San Diego Bay of Lights Boat Parade

I’ve always wanted to watch the boat parade that takes place on the downtown harbor so we finally committed this year. We made plans with the Conklins and since Todd is part owner of a boat he offered to take us! I mean what could be more fun than watching the parade on a boat…?!

We loaded and boarded the boat around 3:30p. It was chilly but sunny – perfect afternoon. The girls climbed to the top and Josh and I chilled at the back enjoying the view. It was beautiful and relaxing! THEN we hit the channel and I was quickly reminded that this was a FISHING BOAT and we were about to cruise 45 minutes to downtown in the OCEAN! As the wind picked up and the water got super choppy Emmy screamed to get down and as many of us as possible huddled in the cabin. Holy Shit I was not prepared for this. The little green spill sticks that were inserted in the 4 hot chocolates Erin bought for the kids surprisingly lasted  12 minutes before there was hot chocolate everywhere. I coached Emmy where to look so she wouldn’t get sick all while shocked I didn’t actually go into labor.

Phew! We made it to the harbor. I had these visions of a calm gentle bay but wasn’t really thinking about the huge boats that would be cruising by, including the dDle ship, creating massive wake. We finally reached a destination and put down the anchor only to start rocking so far side to side I was sure 2 year old Rowan was going overboard. Fortunately, as the sun went down the water calmed and we had an awesome time watching the parade. It was so much FUN!

Around 7p we headed out. Erin sat in the back of the boat with all 3 of her girls. They looked so cute and cozy until we started cruising again. I don’t know how she did it. I kept asking Todd if she was okay his response was she’s fine. I still looked back every 45 seconds to make sure everyone was still on board. I learned on the way out it was actually better to stand so I could take the rocking waves with my legs and not sit. I also learned that boats don’t have head lights like cars do so we were just cruising in the middle of the ocean, in the pitch black being tossed around with 5 kids under the age of 8 on board. It wasn’t until a screeching sound started and the engine light went off and we had to stop did I start getting a little NERVOUS! After the 5^th time we had to stop because of engine overheating warnings, and watching these brave kiddos who didn’t have as many tears as expected, I could actually see our destination and figured the coast guard could get to us pretty quickly if the damn thing went off again.

After 6 hours on a fishing boat in 50 degree weather with no bathroom, I’ve never been so happy to be on land. Such a fun, amazing adventure with our friends that we will NEVER forget! And Erin and I agreed next year we’d stick to Mission Bay ;) 

Hanging at the harbor

 

Here we go! 

A seal followed us for a while it was super cool. Look how relaxed the girls are up top!

Such a perfect day for a boat ride :) 

 

There were no pictures taken while we were in the ocean but it was pretty cool to see downtown from the water.  If this is how choppy the bay was - imagine the ocean!

We posted up right next to the Middway

The token boy :) 

Some of the boats were decked out. Ryan waved to every one that passed and the girls screamed jingle bells at the top of their lungs. I think I ate 5 candy canes while everyone else drank beers.

So pretty

The adventure back home... :)

Early Christmas Present...

Maybe it is inevitable or some sort of rite of passage for parents but I was really hoping to avoid the dreaded lice. Not much creeps me out – I am not afraid of spiders, germs, public pools, poop, raw chicken, ants, etc., but bugs in your head?! Nothing is more creepy.

Deep down I knew it was inevitable. We learned that we had the little guests in our home exactly 3 weeks ago. Despite the 12 hours of laundry when we were first told, preventative spray and constant checks, I found a creepy crawler in Emmy’s hair Thursday night. As she was laying in my lap no less. GROSS! So at 9p at night, you could find all 4 of us huddled in the downstairs bathroom (because we just so happen to be tearing apart our other one at this very moment) with lice shampoo on our heads, watching Free Willy on the ipad. I changed all bed sheets and started the laundry once again. I was up until midnight vacuuming couches.

Friday morning started with a 2 hour glucose test so after being up until midnight, I couldn’t have a cup of coffee let alone breakfast and had blood drawn 3 times. The earliest appointment I could get at the lice salon was 6p so I thought I’d try and plan a fun night around it, since I would be embarking on this new journey solo. Josh conveniently had a work holiday dinner.

We hit up Boudin’s for some chili bread bowls and then headed to the lice salon which was located in a creepy office building next door. We were all checked extensively. Somehow Ryan escaped the creepers, Emmy had another live guy and I had about 3 nits. DISGUSTING!!  So I treated me and Emmy to an early Christmas present – her first trip to the salon. I dropped $300 on lice treatments. HOLY SHIT. Then we left with oil in our hair and caps on our heads (I made Ryan wear one until I could vacuum his car seat). Since I was trying to make things fun, we drove around to see xmas lights with hair nets on our heads.

When we got home, I proceeded to do more laundry. And change the sheets again since we slept on them the night before. Every pillow, blanket, stuffed animal, backpack, piece of clothing, brush, towel, pretty much anything that came within a foot of us was either washed, thrown in the dryer with high heat or quarantined in the garage.

Josh rolled in from his holiday “dinner” at 11p (it started at 4:30). I mean I am sure if he could he would have excused himself from a 6 hour dinner knowing his pregnant wife was at home dealing with two kids, a dog, lice and a ridiculous pile of laundry. Since he hadn’t been checked or treated, he was not allowed in our bed. I didn’t torture him on purpose, I did not realize how much fun he had and how shitty he’d feel the next morning, I was simply being thorough. I was getting rid of the mother fuckers once and for all. I also thought it was completely appropriate to ensure he was clean by making him put oil in his hair for 2 hours the next morning, while I took the kids to gymnastics. I wasn’t trying to keep him from napping while we were gone, I was being thorough ;)Oh and the tile guys arrived at 7:30a Saturday morning just as I was starting another full day of laundry. So to be nice, I didn’t make him wear the hair net.

Now, please don’t avoid us this holiday season or be afraid of us or our home. I can assure you that our house, possessions and hair have never been to clear and disinfected!

Buddy  – we sure have shared a lot of the years and now we can add lice to that list :) 

 

It's Christmas Time!!

I love Christmas, it is one of my most favorite times of the year. I love that the kids and Josh love it too. Emmy and Ryan have been wanting to listen to xmas music all the time and are constantly making crafts. Last weekend me and Emmy went to see the Grinch at Balboa Park for the 3rd year in a row. This year we went with Anne and Finn which made it even more fun! We went to lunch afterward too. We got our tree, decorated it and put up lights. Love it!

I took a picture of Emmy in front of this tree last year but she had her cast on. Wow a year has flown by.

Third year we've had our picture taken in front of this tree :) 

Home depot was a zoo!!

Good thing they were giving out hot chocolate!

Our tree is overloaded with homemade ornaments...

Oh Sadie...

 

This year Josh got brave and put lights on the top of the house! The kids love the lights, we walk around the hood all the time to check them out :)