Shopping & Sunburns

I think I could totally be a California girl again. Now that it is warming up, I am remembering how much I love baking in the sunshine while laying at the beach!

Last weekend was great! Friday, Declan and I headed up to Pismo Beach again. Declan has so much fun chasing the waves, and he is always the center of attention. People here can't get enough of the chunky little tow-headed swede. Saturday was girl's day out. I drove down to Los Angeles to meet up with Natalie for a day of wining, dining and shopping in Santa Monica. The drive was long, but totally worth it. We hit up the Third Street Promenade. That is only second to the Mall of America for the best place to people watch. Unfortunately, we didn't see any celebs. Bummer.

On Sunday Thomas, Declan and I headed to San Jalama State Beach home of the famous Jalama burger. It really was the best burger ever. I'm not sure what was in the burger but it was tasty. The beach itself was gorgeous. There is only one road in and out and it is surrounded by private and federally protected land, so it is very secluded. Tom and I decided that one day we would buy a giant RV and spend our retirement eating Jalama burgers at San Jalama beach!

This weekend we are headed to San Diego to visit our old stomping grounds and meet up with old friends. We've rented a condo about a block from the beach. Grandma Diane is coming with to help out with Declan so we can enjoy ourselves. Amy Larson is joining us as well! I am so excited. It will be exactly 3 years to the day that we left, one of the saddest days of my life. We are also celebrating Thomas's 30th Birthday! Cinco De Folger!

Following Your Path

Lately I've been questioning whether or not I made the right decision in choosing to be a full-time stay-at-home mom. I'm not really sure why I have been feeling this way though. Most likely it has to do with the isolation I have been feeling here in Lompoc. I don't have any other moms to hang out with during the day and I feel like I am dying a slow death. It could also be the tremendous amount of guilt I have over my perceived inadequacy at being the perfect mom. It was recently brought to my attention, in a conversation with a fellow mom, that a study found "working" moms (aren't ALL moms working??) spent more "quality" time with their children than SAHMs. Apparently, the theory is we SAHMs just plunk our kids down in front of the TV all day while "working" moms use time with their children more wisely. The discussion then led to all the activities that are planned daily by her child's daycare provider and that her daughter came home every night with a new craft to present to her mother, in addition to having learned a couple new words or songs to share. Not only that, but daycare provider provides all the necessary daily nutrients in each meal. Now, this mom in no way was telling me this to make me feel badly about my choice to stay home or my child's inability to utter anything other than dadadadadadadada....... However, as a result of this conversation I did start wondering if I was doing enough for Declan so that he will develop on track with other kids his age and whether he will eventually gain the social skills needed to function in society.

Our day together rarely has structure. As soon as Declan gets his morning cup of milk, I plunk him in front of the TV with a banana and honey/peanut butter toast and "Jack's Great Music Show". This gives me my "wakeup" time. I get an hour to have my breakfast, drink some coffee and read the internets.  Sometimes he even watches TV for an hour and a 1/2 (The Horrors!). We occasionally try to read a book, but we never get past a couple of pages because Declan can't sit still for any length of time. He'd rather be outside throwing rocks or collecting the beer bottles that have piled up in the recycle bin.  Afternoons usually consist of a walk, a trip to the park, errands, perhaps a visit with friends and a nap. It varies from day to day. Lunches rarely include the 4 food groups. Frankly, I am tired of preparing vegetables for a child who will only put them in his mouth, discover that the offensive food may actually be healthy and spit it back out. My child has perpetual diarrhea because the only thing he will eat consistently is fruit. He also refuses to eat real meat. However, he loves processed cheese and Gerber meat sticks (are those even real???). So he gets both in abundance.  

I've often worried that I haven't been doing enough for Declan and that maybe he would be better off if an "expert" was able to take care of him during the day while I went back to work to ease the financial burden that one income can carry. I've been told my numerous women that they choose to go back to work because it makes them "better moms" if they aren't in charge 24/7. This, for some insane reason, makes me question if I should be doing the same. Only because I fall far short of what is considered the perfect mother & homemaker. 

Last Thursday I had an epiphany. Declan and I drove up the Pismo Beach to check out the town. We ended up spending the day at Pismo State Beach. PSB has close to 4 miles of open beach that you can walk along. We spent the afternoon collecting seashells, playing in the surf, walking along the coastline and enjoying the warm afternoon sun. That's where it hit me that I am doing exactly what I should be doing. I know, in my heart of hearts, that neither Declan or  I would thrive if I wasn't his primary caregiver. Declan is not the "structured playtime" type child. I am not the "working mother" type. I am finally coming to terms with the fact that I do not have any career ambitions at this point in my life. And to be honest, I don't think I ever have. I am 33 years old and still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. It's likely I never will either.

Being a SAHM isn't glamourous. We are always broke and rarely do I get the opportunity to get dressed up anymore. My wardrobe looks like it came from the Old Navy clearance rack. Thomas and I could really use a solo vacation to a warm and tropical destination. But these are the sacrifices we agreed on when we chose for me to stay home. The day-to-day drudgeries of raising kids and taking care of a home can be tedious and boring. But there are days, like those at the beach, where everything comes back into focus and you remember why you made the decisions you made and you realize you are on the exact path that was intended for you. And that you don't always have to fit into the mold society has placed on us. 

Monterey Bay

This past weekend was spent in one of the most beautiful little towns in California. Monterey! If you haven't been there, you must put it on your "Must See" list. Let's recap, shall we?

We left bright and early Friday morning. Map, coffee, croissants, 2 happy babies and 3 adults. We headed up the 1 so we could take in as much scenery as possible. This route takes you along the Pacific Ocean coastline. Along the way we saw elephant seals, Hearst Castle (holy shit it's huge), plunging cliffs, rocky shoreline, Big Sur and plenty of water.  It is an amazingly scenic drive but not for the faint of heart. We had high hopes of stopping every 1/4 mile to take in the views and snap lots of pictures, but unfortunately Declan & Alyssa had other plans. Always let sleeping babies lie where they are at! The whole trip up the coast took about 5 hrs. By the end, we were road weary and carsick.

Immediately after arriving, Tanya and I headed into town for some booze and clam chowder while Thomas studied. In case you aren't "in the know" Monterey is supposedly famous for it's clam chowder. Personally, I thought it was Boston but I digress. After our dinner, we picked up Tom and headed straight to the beach to take in the sunset. Public Service Announcement: Don't take booze to Asilomar State Beach because there are no public restrooms.

Saturday morning we packed up the kiddies and headed to the Pacific Grove street fair. Unfortunately there were no beer tents. But I did get a $15 carne asada burrito. Then it was off too the the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I am serious when I tell you that there were 3 bazillion people there with their 2 bazillion brats. After about an hour of staring at jellyfish and sea otters while battling for space amongst screaming youngsters we decided that to save our sanity it would be best to find recreation elsewhere. And where else but the bar!! After several Corona's and shrimp cocktails we made our way over to Cannery Row for some shopping and ice cream. Then it was off to the beach for sandcastles. After a very looooong day, we headed back to the hotel to put the kids to bed and enjoyed some Monterey chardonnay. Yummmmmm....

On Sunday morning, Thomas and I went for breakfast. Afterwards, we all headed for Fisherman's Wharf to sample more clam chowder and chardonnay. Some crazy man tried to put his parrots on the kids heads and scared the living shit out of them. Then he wanted a tip. WTF? Afterwards we headed over to yet another beach for more fun in the sun. By 3 pm we were all exhausted and decided to head home.

While I love my child with all my heart. I can't help but wish Tom and I could have taken in Monterey without Declan. There is so much to do there for adults. Lot's of nice restaurants, golfing and drinking! Pebble Beach and Carmel are just down the road, and the trip through Big Sur cannot be missed. It needs to be experienced in a convertible with lot's of stops along the way! I highly recommend Monterey as a romantic vacation destination!

Next up is a trip to San Diego to hit up the ol' stomping grounds. Looks like we will be headed back to Colorado mid-May so we need to get to the beach as often as possible!

My Favorite Show

Today we're going to talk about my favorite TV show! NBC recently announced their 08-09 lineup and thank God, Mary and baby Jesus Friday Night Lights is returning for season 3!

If you're not watching FNL you are missing out. So, what you need to do is to get thee to the local Blockbuster and rent season 1. Or watch it online. Then, you can either watch season 2 on NBC.com or wait for it to be released on DVD this summer. I promise you will be hooked and definitely not disappointed. This show needs your love.

First, let me tell you what FNL is not. It is not generation Y's 90210. In no way is this show meant for teenyboppers, despite the fact that the storyline revolves around a high school football team. I promise that even if you don't enjoy (or even like) football you will still love this show.

What FNL is, is quite possibly the best show currently on TV. Even the critics love it! Unfortunately, no one is watching . Please explain to me why people are watching crap like "Dancing with the Stars" but not FNL??? I swear good taste is dead. Low ratings threaten to end the show every season. Fortunately for me (and now you!) FNL does seem to have a solid (and rabid) fan base who managed to salvage it for another season.

Why do I love this show so much? The list goes on and on and on...... I love Coach Eric Taylor and his relationship with his wife Tami. I love Riggins and Landry and definitely Saracen. If you watched the show you'd know what I was talking about. Each character is so lovable, and played by incredible actors with incredible writing. I love that every week you fall in love a little more with each character as you learn a bit more about them. Is Riggins the typical jock from the wrong side of the tracks? Nope. Is Tyra the town slut? No to that as well. And this show has the best looking cast of leading men, like, ever. Kyle Chandler is the hotness, as is Taylor Kitsch.

I cannot explain this show well enough to do it justice.  And don't laugh at me please. My love for this show reminds me of Stacy's love for the New Kids on the Block. I will shove it down your throats until you are watching! 

California Love

So, I've been in California now for about 3 weeks. It feels so strange to be back in the state that I called home for awhile. California will always represent some of the best years of my life. And of course the place where I met and fell in love with my husband! I've missed being so close to the ocean, and having palm trees in my backyard. I've missed Trader Joe's, fish n' chips at the Oceanside Harbor, the smell of bougainvillea and eucalyptus trees.  

What I haven't missed is the traffic, the high cost of gasoline, the crowds everywhere you go and shitty apartment living. California is a great place to live when you're young and not too concerned about anything but scraping by and living off of Taco Bell & Corona's. Seriously. I don't understand how people can make a life for themselves in this state. How does one get ahead when the worst house in the neighborhood STILL costs $500K????? Most people in this area commute an hour or two every day to get to work. I just don't get it.

We are currently living in a small, farming community called Lompoc. It's exactly one hour north of Santa Barbara in central California. This is by far one of the most beautiful parts of the country I have ever seen. We are surrounded by emerald green mountains that reach right to the ocean. This whole valley is filled with vineyards, wineries and flower fields. The sun shines (almost) everyday. And there is hardly any development in this area so it is all wild, federally protected land. Everyday I hear of warnings about rattlesnakes and mountain lions at local parks. Yikes.

Lompoc is exactly 10 square miles. We have 4 grocery stores, one Walmart, a dozen taco shops and every fast food restaurant one could desire. Well, except for El Pollo Loco, which of course is the only one I want. So, in a nutshell, Lompoc is a microcosm of any other city in Cali. Except for the fact that there isn't much to do here. Scratch that. There's NOTHING to do here. The closest mall is in Santa Barbara, which is an hour drive. And when you have a toddler that will only allow for 10 min car rides, shopping is pretty much ruled out. I'd head to the local wineries, but I'm not sure that would be appropriate on a Thursday afternoon with a child. Or would it??

So, I've been keeping busy doing a whole lot of nothing. Thankfully Thomas only works 4 days a week. Next weekend we are headed up the coast too Monterey. We plan on taking the scenic route along Big Sur. I can't wait! We also have a trip planned to Sequioa Nat'l Park. And hopefully San Diego and San Francisco. 

Looks like we will be here for another couple of months. I am looking forward to getting back to Colorado, but am enjoying this opportunity for now.