Road Trip to Our Mini Pismo Beach Vacation

In April I started a new job, which means that this summer we had to do mini vacations versus full blown vacations. Our trip to Calgary was just five days (including travel on the fourth of July). And we took another long four day weekend right before the kids started school.

Well planned a long weekend mini vacation can be wonderful. The key is to keep travel at a minimum ... no more than four hours door to door. Calgary was a two hour flight away, and Banff a short ninety minute drive from Calgary. Pismo Beach located near San Luis Obispo (SLO) is three to four hours from San Jose (depends on whether you take scenic route 1 or boring 101).

We've spent enough time in SLO, either passing through or stay for a day to have a favorite destination restaurant in mind, the Big Sky Cafe, and we had booked a hotel for three nights. Otherwise, we were completely unplanned.

This time around we chose to do the scenic route there. An opportunity to detox a bit if you like roadtrips. And Jonathan and I like roadtrips. Route 1 has a lot of awesome sites along the way, from the Bixby Creek Bridge to Hearst Castle and ... of course elephant seals.

Stopping by the elephant seal rookery is a must when traveling on Route 1. I think I've been telling Jonathan about my Sophomore biology trip to see the elephant seals at Año Nuevo since we first met, but I didn't know that just 45 minutes north of Pismo was an overlook where you can watch these amazingly large sea creatures and their pups basking in the sun from a safe distance.

When we were driving we spotted a crowd of people looking over a lookout onto a beach with massive grey things and decided to pull over. And there was Piedras Bancas State Park. It was the highlight of the days festivities.

When we got to Pismo Beach the boys hit the hotel pool, which was heated. This was a good thing since it was about 60 degrees and foggy. But the disadvantage of road trips is the need to run the kids afterward. Cooped up for four hours in car is long time for a five and seven year old.

They happily swam, and they weren't alone in the pool. Jonathan took out a wonderful pasta dinner in from Guiseppe's Fine Italian Restaurant, and we watched the closing ceremonies for the Olympics.
 

Our First Rodeo - At the Calgary Stampede

When we were booking our Calgary/Banff vacation we noticed that all of the hotels in downtown Calgary were either booked or very expensive. Turns out we planned our trip during the Calgary Stampede, an annual ten-day rodeo, exhibition and festival. It was also the Centennial Celebration for one of the world's largest rodeos.

While going to a rodeo has never been on my bucket list, when in Calgary during the Stampede,  you should do like the Calgarians (is that even a word).

70s television was chopped full of rodeo action, so Jonathan and I had a very good idea what to expect. Although we were at a loss on which events we were going to see ... rodeos have events?  The boys were a bit in the dark, since so much of kids programming today does not include rodeos, due mainly to animal rights concerns.

I should point out that on the animal rights front, the Calgary Stampede does a great job at putting the safety of the animals first. The organizers work very closely with the Canadian SPCA to ensure all of the animals are treated humanely. In fact on our rodeo day one cowboy was disqualified for unnecessary roughness when tying a calf. And the announcer kept assuring the crowd that the interest of the animal comes first.

The Calgary Stampede is much more than a rodeo... Though the rodeo was a lot of fun. We bought tickets to the rodeo which gave us admission to the fair-like festival and all of the animal exhibits. When we arrived we went to the Saddledome where the Calgary flames play and watched the miniature pony races. The boys enjoyed it (the little horses are so cute!) Then we headed to see the Budweiser Clydesdales. Amazing beautiful and massive horses. We also watched a performance on the Saddledome steps.

One great thing about the festival is that there were tons of free activities for the boys -- shows, exhibits and games.

When it was time for the rodeo we lined up and went inside. Jonathan had enough foresight to get us seats in the shade. Although we were miles from the action. Still on the hot afternoon, we enjoyed the breeze and felt sorry for those folks wilting in the sun.

I had my big lens with me, so I was able to get some pretty good pictures though. The boys liked it mostly, although they did get a bit bored.  We left after the bull riding, but before the kids pony rangling (even though the boys friend from the hotel pool was competing in that event).

It was a wonderful afternoon, and a great experience. Although rodeos still aren't my thing, and I thought the boys would love it more, it really was worth visit. Especially if you happen to be in Calgary during the Stampede.

Glorious Banff

It has been coming on slowly for awhile now. The boys at 7 and almost 6 increasingly like and are capable of doing things that Jonathan and I like to do. For example, only in the past week the boys started bicycling without training wheels opening up new possibilities for longer bike rides and trail riding.

And this is also true for long hikes. In Banff we got to put this into practice.

Banff is not too far from California. The flight to Calgary is only two hours, and the drive to Banff is only 90 minutes. We left on a 2 pm flight, and were in Banff in time for dinner ... pretty cool. What's more when we were thinking of summer Holidays, only two locations met our airfare price point - Calgary and Beliz. Everything else was terribly expensive.

Banff had been on our list for awhile, and after making the trip I don't know what kept us away. It is one of the most beautiful places that I have been to in the world. The vast snow capped Canadian Rockies and amazingly pristine park with blue skies (we were blessed with great weather) are spectacular.

On our first morning there, after a pancake breakfast at Melissa's Missteak Restaurant, we headed to Lake Louise for a hike. We hiked from Lake Louise to Lake Agnes and the Lake Agnes Tea House. Now this is a 4.5 mile loop (half up a mountain). Even a year ago, we wouldn't have considered this hike with the boys. But now well hydrated and well fed we ventured up the mountain.

At the Lake Agnes Tea House we ate sandwiches, the boys drank hot chocolate and we had tea. It was amazing. By the way I recommend hot tea after a long climb ... so very civilized.

We only had one snag. We chose to go down a different way, and ended up climbing down a very steep incline lined with loose shale. I've always been pretty good at navigating inclines, so I ended up catching Xander and Caleb, and even helping some fellow hikers get through it.

The boys did great. Although they didn't want to go hiking the following day (so we called the next day's hikes "nature walks" and they didn't complain at all). Afterward we rode the Banff Gondola. It was expensive, but worth it.

The boys loved the ride up (and ride down). We walked the boardwalk to the weather station and back. We even got to see some mountain goats. On the ride down we saw some Elk in the woods too.

That night we ate at Coyotes Southwestern Grill in Banff ... another kid friendly restaurant that reaffirmed Banff as a family spot.

The next morning we ate at Melissa's again (the breakfast was that good), and traveled Icefields Parkway. Since we were heading to Calgary that afternoon for the Stampede, we could only make it as far as Peyto Lake before turning back, and now Jasper is on our list of things to do.

Even though we were only taking nature walks that day, we managed to hike about 3 miles ... near Peyto Lake and Crawfoot Glacier. On day two the boys were leading the hikes with enthusiasm.

We had an exceptional time in Banff and then it was off to Calgary.  But the Canadian Rockies are now on our short list of places in which we plan to return.

Ode to WestJet

There are moments in my life that I would like to take back. To relive with full hindsight. Just moments ... moments when I make stupid little decisions or don't pay attention to details... happen to turn down the wrong street, or forget something really important. The fourth of July we had one such moment.

Before I travel anywhere I always have a reoccurring nightmare. I dream that my airplane is leaving in an hour, and I'm still in my pajamas, and I haven't packed yet. Shear panic. In this nightmare, everything goes in super slow motion, except time.

Our trip to Calgary went down like a real life nightmare. It was the vacation that almost wasn't, due to one stupid error.

Jonathan and I recently renewed our passports. As part of the renewal we got the fancy new passport cards which can be used when traveling in Canada, the Bahamas, Mexico and the like. How convenient? We failed to read the fine print ... by land or sea -- not air!

When traveling by air into Canada you need a good old fashioned passport... ugh! And when did we figure this out? At the check in counter two hours before our flight. In fact I flashed back to a moment earlier that day when I looked at Jonathan and my passports sitting on the desk, and thought... maybe, just maybe I should pack these.

But no such luck. The accommodating WestJet staff took pity on us and extended the check in cutoff time by fifteen minutes, from 1 pm to 1:15 pm. ... if Jonathan could make it back  from San Jose with the passports by 1:15 pm (our flight was at 2 pm), they would get us and our bags on the flight.

That was a big if.  Now to put it into context, even on a Holiday, it usually takes 45 to 50 minutes to get to San Jose. Realistically we were looking at Jonathan arriving back at the airport at 1:30 pm. To complicate matters, our house keys were with the valet in long term parking. Jonathan not only had to get our passports in no time flat, but he also had to figure out how to break into our house.

To add more drama to an already tense situation, WestJet has only has one flight a day to Calgary, our vacation was very short, and one day lost would have put a damper on the entire Holiday. 

Jonathan sprinted for a cab.

I sat with the boys within eye and earshot of the WestJet counter.  I would get periodic updates from Jonathan, and relay it to the West Jet staff, while the minutes counted down on the clock.

First off, the cabby pulled off a miracle, traveling at 80 miles an hour the whole way. And Jonathan figured out how to get in the house, without breaking a window -- and the house was far more secure because of it.

At the 1:15 pm deadline Jonathan alerted me that he was pulling into the airport, and just needed to pay the cabby. I told the WestJet staff, who started checking in the boys (we had their passports), and our luggage so the porter could run it to the airplane. 

Once we were checked in, the attendant escorted us through security at a run, and ensured that we made it safely on the airplane.

We just got back from an amazing four day trip to Calgary and Banff --thanks to the amazing efforts of of a cabby, and the understanding staff at WestJet. In contrast to some of our recent bad, family-unfriendly air travel experiences, this level of customer service was truly exceptional. It was our first time on WestJet, and definitely not our last.

Disappointed Seven Year Old

On arriving at Splash Camp on Monday, Xander, my oldest, found out that he was being moved from the intermediate swim class to the beginner class. To add insult to injury, Caleb, my youngest, was advanced from beginner to intermediate.

While I can't shield my boys from disappointment and set backs -- nor should I -- it was a major bummer, which put a damper on the week. Xander was in full analysis mode trying to explain what happened, "maybe it was my backstroke," and "I don't tread water as well as I should." Caleb wasn't helping, "backstrokes and treading water are so easy."

Of course I spent the week fretting a decision we've made. Xander may have very mild cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia) -- we don't know for sure. It sounds worse than it is. If he has it, it is very mild. So, mild when you first meet him you might not even notice. It affects his eyes (intermittent strabismus), his hands (poor fine motor skills) and his legs -- mostly his legs. He has a funny gait (he walks on his toes and his feet and knees turn in slightly). Because of this he has trouble running, balancing and descending stairs.

Last year we took him to see a pediatric neurologist, and she determined that he does have paralysis in his left leg, and stiffness in his right leg. She scheduled an MRI. While we made it to the appointment, we didn't go through with the MRI; Xander was too scared (a combination of the confined space and loud noises). The technician suggested that we ask his doctor to sedate him. After talking with his doctor we decided the risk of sedation outweighed the benefit -- a diagnosis.

If he has undiagnosed CP, as I said, it is really mild. But everyone who knows Xander sees that there are things he struggles with, we just don't have an official label yet. Of course, I head into a tailspin of self doubt when he gets perfect marks on his report card except for two Ns (needs improvement) in gross and fine motor skills. Or when I overhear a parent struggling to answer the question from Xander's friend like, "Why can't Xander run well?" I wonder what is said to Xander when I'm not around to hear.

In some ways a diagnosis would be a relief. Without a label people can be insensitive (misinterpreting his challenges as not trying) -- moving him to beginning swimmer for example. But in other ways a diagnosis scares the heck out of me.  With a label people could be overly sensitive... would they keep him in intermediate even though he is clearly falling behind because there would be different standards for Xander? Or would they suggest special accommodations, exclude him from a program because he has difficulty keeping up even though we know he can do the work?

Of course Xander is taking it all in stride. Just today he said that he likes being in beginner, that he needs to work on some skills, and if he works hard he'll pass the swimming test.

We spent the week learning about disappointment and how it is a part of life, and that we all have different gifts, interests and personal challenges. Xander is learning to play piano, likes Cub Scouts, Karate, games, reading, math and science, is on the Honor Roll and still loves swimming.  Caleb may be a gifted athlete, may pick-up things quicker and may always be better at sports than Xander. Xander shouldn't compare himself to Caleb. I think Xander gets that. But disappointment still stings.

Chef Xander's Cooking Birthday Party

A few years ago Cucina Bambini opened up near our house in Willow Glen.  It is a hands-on cooking school for kids. We'd driven by, and we've always been curious. And to our pleasant surprise it also does birthday parties. Picture 14 kids making their own pizzas, and decorating their cupcakes in a kitchen that you don't have to clean-up afterward... Awesome.

Now, last year's Aloha Scooby Doo Mystery Birthday Party was fantastic. It also set the bar for kid's birthday parties in our neighborhood, and  caused a sizable decrease in the number of home-hosted birthday parties this year. It was fun, but it was also a lot of work. Who can keep up?  Certainly not us. And truthfully, this year we wanted the party to be easier, shorter and elsewhere.

Cue Cucina Bambini - two hours of educational cooking fun. It was also a perfect party for Xander who loves crafts and creative endeavors. He is my shadow every Sunday, helping to cook our weekly pancake (or waffle) brunch.

In preparation for the cooking party the boys and I made chef's hats (purchased a box of paper Chef's hats) for all of the kids attending. I created a "pizza restaurant" like typeface in PowerPoint, printed out each child's name in the typeface, and bought 8,000 stars to decorate the hats. You'd think that I would still have a lot of stars leftover, but our neighbor (who also attended the party) helped decorate and he created an elaborate red piranha with stars on his hat... but that is another story. I was also able to buy The Everything Kids Cookbook on Amazon as party favors for under $5, and because of a special that week it was buy three get the fourth one free.

So, I was set-up on the party favor front and Cucina Bambini handled the rest. Our party started at 11 am. The kids washed their hands and put on aprons before they started to make dough from scratch. They got to measure the flour, water, oil, salt ... They made the sauce from scratch and Xander even got to operate the pan and spatula and cook the sauce. Then the kids rolled the dough, and put toppings on their pizza.

While the pizzas cooked in the oven, the kids decorated their cupcakes with frosting and candy. By the time they were finished decorating the pizzas were ready. I was amazed at how well behaved fourteen kids at a long restaurant table were ... but when they are invested in the meal, they are less likely to whine and climb under the table.

Then we sang the birthday song, and they got to eat their cupcakes. Xander loved it, and I think most of the kids did too. Now, what should we do for Caleb's sixth birthday? I'm thinking a Sharks Super Soaker party at home ...

Roadtrip: Through the Redwoods

Jonathan and I love a good roadtrip. We like exploring the sites along the main road, or turning off, and seeing what we can find. Sometimes it doesn't work out, you find yourself surrounded by strip malls and track homes. Other times you can uncover hidden gems like magnificent hikes and cute little hamlets.

Route 128 heading in and out of Mendocino is an excellent roadtripping road. The Navarro River Redwoods State Park runs along the route, offering magical clover filled paths to explore and giant Redwoods. Perfect for two little boys who started in with "are we there yet?" and "how many more hours" just a few minutes into our four hour drive.

The eleven mile stretch of park is right off the road, perfect for a quick detour, and there are plenty of places to pull over -- you really can't go wrong. We spent a half an hour, stretching our legs, climbing a redwood log and exploring the trails lined with clover. 

We missed it on the way in due to torrential rains, but on the way it out it was a pleasant way to break up our trip.