San Diego Highlights

"Now, on this road trip, my mind seemed to unwrinkle, to breathe, to present itself a cure for a disease it had not, until now, known it had." -Elizabeth Berg

Spring Break finally presented us with an opportunity to leave all of our worries behind and just get away. We had had two crazy weeks right up until the day we were leaving for San Diego, so let's just say that our packing was a little frenzied Monday morning. I had tried to get all of the laundry done before the trip, but I found myself pulling clothes out of the dryer and stuffing them into suitcases. Jessica had just returned from a trip to Anaheim with the orchestra the morning before...Easter morning. No time to do her laundry. At least she was already packed.

We threw the essentials into a few bags. You know...sundresses, shorts, swimming suits, sunglasses, sun hats and sunscreen. (The predominant word here being SUN!) We threw some beach buckets, swimming goggles, and kites into the back with the luggage, and we were off.

Now Jonah knows how to travel. He places a pillow on the seat, and a pillow behind his back, and surrounds himself with more pillows and blankets, then insists that his dad place pillowcases in the window to protect him from the sun as well as to provide a nice curtain effect as he stares out the window at the passing scenery. This preparation tends to add a good 20 minutes to the departure time of any trip. Yes, it is a lesson in futility for the rest of the family, but it keeps the child content during very long journeys. Leftover Easter candy, especially that of the Peeps variety, adds pleasure to any road trip.

This trip to San Diego was all about relaxation and rejuvenation. No over-crowded theme parks this trip, just a nice hotel, in a nice warm place, with the people I love.

We invited Grandpa to join us. We thought it might provide him a nice distraction and change of scenery. We met Grandpa in his little home in St. George, and stayed the night there. We were wall-to-wall bodies in that little park model. No matter, better beds and better sleep awaited us in Carlsbad. The ride to California was rather uneventful the next day, which is unusual and much appreciated.

We arrived in Carlsbad with plenty of time for some beach play. The girls were too tired, but the boys couldn't get to the ocean fast enough.

We finished the night with some pizza and a really good night's sleep.

The next day, we drove into San Diego. Every time we go to San Diego, Neil mentions how much he would like to tour the Aircraft Carrier they have parked in the bay, and every time, we never get the chance. A visit to the USS Midway was first on the list today.

Not a cheap venture, that's for sure, but very fascinating. This tour was particularly exciting for Grandpa, as it was reminiscent of the two years he spent on a destroyer during WWII.

The kids enjoyed listening to the tour guide on the headsets, trying their hand at knot tying, and spending some time in the Brig.

And Grandpa enjoyed chatting with all of the veteran volunteers we found along the way. Comparing stories I suppose. We were constantly looking back to find Grandpa missing. After some searching, we would find him conversing with some other gentleman about his wartime experiences.

It took a concerted effort for me not to fall flat on my face walking through these tiny doorways. One thing is for sure, between the claustrophobic barracks, the steep staircases, and the tiny doorways standing 6 inches off the ground, I never would have survived in the Navy. They would have thrown me overboard the first day. 

We ended our tour on top of the carrier, checking out some of the old planes that used to land on this massive ship. Grandpa was delighted to come across an F-4. This was the very plane that he designed while working as an engineer at Hill Air Force Base. This whole experience was very nostalgic for him.

Museums seem to leave the whole family starving. Off to Old Town San Diego, for some lunch!

Cafe Coyote made for the perfect lunch. When in San Diego, eat some good Mexican food. At least that's what I always say.

It was a delightful meal. Sitting in the sun, being serenaded by some authentic Mexican music while eating some authentic Mexican food. It really was a highlight. Of course, food usually is a highlight for me.

There was a little time for shopping afterwards. The kids each picked a cheap trinket to remind them of their visit to Old Town.

At this point, the kids were ready to hit the beach, but I insisted that we visit the Mormon Battalion Memorial. I like me some history when I'm on vacation. The memorial was such a great little experience. The building was beautiful, and the interactive presentation was fun for the kids and adults alike.

I knew so little about the Mormon Battalion. This little band of soldiers had been asked to serve by a president who had basically abandoned them and allowed them to be run out of their homes. And yet they served because the prophet had asked them to. They were promised that they would never see battle. And indeed they never did. 

What they did do was create a trail to the West for all who followed them. Rather than fighting the Mexicans, they made friends with them upon arriving in the San Diego area, and helped dig wells for the people, built the first brick building in the village, and taught the people many of their skills. These humble members of the church were some of the first to find gold in California, but rather than staying to make their fortune, they joined their families who had made it to the Salt Lake valley. It was a treat to learn about this little group of saints.

The kids enjoyed panning for gold and learning about how bricks were made.

Father and Son.

By now the kids were ready to revolt if we didn't take them to the beach. So we hopped on the freeway to head home to Carlsbad, only to come to a dead stop due to an accident. Well, we could wait here on the freeway for an hour, or we could wait on the beach. Somehow, the latter seemed more appealing, so we took the next exit and spent the rest of the night at La Jolla beach.

Jessica didn't seem too excited to go out and enjoy the ocean with her siblings. This was the child who would spend hours chasing and jumping the waves as a little girl. She is the one who trained her siblings how to really relish the sea. Could it be that she is turning into a boring adult? As Jessica slept on a beach towel while her siblings frolicked in the water, Neil and I couldn't help but yearn for that carefree little girl.

And then something happened. 

That boring adult got off her towel and wandered down to the beach. And then something else happened.

Neil and I looked at each other with a smile and exclaimed in unison, "Yep, she's still in there." Thank you San Diego. Thank you for bringing my little girl back for the afternoon.