So! We packed up on Sunday and drove to Carlsbad. We checked into our awesome hotel and went for a long swim in the heated pool. We literally had to drag the kids, shivering and prune-fingered, out of the pool.
You might remember that Santa brought us a counting coin bank. We put away all our coins to save for a trip to Legoland. It turns out a co-member of Team Comics had a bunch of Legoland passes that he couldn't use, and very generously sent them to us. We were able to use our pennies for a fun, family-friendly hotel and a couple of good meals out.
I thought that after a couple hours watching TV while we packed and a couple hours in the car and a couple hours in the pool, the kids would love the dinner-and-a-show of a Japanese Steakhouse. So we went down the road a few miles to Benehana.
Some poor couple got seated with us and our 100% genuine Japanese chef, Cesar, got to cooking. He was fun and entertaining, but slooooow. The Goose ended up falling asleep before her dinner arrived. I ended up taking her out to the courtyard and letting her snooze in the fresh air. We both had brutal colds at this point, and the fresh air was lovely.
We had a sort-of-good-night sleep and took off for Legoland. Since it was our second time there, we took our time. We had already been to all the "important" rides so we just took our time and puttered around and enjoyed ourselves.
After a couple hours, we ducked into a show to revel in the shade. Our kids are gigantic hams and they love being the volunteers for the show.
Oscar and I were perplexed by the Otter Recycling at the park.
I think I took this same picture about a year ago.
Evan and the kids went to the speedster hut, where they could build cars and race them. I headed back to our hotel to pick up our swimwear and towels. But first I detoured into Miniland.
I checked out New York City. My favorite place in the world, Grand Central Station, is well-represented at Legoland. I enjoy pointing out the bathroom in the basement, complete with a guy on the pot and some poor schmuck getting mugged in the next stall, to a bunch of kids.
It got built a lot quicker at Legoland than NY, that's for sure.
We headed to the water park, even though it was cloudy and 60 degrees. Arlo got right onto the water slides -- started on the ones in the baby pool and worked his way up to the biggest in the park. The kid won't go near a baby coaster, but give him a gigantic, looping waterslide and he's in.
Family dryer. Five bucks well spent on a chilly day.
We had a lovely dinner at the bistro attached to our hotel. Evan and I had a well-deserved vodka martini.
After dinner, Oscar was being a jerk, so I took the little guys on a walk to the beach.
Again, I can't believe we live here. Stoopid Southern California, being all beautiful.
We had a good night's sleep (well, we haven't had a good night's sleep in 8 years), packed up and took off for the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
Yes, that would be my large, unflattering hat.
The park is really overwhelming and glorious. It's impossibly huge and has tons of history.You also have the theme to Jurassic Park going through your head all. The. Time.
Hello! You are not in New Jersey anymore!
We took off on the safari that was free with our San Diego Zoo membership.
This is a glorious, glorious park. We hope to come back and maybe do the sleep out safari (are you with us, Dad?)
Meercats!
Of course everyone needed to ride the carousel.
We passed this beautiful bridge on the way home. I love architecture out here.
Other bits and pieces from the last week!
The boys spent a good 45 minutes together putting together a Lego set, no body slamming. It was suspicious.
This is how I prove to my husband that I love him. I buy multiple hot sauces and text him pictures.
That night, I made tacos for him. This seems a little too intimate to blog about.
I bore a blue-eyed ginger. Every single one of my kiddos is a miracle. But this last of my kiddos? The red hair, like her great uncle Harry and her great aunt Kate. Those sharp, crystal blue eyes, like her great grandma Mimi and her uncle Bart, both of whom she shares a birthday with. I am not a religious person, but there is something religious in seeing my beloved family in my daughter. My daughter is the image of her great grandma Bunny, her Uncle Bartie, her Great Aunt Kate, her second cousins Katie and Kaeti.
Sunday morning pancakes.
Sunday morning we needed to get the kids out of our goddamn house. We took off for the NASA open house in Pasadena.
It's a Mars rover!
It's a REALLY BIG Mars rover!
It was very crowded at NASA. We bought a couple expensive lemonades and decided to make our way out. But on the way out, we encountered a tent that spoke to the kids.
There was a Mars rover. And it roved over my kids, to their great delight.
On the way out, we met a working dog. He was an explosive sniffing dog and his name was Goose.
We went home and picked up our swimsuits. We went to our local pool and swam until our fingertips were pruney.
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