Hello Everyone!  Wow!  Ok, so things have been really busy over here since we've been back from CA.  I just got some free time and thought I'd take advantage of it and write up a post.  I know, it's about time!

    Ok, so we went to northern California this past week and had a great time!  The first day we took a gorgeous train ride through the Redwood Forest to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.  This was probably my most favorite day because we spent a good deal of it on the beach and boardwalk.  My cousin and aunt had met us there, so after we had our lunch us older kids went on some rides while the adults took the younger ones on a few little kid rides.  We rode a few roller coasters and after everyone talked me into it, we went through the "Fright Walk"!!!  Yeah, well, the name describes it quite well.  It may just because I am a complete and total wimp, but it totaly scared the living daylight out of me!  I'm mean it's actually pretty funny now that I think of it.  Seriously, you should have seen us!  Cameron was walking in the front, my cousin Elaine was behind him with a tight grip on his shirt, then me and Delaine behind them holding each other close screaming like a bunch of lunatics!  Yeah, it was a sight to behold...unfortunately I didn't get any pictures, I was to busy worrying about whether i'd get out of there alive or if I'd die of a heart attack! LOL!  Yeah, a bit of an over-reaction, I know.  Anyway, after we recovered from that, we met up with the rest of the family and headed down to the beach.  It was the absolute perfect beach day, the sun was shining bright and there was not a cloud in the sky!  We had a wonderful time and Hannah and Stephen absolutely loved it too!  The water was a bit cold, but after awhile I got used to it.  So after we spent a few hours at the beach, we packed it all up and headed back to the train which then took us back through the redwoods to the place we parked.  That night we had a lovely dinner with all my aunts and uncles and my grandma at my Uncle Stuart and Aunt Rosemary's house in San Jose.  It was a really nice way to wrap up the day.

    So, the next day we went to the Monterrey Bay Aquarium, which was really awesome!  I never knew how many species of jelly fish there were!  Oh, and the sea otters were so adorable!!!  There was so much to look at it was amazing!  There was also this fish called a "Sun Fish", and let me tell you, it was the biggest fish I have ever seen!  It was so ugly too!  So, yeah, we had a really nice time there and my grandma, cousin, aunt, and uncle went with us too, which made it extra special.  Then after that we ate at a shrimp place on the beach called  "Bubba Gumps,"  which was pretty good.  I am learning to step out of my box a little and be more adventurous with the foods I eat, so therefore I am slowly starting to enjoy eating seafood.

    Then on our last day we went down to Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco.  It was really fun!  I have been there once before, but forgot how neat it was.  So, we did some shopping, walking around, went on a bay cruise that took us under the Golden Gate Bridge.  Once again, we ate at a seafood restaurant that overlooked they bay.  I was even more adventurous here and ordered crab cakes, and to my surprise they were out of this world DELICiOUS!!!  After, we were done at Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf,  we went over The Golden Gate Bridge and drove through this little town called Saucilito right on the other side.  Well, to say I fell in love with it would probably be an understatement!   It was so quaint and had a absolutely gorgeous view of the bay!  The only problem is that you have to be beyond filthy rich to live there.  Yeah, so I can kiss that dream goodbye. 

    After that we headed down to Southern California to spend a few days at Disneyland which was fun, but nothing really new since we go there a lot.  So, overall, we had a wonderful vacation to California and I was so sad to leave. 

Ok, so here are the pics!

Me, Hannah, and Stephen at our RV park.  Stephen is shooting his Spiderman web in every other picture!

The train ride through the redwoods to the boardwalk.  Note: No identifying features were reaveled on my little foster brother!

Stephen loved it!

The Redwoods...the picture doesn't do them justice, they were breath-taking!

The Boardwalk!  Awww, it was so fun!  I absolutely loved it!  Note: Once again, no identifying features were revealed of my little foster brother in the lower left-hand corner of the picture! 

I can't believe that I actually got a picture without a billion people in the background!

Hanny on the beach.

Stephen playing with his beach toys.

Me, Cameron, and Delaine with our cousin Elaine.

This is after the beach at my aunt and uncles house with a lot of our family. 

The Aquarium

 Stephen with my Aunt Sherry.

The sea otters...they were so adorable!

This room was so cool!  Practically the whole ceiling was an aquarium with anchovies swimming round  in circles in it!

What was so neat about this aquarium is they had so many activities for the little ones! Hannah and Stephen had so much fun there!

Elaine (my cousin), me and Delaine on one of the observation decks at the aquarium.

Pretty self-explainitory! 



Hannah enjoying her churro and Stephen, again, shooting his web at something!



Me and Delaine found it quite entertaining watching the guy crack the crabs!


 

Delaine got this picture while on the bay cruise that went under the Golden Gate Bridge. 

Wow, ok, I think I put up toooo many pictures, so I'll stop, but there is one more picture I just have to put up!  For privacy reasons, I am not allowed to reveal my little foster brothers full picture identity, sooooo...here's Hayden undercover!!!

Yes, a star is born!  LOL!

Hope you all have a great week!

Sparkles