Best Beach in the World

I know it's not very typical in December to be posting this kind of stuff, but there are a few places in the world that are just too awesome. This is Leo Carillo state beach. It's probably the last beach considered to be in the "Malibu" area. Every summer growing up my family camped for a week here and we watched many movies and commercials made here. What the photos don't show are miles of open sandy beaches, surfing, and pure awesomeness (a new favorite phrase from Kung Fu Panda). It's a popular place for the perfect sunset, pondering life, and hanging out. I recommend it to all.

A panorama of about 3 photos I put together. Cove 4 looking back at 3. Wish you could see it full size.

I saw this effect once and wanted to try it. Water can create the coolest effects with slow shutter speeds.

When I was 12 I found this cave on the fluke chance of the combination of low tide and sand levels. There already is a big popular cave there but I don't think very many know about this one. Last week I found it again and went in. Whoa! The walls were green and rocks purple. There was a very cool piratey vibe in there. I wanted to bury something and come back in 20 yrs to find it again.

The edge of cove 3 and a slow shutter.

Somebody kill me cause when I die, I'm hanging out on this lifeguard stand forever!

on a bargain

I bought this CD several years ago because it was about $1.00.

Ryan used it once in a home video-edit he did of our family.

My kid's listen to "The Christmas Song" on repeat ALL day.

They say it makes them think about when they were little (because now they must think they are SOO big ).

As obnoxious as it is sometimes to listen to the same song 100 times in a day, I don't think I could ever get sick of this one.

maybe this is it!

We are hoping that the flu that 's been haunting us for the past 6 days will be the only sickness we see this season!
While we were out of town for Thanksgiving, we all took turns getting sick...some of us more than others. Even the family members we were staying with (and others visiting) were hit by it.
I usually just say, "bring it on" when I know someone in the family is sick. I expect the rest of the kids to get it sooner or later. This year, for some reason, I wish I had quarantined the first sick one. Having a new family member sick every day, (and then myself not feeling great as well) just isn't something I want to be dealing with this time. But, since we've all had it now, maybe (hopefully) this will be the end of it and it won't bug us any more.

jumping the gun

I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but we decided to decorate for Christmas today so it would all be up when we get home from our Thanksgiving festivities. So, complete with Christmas music blaring, the kids and I started to put up our Christmas stuff. What a fun way to start their week-long Thanksgiving break!