Phase 1 of 3 of the NorCal trip: Santa Cruz picspam

[nanila]

Because I know I'll never remember everything if I wait until after the trip to write it down, I present to you the Santa Cruz picspam. (PS sorry if the photos don't show; all my phone images back up automatically to Google Photos & I don't have the energy to transfer this curation to Flickr right now
PPS I CAUGHT A PIKACHU AT THE HOTEL YESTERDAY)


Sunday evening arrival at the resort. Humuhumu dancing in the golden hour.


Siblings sharing hot chocolate.


Cookie observes all.


Always good to have a stick with you when hiking the mountain trails.


Improvising beach toys with cups/bottles from the hotel room.


Mummy & Humuhumu at the beach.


Sand castle building never gets very far with these two. They enjoy the smooshing too much.


Photogenic family.


My parents turned up laden with gifts for the children. The best present was this doll for Humuhumu, for which one of my parents' friends had sewn an entire wardrobe and sourced glasses. Humuhumu was (is) enraptured. She keeps saying, "I love this dolly. I love her. She looks like me. She has glasses like me. She can't see properly without her glasses, Mummy."


She wanted to have a nap but dolly had to go to sleep first. NB: I didn't position dolly, she did.


Beach time with Grandma.


Keiki: DANCE PARTY USA! Everyone else: whuuuut


Humuhumu beach selfie v1


Humuhumu beach selfie v2


Humuhumu: My Face as a Dark Chocolate Sorbet Cone


Noisy sea lions on a pontoon by the wharf.


Quiet sea lions napping underneath the wharf.


Paper jellyfish hanging from the ceiling of the tiny wharf museum.

Comments

[clanwilliam]

Lovely. You must all be suffering so much.

Also, catch a Tauros when you're over there - it's North America only!

[nanila]

We did. We suffered greatly with the sunshine and going to the beach every day and the sushi-eating. It was dreadful.

I couldn't catch a Tauros! :( I saw its shadow, but was restricted from roaming too far in pursuit due to WiFi access. Mobile data is horrifically expensive there.

[gwendraith]

Lovely pix. I love Humuhumu's new dolly. Inspired :) My granddaughter had a new one for her 3rd birthday yesterday, one that drinks and then tiddles in a potty. Georgia is very amused by it :)

[nanila]

Thank you. Dolly has been a big hit and that's (almost) completely down to the glasses.

[cmcmck]

Great pics

Glad you managed to find some time to yourselves!

[nanila]

Thank you.

I enjoyed the times I was on my own with the kids. TBH I was pretty scared about that aspect of the trip, but it turned out to be (mostly) good fun.

[lurkingcat]

That's a fantastic new dolly Humuhumu. And Cookie Monster looks like he's having a good time too :)

(Pikachu! ♥ )

[nanila]

Cookie Monster was so thoroughly loved (e.g. rubbed through sand and splashed through tide pools) that he was in dire need of a bath by the time we got to San Francisco at the end of the holiday. Keiki protested at first, but seemed to realise that Cookie had a patina and an odour. After Cookie entered the dryer, he roamed up and down and periodically returned to stand next to the machine and enquire, "...Cookie?" It was a joyous reunion when Cookie finally emerged, refreshed.

[lurkingcat]

That sounds like Cookie Monster and Keiki had quite some adventures!

We didn't have a dryer when I was growing up so cuddly toys were washed and hung out to dry on the line. My brother and I were so horrified at the sight of Doggy hanging by his ears that Mum ended up making a small drying harness so that the toys could dangle off the line as if they were parachuting instead!

[askygoneonfire]

How brilliant is that doll? Wonderful! Looks like you're having a good time, hopefully you're getting some downtime/r&r in amongst all the activity too.

[nanila]

It's a wonderful doll. And yes, we managed to get in some down time, mostly toward the end of the trip.

[azurelunatic]

Hooray doll! And do wave as you zoom past on Highway 1. ;)

[nanila]

\o/ Waving was done.

[omnipotent]

I love this dolly. I love her. She looks like me. She has glasses like me. She can't see properly without her glasses, Mummy.

That is too precious. Does dolly have a name (other than "dolly")? Very amused that dolly and Humuhumu slept in the same position. Doubly amused that they both fell asleep with their glasses on.

I'm glad ya'll are having fun!

[nanila]

Humuhumu insists on falling asleep in her glasses. She doesn't like not being able to see.

Dolly's name is "Dolly". Humuhumu was very firm about this.

[soliano]

What wonderful pics. Such a great time!

[nanila]

Thank you. I have a lot of pics to curate - must get through them; I want to make books for the family!

[silveradept]

Yay! That looks like a fabulous time for you and family. Including all the smooshing and playtime.

[nanila]

It was a fantastic trip. I think Humuhumu will remember it really fondly.

[lark_ascends]

<3 <3

And particular love for the doll. <3

[nanila]

♥ Yes, it was an inspired gift. :)

[pbristow]

Re. No. 11: I dunno where that longship is headed, but it has a very determined man at the helm!

Also, more generally: D'awwwww.... =:o}

[nanila]

We call that expression Keiki's "squish face".

:D :D :D

[omnipotent]

Hope you all are continuing to enjoy your vacation and that you have a safe trip home when the time comes!

[nanila]

Thank you! It was a mostly awesome and very emotional holiday. I'm still recovering from jet lag, but also from an excess of Feelings.