BUCKET LISTIN'

When Tenley finished her first year of Kindergarten she brought home her writing journal from the year; in it I found her "Summer Bucket List". It included the following:

1.) Bake cookies with Mommy and Sissy.

2.) Eat donuts on the beach.

3.) Go fishing with Daddy.

We finished number 1 early on because we're a family who loves cookies. The second one on the list came together unplanned. Contrary to belief, life isn't always rainbows and sunshine. I was in the thick of life and having a hard time. I needed a break and some vitamin sea. Ed knew I needed it and got a day off of work; which doesn't happen often so I ran with it. All I wanted to do was be surrounded by my family and animals all weekend. We booked a room in Carlsbad, booked a Whale watching tour in Oceanside (which is on my Bucket List), and kept the Zoo a surprise from the kids! 

We woke up at 4am Friday morning and got right on the road. The kids stayed up the entire time and asked if we were there before we even got on the 15. Traveling with kids is so fun. We arrived at our hotel after 9 and the kids loved that the ocean was right across the street and that the flowers were so tropical looking.

After getting on our suits, we headed down the street for some brunch at the cutest little shopping center. It was so welcoming and peaceful. The cafe had coffee and a BLT that was to die for.

Finally, we were off to run from waves and collect shells.

After beachin' for a bit, we were off to our next adventure-- WHALE WATCHING!! I've legit dreamt of this day for years... me seeing a pod of humpbacks, diving in and becoming like their mother-mermaid-friend. I mean, that could happen. Before boarding the boat in Oceanside, we ate dinner in the harbor.

Even though, this was my dream, everyone else was pretty pumped about it.

I know, this was my idea, but it was actually quite scary at first. I have anxiety so every time the boat rocked; which was every 5 seconds, I envisioned my children going overboard. We sat at the very tip of the boat so we could see everything and I clung to them for dear life. After about 40 minutes we were used to it and after an hour Ed was starting to feel sea sick. You make your way down the coast for the first hour, then turn around and head back. 

The harbor was in sight and all we saw were sleeping sea lions and two far away dolphins in the very beginning. Then the boat stopped and a pod of dolphins surrounded us. It was so magical and worth the wait. The kids loved every second of it and it even made Ed's nausea disappear. 

I've swam with dolphins twice, but there was something so magical about seeing them being so free and wild. If seeing them felt so special I can't imagine what seeing massive whales would've felt like. The tour guide told us that they saw a pod of 8 blue whales yesterday and I honestly think I would've died. Then, Tenley (my brutally honest child) had to tell him that, "this should be called dolphin watching because I don't believe there's any whales out here!" I know kid, I was disappointed we didn't see any whales, too. The dolphins and the adventure was something we'll never forget, though.

The next morning we surprised the kids with a trip to the San Diego Zoo! First, we drove to San Diego and ate at the Crest Cafe. The whole area was surrounded with rainbow flags and you could just sense the unity in the community; which I absolutely love. Their food was just as good as their welcoming spirits. The street art had me sold from the get-go. I'm such a sucker for colorful street art.

SURPRISE-- welcome to the San Diego Zoo, kiddos!  Tenley wanted to see flamingos, Ev wanted to see bats (duh) and Wes wanted to see a crocodile. No bats at the SD Zoo, but we got to see everything else and then some, plus ate churros several times so I feel we won.

I loveeeee giraffes so obvi, we bee-lined right to them.

We could've watched them all day, but we had so much to see and the flamingos were just around the corner.

We circled back around to the giraffes and paid to feed them biscuits. The money went to preserving them in the wild so it was an absolute win-win. The kids thought it was so funny how they used their big tongues to grab the biscuits. They giggled while I cried tears of joy.

I don't think anything else at the Zoo could top that, but we continued to make are way through the massive Zoo.

We finished the day watching Rio in 4D; which was so cool. In the beginning, it felt like birds were flying between our legs. The kids loved it.

Saturday evening we had dinner at this fun outdoor restaurant, then brought ice cream to the beach since we couldn't find any donuts.

The kids spent every night writing their favorite parts of the day in their journals.

Sunday was Father's Day and we woke up to the kids jumping in our bed screaming, "Happy Father's Day!!" Tenley helped me get everyone ready and pack up because she didn't want Daddy to have to do anything all day. We walked to breakfast at The Daily News and it was phenomenal. I had the best homemade biscuits with country gravy followed by the most delicious warm cinnamon roll.

We spent our final time in Carlsbad with our toes in the sand. It was in the 60's, but the kids couldn't get enough of the crisp water and warm sand. Ed and I had the best views of watching them play in the sand. The perfect Father's Day.

I love spontaneous trips with my little family and this trip is exactly what my soul needed. Sometimes extra family snuggles, reseting, vitamin sea, eating delicious garbage and some animals is all a girl needs. These four people is what sets my soul on fire. They are my purpose and give my life such meaning. I'm so blessed I get to share these fun adventures with them and can't wait to cross off Tenley's third Summer Bucket List (and add more)!