California!!

A few months ago, my brother offered Mitch and I tickets to an Angel's game in California, if we'd take his two boys Dillon and Payton. Of course we wanted to go, so that's what we did this last weekend. Our trip was pretty short, but lots of fun. We picked up my nephews and started out on our vacation Friday morning. About 2 hours into it, we decided to stop at Stateline and grab lunch.... when we got a lovely surprise. Right as we pulled off the exit, the younger of my two nephews, Payton (5) got car sick in the car! Thank goodness we were already off the highway. So for about 20 minutes I tried to clean up Payton and the car without getting sick myself. Finally when that ordeal was done, we ate some lunch and headed out on the road. After we checked into our hotel in Santa Ana, we drove around in search for a place to eat dinner. We decided to stop at a restuarant called Maggiano's Little Italy. So we walk in and immediately wondered if it was such a good idea...... everyone was dressed in suits and dresses and it looked SUPER fancy for us! Anyways, it was a little more expensive than we were planning on, but it ended up being amazingly good food. I definately want to go back there one day. Anyways, after dinner, we headed off to the baseball game! Mitch missed our turn on the highway... and then we got stuck in traffic for 40 minutes... but finally he asked for directions and we got to the game right after the first inning. We missed a few homeruns, but that's okay. The boys had been saving up money to buy hats and little bats, so we got those before we went and found our seats. Our tickets were for the 13th row and just passed the 3rd base line..... in other words, they were really good seats! The boys also got Angels' baseballs and Dillon bought a Rally Monkey. The Angels were playing the Padres and of course they won! It was so much fun!

Dillon and Payton at the game

The view from our seats

Me and Payton

Payton with his hat and bat

Isn't he so cute?

Dillon, me and Payton

The boys

Payton and Mitch watching the fireworks

Angels Win!!!!

Me and Mitch

After the game, they turned off the lights in the stadium and had an amazing fireworks show for like 10 minutes!

The next day, we woke up and went to Newport Beach and Balboa Island Park. It was overcast, of course (refer to the previous blog about being forever white). It was so much fun though and the boys loved it!!

The boys posing by a painting on a wall

Pretending to pet a dolphin...

This painting was amazing and it went all the way around a building at Balboa Park

At Balboa Park... aren't they cuties?!!

By the water at Balboa Park

Walking down Balboa Blvd.

Picking up shells at Newport Beach

Mitch, Payton and Dillon in the ocean

They loved running in and out of the water

Running some more...

Dillon running...

Did I mention the running?

Mitch getting sucked into a wave...

Me and Mitch... notice that Mitch is all red from jumping in the FREEZING cold water

Running from the huge waves

Dillon (7) did a good job taking a picture of us!

A pier...

Dillon, Payton, and me riding the ferris wheel at Balboa Park

Dillon sleeping on the way home...

Can you tell that they were both exhausted?! We weren't even in California for 24 hours, but our trip was still super fun and we can't wait to go back again!