the Best Buy to look at laptops and Emery found the speaker aisle where they were playing music. She danced and danced. It was definitely her favorite.

The next morning we got up and headed to Bisbee. We went to the Mine and took a tour. We got to get all dressed up in hard hats and coats. Emery even got her own. They didn't have any more little ones so hers was gigantic. Luckily we just had to have her hard hat with her, not on her. We rode a 'train' down into the mine. Emery liked that part but about halfway through the tour decided she was done. She also continues to remind me that I smacked her in the head with the camera at the end of the whole thing. She is so silly and doesn't forget anything. It was so cool seeing inside the mine. Surreal really. I could not do it and cannot believe how many men worked in the mines in their hayday. Our tour guide actually worked in one of the mines and had many stories and first-hand knowledge about what being in the mine was actually like. We stopped and looked at the open-air mine...much more my style. It is gigantic. There was a bulldozer or something down in it and it really put the magnitude of the mine into perspective.

We drove through downtown Bisbee on our way to Tombstone. The houses/buildings there are amazing and it is so interesting to see the history driving through there. Then we were on to Tombstone. It happened to be Wyatt Earp Days the weekend we were there and that meant they had street acting and many people dressed up in old Western Town attire. We watched the historama about Tombstone and watched the Gunfight at the OK Corral. It was so fun! Emery didn't like the gunfire so she hung out with Grandma. It's amazing the history that this part of the state holds.

After walking around Tombstone for a little bit we headed back home, but not before stopping at Barros for some pizza on the way. Emery sung songs for Grandma and Grandpa and told them "What do I always say? There's no business like bow business." Thank you Minnie's Bowtique. We loved getting away with Grandma and Grandpa and enjoying our time with them.