Down at the Boardwalk We'll Be Having Some Fun

Some of my favorite childhood memories are at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Yet, the Boardwalk is one of those things I didn't fully appreciate as a child. The amazing view of the ocean as you glide by on a ride (or in my case grip the bar in front of you in fear that these tiny metal brackets holding you up will disintegrate and leave you crashing to the ground).

The bright colors of the rides contrasting with the blue sky, amidst the palm trees.

 The relatively cheap thrills in such an amazing location.

Marini's candies - a must-eat

I fully appreciate every moment I get there now.

Photos of the Rock O Plane and Hang Glider by Justinbustin

*Post Title slightly modified from The Drifter's Under the Boardwalk*

'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*

Why Do You Read Blogs?

I read blogs to connect. To feel I'm normal. To know that what I'm going through, somebody else has already gone through or is going through it, and they are okay. And I will be, too.

Just this morning I came across this post from Young House Love about their parents selling their childhood home and downsizing. Albeit, in this case, they are downsizing a lot closer to where their children and grandchildren are, but still. Their childhood home is going away.

This morning I was in tears and vented to Brando (poor guy) about how it just hit me that his mother is selling his childhood home. The one the boys and I have grown to love the last ten years. The one we've visited and stayed in every time we go to California. The one with the beautiful guest room we give a little happy sigh to be in every time we plop our suitcases on the floor and fall down on the down-comforter covered bed in happy relief to be away from the stress of real life.

The one where the boys have only this last trip or two discovered the secluded little hill and and trees tucked in between a few houses next to hers and the campus of UCSC where Brando and his brother used to play and climb and now beg to go there each time we visit. The one where I look around at all the happy memories and happy collectibles some might call clutter but are so lovingly placed and dust free (HOW does she do it?!) that it couldn't pass as clutter if it tried.

She's packing all those things up in boxes and getting them ready for an estate sale, minus anything we would like. I'm making a list of things that are the most special that I would love to have in my house to look at and smile every day - like the paintings she bought in Sundance when I first met Brando and she had taken Justinbustin and I to Utah with them for Thanksgiving at her sisters, and the painting that has XOXO and a rose on it that she commissioned Brando's good friend and Shawner's namesake to paint for her. I'm so visual I wish I had taken pictures of her home before she packed it all up. Perhaps I can scrounge up a mish-mash from photos of the boys taken in the home, and be content with the happy, happy memories there in the meantime.

My heart is breaking a little to know that this place of comfort won't be there any longer. But I realize she will make wherever she is home, and wherever she is we will have a place to stay. I wish I could say she was coming here to our city, but it looks like she will be moving closer to Aptos, the place I grew up in.

Reading Young House Love's post put it all in perspective again, and reminded me, like I had already realized but am having trouble remembering as it's happening, that all parents downsize when their children grow up and leave the home whether they are in an ugly situation (hers is) or not. I'm not alone in dealing with this situation. It's easier for me to see that they will be okay, and as I realize they will be okay, I realize I will be okay, too.

Tell me, why do you read blogs?

Thanksgiving Week

Arriving in San Jose, picking up a Sa*ab to drive in for the week, eating at In N Out, driving straight to Ol*vehurst/Plum*s Lake. Turkey dinner on Sunday with my brother's ex-wife and three kids, my sister, her hubby, and their five kids, my parents, and us. Seeing her new 2600 sq.ft. that had more than enough room for all of us, and more than enough room for six cooks in the kitchen. Watching the kids play, play, play their hearts out and spend every night with my mom and dad in their RV they brought up from Santa Cr*z. Playing games with my sister and her hubby every night and with my ex SIL and niece before they went home. Liars dice, skipbo, Uno. Driving to Placerv*lle to meet Brando's family I've never met in eight years. Going from flat land valley Cali to mid size mountains and tall pine trees. Being EXTREMELY bored with people I've hardly met before. Getting over it and playing golf cards with Justinbustin. Shawners joining in, then Oma, then a cousin. Thanksgiving dinner with two cousins and an aunt of Brando's I'd never met before. Pictionary with Justinbustin and Oma on my team. Waking up early in the morning. Going to Apple Hill with Brando's family and discovering the quaintest experience I've ever experienced. Taking gorgeous mountainous pictures. Buying fudge, apple pies, apple cider, and Christmas ornaments. Watching the rest of the family take off to see a veteran's memorial. Going to our first. ever. wine tasting with Brando. Taking kissy pictures in the vineyard. Watching my sons collect pine cones outside the window while we wine tasted. Meeting the family-owned estate owner's son. Having birthday cake for Shawners birthday with Oma. Driving home in order to have a full day in Santa Cr*z. Playing more games with my sis and her hubby. Going out downtown with my good friend, Jef. Waking up early and taking boudoir pictures at U*SC campus. Laughing at the guy biking by on the bike trail nearby biking by and asking if that's a n*ked lady in the grass. Thinking in my head, "No! You're imaging things!!" Finding out I need to get linger*e for Brando at Hot Top*c instead of Vici's. Going to my dad's financial class. Seeing how cute he is with all the little things he does for his clients. Payday bars, lucky pennies, cash drawings, cute analogies, tear-jerking stories. Going on a sailboat with Jef, his girl, Brando, the boys, and my parents. Spending two hours on the Monterey Bay with wine, beer, pizza, and good company. Drinking way too much wine. Going to the Boardwalk any way after we get off. Riding the sky rider with Brando. Taking pictures to ease my fear of hanging 200 ft. about the ground with no way to get down. my Dad and the boys there. Watching them have a good time without being involved or them knowing I was there. Stalking them and taking pictures.  Riding the pirate ship with Brando and laughing at the guy giving me evil looks for standing up. Going home and taking a nap. Oversleeping our dinner date with good friends. Picking up Jef and his girl again to go to dinner with us and other friends. Eating dinner with Cris & Kris and their sweet baby boy. Shopping downtown. More games with my sis and her hubby, this time with Jef and his girl, too. Hanging out with his new girl, the longest girl he's had, that I absolutely love and adore and hope he marries the heck out of her one day. Going over to a friend of Brando's afterwards. Playing the Wii until the wee hours of the morning. Waking up. Hanging out with my sister at Trader Joe's. Going to breakfast at my favorite restaurant ever, Peachwoods. My dad attempting to take me shopping. Giving hugs. Oma's tears. Going home.