The Babymoon

Yes, this is over a month past due. I really wanted to update everyone on our trip, but other posts have cut in line for various reasons. So, I will do my best to remember the highlights of the trip for the sake of story telling.

As some of you may know, we were originally planning on going to Portland, Oregon. Random, I know. However, I have miles on Southwest, so needed to stick within their 'fly area'. Additionally, we were looking to travel in the October/November time frame. Therefore, that limited us even more, because we weren't too keen on going somewhere cold. So, I selected Portland simply because I heard it was beautiful, and we had never been there before.

Well, shortly before our trip, Keith decided to end wake boarding season with some 'gnarly

tricks', and managed to break his ankle. So much so, that it required surgery the week of our trip. Canceled! Luckily, the hotel and flights were all refundable...'thank you Jesus!' Then, it was back to the drawing boards on our 'last hoo-raw destination'. Like a light bulb, my mom recommended San Francisco, BINGO! So, I booked the trip (for a 5 days vs. our only 3 in Portland) for the week of my b-day. So, the trip doubled as a celebration and last vacation pre-Eli.

It was wonderful! We stayed down by Fisherman's Wharf. Our first night was spent walking around the wharf, eating chowder out of sourdough bread bowls, and listening to squawking sea lions in the dark. The next day was my birthday, and I got to do whatever I wanted...which clearly involved eating ! :) Because we were in such a 'highly populated tourist' area, there was a ton of stuff for my stomach to choose from. Before it hit noon, I had already eaten a chocolate covered banana, candy covered apple, and strawberry crepes! After gorging myself on random stuff we took a bus tour of the city and saw 'the sights'. We completed the day with a WONDERFUL Italian dinner in Little Italy.

The next day was spent at Alcatraz in the morning, and back on our bus tour in the afternoon.

We saw different parts of the city, including the Golden Gate bridge and Sausalito. We also did a night tour that was complete with warm blankets and a cup of hot chocolate from the hubbie.

The highlight (outside of my birthday feasts) was on Thursday. At first I thought I may have

made a mistake by wishing to rent a car and drive down the coast to Carmel. However, I was WAY wrong. It was a pain to get the rental and get on the road, but it was totally worth it. Keith

and I drove down highway 1 and enjoyed the sites. We would stop along the road and take

pictures or walk onto the beaches. When we got into the Carmel area, we hit up a state park that was wonderful. We walked along hiking trails, admired more

squawking sea lions, and grabbed scenic pictures. That day concluded with a peaceful stroll around Carmel, some

shopping, and a romantic dinner next to a fire.

The trip finished with a peaceful night in the most quaint bed and breakfast that was so picturesque. It was complete

with a comfy bed and fireplace in the room. The next day, I had planned a quick route back to the airport for our flight home, but Keith opted to take the scenic route back on Hwy 1. He really enjoyed the views and casual ride. The ride back was fun, because it showed us pictures form a different view,

roadside surfing, and more wildlife.

All in all, the trip was fantastic! I can say that we

enjoyed every element of our 'babymoon', and will be satisfied with any duration of time that

goes by without taking another trip. However, I know that Keith has already been 'in talks' with Eli regarding Disney World and his first snowboarding vacation.