I love the Beach!

We headed to Ventura for a relaxing beach vacation! It was my last hurrah before I have to go back to work. Falling asleep each night to the sound of the ocean makes you sleep like a baby--- really, Grace slept the best she has slept in a long time!!! Todd and I are trying to figure out how we can live there. Maybe there are lots of people in Ventura who need therapy- although I highly doubt it! We were the calmest we have been in weeks. After loading my photos, I realized that we did not take many pictures of any one but Grace :( Sadly, we only snapped a few of our adorable niece Siena, albeit because she also slept like a baby!
My sister in-law Dalia got some great photos of the trip-I have linked it here: Venutra

Grace's first steps on the sand

She took to the beach really fast. Her favorite part--the SEAGULLS!

I miss Southern California beaches- the long stretches of white, warm beaches. It is the best!

Grandpa putting Grace's feet in the water.

Grandpa with his girls

Siena hanging out on the couch

Siena giving Grace a BIG KISS and Grace, posing for the camera.

Bubbles with Uncle Dan

Sunset from our deck

We had the most amazing sunset when we were there.

doing what she does best- eating, of course!

bathing in the kitchen sink. We bathed Grace in every bathroom in the house- and even outside on the front deck (Grace didn't seem to notice, but we chose not to snap a pic as there would be lots of embarrassment later on in life).

Gracie loves to feed you food, bit only after she's had her fair share.

view of the beach from one of our decks. This house has amazing wrap around decks and windows. You can see the ocean from every room. What a life!

Auntie Alli and Grace

Todd and I- not the best picture, but the only one we have together on our trip.

Las Nubes

This weekend we headed to the Russian River for 3 nights for a final vacation before I had to go back to work. The home was in Monte Rio, up on a redwood covered hilltop in the clouds (hence the name, las nubes). You had to climb many, many stairs from where you parked the car, which made for many trips to and from the car ! It had a gourmet kitchen, tons of windows and a huge deck space with hot tub (which we did not use because it was raining). It was such a peaceful and relaxing vacation and just what all of us needed.

view from the deck

the hundred of stairs we had to climb

Both Grace and I were sick during the trip (I had a slight cold). Grace's cold developed during the trip and kept her from sleeping well on two of the nights. Despite the illnesses, we were able to cook delicious food each night, go wine tasting and shopping and sit and relax in front of our wood burning stove and listen to the rain. We did not have cell phone service there, which was even better. No one to call and no emails to check. We also watched the Academy Awards on Sunday, and thought they were the best in years. Sadly, it was the first year we had only seen a few movies.

Grace in her car seat watching the rain

the best of the three pictures we tried to take of ourselves

View of our house from the back

one of the many decks in our house

Gracie, in her pumpkin hat Alli bought her, right before we left

Grace taking a bath in the kitchen sink

A bear in the woods, oh no!

Grace getting some R&R