Pebble Beach

*Disclaimer:  This is the LONGEST post ever!!!!!!

We had such a wonderful vacation this year.  We went Carmel with our dear friends, The Pardues to beat the heat in Texas and Arkansas.  It is crazy to think that 60 degrees is cold, but it is when you come from 100 degree temps!  Flint and his mom both grew up going to Carmel so there are lots of memories there.  Flint also knows lots of the local places that you can't miss while there.

We stayed right off the coast and couldn't miss a family photo op!  Too bad, Miss Cilla Pants was not in a very good mood! 

The Pardues

Our trip got off to a rocky start after spending over three hours in the Northwest Arkansas airport and nearly missing our flight in Dallas (thanks for that American Airlines!)  But, Cilla was a champ and appartently the Queen of the castle!

Our first day was spent in a little area called the Barnyard.  It is a cute, quaint little shopping area.  We ate Mexican food for lunch and Cilla made the biggest mess I have ever seen her make with her black beans.  Luckily, the weather was so nice and we were on a relaxing vacation so this momma could care less!

She loved the fountain

...and loved getting to walk around like a big girl!

When our friends finally arrived in town we took them to the Dennis the Menace Park.

Fun was had by all!  I think the smile on Flint's face is bigger than the one on Cilla's!

Two little cutie pies!

We ventured out to the beach and as you can tell it was not as popular as we had hoped it would be!  This can't be my daughter if she doesn't like the beach and the sand.  Hopefully, that love will develop with time.

Fortunately, that was an easy fix.

This is Bird Rock.  It kind of reminded us of home.  Not because of the waves crashing, but the seals barking always make us think of our Katie girl!

Harper made friends with this fat little guy!

Out to dinner and not Cilla's best performance.  That seems to be a reoccurring trend these days!

We took one day to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Cilla love loved loved this little play area for the little bits.  There was a little water bed that she thought was the coolest thing ever!  That's our girl...she loves jumping on the bed.  Where do they learn these things?

Our two little peas in a pod.

Apparently, Seahorse daddies have the babies.  This was the Seahorse exhibit and of course Cilla and Harper's daddies thought it was funny!

The cutest little Otters.  They are so fun to watch

Both Flint and I and the Pardues got a night out while the other couple kept the girls and put them to bed.  Since Flint and I celebrated our 8th Anniversary while we were there, we went out that night.  Of course, I forgot to get pictures of our night away.  We went to Carmel By the Sea (as the locals call it) and ate at a yummy little Restaurant called Flaherty's and then we walked around the town.  We ended our evening at Little Napoli's, a little Italian bakery, with macaroons, gingerbread men, and cannolis.  We came to a quiet house and our baby was sound asleep.  Now, that is the perfect ending!

Lauren and Corby also had a night out.  Here they are before heading out.

Flint and I ventured out with Harper and Cilla.  We took them to dinner and headed down to Cannery Row to the Ghirardelli sweet shop!  YUM! YUM! YUM!

Harper admiring her cookie bottom sundae.  Don't worry Lauren and Corby, we didn't let her eat the who;e thing by herself!  

I love this picture with those big brown eyes peeking over that ice cream sundae!  She has NO other cares in the world!

All smiles

this is what she is laughing at.  This little guy, so graciously, cleaned up our mess for us.

Then, the boys got a day away and so did us girlies.

Flint and Corby paid a visit to Stanford's campus in Palo Alto.  They said it is one of the most beautiful campuses and is so rich in history.

Their football stadium, which a Standford alum forked over money to get rid of all advertising inside.

Flint scouted out the Tri Delt house for me.  You definitely aren't in the south anymore!  No offense, west coast sisters, but I prefer the plantation style sorority houses in the south.

Lauren had a connection at a nearby winery, so we got a private wine tasting at Ridge. 

It was sent up in the hills just out of San Jose and it was beautiful.

Grape Experts!

One thing you can't miss while in the Pebble area is the Bag Piper at Spanish Bay.  He is famous.  Every evening he walks the the paths of the course playing and ends by the clubhouse.  It really it neat to watch.  Despite a very chilly evening, we all enjoyed ourselves.

 We had such a fun trip.  We loved having time together as a family and making memories with our friends.