Santa Cruz

Last weekend Mike and I took a little getaway to Santa Cruz with our good friends Miles and Chelsey. Santa Cruz is about a 2 1/2 hour drive depending on the traffic, and its the warmest beach near Sacramento. We arrived at about 10:30pm on Saturday night, dropped our stuff off at Miles' sister's house (which is about a mile from the beach), purchased some firewood and junk food, and claimed our fire pit on the beach. We had a good time relaxing, lighting fireworks, eating junk food, dancing to downloaded music on our cell phones, dipping our toes into the cold water, and chatting it up next to the fire until 2 a.m. On Sunday we woke up early to find a good spot on the beach along the Santa Cruz boardwalk and spent the entire day soaking up the sun, people watching (one of our favorite pastimes), throwing the Frisbee, playing volleyball.....well everyone but me because it hurts my arms. I know I am such a wimp. For lunch we ate ice cream at this fabulous little diner on the pier and later on had pizza and Pizza My Heart for dinner.

Doing what we do best.

Thanks Miles and Chels for showing us a great time in Santa Cruz!

Proud to be an American Day

I have always felt like the 4th of July is the highlight of the summer, and everything after that is just a count down for back to school- which was depressing in my book. This year Mike spent most of the day selling alarms in the hot sun and I was at the pool all day with the girls. I felt a little guilty, but that's just our life out here this summer. We ended up watching fireworks at Elk Grove park in Sacramento. I reflected on all the fun 4th's I spent watching fireworks in Idaho Falls over the river and listening to the patriotic music. One of my favorite parts about the I.F. fireworks show is the music....it always makes me tear up. I guess that's the passion for American history in me. Mike and I were pleased that the Elk Grove show had some music as playing as well. This is kind of cheesy but while "God bless America" was playing we both looked at each other and were like, "this makes me proud to be an American." Sometimes I get tears in my eyes thinking about the work our Founding Fathers did for us, and those in uniform who have fought and sacrificed their lives to preserve our freedom. We are truly a blessed nation. Let us never forget or take for granted the blessing it is to be free.

Left to right: Natalie, Hallie, Jeremii, Viv, Aaron, Theron, Heidi, Us

Hallie and Mike....he is such a natural with babies.

Sparklers

Dancing with sparklers

Smoking sparklers.

If you're going to San Francisco

One of the perks to living in Sacramento is that we are only 1 1/2 hours from San Fran. So far we have taken two trips there. The first was in May when Mike's mom, Catherine, came out to visit us, and the second time was for a Giants game at AT&T park. Its crazy how much the temperature varies from Sacramento to the Bay Area. Summers in Sacramento are incredibly hot. The past week it has been in the 100's. When we go to San Fran we always have to put on layers because it is pretty chilly, but it is nice to have a place to escape from the heat.

All the Pinnacle guys giving the opposing team a hard time.

Random picture. The gulls flew in after to the game for a feeding frenzy.

Mike looks so tall compared to all of us. Haha!

The Pinnacle guys

Mike showing off his complimentary Ghiradelli chocolate. So good!

Mike's older brother, Matt, me, Miguel, and Mike's mom, Catherine

airborne

Us with A and V

The gulls fighting over sourdough bread.

Pier 39

Make sure your brakes are in good shape before you drive in San Fran because the roads are wicked steep.

If you love Italian food (and who doesn't?) you have to go to Pantarei. Amazing food. Chic. Affordable prices.

I wish I would have taken a picture of all our food, but of course that is not the first thing that came to my mind when my Tre Pasta was placed in front of me. I will get a pic for you all next time we go.

Patrick and Matt