goin' back to cali

To start things off right, we ran into a bit a vehicle problems in California. At first, we thought it was a bad battery.



Nope. It was the alternator. Which meant that new battery we bought a few hours earlier, was still good. But, whatever, it's just money, right?



Thankfully, there was a Little Ceaser in the same strip mall, so the kids were cheaply fed while their Daddy installed the new, shiny, expensive alternator.



This place will forever hold a special place in my heart. Next to my stomach. It always has a huge line of hungry customers. But you can skip the 30+ minute wait if you take it to-go. Just walk right in and order, you'll have your glorious food in about 15 minutes.



This is their Single Bacon Cheeseburger. Mommy likes.



I thought you might want a closer look at that patty of bacon. You're welcome. The process by which this masterpiece is achieved is they boil the bacon in a big pot, then when the order is made, they grab a handful of it and lovingly place it on the griddle to crisp up, and what you're left with a patty of bacon. You want one now. I want another one. You who live within 500 miles of San Diego should go and get one. Or four.



Then the official start of the Smith Family Reunion began.



And so also commenced us spending our days at the beach.



My husband says his soul lives at the beach and that he needs to go back. Like, yesterday.



This kid absolutely loved it there as well.



And this is what Cade looked like the entire time. Sand all over his face, shoving food in his mouth.



His got sand everywhere. This is a picture of one of the more rated-G places.



Look how happy they are!



Lily enjoying a snack before heading back out into the ocean.



Smith's as far as the eye could see out there floating in the water.



Never buy your little girl a yellow swimsuit if she is going to be playing in sand. I just threw it away when we arrived home. It was much more brown, than yellow.



Corgan and his first cousin, once removed. I think that's what it is. He's Aaron's cousins' kids. Oh, I'll figure it out when I'm retired and have nothing else to do but family history.



While we're on the family kick, here's the 102 Smith's who showed up for the reunion.



And it wouldn't have been a true Smith Family gathering without a Burrito Bust. This family knows how to do burritos. That's why I capitalized it.



Aaron riding in on one of his last waves. He cries himself to sleep because we're not at the beach. But don't tell him I told you, that will just make him cry harder.



To speed up the trip, this is Mt. Shasta in Northern California.



This is Lily asleep on the way home.



This is Dale and Aaron. We're almost to Portland.



And this is Home, Sweet, Home.



Oh! Blake was at the beach, too. He just never dipped a toe in the water. All he wanted to do was play in the sand.



The end.