Camp & Camping

Our third week in California started with us heading to San Elijo State Beach for some camping with my parents. We left after church on Sunday and headed for the coast. That night one of my dearest friends and her family joined us at the beach for some food and great conversation. I finally got to meet her sweet kids. She's been living on the east coast for many years but the stars aligned and we were in San Diego at the same time. (If, you know, I believed that the stars held our fate. Which I don't.)

On Monday morning we were up bright early for surf camp. Troy flew back in to San Diego and we had a great time hanging out on the beach for several days together.
 

On Monday and Tuesday, Garrett surfed on a long board. On Wednesday and Thursday he switched to a shorter, easier to turn, harder to surf on Sushi. He wanted to go back to the long board on Friday because it's easier and he wanted to get up a lot on his last day.

This guy has salt water running through his veins.

Like his mama, he craves sun, salt and sand.

This day camp is pricey but it's phenomenal. I cannot say enough good things about it. My kids can't really get into the surf scene too much because we don't exactly live near a coast. But if they could, I'd be a little worried. Surf culture can be--interesting. This camp gives the kids a taste of what it's like to be surfers but gives them positive, Christian, surfer role models. Each day they actually only spend between 45 minutes and an hour in the water. The rest of the time they hear Christian messages, play games, and eat lunch.

While they're in the water, they sometimes receive personal, one on one, instruction.

They learn a few things about surfing and they catch waves. Waves die. They fall. They run into other kids. But they surf.

And they hang out with Bryan Jennings. Garrett's smile says it all. We love Walking on Water surf camp!

While Garrett surfed, Matthew enjoyed playing in the sand...

Running in the water...

Doing a little beach gymnastics...

And doing a little more beach gymnastics...

When we got back to our campground each day, the boys enjoyed more time in the water. Their favorite thing to do is have my dad push them into the waves while they sit in a giant inner tube. They also loved boogie boarding and, of course, more surfing.

This guy can't wait until he's old enough for surf camp. Which is next year. My bank account is concerned.

But he's ready. 

One of the days, Bryan insisted that I have a brief surf lesson with him. I was terrified of doing this because I was not wearing a super great bathing suit for surfing and I had visions of standing up only to realize that I was no longer sporting a top. I did not particularly want to flash an entire camp's worth of kids nor did I want professional surfer and movie producer Bryan Jennings seeing my *ahem* girly parts. Troy did not want this either. Thankfully, I remembered that I had a wet suit in the car!

So then I surfed. On tiny waves reminiscent of the minuscule ones I surfed on two years ago in Hawaii. But...I DID stand up and I did NOT flash any important parts to any unsuspecting kids or professional surfers.

I do not understand how anyone gets good at this sport. It's exhausting and horribly difficult and makes me feel like the world's absolute biggest doofus.

Then I posed with Bryan and another lady he gave a lesson to. Other lady managed not to flash anyone, although I have no idea how. If I tried to wear that, I promise my top would fall off if I walked across a parking lot. She also works in the film industry and was super nice and encouraging when I managed to stand up on a surf board. ON THE WATER WHILE THE WATER WAS MOVING UNDER ME.

Troy considered a new hair do while we were there.

I, for one, am glad he changed his mind.

We had a birthday party for Garrett with my extended family while we were camping. It was super great to see everyone. We also got to spend a couple of hours with Troy's sister and our nieces and nephew at the beach one afternoon. We missed out on seeing one of our nieces because she had to work. :-(

We spent Thursday night with my brother and sister in law. Garrett had one final day of surf camp. When camp was over, we drove from the coast in San Diego to Mesquite, NV. The traffic was absolutely horrible and I have taken a solemn oath never to drive through Vegas on a Friday evening ever again. It took us nine hours to get from Encinitas to Mesquite which should be little more than six hours. The boys, ever the amazing travelers, did great but it was ridiculous.

We made it home on Saturday--and three perfect weeks in California came to an end.