'Cause Today I Swear I'm Not Doing Anything

This trip to California's itinerary goal was to, for once, enjoy time actually IN Santa Cruz and with family, transition to my mother-in-law's new house, and enjoy our new twenty-one day old niece. Normally when we go to Santa Cruz, our hometown, we stay a few days, drop the kids off with the grandparents, take off on a romantic venture, come back for a whirlwind 48 hours and then fly back home.

This time, with my mother-in-law's new house and our new baby niece, I just wanted to ENJOY time there for once. Create new memories at Brando's Mom's new home. Spend time with those we love. And appreciate all that we had growing up as kids. And, boy, did we. Our itinerary reads like a Restaurant Guide to Santa Cruz with all the fabulous dinners at all of our favorite restaurants we had with our parents.

And since the majority of my photos are on Brando's computer, I'll leave you with the few photos I do have of some of my favorite memories.

Friday-

*Breakfast at Aldo's with Brando's Mom

*Saw our new baby niece, along with her Mommy & Daddy

*Shadowbrook with my parents

Saturday-

*Sailing with my parents

*these photos were actually taken during our second sailing trip, mentioned later on*

*Brando's childhood friend's wedding at a vineyard estate in the Aptos mountains

*Windjammer after wedding party

Sunday-

*Brunch at a family member's house with the newly married couple

*Riva's on the wharf with Brando's Mom

Monday-

*The Farm for breakfast
*Photo Shoot with Brando

*Seascape Resort for lunch with Brando's Mom

*Golf cart ride down to Seascape Beach and beach with Brando's Mom

*Stockton Bridge Grill with Brando's Mom and my Mom (not one of our favorite restaurants, but a good place to go for a quiet evening)

Tuesday-

*Rio Del Mar Beach with Brando's Mom and the boys

*Pedicures with my Mom and niece

*Kianti's with my Mom, my niece, and her boyfriend

*Marini's Candies with my Mom, my niece, and her boyfriend

Wednesday-

*Boardwalk with Brando's Mom, the boys, my niece and her boyfriend

*Shadowbrook with my parents and Brando's Mom

Thursday-

*Justinbustin went to work with my Dad

*Seascape Resort with Brando's Mom, our new baby niece and her mom and dad, and Jen

*Rio Del Mar Beach with Brando and I

*this photo was actually taken at Sunny Cove Beach, mentioned later on*

*Dinner at Star Bene with Brando where we had our first date almost twelve years ago (not one of our favorite places as far as food goes, but favorite for sentimental reasons)

*Stayed the night with Brando at Bella Notte, where they have heated bathroom floors and a fireplace, for an impromptu anniversary celebration

Friday-

*Monterey Bay Aquarium with the boys, my sister and her five children, my niece, and my Mom

*Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in Monterey with all of the same

*Smurfs with the boys and my Mom and Dad

Saturday-

*Sailing with my Mom and Dad

*Sunny Cove beach with the boys and my sister and her five kids - that's Brando in the orange shorts on the cliff, and Justinbustin in the wetsuit on the rocks just to his right

*Crow's Nest with my Mom and Dad

Sunday-

*Walnut Avenue Cafe lunch with my Mom and Dad, and Brando's Mom

*Rio Del Mar Beach and boogey boarding (the waves were too small to surf) with the boys

*Dinner at Bittersweet Bistro with Brando's Mom, our new baby niece, B, and her mom, K, and dad, M - equation in the heart he drew courtesy of Shawners (delicious food, slow service, gorgeous restaurant)

Monday-

*Shopping at Rip Curl (I always do my last minute run before the airport)

*Lunch at In n Out with Brando's Mom

I may be missing a few things in there, but that was the gist of it. See what I mean about being a guide to restaurants in Santa Cruz? I asked my Mom if she felt like this trip was any different with us not going anywhere, and she said, yes, we gotto eat with you every night. Worth. every. moment.

*Post Title from the lyrics of Bruno Mars' The Lazy Song*