January 16, 2010

Do you ever have days that have been one of your best days of all time?  I hope that you do.  Because today was on of the best days of all time for me.  Last night the weatherperson on the news said that we were going to have rain for the next eight days.  But this morning dawned bright and clear, so when my dad suggested we drive down to Big Sur and Carmel-by-the-Sea today instead of waiting until Monday, we got ready fast, had cereal for breakfast, and headed out. 

Everything was amazing.  The drive through the Santa Cruz mountains was gorgeous.  The fields and fields of strawberries, artichokes, and coffee-colored plots of unplanted dirt were fascinating.  We stopped along the way and made a U-turn when we drove past a marina with an unused dock covered with hundreds of sea lions sunning themselves and listened to them bark to each other.

And we took lots and lots of photos.  But these are some of our favorites for purposes of blog 365. 

Me making naughty faces at the camera like I'm seriously all hugged up on Paul.  He likes this photo a lot because he says he looks like a pimp.  I love him.

See all the sea lions out on the rocks in this photo?  There were great swells coming in off the ocean because a storm-front is pushing its way in right now and it was fun climbing out on rocks and watching the sea lions and seals play in the surf as it sprayed up against the rocks.

Um, if you have never seen this coastline, I am tempted to say that you have not lived.  It's not true, of course, but seriously, come visit us and we will do this drive.  It was awesome.  I can't say enough about it.  So really, just keep scrolling through the photos and look at the amazingness that is the Northern California coastline.

Oh, and my parents LOVED stopping at Pebble Beach.  My dad bought a tam.  This is me and him on the 18th hole.

If you do go without us down to Carmel-by-the-Sea, make sure to pay the $9.25 entrance fee and spend the extra time doing the 17-mile drive.  I had never done it before and it had some of the most interesting and stunning spots to spot and get out to walk around.  Not to mention the incredible homes.  I want to retire there.

Oh my heart is so full to bursting just looking at this beautiful rugged and rocky coast.  It was the best day.