Trader Joe's

There has to be a way to get one of these out here!

I had my first Trader Joe's experience while in Laguna Beach this last weekend.
I love it! It is so much cheaper than all of the other "health" food stores here in Utah.
They have a much better selection too.
We indulged in some brownie cookies and dried apricots. Sooo yummy.

I need someone to help me get one here, stat.

Do We Have To Go Back To Utah?

This is the question I've been asking myself since last night at about nine o'clock.
That is when we began our drive home from the magical place everyone calls California.
I call it paradise, the place I want to be, gorgeous, beachy, fun, etc..... I can go on and on.

Our lovely friends Brandon and Meghan invited us to stay at their most beautiful place in Three Arch Bay. It's a fabulous, little gated community in Laguna Beach.

This is the view from their front window. Yes, that's the ocean just past the big tree.

We were able to drive this golf cart about a block down to the beach.

Adelaide LOVES the sand.


Davey was loving the ocean and totally in his element.

I thought this was a cool picture with the sailboat.


Davey built this sand castle/protection from the ocean. Adelaide helped.


Adelaide and I just played in the sand, she wasn't too fond of the loud, crashing waves.

We ate at Ruby's Diner, which was so yummy, and Johnny Rocket's. Can you get more touristy than that?

We went to the Angel's game on Saturday, they lost to the Bluejays, but it was a fun game.
Adelaide's MLB fan debut. She loves the wieners!

The awesome Brandon and Meghan at the Saunders family favorite, the Maya Inn.

We ended our trip with a stop at the Aquarium Of The Pacific in Long Beach. Adelaide loves fish, I think they're her favorite animal. Ask her to make a fish face, it's hilarious.

We had a great time and we will be back. Oh yes, we will be back.

Givin' Utah Some Love

Props to Sabra for winning my all time favorite TV show!
She is the buffest, tiniest thing I've ever seen.
To think she became that amazing in 4 years. That goes to show that
natural talent truly exists.

I must admit she was not my pick to win.
I totally loved Pasha, then Neil, then Sabra.
But good for her, I don't vote so I can't be sad right?

I hope she goes on to do great and marvelous dancing things.
I would if I could.

Way to show Utah some love girl!

EXTRA, EXTRA!

There are two more important things about our trip I must share.

1. Oh my Dunkin' Donuts!

They're everywhere. On every corner, on every street. Just like Starbucks.
How come everyone always talks about how many Starbucks coffee joints there are, but never talk about how many Dunkin' Donuts there are? The east is riddled with them.
My sister-in-law told me they are known more for their coffee than donuts.
So why are there so many Dunkin' Donuts right next door to a Starbucks?
I've seen it people!

2. Fresh, fresh lobster anyone?



Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound is where we had the best lobster in the world.
Click here if you want some overnighted to your door.
It's worth it folks.
Anniversary, birthday, Valentines, any special occasion.
Davey would marry you if you did something like that for him.

The Maine Problem, And Yes, Its A Mohawk

The final leg of our trip put us into Maine. This is Vacationland (it says so on their license plates) so we had some pretty high expectations. So the question is, What does one do in Maine?

First, you get time with Maine cousins.


You can go swimming in the pool.


You can go to the state fair and see some pretty huge animals and their pretty huge poop.



Then you go to CAMP. That is East Coast terminology for Mansion on the Lake. Here you take out the wave-runners.




Then you take a spin in the paddle-boat.


There is the rope swing.


Lazy around in the WARM lake waters. No joke, the water is warm like bath water. No mountain stream run-off. This lake is fed by natural underground springs.
Or you can chill on the "beach".


Feed the ducks.


Take a bath.


Ride bikes.


See the lighthouses of the Atlantic Ocean (also good for a swim- no photo).



Look for seashells and seals with high-powered binoculars.



Eat the best Lobster in the world, ever!


Pick blueberries (good for blueberry pie, blueberry pancakes and blueberry cake covered in a blueberry sauce). Maine blueberries are smaller and sweeter than the ones we have known before. Now we may never be able to go back to the old ones.



Ride, or get tossed from, tubes pulled behind a motorboat.



Camp out by the fire with guitars and s'mores.



Ride the four-wheelers.


See old friends from our 2005 softball championship team.
CLICK FOR LINK


Wear life jackets.


Go knee-boarding (up on first attempt), water-skiing (up on fourth attempt), attempt wake-boarding (down on all attempts).


Also, not pictured, you can play croquet, bacci, card games, and shop the tourist shops. You can say you are going to skinny dip and then never do it. You can jump off huge rocks out in the lake or just go for a nice boat ride around the "pond". Don't forget the batches of brownies and shooting some skeet with the shotguns. And then thank the most wonderful people for making it all possible. Thanks to Craig and Pat Rand for the wonderful facilities and the sweet friendship that makes such a good time out of just being together.


And thanks to Gary and Bridgette for making us come out and being so nice to us, especially considering my haircut.
CLICK FOR LINK

Back to the NYC

The next day took us back to NYC to catch a flight to Maine. (This would be two Mondays ago)
We had to stop at a few places we missed on the way to PA before we left.

THE Lady Liberty

Battery Park


Last but certainly not least,

Ground zero.

The most humbling place I have ever been.
Then, off to Maine we went.......