Seascape

I have lived here in California my entire life.

I was born here in the Bay Area and haven't left (except for the 4 years when I went to college at University of Colorado)

All these years of living here and I didn't know about the hidden gem of Seascape. 

It is less than 75 miles from my house! How did I not know about it?

I have been to Santa Cruz & Capitola more times than I can count, but never knew about Seascape which is nestled in right there.

We headed to Seascape this weekend with Kevin's entire family to celebrate my mother in laws 70th Birthday!

I love Capitola!
We started out Friday afternoon meeting in Capitola for a late lunch.
 Nachos..
Yummy Cocktails:

Sandwiches...mahi mahi and also a seafood melt. Yum!

 All the cousins playing beach soccer. Luke was in heaven.

 Luke LOVES the sand. He would dig all day.

After walking around Capitola we headed to Seascape to check into our condos at the Seascape Resort. A lovely 5 minute drive along the ocean.

We had 3 condos right in a row (there were 18 of us)

 After we checked in, we headed down to the beach! 

Our Friday night plans were to have a bonfire at the beach, have appetizers, dinner & then S'mores!

 We practically had the entire beach to ourselves! I am telling you...Seascape is a hidden gem!

Appetizers:

 We took a family pic since all of us were on the trip!
 Kevin, & his brother & sister and the spouses:
 All 18 of us:

5 of us:

 Playing in the sand as the sun was setting:

 So pretty!
S'mores on the beach:

After the beach we headed back to the condo since it was way past bedtime. What do you do when you are sandy & smell like smoke from the bonfire? Have the kids go swimming!

Kevin got us donuts for breakfast & we enjoyed them on our balcony.

 Here is the view from our balcony:

The weather was incredible on Saturday, so we hung at the pool all day

 At the pool, you could pick up a phone and have food & drinks delivered to you! YES!

 It was 88 degrees all day...we were at the pool for over 6 hours. Playing cribbage, playing in the pool & swimming with cousins. It was the perfect day.

That night, the power went out, so we ordered pizza & all had dinner by candle light and the sunset was amazing!

 We are spoiled here in California!
It was an awesome weekend with Kevin's side of the family celebrating my awesome mother in law!
We had so much fun, we are going to make this trip an annual tradition!

As we drove home, I was noticing the different landscapes we have on just an 1.5 hour drive home.
We had the ocean.

Then we had the mountains with pine trees...
As we headed out of mountains, we were in the foothills...
More hills....

 Then really green hills....

And, as we got home, more hills with yellow mustard everywhere:

 I love the diversity of California & the scenic drives we get.

++++++++++++++

And, if you missed it here is my Rodan + Fields March Special in honor of St. Patrick's Day!

My March Rodan + Fields Special is going on all month for new Preferred Customers & new business partners! It's one of the best deals I have all YEAR!
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 Hope you have a great St. Patricks Day!

We are having Guiness Stew tonight.

Recipe {HERE}
How about you? Any fun St. Patty's Day plans?

Merry Christmas 2014!

From our family to yours....Merry CHRISTMAS!

Front of card:

 Back of card:

 Photos by Monika McSweeney Photography

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!

Lake Tahoe in the Fall

We are having an October heat wave here in California.
The first 2 weeks of October it was in the 90's.
It was awful. Way too hot and it was causing me to be grumpy.
I am not a grumpy person, but 90 degree heat in October makes me grumpy.
Think I have Seasonal Affective Disorder, some people get that when they don't get enough sunshine, I was getting it because there was TOO much Sunshine!
It was LACK of seasons that was causing it. I needed Fall weather & I needed it ASAP.
So, last weekend we beat the heat and headed to Lake Tahoe for the weekend.

Lake Tahoe in the fall is beautiful.....the crisp mountain air & pretty fall colors.
It was awesome.
As we headed into the mountains, the temperatures were dropping and the Fall color was all over.

As soon as we got to our cabin, we rejoiced with the fresh mountain air and went on walk in the woods.

Luke found a snow sled in the garage & wanted to be pulled around in it. Hysterical.

Friday night was Friday Night Pizza Night as usual, but it felt so much better eating our pizza by the fire. (My favorite pizza toppings....pepperoni, pineapple & jalapeno. YUM!

Wine by the fire & watching "Mom's Night Out" Super cute movie!

Loved waking up Saturday morning and being COLD!!!!! 

This weather makes me so happy. I swear I should live in New England or in a state that actually gets Seasons & cold weather. No wonder I loved going to University of Colorado!

Hot coffee in the cold mountain air. Glorious!

Love the morning light shining through the trees.

Our plans for the day were for Kevin to take the girls on a Daddy/Daughter Adventure.
They went to Tahoe Tree Top Adventure where they did a Ropes Course up in the trees and did the ziplines.

 They had a such a fun Daddy & Daughter Day. We were so proud of them for being Brave and going on ziplines even when they were nervous about being so high up in the trees.
While Kevin & the girls were on their adventure, Luke & I got to hang out & we went adventuring in the woods. He loves going on nature walks.

I loved wearing boots, a scarf & a flannel. Fall clothes are my favorite!
Later that afternoon the 5 of us headed to the Lake.
I loved seeing all Fall colors around Lake Tahoe.
But, I couldn't believe how low the Lake is. So sad. We need rain in California!
I love Fall in Lake Tahoe. The last time we were in Lake Tahoe during the Fall is when I was pregnant with Kate!

I love the simplicity of going to Tahoe. No internet (besides our phones), getting to explore nature & all 3 kids love playing with all the old school toys at our cabin.

It was such a nice little weekend away, the only downfall was that we discovered a woodpecker has been chomping away at the cabin & Kevin had to patch a hole the size of a tennis ball on the side of our cabin.

So nice to get away for 48 hours as a family and enjoy real Fall weather :)

We are back home and sweating in the 80 degree weather. 

*Sigh* 

I really need to move to a state that has seasons, or just move to Tahoe full time :)