Jill's Journal: It’s been two glorious blog-free holiday weeks since I’ve written and we
should be wrapping up our time in Las Vegas right about now. Because, if you know Southern California and the Barstow/Calico area I wrote from last, you know there’s really no where to go
but Vegas from there. And that was our plan. Really, it was. But, as I told my Mom, this trip seems to change our plans more often than a 10-year-old boy changes his underwear.
Long story short, we didn’t make it to Vegas. No, instead we ended up seven hours west of there on California’s Central Coast. The night before we left Calico, my sister called and mentioned how nice it would have been if we were on the Central Coast instead of Vegas for her birthday on the 21st. That got the ball rolling…
We stopped over back in Tehachapi for two more fun nights with my parents…
…before continuing to Templeton/Atascadero near the California coast to surprise the girls’ Aunt Kristi for her birthday. It was quite the surprise! The girls were sipping chocolate milk at a table in her local Starbucks when she walked in. So, so fun.
And then, since Kristi and Adam were hosting Christmas this year and the rest of the family was arriving a few days later, well, it just made sense to stay and enjoy one more holiday with these wonderful people.
One of the highlights for the girls was coercing Beppy, Grandpa, and Uncle Adam to do a craft with them. I don’t think I’ve seen my Dad or brother do a craft – EVER – so it was quite the picture-worthy moment. (It
may have sent me and Beppy into uncontrollable fits of laughter. Just maybe.)
There was a highlight for me too…the Central Coast is all about a casual, outdoorsy, wine-tasting lifestyle and would you believe some of the wineries welcome horseback riders? My lovely sister had an extra horse for a few days and we stole an afternoon to go riding among the grape vines.
Sweet. Last year she took me riding on the beach and this year at a winery. I could get used to this.
An afternoon spent on a little hike with Kristi’s Adam and Cobin the puppy ranked pretty high up there too. Our girls are seeing it as their personal mission to ensure this puppy gets plenty of kid practice before Kristi and Adam’s baby arrives in the spring.
So yes, it was really a wonderful Christmas season for us. And while Vegas can maybe rival the occasional 75 degrees (in winter!) we saw on the Central Coast, there’s absolutely nothing that beats family.
