Send E n’ Go

 

 

Yes, my 5-year-old is a muddy mermaid, and that is why she has on the bikini too, but really.. if mermaids existed…would they need a top? Would they nurse their young? These are the questions my once (so I thought) powerful mind has been reduced to querying. I have decided that mermaids actually have dolphin or even better beluga tales (no scales but longer fins than dolphins… in fact, the fins are iridescent and/or rainbow colored)  and give birth to live young who then nurse. But it is tricky being a mermaid because you don’t have a blow hole, so you have to swim on your back like an otter to nurse. And yes, they wear tops, but they are very modest and concerned about sun exposure (they only live in the tropics, btw), so they wear long sleeved rash guards. Please someone tell Disney.

 

Anyway, thanks for travelling with us still! Here we are in sunny San Diego where my dad’s condo had a week free from renters so we rushed down and snuck in there for the rare free week. My dad and his wife and (As previously metnioned) my niece and her mom and my grandma were all there too on Sunday when we arrived, but everybody left on Monday and we had the place to ourselves for a bit until my dad returned from his business trip.

 

 

My dad and grandma in Mission Bay.

 

Jonah walking with my niece Riley on Mission Beach.

I feel totally spoiled when I visit any of my or Jonah’s parents. Not only do they shower us with love and good food and fun, but they all live in the most lovely of lovely places. (Maybe that’s why we can live in these crazy remodels and old farmhouses and stuff, since we can have respite in these lovely homes with such adoring people…). My dad’s house is one house over from Mission Bay and a block away from Mission Beach. Awesome! Ana spent about 33 hours roller blading and we all went on a a number of bike rides every day up and down the beach paths. It was a total blast! Plus the weather couldn’t have been better.

 

 

 

Here’s my dad with the 2012 girls.

 

Sitting up on the porch and Po is trying to tell me something unfortunate.

 

My dad and his wife even treated us to a day at Sea World. YAY! I seriously love watching leaping sea animals. Seriously. I giggle like a little school girl. I love it.

I especially love the sea lion show. I remember watching it as a little girl even.

 

And the flamingo parade…

And Elsie loved touching dolphin and rays and hard pieces of gum on the sidewalks…

 

and finally I had to take a photo of the turquoise beach cruiser because my friend Malia on Maui wants one so bad and I really wanted to steal this one and bring it to her, but I think my dad would not have appreciated that much. Sorry Malia.

Also, it looks like I have stick-figure legs and a hug humpty-dumpty body, which I probably do, but please don’t anyone tell me to my face.

We left with so much food. Elsie was thrilled. It was the only way we got her to get in the car to leave, “Elsie! We’ve got a year’s supply of mac-n-cheese and root beer! Get in the car and let’s make a run for it!”

We so appreciate my dad’s willingness to host us and show us such a good time. He has a very hard and stressful business and he has to work long hard hours and never gets a break, so we are especially grateful that he lets us come visit and that he takes the time to hang out with us. Thanks dad!

…to be continued…

**up next: the horrible news we received while at Sea World and the good news of visiting my mom.**