Monday, July 28, 2014

Getting Crafty!

My girls love crafts and I love cheap ways to keep them entertained. Plus,  I really feel there is something uplifting and confidence boosting about creating something with your own hands. 

We have a wooden country style wall coatrack. I think I picked it up at a garage sale for a couple bucks 10 years ago or it may have been a castoff from my parents. It went ok and was useful in our old historic home, but it needed updating if we were going to keep it here in California. 

We started at Home Depot and bought a small pot of my "happy color" (Behr's Island Oasis) for less than $3.00. A couple of sponge brushes at 79¢ each and our free sea treasures that we've found at various California beaches. I also had some starfish from beach decor/crafts that I did in college (ages ago!) 

The girls were really excited about this craft, but waited patiently for the rest of the unpacking to be finished so I could unearth our glue guns!  

Their patience paid off because I also found some wooden hearts that I had painted with polka dots and cow patterns about 5 years ago. I let them paint over and decorate them too. 

It was loads of fun and I love the end results! 

My 10y/o found some pipe cleaners in the craft box too. She made these flowers which I think are brilliant. 
 

More to come soon I'm sure! 

Weekend Bay Area Fun

2 weeks in and we're starting to get the feel of this amazing place. Our family enjoyed the Redwood City Blues Festival on Saturday and the Berkeley Kite Festival on Sunday. So many awesome booths of handmade and fun items and too many delicious foods to choose from on hand. The girls were able to make their own kites for free and they flew them along with hundreds of others. I could not even begin to capture the maginificant beauty of the kites or the great Blues music with my pictures. 

Downtown Redwood City Blues Festival

Berkeley Kite Festival near Golden Gate Fields 

I find out about these events mostly through Bay Area Kids Fun on Twitter: @SFBayAreaKidFun 
and on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=185971281462580

So helpful! 

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Half Moon Bay, California: A Love Letter

During previous visits, and even now that we have moved, Half Moon Bay is one of my favorite places! As soon as I laid eyes on those pumpkin fields I was sold. Seeing horses by the beach didn't hurt either. I told everyone back home that Half Moon Bay is like living in Oklahoma...if Oklahoma had an ocean, of course! 

The charm does not lessen the more I see of it. I am convinced I may end up there permanently if I'm lucky. 

Fresh cut flowers and the best honey anywhere, hands down. The lemons from the roadside stand taste like pure sunshine. I use them to make homemade lemonade. Happiness in a glass. 

Roadside Bounty:


I love the beach there too, although we had to go on up to dog friendly Montara State Beach when we took our Frenchie, Strawberry. 

Half Moon Bay State Beach:

Montara State Beach:

Pumpkin field last fall:



Exploring the Bay Area

So far we have tackled a little bit of Santa Cruz and enjoyed the wharf and beaches. We will go back for Boardwalk fun another day. 


The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum at San Jose was fabulous. Mummies, mummies, mummies! Lots of cat mummies, human mummies and a couple of baby alligator mummies. Even a mummified catfish! We learned a lot too. Did you know wealthy Egyptian women kept gazelles as beloved pets? The girls loved it! 

We visited tidal pools at Moss Beach. Took nothing and left nothing. We saw crabs and a whole lot of seals. 

Traveling on up Highway 1 we came to Pacifica. So many people were surfing. We definitely need to take that hobby up!
 
My eldest daughter created a lovely homage that pretty much sums up how we feel about California. 


Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Settling in...

Going from a large home in a historic district to an apartment is a huge adjustment. You just can't beat the proximity to work, school and the grocery store. We're 2 blocks from the dog park and there is a beautiful trail that goes for miles along the bay for walking, jogging, biking.  I think we're making the most of the trade off! Strawberry was quite surprised when a heron flew over her head and...squawked, maybe?  It was a loud noise that startled us both! 


It's still like camping at the moment while we wait for our pods to arrive. We made a trip to the store for a few essentials: bread, milk, eggs and WINE! The girls and I went to IKEA and fell in love. We had to get a few fun things and of course their beds which will be delivered today. 


Last night we had a family campout in our new living room. Then we did yoga and had a dance party this morning. So far so good!

Sunday, July 13, 2014

California

We drove from Needles to Santa Cruz today. From 104° when we got into Needles last night to a perfect 75° in Santa Cruz. Looks like we made it. 
We are now Californians. Hooray!


Saturday, July 12, 2014

Road Trip!

2 kids, a fat ginger cat and a French Bulldog. I know it sounds like a recipe for disaster, but they've all been well-behaved. Possibly even better behaved than I have, living off hotel and convience store coffee. 


New Mexico

Arizona 

So far the "Pet Friendly" hotels have been great! Clarion Inn & Suites in Elk City, Oklahoma and LaQuinta Inn in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The latter is pictured below. 



Today we enjoyed the Grand Canyon and made a new friend. I called him/her "Sugar Lumps". Unfortunately, there was no more room in the car so we left him/her behind. 
In just a few miles we will be in Needles, California. I found a list of "7 things to do in Needles". Only 5 things were actually listed though...maybe a secret club we need to join? Or perhaps we find a couple of new things to add to the list!

Thursday, July 10, 2014

My View


Just be glad there is no scratch and sniff option! 

Moving Day

Moving day. Pouring rain. 

AND we need more packing tape and boxes. 

Head to Walmart thinking, "Lawd, please don't let the "People of Walmart" cameras be there!"

Get to Walmart. Only one checkout lane open.

Then the power goes off. 

Someone or something does not want this move to happen. 

I made it out thanks to a determined cashier with a scan gun and a flashlight. Sadly, she could not save herself. 

The pods have been filled and we are loaded up. Heading west just like the Joad Family before us, but thankfully no one is pregnant or fresh out of prison. 

California or bust!