CALIFORNIA LOVIN'

Back in January, I TOLD the mr. that we would be going to California. He laughed it off and said, "Sure. If you pay for it..." And that is exactly what I did; I paid for the trip (having inherited my mom's ridiculously awesome deal-finding, money-saving tricks AND having a family friend to stay with for free helped a bit, too). So bright and early on a Wednesday morning, we hit the road.

WEDNESDAY: DAY ONE made the drive to just SE of LA in 6 hrs - kids were amazing unloaded everything into the RV - home sweet Cali home hit up the nearest In'N'Out - so much better in Cali, I SWEAR drove out to Newport Beach and played for hours - love, love, love the beach  had a late dinner back at the RV followed by immediately passing out
THURSDAY: DAY TWO quick breakfast before heading to LA Zoo - I hate LA traffic LA Zoo - closest experience to torture - it was a short visit drove to nearest Chick-Fil-A as plan B - 19.5 miles away... spent the rest of the day at Manhattan Beach - there is a free, little aquarium on the pier headed home and had another late dinner before hitting the sack
FRIDAY: DAY THREE drove to Long Beach after scarfing down breakfast started our adventures at the Aquarium of the Pacific - BEST IDEA EVER saw sea turtles and penguins, touched jellies and sharks - the kids were in paradise had a picnic at the harbor next to the aquarium - the weather was to die for  took a spontaneous harbor cruise and glimpsed sea lions in their natural habitat drove the Pacific Coast Highway back to our Cali home - I love the beach went out to The Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner with our host family
SATURDAY: DAY FOUR ate breakfast at a local french cafe - not the smartest idea with four antsy kids headed out to Huntington Beach and spent the entire morning soaking up the beach fed the kids lunch back at the RV while packing for our trip home made the drive home in 6 hours - grabbed a pizza on the way for dinner Best trip ever. We had SO MUCH FUN. The kids were great. I can't wait to do it again next year  (because we WILL be making this an annual family vacation).