Sunny, southern San Diego!  Whew!  We finally made it!  San Diego had been a goal since we started way back in September.  It only took us 10 months to get here!!  I think we made pretty good time considering all the things we’ve seen so far 🙂

After doing some extensive research, complete with phone calls and review checking, we decided to stay at the Oak Creek RV Resort in El Cajon.  I think it was destined that we stay here.  When I initially called, not only were the women in the office very helpful and easy to talk to, but they had some familiar names: Mary and Grace!!  How crazy is that!?  But aside from that, the rates and amenities were totally in the Awesomes ballpark, so we booked and now here we sit!  We’ve got a pool, which we use A LOT!  Plus they have an exercise room complete with treadmill for the days I want to run after dark or don’t want to do the 2.5 mile loop that’s super hilly at the end!  Plus, the price was great for the proximity to my friends house, or any part of San Diego really.  I can get anywhere, including the beach, in under a half hour….assuming I don’t hit traffic, which I’ve done a time or two.

It’s hard not to slip into the San Diego state of mind…the one where you think, “oh, the weather will be great tomorrow, we’ll just do it then”.  Plus, since it’s a rather big city, we try to do things during the week to miss the weekend crowds.

The first few weeks we just spent a lot of time hanging out with my friend Sarah and her kiddos Cathryn and Ethan.  Sarah has been my friend for about 13 years now.  I haven’t been able to see her and the kids very often over the last 8 years and am really enjoying being able to hang out with them so much now.  We’ve been doing the beach thing, going to Seaworld, and having a nice time hangin and BBQ’ing.

 

It’s been very relaxing.  I can also see why I loved and hated San Diego all at the same time.  In case you all don’t know, I met Carl here in San Diego and this is where our journey’s collided and intertwined 🙂  So yes, I love being here, remembering and sharing with the kids….but I really dislike the traffic!!  For Heaven’s sake, do NOT go anywhere between 4pm and 7pm.  It will take you forever to get anywhere!

One thing that I’m really glad that we got to do was take the kids to the place where Carl took me on our first date so many years ago. Filippi’s Pizza Grotto in Little Italy.  It was fun to share with them the food and the memories 🙂

 

Outside along the sidewalk in Little Italy, you’ll find these plaques set into the pavement with neat little sayings on them…this one was my favorite!  Now, either they are new, or the stars were too big for my eyes when Carl and I were here last!

 

We also took the kids on a drive over the bridge to Coronado Island and down the strand to see the beach for the first time.  The cool thing about going over Coronado Bridge is getting to see the ships in the harbor.

The next big thing while we were here was a very special birthday.  My Annalea turned 8!  How crazy is that?!  But, it will wait for the next post, there are far too many pictures!