Pacific View

Millie drove us to the beach her family frequents the most at Camp Pendelton in Oceanside, CA. Very odd experience. Beautiful nonetheless. She just moved off base to a new home which is set up on a hillside surrounded by an avocado grove. More photos and talk of her home to come. We gathered up the kids and headed for the beach today. The only problem was that Millie wasn't sure of the new route to the water. Plus there was a lot of traffic. The kids were antsy but Millie was prepared and popped a movie in. About 40 minutes later we found the beach. Cesar will be proud of me because I used my iPhone for directions, I remembered how Hon!

We had the beach to ourselves. It was late in the day but still beautiful and only a little chilly when the wind blew. The kids were sad that we forgot the kites at home. We also drove off without their treasure bags and sand toys. In seconds their disappointment with us vanished as they began to run this way and that. Hugo took one look at the dunes and water before us and said, "Wow, cool!" and took off running after Emry.

Millie said that the Marines patrol the beach with loaded guns. Hmmmm - I thought. I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that. We didn't see any gun toting and patrolling Marines. Millie also told me that she has been driving to the beach while Marines were hiding behind the scrub brush bushes using her van full of kiddies as pretend target practice. That would take some getting used to. I did like all the saluting that happened to our car because of Trent's officer status. That was kinda fun!

Millie shot this photo of Hugo and I playing in the water. This was Hugo's first time visiting the Pacific Ocean. He has so many firsts ahead of him yet. Sometimes it is hard to remember that being out of the baby stage, where so many firsts are so clearly marked and watched for, he does still have much to experience. What a wonderful gift it is to be a parent and have this opportunity to see and experience life though fresh eyes and with new excitement. Hugo has been to 14 states and Canada and counting! His Poppa has an old globe on his bedside table with pins stuck into the locations of his travels. I wonder if Hugo will inherit that globe and its promise of travel, wonder, knowledge and greater understanding of the world and its people with it.

Miss Carly - aka CC (Cranky Carly) had been a little snuggly dream. I think Millie lies and Trent is just plain mean. She loves to cuddle and carry around Emry's Polly Pockets. Tonight Millie and Trent ran to Costco alone and I put the kids down. Hugo, Emry and Lucas were all little pills and would not listen. I heard all the excuses and a few new ones which I hope Hugo didn't catch onto. Carly was perfect though. Lucas, Emry and Carly are all sharing a room since Hugo and I have taken over Luke's room. As I opened their door the first time ready to hear the excuses before I requested silence, I spied Miss Carley sitting up in her bed. Now, Millie had put her to bed before she left, what was she doing awake? and how hard would she be to put back to sleep?? Carly took one look at me and *flump!* she was down flat on her tummy in .5 seconds flat! Wow, good girl Carly! And so it went. I was in and out of the sibling room and Luke's for what seemed forever. I stood bedtime sentry in the middle of the hall, not fun. Each time I entered the siblings room all I had to say was, "Lay down Carly!" and *flump* it really did sound like that! *flump*, she was down flat. Best one out of the whole lot she was. Millie had a sneaking feeling of what might be up while she was out running childless with her hubby. She entered the living room Toblerone first, good sister.

This slide at the beach was a major hit. They went down on their bums. They went down on their tummies. The boots were ditched and the climbing up backwards began. But climbing up backwards was too slow for those who decided instead to run around to the steps and climbed up to the top. 1, 2, 3, 4 who loves the slide more?

This pic reminds me of a photo I took of Cesar years ago while he stood in front of a magical quilt in the City. It was made of all little pieces of different shades of colors but mainly blues and greens. Cesar had this same happy, wide eyed face and out stretched hands spread over two orbs of colored patchwork. My boys.









Luke was Hugo's idol on the swings. Hugo couldn't get enough of him. Big smiles all the way.


Luke has been very sweet and patient sharing his toys. Emry and Carly are very lucky to have a big brother like Lukas.

Time to return to the van and head home.
Hugo doesn't mind
that playtime at the beach is done.
His wish has been granted
he gets to travel by van,
with kids,
for the next two weeks!