Sunday, July 27, 2008

Summer Bliss


Two weeks ago, Dad, Mom, Andy and I set off for a two week vacation in the great state of California. It was quite the walk down memory lane; visiting mom's GREAT, quaint, childhood town of San Luis Obispo (recently named one of the top ten places to visit or live in Sunset Magazine!) swimming at Avila Beach, visiting Morro Bay, a quick trip to Solvang, and finally a few days visit to Yosemite National Park. I decided this is one of my ALL time favorite vacations because it's the best of both worlds; the beach AND the mountains!
Here we go!





We left and spent the weekend at Marg and Nate's in Las Vegas. We celebrated Maura (july 13) and Marg's (july 20th) birthdays with cake, presents, and a run through the spanking machine!






Maura and Cameron had a fun time tickling Andy and I. They tickled Andy until he was CRYING (see the tear?)!!


Our next stop was Avila Beach, mom's childhood beach just ten minutes outside of San Luis Obispo. We stayed at the Inn at Avila Beach like we have done in previous years. 10 second from the Inn is the beach which we thoroughly enjoyed for a week! Days were spent on the beach sunbathing and riding in the waves while evenings were spent talking walks on the pier watching the fishermen, bird, and seals trying to get their hands, claws, and teeth on a juicy fish.










Aunt Pam and Uncle Dean were staying in their condo at Avila while we were there. Pam came and joined us on the beach. Mom and Pam went out to wade in the water and quickly came back to strip down and go whole hog! I didn't see them ride any waves in but they did spend a good amount of time floating on their backs and diving through the waves!



Compliments of Pam....she told me to get a picture of the typical, flat as a pancake, crack in the back Greenall bum.






We had a dinner in SLO with the De Groot family. While Chuck was on his mission he taught and baptized them. Mom's parents then sponsored them and they came to SLO and have lived there ever since. Later that night we had a bonfire on the beach, uncle Chuck style!



L-R (Pam, Vick, Lynne, Chuck and Lois, Bonnie
The De Groot's: Peter, Sjany, Rokus, Menny)




Like we always do, we stopped and looked at the house Mom grew up in. We also stopped at nude beach (can you spot the two nudes?) and at what our family calls Pirates Cove (anyone know the real name?)




Before heading to Morro Bay, we stopped at Montana de Oro and walked around the beach there. Pretty!



We had a wonderful day at Morro Bay. We ate fish and chips at our favorite restaurant, we posed with the shell wings (and reminisced about the time when Ell lost her contact in the back of her eye the last time we were there! Hilarious!), found Uncle David and Aunt Kris's secret getaway boat (just couldn't figure out why she would spell her name wrong? : ) ), and after finding our favorite cinnamon bun salt water taffy, took a quick stop at the butt stop!







We took a day and traveled to the nearby Danish miniature city of Solvang! We got some pastries at Mortensen's Bakery (there are Mortensen's in our family line, Boynton side I believe.) We enjoyed looking in the shops and couldn't pass up the famous, delicious, abelskivers!






We spent time in SLO shopping, visiting "gum alley" where for years people have placed their chewing gum, and went to the Thursday night farmer's market.








After one more walk on the pier, we said goodbye to SLO and Avila Beach and headed on our way to Yosemite.



We stayed at a place we've never stayed at before, the historic Wawona Hotel, located in the pines about an hour from the valley floor. We visited the Mariposa Grove and ooohh'ed and aww'ed over the HUGE redwoods!




We took a day and hiked Half Dome which has become my new favorite hike (minus the part where I was terrified to come down the cables in my slippery chacos!) because of the two beautiful waterfalls and river, the shady trail, and the absolutely breathtaking view from the top! Andy and I hiked to the top while Mom and Dad waited for us at the second falls.



At the top of the first falls.



The final ascent to the top! Definitely not a hike for people who are afraid of heights!






Half Dome! We were on top a few hours earlier!
The next day we played in the river and Andy and I tried to boulder a little bit. I stayed on the wall for about .2 seconds....enough time for the camera button to be pushed, while Andy actually did some climbing.





I was trying to get a good picture of us both. As I would hit the replay button on the camera, I realized that Andy had been making funny poses in all of them! Silly kid!





After two weeks of pure FUN, REST, and RELAXATION, we had to head back home.
The weather was perfect, the food was great, and the quality time spent with family...priceless..(right guys?)

4 comments:

Aub said...

Holy fun vacation! I can't beleive you still have those sweet sunglasses! I've gone through about 20 pairs since hawaii! I actually broke some yesterday!

Anna said...

Wow, that looks pretty dang amazing. And yes the Mortensens are on the Boynton side...I think it was Grandad's mom's family. I think.

Ellen said...

i read this awhile back, but i guess i never commented... so i will now.

oh what fun! makes me wish i could've gone! all the old familiar haunts.

and the contact thing. oh yeah! i almost forgot about that. i'd lost it for like a day or something and suddenly found it.. in my EYE! wasn't that it?

anyway, glad you posted all these photos. looks way fun!

Jenn said...

oh my oh my, what a fun time. Let's go climbing together this fall.