While the Sacramento Valley has scenery by the buckets and is beautiful in its own right, it doesn't have sandy beaches for miles and deep blue water as far as the eye can see. As much as I love the foothills, my soul finds rest and peace at the ocean. Since my brother and his family moved back to Sacramento from Southern California two years ago, I haven't visited or glimpsed the ocean except for the occasional trip to the Bay Area, which just isn't the same.

It was time, people. I suspect Tyler is wired the same way I am. He has been talking about missing the beach about as long as I have. He even recently said he'd rather go to the beach than Disneyland which for a kid is pretty impressive. It's also mighty convenient given our current survival mode on the job/finance front. We were blessed with the means to travel down south to visit my aunt and uncle in their new hometown of Encinitas last weekend.

My uncle recently moved there to be the City Manager (yay Gus!) and earlier this summer he strongly encouraged us to come visit him. You don't have to ask me twice to come visit you at your house less than two miles from some of the prettiest beaches in the state. We were only there for a few nights; with three kids the whole household guest/fish stinking rule definitely holds fast. You know, "after three days house-guests and fish start to stink." I think we left just in time. At least my aunt kept saying "Next time we'll have to see such and such sight/building/beach/park." So I'd say that's a good sign. Or she's really polite, it could really go either way.

 

Charlotte loves her Uncle Gus!

Aunt Tee and the kiddies at the Fellowship Gardens

As a blogger I always wonder if I should share vacation photos. I know for some people look at someone else's vacation photos is torture, but I figure if you follow blogs in the first place perhaps that isn't your issue, right? If it is this week will likely be a good one to skip, I'll be talkin up the vacay a bit.