Big Girls Trip to California Friday

Friday morning we woke up in beautiful Monterey. I love this peninsula more than almost any place I’ve ever been.  We set out for a long morning walk, stopping all along the Fisherman’s Wharf, then on to Cannery Row, where we ate a lunch of clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl and fish n chips right over the water at the Fish Hopper. The waves crashed beneath us and we watched kayakers, fishermen casting nets from boats, pelicans and adorable sea otters. We found crepes and hoodies on Cannery row, got more in n out, and then hit Point Pinos in pacific grove right at low tide for the most gorgeous sea shell and creature hunt! This was the highlight of our trip for sure! We held crabs, starfish, and sea urchins, and collected treasures that the violent waves had carried in. We saw the lighthouse begin to glow, and stood on a tiny island only accessible during low tide while we watched the sun set magnificently into the Pacific Ocean. Dreamy. 

14 years between these pics in this place! Sadly, rge wharf doesn’t smell like salt water taffy anymore. It smells like weed. Barf. But the rest of our trip smelled like eucalyptus and it was wonderful. 

Tide pools are my most favorite thing! 






















For dinner I took us to Carmel-by-the-sea to a little Italian place Little Napoli’s. I used to come here with friends in high school, and Aaron and I have been here many times as well. Never disappoints! We ate fried artichokes and pizza, and of course found more it’s it’s in a grocery store on the way home 😂. We also tried a knock offs it’s-it made by a local creamery. The ice cream was delicious, but the cookie was too hard/crunchy to enjoy. How does it’s it do it? The cookie is soft and magical! 

Big Girls California Trip Thursday in San Francisco

“San Fran-cis-co…that’s fun to say!” -Buddy the Elf

We hiked along the coast for incredible views of the Golden Gate Bridge

Ghirardelli Square to pier 39 and soaked up all that the city has to offer. Trish’s hot fresh tiny donuts, musical stairs, in n out, it’s-its, cable cars, the fisherman’s wharf, vw vans everywhere, people snorting drugs outside their boxes along tent city under the freeway, hilly row houses and crooked Lombard Street. The city was empty and much cleaner than I’ve ever seen it. (Except the tent city part, that’s the same) and it was a sunny, warm, clear, gorgeous, unforgettable day. 

We hit super taqueria in Gilroy for dinner and I gave my girls the nickel tour of my hometown right after the sun set. We drive past my childhood home (now owned by the brother of Sheena Torres, my high school badminton doubles partner), and I showed them my high school, (well just the parking lot, track/football field, and pools because that’s what was open, and they got to see the little outdoor corridor  between the choir/band rooms and the theatre where I spent every lunch hour and break with my friends. 

The girls loved the painted parking spaces for seniors and thought that was a fundraiser BHS should adopt. 

We drove on to Hotel Pacific in Monterey and found Slurpees at 7-11 and more it’s-its because they’re the best. 

Deacon Night Hike

Corbin went on a hike with his Deacon’s Quorum on a warm day last week. His leader said, “We were a little bit nervous that during our hike Scott sterling was going to get smacked in the face by a tree branch or attacked by a vicious, nocturnal animal, but we were very lucky that didn’t happen!!” Good thing Scott Sterling always bounces back! Very resilient. 🤣