Carmel-by-the-Sea trip 2013

We are so lucky to have gone to California for the sixth time and included both boys for the first time. We knew every other trip we think we want to go solo and realize how much fun they'd be having there with us instead. We couldn't go without them. It was definitely exhausting with them, but we did a lot of napping while driving around and had fun exploring. I have SOOOOO freaking many photos that this isn't even the extent of them, but as far as I could narrow it down so I could just get something posted. I'm so far behind on posting bigger events this year! (preschool graduation, t-ball, Carson's 5th birthday...and 4th birthday for that matter.) This post is a big mix of actual camera photos, iPhone photos and instagrams.

Carson was so excited to go on a plane since he hadn't been since a baby. Only a few minutes into the flight Max crashed on my lap, totally unexpectedly.

We always have to fly into San Jose and drive down to Carmel. We had really been wanting to go back to the redwood forest again and knew the boys would love it. Carson was fascinated with finding banana slugs after we saw our first one. 

 

That night we went to a pizza place in Monterey for dinner. While we were waiting for a table Max went ahead and caught himself on the concrete with his face. This was one of the biggest knots yet.

Our rental house...

We all went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium on day two. What a great place. We went here the first year when I was pregnant, but it was a must with the boys. As we walked in Carson asked me if there would be a hammerhead shark, to which I said probably not. Much to his dismay.....there was. When he saw the shark in an enormous clear tank he parked his butt in front and didn't move. I absolutely love watching the boys in situations like this.

 Max fell asleep, again. Shocker. We were at the aquarium for a very long time.

That night we headed back to the beach in our neighborhood called Ribera Beach. This area is much more rocky than Carmel Beach that has actual sand. Some of the houses along this area are just not fair.

 See, lots of driving and sleeping.

 

 I think this was actually in the morning right before going into the aquarium in downtown Monterey.

 The famous cake is ALWAYS a destination. Just look at those beauties. Yellow cake with bananas, whipped cream and walnuts. I die.

 The next day we went for a drive down Highway 1. We ended up pulling into this state park that they said was just a short flat hike to the ocean. It seemed really far, especially with the boys, and it wasn't just coming up to the ocean at the end. 

It was a big water crossing. The water was freezing, it was insanely windy and we all had warm clothes on so we had to roll up our pants and go. It turned out to be really fun since you end up on this area out in the middle of the water. That group to the right was people doing yoga. haha  We then hiked back out the other way around and found another water crossing in the trees.

Next we stopped at another area we went to our first year, but much of it was closed for construction then. We still went around, but it was blocked off and we probably shouldn't have.  This year the trail was finished so you walk around a trail in the cliffs and end up over these two coves, one with a waterfall and the other a gorgeous private beach. So worth the trek in.

That last night we spent playing at Carmel Beach. This one is essentially a big sand box next to the water. The boys were in absolute heaven. We grabbed a small bucket and shovel kit at the store and let them go to town.

California dreamin'.......