Mysteries and other things

So vacation may be over, but am I ready to give up this blog? I don't think so. I've been thinking about blogging for a while now. I don't want to do just a "deals/coupons" blog, don't want to just ramble on about my life, per se, I guess I want to make a difference somehow. I've had an idea percolating for a while now and I'm just waiting for my daughter's okay to speak of it. So, stay tuned for the outcome! If Kenna ok's it, then I will set up a whole new blog. I don't want our names used and you shall see why if I do it. Mystery IS my middle name!

California is but a memory.....

Finally home and I just can't believe how tired out I am from vacation! I know that sounds really funny but it's true. The drive from Carlsbad took longer than getting to the LA area! AND I had about an hour of uphill/downhill mountainous terrain which is NOT my cup of tea. I had to read my book the whole way. I've always had an issue with depth perception. My doc said it was something to do with my eyes and my ears not communicating with my brain! But it really messes with me when it comes to heights and other stuff.

So, to continue on with yesterday's stuff.....

Den, Kenna and I exploring the city areas of Oceanside and Carlsbad looking for lunch options. We ended up eating at Island Burgers because I was craving their Chicken sandwich. Remember: still burgered out! I love the Island Burgers Chicken. I know, "but they are burgers!" But they do a Grilled Chicken sandwich sooooooooo good. Add to that it's only $7.95 for the huge Chicken sandwich, fries and a drink is a deal. Moist, yummy marinated Chicken on whole wheat with onion straws, avacado and mayo. Delish! Iced Tea and it's perfection!!!

So then we meandered down the beach and ended up curiously close to where Mom and Dad were lunching with Nikaya Kipp, who is from Nashville and a former student of Mom's, I used to babysit her and her Dad was a teacher with Mom....ya know, we know her! We found their lunching place and caught up with her.

Then we went to a store near her office (massage therapist and I wish I'd had an appointment!) which reminded me so much of the "old days" of going to wholesale shows. It was booth after booth of ridiculously overpriced stuff which was really pretty and cutesy but I know how much it wholesales for, ya know? We did get a cool present for Barb (Den's Mom). They had the cutest butterfly mobile....and she loves butterflies.

Anyway, that whole area of Solano Beach is so awesome! It's a Design area full of really expensive furniture. Loved it. Couldn't afford it but loved it! Then we all split up again and Den, Kenna and I went back for one last beach adventure. McKenna needed to get her bottle filled up with California Sand!

Later, we all went back to Sammy's Woodfire Pizza (Hey, Sammy, come to Phoenix!) I got the same Chicken, Hummus and Kalamata Olive on Lovash sandwich....why mess with Heaven! Mom and Dad got the Lobster Bisque and that's what I'm having next time. There WILL be a next time! YUM!

Got Dad's pics downloaded to my computer too so enjoy the pics as well. I loved, loved, loved this trip. It was really great to do the trip with my Mom and Dad. We are so lucky to enjoy each other so much! Kenna really needed the break, as did I! I think Den is much happier too! I didn't say Good bye so much as: TTFN California. In the words of your Governor: "I'll be back!"

Back to the Daily Grind....

I'm being hurried by the hubby. Gotta get on the road. It's about a quarter to ten and I said we'd leave at 10...and by God, we're going to! Oh, yesterday was fun. I'm not ready to leave and I'll have to wait to post my last day thoughts when I get home today. Gotta keep that time commitment and Kenna's still under the covers. Good bye California...........I hope I see you again soon.

I've got the vacation's almost over blues......;(

n



I tried to add more to yesterday's post but I have to tell you that while I LOVE this hotel, blatantly advertise for La Quinta Carlsbad, CA here, their internet leaves a bit to be desired. Actually a LOT to be desired. Sometimes you can surf crazy fast and other times it's like dial up! So the area that the hotel is in has a Porsche dealership two doors down (and the cars are kept OUTSIDE!) and the homes around it are so beautiful...the hotel must have been here forever to afford such an address!

So yesterday found us back on the first beach, with the dog friendly park across the street from it. We decided this is a really terrific place for kids and pups alike! Luckily, Den and Kenna made it back across the area where the beach crew decided to bull doze the beach to get the water near the park back out into the ocean a bit....because they dozed about three times and suddenly the water rushed and about a 20 foot drop occurred within minutes. The lifeguards were very busy telling kids (and adults) to move it away from the area.

It's hard to explain but apparently they didn't want so much water in the park area. It was quite interesting to watch. It would have made it difficult for my guys to get off the beach the easy way, the other way being extremely rocky. Yikes.

So after the beach we chilled for a while and then went for a very non-Irish Olive Garden dinner! I don't care for Cabbage and Corned Beef. Who needs it? Ick. Now, onto our last day....I think we're going to go exploring around Carlsbad town. It's a fun little area. Nice little shops and tons of cafes. Or back to Sammy's. Who knows where the day will take us. Mom and Dad are lunching with one of Mom's former students (whom I used to babysit!) so it's just Me, Den and Kenna to explore.

Another day in Paradise!

Last night we went to another of our favorite restaurants. Ruby's diner. You may be able to have a little slice of heaven if your Costco carries their sliders in the frozen section. If not, then you better come here! It's an old-fashioned theme with real shakes and malts and the best burgers you could try. I had a Kobe burger with Portobellos and Provolone. YUM!

Oh, and to make it neater, we went to the local Costco before dinner to see what they might have that ours don't carry. They had gift certificates to Ruby's Diner: $50 worth of certificates for $40! That's a NO BRAINER! We also had a coupon from a package of the sliders for a free shake. I'm thrifty ya know? Good deals, good deals!

Now we're trying to figure out what to do with the day. Late day sleeping in. Gee, must be on vacation, huh? More later.

I don't want to leave here.............

It's Tuesday which gives us the rest of today, tomorrow and Thursday. We leave Friday. It has NOT been long enough. Reality hits Friday the minute we pull into our driveway. Back to drop off and pick up from school, homework, dinner: AGHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Don't EVEN think about reality. Back to vacation:

Lunch was in Encinitas today and it was okay but nothing spectacular. We hit another Thrift store and Mom found a couple of things. I found a book. Yea.

Serenity at the beach! Well, okay, not QUITE serenity. We (the girls) went to the beach where dogs can be. Quite a feat to find in this area. Paid $3 to park for an hour and took Syd down to "embrace her beach diva~!" Um, sure. She told us it wasn't her "cuppa".

Let's just say that even though the signs say all kinds of things like: dogs must be on leases, etc. Not a dog was being either watched or leashed by their owners. Except Syd! When together, dogs tend to gather and display "pack like mentality". Which means about five to six dogs all running together, getting wet and then shaking off wherever they might be (and that was usually right NEXT to ME!!!!), humping the dog nearest to them, a couple trying to hump those impossible to reach, but humping was happening. EVERYWHERE!!!

Dogs were peeing, pooping, running, jumping and cavorting around in very dog-like ways. The Chihuahuas who thought they were large labs, the two beautiful white standard poodles, the well mannered were around too....but the packs scared the shit right outta little Syd. Twice! She found a place between two rocks and that's where she stayed...until Kenna pulled her out and made her venture near the water. Then she was okay for a while. She sort of enjoyed the beach for a bit and then before our car got ticketed, we took our very sandy and wet selves back up the hill to the car and back to the hotel.

Den and Dad went to the USS Midway today to tour it. They made it back to the hotel a few minutes before us. They went to a Barbecue restaurant which was used in filming scenes for "Top Gun." How cool is that? I don't do tight enclosed spaces like ships, so I'm glad they went together. Now, Miss K and Nana are back from the pool (Kenna's idea of a shower because who cares about chlorine, Mom? Green hair is quite fashionable!) Hey, ya gotta get the sand off somehow!

Monday, Monday....

So, what did we actually do today? We ended up going to this scrumptious little Mom and Pop restaurant for lunch and then Mom, McKenna and I went to the movies! We found a theater in San Marcos which was playing Kenna's" Percy Jackson and the Olympians" movie...and I have wanted to see "The Blindside" for some time...so we decided to go the 12 miles there. I found a few restaurant choices ahead of time ;) and we piled into two cars.

We found the first restaurant and decided it looked fine for our needs.
http://www.mamakatsrestaurant.com
It promised good food and pie. Who can go wrong with that? So in we go and sit down. Now, it kind of reminds me of our good friend's Jack and Judy's place and that is a good sign. The waiters all know the "regulars" and it's pretty busy. We all ordered and waited. We were really impressed with the quality of food. I got breakfast, which is quite interesting, considering I usually HATE breakfast foods.

Remember, I am officially "burgered" out so I passed on those but Mom, Den and Dad had them. They were hand pattied and not the frozen hockey puck type! I ordered a skillet with hash browns, eggs, sausage and cheddar...with sausage gravy. Oh, was I the smart one! It was delish! Rye toast which was really good too! We were all very impressed and quite excited when we saw the deal of the day: all slices of pie for $2! We ordered blueberry crumble (K), Coconut Cream(DD), Lemon Meringue(DM), Custard(L) and Chocolate Peanut Butter(S). They bake them all on premises and they each were phenomenal!

Then, perhaps due to the pie, Den decided he was a little under the weather, so he and Dad went back to the hotel to veg and the women went on to the movies. We did a spot of thrifting before hand, but two of the three places I mapped were out of business. Boo hoo....Nana found some stuff though!

I had wanted to see The Blindside for quite a while and it did NOT disappoint. Now, I really understood many of the situations with the "friends" that Leanne Tuohy dealt with...and I'm sure some stuff was worse for them being in the South....but I did relate to it all. I remember when family members wouldn't talk to my brother and I even remember a cousin telling him that they couldn't play Frisbee with him because he was a N word. I'm pretty sure that there were much better, more graphic bad things that happened to that family which weren't in the movie version.

I'm okay with Sandra Bullock winning Best Actress. I also think that Gabby Sidibe should have won but the Academy wasn't ready to give the Oscar to a fat, black actress! Sadly...............but still I'm okay with Sandra getting it. I cried during The Blindside.

Well, my dinner has arrived and I'm going to go eat! We're eating Calzones from one of our fav pizza places, http://www.primopizzapasta.com/ . In tonight. Being on vaca is very tiring! Well, I got a Ham & Salami Calzone and it was to DIE FOR! Garlic Cheese Bread!!! Kenna got Quatro Formaggio Pizza (4 cheese) and Mom and Pop shared a Spinach Calzone. Den had Sausage and Peppers Calzone and obviously he's feeling better to eat that!

All this eating makes me sleepy and all this sleeping makes me hungry! (family fun quote)

I have NOT eaten so much in months. Surely, I must walk forever tomorrow to compensate. Too bad the hips are NOT going to agree...they are hurting puppies. Ugh.

I