Crystal Cove

Way back in February when summer seemed like an impossible dream I got online and tried to get us 4 or 5 days at the Crystal Cove Beach Cottages. Reservations for August filled up in 8 minutes, but I managed to reserve one night in a 2-person room. Not exactly what we wanted, but we thought we might as well check out this place we've heard so much about, even for just one night. It was truly beautiful and unique. We enjoyed the water (much warmer than our beaches), the quaint setting and the long strip of tide pools just a short walk away. Our room was microscopic - just a full-size bed and a tiny dresser. We fit ourselves in by sleeping the girls sideways on the bed, I took the air mattress, and Mark, ever the Boy Scout, slept in the corner on three sleeping bags - his feet just touched the dresser. It was a tight squeeze, but we did it. After hours at the beach and burgers from the Shake Shack for dinner we finally got the kids to sleep around 9 pm - late for them - and went to bed ourselves. The surf was so loud I kept waking up thinking a truck was bearing down on us.

In the morning we ate our cereal in the common dining room and went for a walk along the tide pools looking for creatures. The rock formations were amazing and we did spy a few crabs, tiny fish and anenomes. There was a beautiful blue dragonfly washed up with the seaweed - dead but so pretty - not sure I have ever seen one like that before. Mark did his Super Mario brothers impression and the kids just ran from one exciting discovery to the next. After a quick shower we loaded up and checked out. Hopefully, we can reserve two or three nights again some time -it's a neat place.





















Isn't it picturesque? What the photos don't show are the torture of getting my kids clean in a tiny shower, Audrey's debilitating boobie rash, frequent and inconvenient potty breaks for Claire, and the long hike from the cottages to the designated parking area. Family fun is not always as easy as it looks. Just had to add that - but it was beautiful no doubt about it.

Why can't summer last forever? by Audrey and Claire

July was great. We stayed at Nanie and Papa's - swimming in their pool, eating all their jelly, and raiding their garden. We went to the beach - sometimes just us girls, sometimes with Daddy, sometimes with friends, often with dolphins. We went to Knott's Berry Farm. We stayed home making costumes for ourselves and jewelry for our toys. We took our baths together, plus a million toys and several cups of sand, usually. We fell asleep with books on our faces (just Audrey, actually). We stuck out our tongues every time mom got out the camera (just Claire, actually). We said goodbye to Wormy the beetle, but that was not a good day. We learned that sisters can give piggy back rides. We refused to do the workbooks mom bought us even though she offered $2 for each one we finished. We ate green beans right off the vine in our own garden. We went to the library for crafts and all the books we could carry. We made popsicles every day. We saw Marmaduke at the theater and can't stop repeating the fart joke: "Wait for it, wait for it..." We wish it could be summer all the time.




























Why can't summer last forever? by Melissa
It's a wonderful time having 7 and 4 year old daughters who like to play together and are learning to help around the house. They also sleep in pretty late (for kids), and if their dad doesn't get up and give them food they eat bread or just wait - so I stay in bed until I'm bored. Both girls finished the summer reading program and got their free tickets to Legoland - tickets that are not exactly free considering an adult admission must be purchased for each child - but we wanted to go there anyway. It's a joy visiting my parents - I love the hot weather and the familiarity of Hemet. Audrey had her hair cut to her shoulders and it was all I could do not to save the 5 inches that were chopped off - she looks so grown up. Claire is dropping her nap and it is not as inconvenient as I expected - kind of nice not to have to get home and put her to bed in the middle of the day - but a bit tricky at 7 pm when she is weepy and exhausted.

Well, I'm rambling like a mother. I love having all this free time with the girls, but I still lose my mind right around dinner time - so much hard work and patience are required every day. While they are playing I am cooking, cleaning, driving, doing laundry, dishes and all that other stuff that isn't so entertaining. Sometimes they help, sometimes they just have to wait until I am finished. Mostly we are trying to cram in as much fun as possible before Audrey starts 2nd grade and Claire starts preschool - and I think we are being pretty successful.

Today my brother Eddie has been dead for 17 years, and I know how quickly life can go from great to horrifying. I miss him so much. I think of him every day and especially every time I go to the beach; I have the poster for Endless Summer in my garage - he loved summer, and he loved winter, too, and probably spring and fall. I wish I were more like him - more of a free spirit. I'm sure he'd tell me to get a grip, so I keep trying to do that. I feel so sad, but I also feel grateful for wonderful times I have with my girls, so aware of how lucky I am to be a mother, so glad to be right in the middle with lots of good times ahead. Losing my brother hurt so much I have not thought of myself as lucky since, but I am feeling better. And that's as much as I can say without knocking on wood, so I will spend my energy enjoying what I have and try to not worry about the rest.