Visit with the Padres

After the trip to Vegas for Alyn's services, Mamo and Pod spent Monday and Tuesday in Oceanside. Monday we had breakfast at Swami's and walked on the pier:

We let Ever take her afternoon nap, so that sort of puts a damper on things.

On Tuesday, Ever went to JoAnn's while I went to L.A. for my usual work day. Mamo and Pod entertained themselves. Mamo spent a few hours shopping while Pod hung out at home. Wednesday we went up to Dana Point, where we stayed until Saturday. Pod's meetings started Wednesday afternoon. We dropped Pod, ate lunch, and then had some time to kill before we could check into the hotel. We tried to find a park and ended up at a pretty grassy area with an overlook but no play equipment for Dolly.

I believe Dolly napped that afternoon, and I did a little work. (Dolly slept on the pull-out couch in her own section of the room that was separated by a sliding door.) Stacey was on vacation in Italy and had given me a time-sensitive project. I stayed up until 3 or 4 in the morning that night working at a little table on our floor overlooking the hotel lobby while everyone else slept. Had to do a couple of short calls (with a partner and with the client) Thursday morning and was anticipating having to put in more work, but it ended up that we had more time to complete the project than the client originally thought. Things got a lot better after that.

Pod went to meetings Thursday morning. Mamo, Ever and I found a pastry shop for breakfast. I got chocolate chip croissants for Ever and me because I always have to try chocolate croissants wherever I see them. They tasted pretty stale, but Dolly didn't mind. She ate all of hers and finished mine:

Hot chocolate was also enjoyed. Then we went to the Mission in San Juan Capistrano. It was a neat place. Mamo said it's a place worth taking dignitaries to. Dolly was being incredibly difficult, so I didn't get to learn or enjoy much. Will have to go back someday, sans toddler.

We saw where the priests ate and lived:

The Mission is famous for the swallows that return and build nests in the eaves every March and then migrate back to Argentina every October. You can see some of their mud nests in the center of the eaves here:

Soldiers also lived at the Mission for a while. I believe this was their dorm:

Cool beds - just ropes or leather strips strung both ways and then blankets thrown over the top.

Pod didn't have any meetings Friday. Ever woke up way too early that day. I took her to the fitness center not far from our room to try to let the parentals get more sleep. She wasn't very good at letting me ignore her, but I did end up getting three miles in on the treadmill. Pod joined us pretty quickly. We wanted to let Mamo sleep as long as she could, so we stayed in the fitness center a while thinking she'd call. Turns out she was awake the whole time wondering where we were. Jim drove up that morning, and I was making arrangements with him while Pod was on the treadmill: 

Then Pod tried to reach for his towel or something and ate it off the back of the treadmill. It was a pretty good fall. Jim and I have both done that before, so I guess it was just Pod's inauguration into the cool club. 

Once we realized Mamo was up, we got cleaned up and went to breakfast. Then we met Jim back at the hotel and decided that he would take Dolly swimming in the hotel pool and then put her to bed while Pod and Mamo and I went for a walk along the coast. She was really giving me a run for my money the whole time Mamo and Pod were here. It was pretty awful. Power struggles with little people are not my fave. In any case, getting her more sleep seemed like a good idea. So while Jim hung out with Dolly, Pod, Mamo and I went on a walk on the Bluff Top Trail, I think it's called. It's supposed to be really pretty, with little historical markers at various places along the way. We found the beginning (or middle or end) of the trail, marked by a sign, but after a minute couldn't really figure out where we were supposed to go. We ended up on the sidewalk in a neighborhood for a while, and then down closer to the beach again (and right through the park to which we'd gone Wednesday afternoon). Based on online reviews, it is clear to me that we weren't on the trail/in the right place for very long. Although it wasn't exactly what I envisioned, it was nice to get out. 

  

Sailor throwing hides off the cliff to awaiting trading ships.

When we got back to the room, Dolly was still sleeping. Mamo and I decided to go on another walk - this time along the beach to a little sea cave - while Jim and Pod stayed at the hotel. (It was the same sea cave we went to with the Young Men a year or so ago, where Dolly got pinched by a crab.) Jim did a good run in the fitness center while Dolly finished her nap and Pod hung out in the room.

Mamo and I had fun chatting as we walked along the rocky coast. She was quite a trooper. I didn't get any pictures of the cave, but this is Mamo right after we exited:

I loved that she was up for that. Best parents ever.

In keeping with the walking theme, we all walked from the hotel to the beach that evening. Dolly had a freak-out over a water fountain, which was unfortunate. Then we found a place for dinner that ended up taking a hundred years and not being very good. 

Saturday I dropped Pod off at his meetings, and the rest off us went to breakfast. The food wasn't mind-blowing, but the service was. They brought a bucket of toys for Dolly, and we got about eight inches of whipped cream on our hot chocolate. It was incredible, and I'm sad we didn't take a picture. 

We got into the pool again briefly and then picked up Pod and headed back to Oceanside. That afternoon/evening Pod and I enjoyed a rousing game of tennis while Mamo and Jim looked on. Dolly served as ball girl and did an excellent job. I was way more terrible than I remember being, and I knew I wasn't good. But I actually beat Pod sometimes (although he was the overall winner), so I think his game is deteriorating, too. We had fun. Enjoyed a movie that night, I think.

I don't think we did anything else noteworthy Sunday or Monday. Watched another movie. Mamo and Pod took off early afternoon Monday. 

Mostly it was a trip filled with restaurants, ice cream, and walks. It's awfully nice that Pod's meetings were so close and we had that opportunity to get together!