Vacation Part 1 April 27, 2008

Laura will be posting more about Disneyland, which was fun, but I want to post about our beach day because that's my thing.  We decided to take a day off from Disney and have some beach time.  It wasn't the warmest day of the week, so we moseyed around in the morning so it could warm up a bit for my loveys, who aren't diehards for the beach (mostly because they haven't been much).

We stopped by the old Mission San Juan Capistrano for a little tour before hitting the beach.  The mission was founded in 1776 and was part of the California mission system that served as a network for Europeans on the west coast of what was then Mexico.  It's a neat old complex right in the middle of San Juan Capistrano.

After that we ate (or tried to) at one of our favorite little restaurants in San Clemente, called Sonny's.  It's a pizza and pasta joint with patio dining just up a bit from the ocean.  It's super yummy and it was good, but Noah was on one of his screaming kicks that he's so fond of lately, which disturbs others.  So we took turns trying to put him on the naughty spot out front while the other one ate.  Needless to say, a two-year-old with not enough sleep and too much stimulation who's away from home has a short fuse.  He was pretty darn good all things considered, but his screaming fits put a damper on a few meals!

After lunch, it was time for the beach.  I surfed for a couple of hours while Noah played on the beach and mommy watched and relaxed.  Noah loved the beach and his new bucket and shovels.  Mommy loved the peace that comes from a big beach and a boy who is just afraid enough of the water not to get too close.

After I was done and it was just about time to leave, it was Noah's turn to surf.  He didn't have a wetsuit and the water was a bit cold, so he had to wait until the end.  I took him out on my board and he had fun.  He wasn't crazy about getting splashed but he soaked everything up and has talked about surfing since then.  I don't know if we've got him hooked yet, but he's on his way!

After a few minutes, it was time to go in (so he wouldn't get cold and mommy wouldn't get mad at daddy).  Mommy got some pictures (obviously).

After getting all showered up at the beach we went to visit a few of my favorite surf shops, Dana Point Harbor (where Noah asserted that all the boats were his), and the San Clemente Pier.  Here's a picture from the pier.

I love the mediterranean look of San Clemente from the pier.  With the white buildings on the hills above the ocean, it's just so pleasant and relaxing, especially in the evening when the western sun bathes the buildings in soft light.  It's one of the few areas of Southern California that I would love to live in.  It's on the edge of a Marine base and bounded by the hills, so it doesn't have the same overcrowded feel as much of the Southland.  Plus, it's got the best overall surf scene in California in my opinion.