California will always be our place. If we could figure out how to move there, we would. Until then, we visit at least twice a year. Always going to the same places — The Ranch in Laguna Beach or Santa Barbara. In some cases, we were able to swing both in a single trip.
We decided to put my beloved 1940s Tudor on the market. It's been a real labor of love. But after years of having guests visit and having to uncomfortably share one upstairs bathroom, we decided it was time. Once it hit the market, we had a flood of interest and scheduled over 50 showings in the first week. Keeping the house show ready with a four-year-old seemed like an impossible task, so it gave us an excuse to pack up and go to California for the week.
Traveling with him always puts into perspective how fast he is growing up. He's carrying his own backpack, navigating the airport with less anxiety, and genuinely enjoying airplanes. On this particular trip, he just seemed so much older.
This was a last minute trip, so I had to sit behind Sonny and Steph.
First stop was Laguna Beach and another stay at The Ranch. At this point, they recognize Steph and Sonny when they walk in. They were both there a little over a month ago with her Sister and Sonny's cousin.
We had been waiting for the perfect time to visit Disney for the first time. We didn't know if he was old enough yet to endure the lines and the crowds. Our lack of planning really showed in this decision. We quickly learned that it was the entire state of California's spring break week and the park had completely sold out. We got lightning passes, but it didn't matter; the lines were INSANE. Still, it was pretty magical to see the park through his eyes. He loved it. Also made me really appreciate my parents for taking us as kids. I think that is what parenthood really is — the subtle realizations and appreciation of your own parents and everything they did for you to make you who you are.
Haaaaaaad to get the custom Mickey Ears hat, EXCLUSIVELY available at the Mad Hatter! After a long day at Disney, we drove back to the Ranch in Laguna and Sonny swam with a bunch of buddies he'd made in the pool. For Sonny, swimming means vacation... when he's near a pool, he wants to be in it. Castles, characters, churros, fine. But the pool
is the trip. Also, Sonny pronounces vacation —
vuh-cation.ˆ
The next leg took us north to Santa Barbara. Which, for Sonny, meant more pool, more vuh-cation. For me, there is nothing better than driving up and down the 101 absolutely blasting Sloop John B out of a rented Kia Telluride. Pet Sounds is and always will be my official California soundtrack. Driving up and down the coast is always my favorite part of the trip.
We spent a handful of nights hanging out in Santa Barbara. Looking at properties, daydreaming about picking up our lives and moving to California. That's often what these trips are — a week or so to just imagine living in California. Every vacation ends the same way: a flight back to a city that sits a mile above the one we'd rather live in. Everything feels more pressurized at altitude. The pressure is probably good for us. But maaaaan, it would be nice to escape it for good.
