Outstanding Outings!

What makes visiting a spectacular place like Knights Ferry, Yosemite, or Santa Cruz even more spectacular?  Well, visiting with a carload of loved ones, of course!  We treasured sharing these 3 favorite places with Kris, Kyle, Cole and Miles.

Knights Ferry was ablaze with the color of wildflowers in full bloom.  Now is the best time to visit and I always love that first view when you round the bend and see the rocky hills framing the river rapids.  I love even more seeing it through the eyes of a first time visitor!

The boys handled a rocky hike, that was more climbing than walking, on this hot day with adventurous spirits and strength.  I was proud of them.

 

Our day in Yosemite was as amazing and awe-inspiring as a day in Yosemite always is.  We enjoyed taking our time around all the Valley Floor stops-- parking and hopping out to see gorgeous views with minimal effort.   First stop: that first view of Half Dome as you start descending into the valley.

Second stop: Tunnel View, which never disappoints!

Third stop: the Yosemite Falls loop.  This was the longest walk, but it's a great one because that view of the falls doesn't go away as you get nearer and nearer.

Brrr!  Mist from the pounding, snow-melt falls was freezing!

After our picnic lunch by the river, we goofed around in this field for a while.  The kids made a see-saw.  We took jumping pictures, which had us doubled over in laughter.  Not posting the awkward outtakes my youngest daughter spent the entire car ride home making funny memes out of! ;)

Fourth stop: the river by Bridalveil Falls where Miles tried to beat his "number of rock skips" record.

 

Last stop: somewhere on top of the valley where the snow had not yet melted for AN EPIC SNOWBALL FIGHT!

We got another crew of family members to fall in love with Yosemite on this day.  Though, admittedly, that is not a hard thing to do at all.

Another day we spent in Santa Cruz, promising the kids the sights and smells of the Boardwalk, seals, pirate mini-golf, toes dipped in the ocean, Marianne's ice cream, and Pizza My Heart.  And as you can see, we checked it all off the list!

Boardwalk. Check.

In pirate mini-golf we split up into two teams-- Boy vs. Girls, or Team "Da Boyz" vs. Team "Nice Balls".  It was an intense competition and in the end Da Boyz beat us girls by just one point! 

 

Even with this devastating loss, though, golfing with hilarious Auntie Kris was its own kind of prize!  Delia will tell you this was one of her favorite parts of the whole week.

Toes in the ocean. Check.

Seals. Check.

Marianne's.  Check.

We squeezed a little hike on the bluffs and in the wind gusts of Wilder Ranch into our Santa Cruz day too.  Here we held onto each other so we wouldn't blow away while admiring the crashing waves and sea otters.  

 

What a wonderful week!  Kris said it perfectly in an Instagram post, "My dreams are now my memories."  We dreamed about this visit and are feeling that happy, full, satisfied feeling you get after a feast of great time together.  I'll be laughing about Cole's Mario accent, Kyle's giant cross necklace, Mile's love for steak, feet glasses, Bruce Villanchi, failed jumping pictures, and "Nice Balls" jokes until we are all together again soon and able to make more new memories!