Livin' La Vida So Cal

With the weather as rainy and gloomy as its been around here for nearly the past week its hard to remember back just a few weekends ago when we had record-breaking (literally!) heat here in Orange County.

I love this cozy, soccer practice canceling, sweater and scarf wearing, soup for dinner prepping weather. It really helps to slow us down and gives us a break from the normal routine. Usually we are crazy busy after school with getting someone to somewhere for something. But thanks to the rain yesterday (and the days before), with the kids all caught up on their homework, I took them to a late afternoon showing of Toy Story 3 at the dollar movies.  I LOVED this movie, it was so well written and had so many great characters and many excellent themes about life - the kids and I were still talking about it on the way to school this morning. (Mostly about how Big Baby, who creeped Harriet out, was like most bullies, made to be the way it was, had some serious abandonment issues, was really just a big baby who wanted to go home to its mommy) And Ken alone was worth the price of admission - including the $1 extra we had to pay for the 3D glasses.

But even though there is a brisk rain falling outside of my window even as I type this, the forecast is for clearing this afternoon, with the warm up starting as soon as tomorrow, reaching the the high 70s by the weekend, just in time for our soccer games and our school carnival.  And I've no doubt that by Halloween next weekend we will be sweating in the warm weather as we run around in our costumes at the ward trunk or treat activity.

But a few weeks ago, in the midst of the warmest weather we have easily seen all year, we had the chance to attend the birthday party of some twin friends of my twins, and have a quintessential So Cal living experience.

We were invited down to the twins' birthday party held at their grandparent's home in San Clemente.  They have a beautiful home in a gated community that was right on the coast, up on a hill overlooking the beach and the ocean, as well as the coastal Amtrak train tracks, the San Clemente pier and coastline.
We enjoyed some playtime at the beach and then a nice party on the back patio of the home watching the kids have a great time while watching the sun go down over the Pacific.  It was so relaxing that by the time we left that evening after dark, I felt like I'd been on a mini-vacation.

 I love where we live and the access we have to so many great southern California enhancements - and this was fun to spend an afternoon seeing the view that some of the really lucky so cal residents get to experience every day.

party house view from the beach 

kids playing in the sand and water 

My boys didn't pose for this photo - I just happened to catch them 

sitting together at the water's edge. Jed was totally cracking me up with his Buddha pose.

 I honestly don't know where he comes up with some of this stuff.

up the wooden stairs from the beach to shower off before pizza, cake and presents

Harriet with the birthday twins - (directly left with thumb up and right in sunglasses)

Harriet - San Clemente pier in the faint background

the kids used this giant slingshot to catapult water balloons at their friends down on the beach-

they kept waiting for the train to pass by below for a better target 

helping out at cake time 

view of party from the upper balcony

Jed on the upper balcony as the sun starts to set 

Jack looking north towards Dana Point

paddle boarder and surf boarder heading for home

beautiful sunset over Catalina and the Pacific ocean