It Happened in Monterey

I haven’t written on this blog in a long time. Tsk tsk. There are so many things that have happened that I have neglected to write about. So many memories that have blown out of my mind forever and I will never get back in this world. Memories I should have been saving for my children and their children. I am sorry, babies! I will try to do better.

I will not go back and try to recapture everything that has happened in the months that I have been neglected my record keeping, but I do feel I need to say a little about our family vacation to Monterey this summer.

When it comes to family vacations, we don’t have many options. Josh and I don’t have a large income, are terrible stewards over the money we have and are not great at finding deals. This means we don’t have a lot of money saved up for trips. Plus, it’s hard to take 5 kids on vacation, especially when so many of them are still little and you have kids with special needs. But I needed a break. One viable option was open to us – Monterey. Fortunately, this is one of my favorite places in all the world.

We are blessed that Josh’s parents own a home in Salinas and super blessed that they purchased annual passes to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for the kids, which included the bonus of two guest passes. We had a place to stay with a kitchen to cook out of, free admission to arguably the country’s best aquarium to entertain my marine life obsessed children and miles of beautiful scenery to soak in. What could be better?

Dog pile at Grandma's

Wrestling

It was a wonderful trip. It had its moments, definitely. Charlie freaked out when we got to the aquarium, which was crowded (lesson learned: do not go to the aquarium on a Friday in the summer), noisy, and dark with the bonus of real sea creatures which Charlie thought probably only existed in movies and books. It took him quite some time to calm down and Josh spent about the first 90 minutes sitting on a bench trying to get him adjusted to this new environment. At that point, I did think Josh was going to kill me for convincing him that a family vacation was a great idea. But Charlie’s meltdown passed, and he ended up enjoying the aquarium. All the kids had a great time looking at sharks and jellies and penguins and seahorses and sea turtles and otters. Fitz was super excited to get his hands in the water at the touch pools and try to get to the rays, starfish, etc. He was a little too excited, in fact, and not very careful so I had to put a stop to that. But it was cute.

Outside the aquarium

Missing head = Josh is a great husband, but maybe not the best photographer

Charlie enjoys looking at the fishies

At the touch pool

Dainty Katie gets in on the action

Fitz was so interested in everything he tried to take it all out of the water

Alek, Katie and Penguins

Alek and Katie outside the sea horse exhibit

Alek and Fitz at the kids' play area

  

Jane checks out the pretty girl in the mirror

As vacations go, it wasn’t a long one. We drove down on Thursday, went to a park (Dennis the Menace Park – one of the coolest parks ever), ate a picnic dinner in the car while driving around and looked at the ocean. Alek demonstrated why he is the best big brother in the world and proved his essentialness to our family by taking turns watching Charlie and Fitz and playing with them at the park.

Jane learns about bark at Dennis the Menace Park

Alek escorts Charlie at the park

Alek leads Fitz around at the park

Friday was the aquarium, lunch with an ocean view, the beach and 17 mile drive. All of the kids loved the beach, but Charlie most of all. He was pure joy, running in the sand and trying to run into the water (Dad went to the rescue there). Josh held Charlie’s hand and they walked up and down the sand while the other 4 kids stayed close to me and dug a sand pit and made sand angels and just let the sand run through their fingers. Charlie, Fitz and Jane all fell asleep on the way to 17 mile drive and slept during that whole excursion. But I think the drive was actually more enjoyable that way. Alek and Katie jumped out at a lot of the stops on the drive and saw amazing things, like Bird Rock. The drive was relaxing and beautiful.



Lunch at Archie's American Diner -- okay and overpriced food, great view!

Alek loves his country



Josh and Charlie explore the beach



Asilomar Beach

Sisters

Playing in the sand

Sand angel



Alek and Katie at Bird Rock on 17 Mile Drive

At Gene and Linda’s, we got to watch some of the Olympics, which we couldn’t watch at home since we don’t have TV. The kids played in the backyard a little, wrestled in the front room, and relaxed. Salinas and Monterey were peaceful, calm and quiet. Peaceful, in fact, is how I felt most of the trip. There is something about that little part of the world that calms and lifts my spirits. Josh and I went on our honeymoon to Monterey, and it will always be a special place to me.

Jane in Grandma's Kitchen in Salinas

I am so grateful we were able to take this trip and build memories as a family. The Barker Family took two family vacations in the first year after Josh and I got married and none after that for 7 years. We’ve been blessed to be able to take two in the past year – one to our family reunion and Disneyland and one to Monterey. This trip to Monterey will always hold a special place in my heart as our first vacation as a complete family without any extended family. It was just the seven of us. And there was no schedule, no agenda. We just eased through the days, did what we felt like and made adjustments to whatever loose plans we did have as we needed to in order to accommodate the kids. There was no pressure, no expectations of greatness. And it was lovely and sweet and fun. I am thankful to my Heavenly Father for the beautiful world he has given us to care for and explore and enjoy, for the beautiful vacation I was able to have with my family and most of all for my six favorite people in the world, who to me are the very definition of beautiful.