It’s hard to believe it’s been over six weeks since we were down in San Clemente, CA visiting with my dad (Grandpa Jon) and his family. Since then, Sarah’s had a dental implant and root canal, we’ve been camping, and are in the midst of a small school scandal. It’s no wonder I’m inclined to drift back to the calm, sunny days we enjoyed in beautiful San Clemente.

Thanks to the generosity of my dad and our cousins, we enjoyed a few days by the beach, playing in the sand, eating good food, and even whale watching. Sadly, I didn’t get any good shots of the whales, but the girls were treated to their first boat ride on the ocean and glimpses of whale tails and even a pretty magnificent breach. The lack of good whale pictures was partly due to the fact we didn’t have a camera with a zoom lens, and partly due to the fact I was puking most of the time. Ah yes, I was good for the first hour, but as the boat rocked and rocked, and we circled back and forth looking for the elusive whales, I just couldn’t hold out. Luckily, none of the girls seemed to have inherited this most unfortunate trait, so for that, I am thankful.

And in addition to all the beach/ocean-related adventures, it was really good to just visit with family. As I mentioned we saw Grandpa Jon and Grandma Susie, but we also got to visit with Lilli (their daughter); cousins Riki, Helen, and John; along with Great Auntie Helene. Sadly missing were my half-sister Grace and her family, and Cousin Stan. Hopefully we’ll catch them next time.

So there’s the two-minute version and I think the video and photos below will fill out the rest: