the ocean

On the eve of Christmas eve, let's rewind time a bit and revisit the last major holiday, Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving in San Diego was a welcome reprieve from the cold temps that we were living in.

Even the morning that we packed up the car we were dressed in down layers just waiting until we got far enough away to slip into our sandals. Well I was waiting to slip into my sandals but Mr bejos forgot his sandals, a fact he wouldn't let go all. week. long.

It wasn't a quick trip, but the boys were both good travelers, stuck in the car for the long 8 hours it took. Upon arriving we went straight for the beach to appease bejos boy who started asking if he could see the ocean about 5 miles from home. The open space for running was a welcomed relief for all of us.

We embarked on the trip with loose plans that included Balboa Park, maybe an aquarium, obviously the beach, and little else. Disney and Sea World were not even on our radar. There was no way I was going to tackle those big adventures with these little kids. Turned out we needed nothing more than the beach and the ocean. Each day we ventured to a new ocean location, kicked off our shoes and played for hours. Sea lions (or beavers as bejos boy insisted), sea birds, seashells, coves...they were all the play things we needed.

Then of course there was the event for which we had made the journey, Thanksgiving. 15 of us got together for dinner and it was so nice to be together. We met a few new faces who are joining the family (congrats!) and visited with those we hadn't seen since maybe even our wedding waaaaaay back in 2008.

The trip home was a little less successful. Apparently we packed some ants in our pants because no one was happy and content in his carseat. Many more stops, a little more nitpicking, and an unplanned overnight in Phoenix to just get out of the car. We'll happily do it all again though, as the accommodations were fantastic, our welcome was warm, and the weather was fantastic. Lucky for us there is an August wedding in the plans that will get us on the road, back to the ocean.

Friends

Having friends in town this weekend prompted an informal surprise baby shower and took us out of town for an afternoon.

A weekend away

As I have mentioned, work takes me away from home on occasion. This occasion was the conference that my organization puts on every year. Many months of work and it is over in such a short amount of time. Last year baby bejos joined me in Utah since mr. bejos was on the river. As much as I love my little munchkin I was quite grateful for the solitude of the long drive and the company of professional peers.

The end of the road

The last night of our desert roadtrip was New Year's Eve. Date night at its finest. Mr bejos and I welcomed 2012 in style with takeout sushi and Trader Joe champagne. Truth be told it was a great end to a pretty successful roadtrip.

Our old haunts

No trip to the old stomping grounds is complete without visiting at least a few of our old favorite places. Mr. bejos was disappointed that we missed his taqueria, but we did fit in some time for Mexican beer and food in the warm sunshine of the afternoons.  

Rules of the Desert

The first rule of the desert is "don't touch anything!"
Way too many pokey and venemous things out there.
Apparently this mountain dwelling bejos clan has been away from the desert too long.

While mr. bejos and I were setting up the new tent for our previous blogged about winter camping adventure, we set baby bejos up with a bag full of toys to keep him occupied.

 

We had an eye and ear on him, listing to his "choo-choos" and "beep, beeps" and occasional "uh ohs" and "oh nos". He was quite entertained by a rather large stump and then a big clod of dirt. Suddenly we realized there were a few too many "oh nos" and a strange obsession with one particular clod of earth. 

Upon closer inspection it turned out that the large clod of earth baby bejos was playing with was in fact a burrow. A burrow that baby bejos had driven his little toy car right into. Uh oh! We could not reach the little car let alone see it. My baby boy had been reaching far into this, thankfully, abandoned burrow. Eek!

Later that evening, while baby bejos slept, mr bejos bravely recovered the car by caving in the burrow with a stick and digging out the cheap toy. Love, true love.

Winter Camping

 

Weathermen were not our friends on this leg of our rambling roadtrip. The projected weather was for very warm days and pretty warm nights...high 40s, even into the 50s.  Fine, we thought. Load up the new tent (thanks mama & papa bejos!) and we'll re-live our younger days of AZ winter desert camping.
Not so much. It was a damn cold night on the banks of the Salt River. As bundled as we were, especially baby bejos, we could feel the cold. It didn't help that baby bejos was restless and prompted us grown-ups to rise from our warm sleeping bags to check on him. It was our only camping night of the trip.
Maybe another year.
*sigh*

Things with Wheels

Although mr bejos and I have been gender conscious, meaning we are conscious of not pushing "boy only" toys and activities, this little boy is all boy. Sticks are things to hit with, balls can occupy him for hours, and anything with wheels rules. Choo-choo trains are a particular obsession these days.

On this rambling roadtrip we took into the warm deserts of AZ we stopped into the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. After a couple of hours in the car, the park was a welcomed stop for baby bejos. A train ride around the park, room to run, warm sunshine, and model railroads.