(AKA- Nearly the Best Day of My Life)
Last year I turned thirty. Last year I also gave birth to our 2nd daughter. Last year Lance and I celebrated our 5th Anniversary.
All of these are reasons why when he received the opportunity to go to San Diego, CA for a week last summer and asked me to go along with him, I said, “UM YES THANKYOUVERYMUCH!” It just so happened that my actual birthday would be on the last full day of the trip. Perfect.
So we did what any loving, alone-time deprived parents would do, bought me a plane ticket and called my mama! She graciously agreed to come watch the girls (L was then 3 and A was 5 months old.) (I know, I know many moms would “never” leave their baby that early and for that long. Well, it just so happened that because of her AR, the breastfeeding ship had long since sailed and since my mom is 100% a better, more experienced version of me when it comes to mothering, I thought it a safe bet.) Besides, once in a lifetime opportunity HERE!!!
So we loaded up our gear and headed to Sunny California. Most of the week, Lance was in meetings and I was forced to get up early (yes early not late, time difference you see.) sit in starbucks for an hour or two, watch the sun come up, go for a walk, and lay by the pool for the better part of the day. After a few months of adjusting to becoming a mom again and feeling very spent and exhausted emotionally, physically and spiritually, the Lord provided big time in the rest department on this trip.
On the day of my actual birthday, Lance’s conference was over and so we decided to rent a car and drive to La Jolla for breakfast. He showed up with this:
The beach at Encinitas, CA
I’m so glad I took this picture. We sat on this giant rock and shared a Prosciutto and Mozzarella Baguette Sandwich, Raspberries, a Peach and some Wine– (yes in a plastic cup. We. are. classy.) Seeing this picture I can literally feel how relaxing our trip and how perfect our day was. Lance had done all this research ahead of time based on places we heard about and planned the entire day out. He was so very thoughtful and it all blessed me so much!
California Rocks.
No really, it does.
Then we drove to a bakery I really wanted to try, Elizabethan Desserts. It did not disappoint! The little place shared a parking lot with a Florist and garden center and was so cute!
We shared 1/2 dozen mini-cupcakes at a little table outside…
(and yes, we ate our way through the coast of California. I am not ashamed!)
We honestly probably could have eaten more, but then it was back in the car for more driving.. this time we drove back to San Diego all along the coast. All in all, we were able to see Pacific Beach, Point Loma, La Jolla, Encinitas, Del Mar, Coronado (we spent a lot of time there!) and probably a few more I cannot remember. It was a year ago!
*The view from our room*
*Driving over the bridge at Sunset*
Lance and His 30-year old wife.
We ate dinner at a delicious Italian restaurant right on the bay which enabled us to watch the Fireworks over the water right from our table. A-MAZ-ING.
From start to finish, it was quite possibly the best birthday of my life. It almost topped my “7th Birthday– Gala Fashion Show” (That was a good one, Mom.) In which I celebrated turning Seven by raiding my dress-up stash with 9 of my closest friends and then making a hilariously embarrassing video in which we all display our hidden “talents.” Classic. Add in some pizzas and a slumber party in which no one slumbered and everyone partied, and you have my 7th birthday in a nutshell.
That was really fun.
This was definitely right up with that one. Being able to scour the California coastline for the best food and baked goods, driving 20 minutes out of the way for a particular grocery store we loved, seeing parts of America I’d never seen– and doing it all with my handsome husband. Oh yeah, and a convertible.
It was a pretty awesome day. And, since I realized it had been almost a year and I never blogged about it– I thought I better get on it!
Hope you enjoyed our Travel Journal!!!
Oh my…so glad you blogged about this. Better late than never! I can't imagine your 30th birthday being any "sweeter" (haha!). Looks like the weather was perfect and the sights amazing! Thanks for sharing, and I love the curly hair!
"All over La Jolla na na na na na naaaa"