Wanda's First Road Trip...

 

18 hours and 952+ miles later...

Tuesday we started our trek up to San Francisco where we met up with Cousin Katy (so sad I didn't get a picture)  and a bunch of Jor's college buddies (again I blew it with the lack of photos).  On this journey I learned that i'm not great at reading an iphone map or random trivia....but I am good at the license plate game, and taking shortcuts on lots of freeways.  Thanks to my dad I have a wonderful sense of direction when it comes to driving.   

I am still amazed that my dad would predict the time we would pull up to the beach house (7 states and 18 hours later) when we got in the car at 4 am....he was always within 20 minutes...

The one negative thing about road tripping in California...there isn't any Welcome to celebrations across state lines.

Soup & Crackers...

 

What's the first thing that comes to mind when your sick?  For me it's where's my mom...Since she is now 2,500 miles away I did the next best thing... I made the soup she made for us when we were growing up.  This soup is my absolute fav and will always remind me of my amazing mom. 

Isn't it funny how you remember your favorite things, and then you don't feel so bad?  

{love this}

This is Where People go to Die.

 

Right past Anza there is this gorgeous (from afar) body of water, the Salton Sea.

This was one of the creepiest places I have ever been.  The whole town was pretty much deserted with a few locals enjoying a few milwaukees best in their driveways.  Straight out of a horror movie... Everywhere you stepped you stepped on bones.  dead fish everywhere. yuck!

anyways this place was so weird I had to make it a separate post.   

if you want to read more click here.

splorin & fires

 

When we arrived at our campsite it was pitch black.  Good thing we practiced putting up the tent in his parents driveway (true story).  After setting up our tent, Jor, who loves cleaning, decides our front porch (blue tarp) can't have dirt on it, so he proceeds to use a pan and brush to get the dirt off.  Did I say we were in a desert, and it's windy?  Sometimes it doesn't make sense to me, but if he is happy, than I am happy so I just giggle and take pics....

The next day we go on a hike to find hell's hole.  The bartender from the night before told us how pretty the waterfall is and how it's a good spot for swimming.  The only problem is there isn't a trail...but it's through a canyon so we can't get lost.  We get to where the easy hike ends, 1.5 miles.  no sweat....The boys go climb a bunch of rocks to figure out how we are going to keep going past this breaking point.  So then 13 of us take off with high hopes to find this hidden little gem.  2 hours and of climbing boulders, walking on fallen trees, running from swarms of bees, soles of shoes falling off, to getting pulled and pushed up ginormous rocks we finally called it a day.  Come to find out it's about 5 miles past the first 1.5 mile oasis, so we were no where near it....but it was a great day with some great people....

then....the fire.  brandon decides it would be a good idea to through the box of duraflame logs into the fire...i wouldn't suggest trying this at home.

desert morn.

Anza Borrego...Not exactly what i was expecting a desert to look like, but it works.  After the first sunrise I realized why Jor is so in love with this place. 

Like Mom like daughter...

 

Thank you mom for letting me lick the bowl, spatula, spoon, mixers and whatever else I could get my hands on.  And thank you for baking with us every weekend.   Even though i'm 2,500 miles away, baking makes me feel at home.  

like mother like daughter...chocolate can make everything better...

I made this cake completely from scratch, thanks to the baking basket Jor won for me at the bid.  It seriously needed about 35 ingredients so not the cheapest cake around, but sure was worth it.  

Crystal Cove

 

This is Crystal Cove.  A gorgeous state park just north of Laguna.  With our handy dandy state park pass we can hit this place up as much as we want.  I'm thinking next time I will bring a good book, and a warm blanket....

Pumpkins, Sunsets & Symphonies

 

Every year i get so excited to carve pumpkins.   Every year about 5 minutes in, I wonder why I would ever want to do this.  :)  Mine's the goofy one, nice and simple. 

Later on during the week, we drove down to San Diego to see an Orchestra.  Great people watching, great music, a great little Wednesday.

mountain lions and bobcats...

After an evening at a Gala, we decided we should go out sploring some place new...It still amazes me that the ocean is blocks from our door step, but in less than 30 minutes we can be up in the mountains.  Once we got to the trailhead there was a cute little shop with great little goodies.  And even though we were just going for an easy afternoon walk we decided on some cookies, and jelly bellies to put some pep in our steps.  it worked. 

Bid for the Kids

 

 

 

{pcrf}

I am so thankful to have made it to the west coast in time to experience the Bid for the Kids event.  Jordan and his family are a pretty big deal with PCRF, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation, and thanks to his mother, this event was flawless.   The night was inspirational, heart warming, classy, moving, and all in all a beautifully lovely evening.  Thank you JC for sharing this special night with me, and getting me that sweet baking set!

(& thanks to the lovely miss Chelsea for picture number 3 & 5)