You Stay Classy, San Diego*

Two weeks ago, we took a family vacation to San Diego.  It was Jill's first time on a plane and, more importantly, it was both kids' first time seeing the ocean!  We went out there to visit my best friend from college, who is also named Jill...so obviously the name is reserved for only the coolest of people.  Jill Sr. (as she will henceforth be called) has a beautiful home on Coronado island and an even more beautiful family that welcomed us and showed us an amazing time.  She and her husband Tom are amazing super-parents with four kids: three lovely daughters, Sadie (6), Ashlynn (4), and Brooke (3), and an adorable son, Hayes (1).

Before we left, we really played up the adventurous aspects of the trip, like how we would be taking a taxi to the train station, and a train to the airport, and a plane to California!  Somewhere in there, Aaron got a little confused:

As it turned out, the plane was a pretty exciting part of the trip:

The kids were invited up into the cockpit for a tour...

...and a photo op!  

Then it was back to Coach where we belonged.

Once we arrived, Aaron immediately fell in love with "the gools" (i.e., Jill Sr.'s three older girls).  He loved having so many playmates and still talks about them all the time.  The other day the Disney song "Let It Go" came on my Pandora station and Aaron exclaimed, "The gools love this song!"

Aaron at the playground with Brooke

Jill Jr. fell in love with the trampoline.  She loved to just lay on it and suck her thumb while the other kids jumped and bounced her around:

The Proctor family went out of their way to show us the best of San Diego.  On our first full day there, we checked out Sea World (we skipped the orca show to show solidarity with Shamu after Blackfish...and also because we didn't make it to the arena on time).  Aaron's favorite part was probably the Sesame Street themed playground area:

Totally starstruck

Walking on water

I'm having the best time, Mom!

A & J's first amusement park ride!

Enjoying the splash pad

We also checked out the displays and animals in the "Wild Artic":

He was a little bummed that we couldn't ride the helicopter

Baby beluga!

Big, creepy walrus with a serious case of conjunctivitis

Sibling silhouette

Aaron is more entranced by "the gools" than the fish

Look!  A turtle!

Broyles underwater 

(No, this is not a green screen)

After our adventure in Sea World, it was time to see the real ocean.  Our kids' only beach experience thus far has been Lake Michigan.  We thought that would be enough to help us blend in with the cool California crowd, but we gave ourselves away right off the bat with some pretty obvious clues:

Clue #1: Jill didn't like wet sand on her feet  

Clue #2: Jill apparently outgrew her swimsuit in the two months since she last wore it (a true Californian would never go two months without wearing a swimsuit!)

Clue #3: Aaron insisted on keeping his shirt on

Clue #4: I lost my sunglasses and had to borrow a pair from one of the kids

But eventually, we Midwesterners got with the program and enjoyed our oceanside adventure:

This little munchkin quickly conquered her fear of the sand.  She also stole my sunglasses (they looked better on her anyway).

Digging for buried treasure

Checking out the waves.

Impromptu nap under the sun shade.

Aaron got about as much sand on his face as he got down his pants

We almost lost Aaron's feet in California, but thankfully Brooke showed us where to find them.

Jill briefly tried and rejected paddleboarding.  Ok, I guess we're still Midwesterners at heart.

On our last night in Coronado, we set up a picnic outside and listened to some live music.  Jill and Hayes also shared a little bonding time:

It was an amazing trip and we are so grateful to Jill Sr. and Tom and their darling children for putting up with us for the long weekend.  Although I am still kicking myself for not getting any good shots of the adults, we did get this amazing final picture of all the kids together:

If that's not an advertisement for procreation, I don't know what is.  Farewell California and Proctor Family, thanks for showing us a wonderful time!

*Ron Burgundy, KVWN Channel 4 News