Every year, it has become a family tradition to beach camp. This is the 3rd annual beach trip and we have found a (camping) home in Doheny State Beach. It is one of the only camp grounds with beach level access and some of the warmest waters in California. Not that California beach water is ever warm, but Doheny is particularly less torturous to ease yourself into :) I was only able to book us 1 night on the beach because apparently booking 6 months early is not enough, but we made the most of it. I was lucky enough to get us a beach front site :) and come December 1, 2015 at 8:00am I will be sitting at my computer with my mouse poised to click the beach front site I want for more than 1 day. ha!
Here are some pictures from our 1 night on the beach :
I found a fun dessert on Pinterest called Campfire Cones. While I LOVE s'mores, I wanted to try something new and different. I took several items to fill our cones with: caramel bits (found at Walmart), chocolate chips, white chips, PB chips, marshmallows, and various chopped nuts. We wrapped them in foil and melted them over the campfire. A little tip if you are going to try this: make a "carrot top" on the top of your foil and over hang them over the campfire ring's edge so that you can grab them easier if the flames are high. Keep in the fire just long enough to melt. Now, melt is defined as the chips looking "wet". My husband was expecting to see liquid and kept insisting they weren't melting, then we ended up burning a cone trying to prove this.
Ryan is doing his "happy dance". He kept his eyes closed the whole time. Cuteness a mama can't resist! He was happy dancin' for his campfire cones.
As evidenced by the chocolate on her face, Allie loved it too.
And not to worry, we did not forgo the s'mores in favor of our new dessert. We just had both! Calories don't count on vacation, right?!
This was the view right from our tent. A beach front spot meant no one was blocking our view and the ocean was steps from our tent. It was also perfect for belting out your best rendition of "Let It Go" at sunset. So very dramatic! And it entertained our camping neighbors too.
My nephew and Ryan are 2 of the baddest rule breakers around. tee hee!
Our family. I used the flash because it was getting too dark. The ocean can no longer be seen but it is there! We are so freshly dirty from the camp showers. Do you ever really get clean when camping? I'll tell you the answer: you don't. ha!
The next morning was spent on the day use side of the beach. These 2 had so much fun holding hands and letting the waves lap their feet.
Although I cringe when I look at my image on this picture, I can't help but post it for the memory it contains... and maybe some motivation to change what I don't like;) What is special about this picture is how neither of us knew it was taken. Allie and I had been sitting there for some time letting the waves wash over our legs, talking, and pretending we were beached mermaids. It was a sweet moment. The lady who was sitting a towels length away from us was watching and leaned over and told my husband that he needed to snap a picture. So, he did. He did not even know if the pictures would come out as he doesn't know how to operate my "fancy camera". Luckily, every shot he took turned out and I didn't even have to edit them.
The second night we went to my Aunt and Uncle's house. She has a home about 10 minutes from the beach we camped at, so it was like extending our vacation, with a chance to sleep in a warm bed, take a real shower and great company. Their hospitality was so incredibly amazing, I can't even begin to describe!
During the day, we took a little day trip to to the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. So fun! As soon as we walked in, we told the kids that in this place, we can touch EVERYTHING! All I had to do was wind them up and let them go! Jason and I may or may not have spent over 4 hours playing with everything there too ;)
The floating beach ball
Nothing like pretending you are Elsa in the tornado machine just conjuring up some weather!
This thing made smoke rings when you pushed on the table.
When you make a wish at the coin pond, you wish with ALL you might...so it comes true!
This exhibit was too cool. It would have been even cooler if it worked properly. They gave the kids wands and a scavenger hunt list. They had to wave their wands at each thing on their list. It was hit and miss with those wands, but the kids still had fun.
Jason: "Hey, take a picture of me with the dino poop!" omg, he never grew up!
Little coins the kids earned for completing their missions.
Hurricane tank!
My favorite part of this place was the interactive grocery store. THAT was fun!
Step by step Lego building stations.
Now that we are home, the washing machine is going washing all the campfire and sand out of all the laundry, EVERYTHING is unpacked (go me!), the pictures have been sorted off the camera, and this blog post made, I can go relax for the day. Tomorrow has been declared "jammie day"! Then we will pick up on more summer fun that *hopefully* I will keep posting about.
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