Goodbye San Diego

Today was the day we bid farewell to San Diego. Talk about emotional. We have loved San Diego and were so happy to call it home. We miss it so. 

Our last night in San Diego, we stayed with our friends a few doors down. Simon just loves Aaron and Aaron loves Simon. I love this sweet picture of these two. 

Betsy's kids and my kids all before we left. Emily, Eric, Ian, Aaron, Kyle, AJ & Alice. What a fun crew! Great memories with this bunch and more still to be made! 

Goodbye hugs and kisses at the airport

Farewell San Diego, Point Loma & Coronado. We will (and do) miss you! For when I can't remember, this is obviously a view from the plane, but you can see Point Loma. You can also see Coronado Beach, where we spent a lot of our summer. 

Hello Raleigh

After too many hours of flying, we arrived in Raleigh. 

Why in the world is there a picture of a McDonald's ice cream cone do you ask? Well, growing up, whenever we would travel to a new city with my dad, he would always have to sample the ice cream. Even if it was a McDonald's cone. We were going to a new city and I was super emotional so I decided to get some ice cream - even if it was McDonald's and even if it was in Chicago O'Hare which we've been to a million times. It was comforting. And bloating. But the emotional soothing made it worth it. :-) I had one. And then brought one over to the kids and Jeff. 

Hello Raleigh

We arrived in Raleigh late in the evening if I remember correctly. Aaron was in good humor and got a huge kick out of rolling his backpack over the bumps after the escalators. He said something like, "backpack farting". Great comic relief kid at just the right time!

Last park day

On our last day in San Diego, we went over to the park so the kids could burn off climb, play and burn off some energy. 

So I have a bunch of video of the kids swinging and hope to someday make it into a video of them swinging through time as they grow-up. I haven't put the footage that I have thus far together yet, but am putting their latest and farewell San Diego swing here. By the way, if anyone is great with iMovie and wants to splice this together for me, please tell me as I need the expertise!

Kyle & Emily swinging

Kyle swinging

Aaron swinging

Emily swinging

Zoo finale, San Diego finale

Today the packers arrived. That meant we had to get out of the house. I needed to get out of the house for my own sanity and emotional well-being. Nothing like a bunch of strangers putting everything into boxes and clearing out your house to make a move get very real. 

So we went to the zoo. A place I have always loved. And it was on my San Diego bucket list to visit before we left. So we hit our favorite spots - the Skyfari (Kyle used to be terrified of this), the meerkats and the spider monkeys. 

Aaron had been asking to ride the train outside the zoo for some time. Today seemed like a perfect day for that. :-) So we rode the train. And Aaron loved it. Check one off Aaron's San Diego bucket list. 

Aaron had also been asking to ride the carousel near the zoo. Again, what better time to check one off his San Diego bucket list than 2 days before we left. 

Yea, then there's the move... it's still emotional seeing these pictures nearly 3 months later. I know this is just stuff, but the "here's your life in boxes and a home that holds so many memories" part is what gets me. 

That evening, Emily's best friend Haiden invited us over for dinner. They made a delicious meal for us all to eat together and the kids got to swim together for a long time. It was a welcome distraction to the move (on our last night sleeping at our house) and a wonderful time with wonderful people. 

Beach finale

Our San Diego summer at Coronado Beach had a fantastic grand finale over the weekend with Betsy and her family. We both had the whole family, husbands included since it was the weekend. What a great way to send off San Diego. Though sad thinking about it now as I post this 3 months later, missing San Diego, the beach, surfing and Betsy and her family. 

Emily & Ian 

Me and Betsy - this defines our summer: fun at the beach with our kids

That evening, we went over to Betsy's house for a great dinner together. Aaron and Alice had a nice private table to themselves. These two are just so cute! 

Beach again :-)

Did I mention ours was the summer of the beach? Back at Coronado again with Betsy and her family. We sure miss them! And the beach (as I post this in November from Raleigh in 40 degree weather).

Aaron was in heaven!!!! So close to the digger!!

Just enjoying the view

Emily & Ian

Ian surfing!!

Emily surfing!

Robo-Bear

Aaron was out playing with Simon and put on Simon's robo-mask. It was pretty hilarious to see our little baby with this robo mask on speaking robo.

I got my red shoes on

Dr. Spike got Aaron the book "Pete the Cat" and it has been a huge hit in our house. Aaron loves it. And Aaron has some red shoes like Pete does in the book. It's really cute to hear him sing the Pete the Cat song. So here you go. 

Nobu

Another item on our San Diego bucket list was to eat at Nobu again. We had been there before and loved it so we wanted to experience it another time before moving away. And it sure didn't disappoint. Emily was so pleased (this was one of her suggestions) with the meal. 

Tea time

One of the items on our (Emily's especially) San Diego bucket list was to go have tea at the tea shop. (Last time I went to tea time was an awesome day marred by a kidney stone that night when Aaron was 3 months old. I realize full well that the tea didn't cause the stone, but it was an event that day that has marked that day in my mind.) Anyhow, we had a wonderful (and uneventful) tea time at Shakespeare's Tea Shoppe in San Diego. I think I found my new favorite tea there as well - a white coconut tea that has a taste of the tropics and only a slight amount (perfect for me) of caffeine. The little foods were delicious and a lot of fun as well. Aaron especially thought it was great since they were just his size. 

Aaron even wore his London shirt from Chryssi to mark the occasion

Barbershop boys

The boys have always loved going to the local military barber shop for their haircuts. And they have always done a way better job here than at any of the fancy kiddie haircut places. They actually cut hair here! There may not be fun cars to sit in, but the kids love it here. They get great haircuts and sit very nicely for the cut, 2 year old Aaron especially (this is about the only place he sits still). And it's cute, the ladies all fawn over him there and are pleased to greet Bear. Sadly, this was the last time we were at the barber before our move. Will be hard to find a place as good as this one in Raleigh. 

Baby Guitar hero

Aaron has been watching Jeff & Clark play some Guitar Hero a bit lately. This morning he needed to rock out too.

Let's go fly a kite!

Kyle and Emily spent a fun morning flying kites with Ian, Eric & AJ at Mission Bay. This was something we should have done more often in San Diego for sure with the plentiful green space and breeze to fly them on.