Monterey Vacation 2010

This last week our family took a short, but fun and needed, vacation! Seth was able to present the findings from his research this summer at a conference/ convention thing in the Carmel/ Monterey area. Since he had to drive and get a hotel either way, Rocco and I decided to come along and it became a fun family vacation adventure for us! It was our first time in that area, and it was beautiful! The land was the perfect place for someone who wants to be near the beach but still loves the woods-like feel of the mountains... my parents would love it there!

THURSDAY

Thursday we spent most of the day driving there. We took the scenic route up even though it was a little more driving time, and it was sooooo worth it! There was sooo much beauty! It was so green from all the rain and everything was just awe inspiring...

Once we got there we drove around a bit and Monterey is beautiful too!

Then one of Seth's professors treated us (and a bunch of Seth's other classmates that were also there for the convention) to dinner at a "Fancy" restaurant called "Cafe Fina". Apparently Rachel Ray went there once and loved it...
It was a fun way to start our vacation!

FRIDAY

Friday morning we took Rocco on a walk around the pond by our Hotel. We also took some of the bread from breakfast so he could feed the duck, he thought it was so fun! (Side Story: Saturday while Seth packed the car, I took Rocco to feed the ducks again, and as we were throwing the bread into the water there was a loud honk from behind us, when I turned and looked, there were two big geese running at us! I threw the bread at them, grabbed Rocco and literally RAN away before they attacked us! Moral of the Story: Geese are scary!)

Then we took Rocco to the Dennis the Menace Playground... It was seriously the funnest playground I've ever seen, heard of, or been to!

They had a big train engine for kids to go in. Rocco thought he had died and gone to heaven! We got to climb all over it and play in and on top of it... fun stuff!

I was a little nervous to let Rocco climb on the Rock wall at first, but he go tthe hang of it pretty quick and did a great job! That's my boy...

Rocco loved the rolling slide! I did it once and was afraid if I tried it again I'd bounce myself right into labor...

It really was the most awesome park ever! Rocco loved every part of it! We could spend hours there, heck!, we could spend days there and he would NEVER get bored for even a second... I wish they had a Dennis the Menace playground here in Redlands...

We had to leae after an hour or so because Seth had to go do his presentation, but we went back a couple times before we left on Saturday night...

Seth had to do his presentation at the convention on Friday afternoon. Rocco wanted to be just like him...

I was so proud to see his name all printed up and in the booklet thing!

Rocco couldn't go into the convention so we went and played on the Beach while Seth did his presentation... It was soooo pretty! but extremely cold...

There were so many big pretty trees on the beach, and Rocco wanted to climb them all!

After a little while it got too cold to play on the beach, so we went and waited in the car...

Rocco wasn't so happy with the waiting, but he was a good sport!

After Seth got done at the convention, we went back to Monterey and strolled up and down Cannery Row. There were some pretty fun little shops! One of them being Ghirardelli's. Anyone who knows Seth, knows we stopped and had to get a hot fudge Sunday... Rocco loved it!

After Cannery Row, we drove around a bit more and went back to the park (we couldn't resist, it's just SOOOO much fun!)
Then we got to join the Chamberlin family for dinner at the Monterey El Torito! It was so yummy! and the fun thing was that it's right there on the edge of the water so Rocco could look out the window at the Beach while we ate (kept him occupied a little bit of them time so we could actually enjoy our meal...)

After dinner we went back to the hotel where Seth killed over: I swear he was asleep within seconds of walking in the door (Okay, maybe not seconds. he had to stay awake long enough for scriptures and prayer... but that was it!). So Rocco and I stayed up late jumping on the beds, watching America's Funniest Home Videos, and eating Delicious El Torito leftovers! Such a fun night....

SATURDAY

Saturday we spent the day (before driving home late that night) playing at the Monterey Bay Aquarium...
My (me being Juli) cousin from Northern California brought his family down and met us there. Rocco loved having Ayson (their two year old son) to play with. And I enjoyed seeing them again after about 3 or so years... I wish we'd gotten some pictures with them. sad.

Rocco thought he had died and gone to heaven! There were so many fun things to see and touch and do...

Rocco especially loved the "Finding Nemo" tank, with all the fishies from that movie...

Different parts of the aquarium had fun play areas for the kids, I think that was Rocco's VERY favorite thing about the Aquarium...

We met up with lots of friends and other students from Seth's school while we were walking around. Rocco loves the Chamberlin's, he was so excited to them there...

All in all, I'd say it was fun day, and a nice way to end our vacation!

...and what a great Vacation it was! Even ZeeZee loved it! She was literally kicking the entire trip!