June in San Diego 2021 Part 1

We are having so much fun out here this Summer.  How has it been two weeks already?!? 

The primos are together 

Juliana (10), Elias (4), Jimena (9), Marcelo (7) and Paloma (5)

We have been busy every day.  Last year due to Covid, we hung out in the back yard almost the whole time ...but with all of the back yard construction (and the front yard being torn up as well) there was not really anywhere to sit outside. 

But maaaaaaaaan will it be worth the wait!  Here is the rendering of what the back yard will look like.

😱😱😱

After more than a YEAR with no kitchen, the cabinets were finally installed last week. The floors were done before we arrived and wow does it look awesome in here. The stone counters will be installed in the next few weeks!  So exciting!

The sliding doors were replaced with this sliding WALL of windows that slides open. This will give a full view of the pool and patio. What a difference big windows make. So yes, all the remodleing is going to be awesome, but with the yard torn up and workers in and out, we needed to get outside.  Of course in San Diego, the weather is so perfect everyday, that you MUST be outside everyday anyway. We have constantly been on the go. Our first beach day was at Del Mar.  Ernesto was golfing with his brother Tavo, so I took ALLLLLL the kids with me.  Granted, Andrea and George are 18 and 19, so I did have help with the younger ones.

These guys were jumping the waves, boogie boarding and digging in the sand for hours. I put my feet in the water, but it was cold and I could not muster up the "I want to get wet" feeling.  You know kids though, they have different sensors. They ran right in!

My cuñados Tavo and Erin had invited us to stay at their house over Memorial weekend and they live less than 10 minutes from this beach, so the cousins were picked up by Adriana and we my familia drove to Tavo's.

They live in a gated community in Del Mar and it has everything! Pools, playground, golf course, close neighbors, bike trail, pond complete with fish and turtles!  Ideal for families. We rode bikes around and there were hot air balloons.  That screams Summer right?!

We brought bread for the turtles....there were hundreds! 

At night we had dinner and enjoyed their outdoor space! 

Chin-chin for los hermanos with a little mezcal. 🤮

Maia is 16 and about to get her license! What?!  She has been riding horses forever and rides (and volunteers!) at a horse ranch a few minutes from their house.  Erin took Paloma and I on Sunday morning to watch her ride.  It was so cool! 

We walked around the ranch and pet the horses and gave them treats.

You see Marcelo is in the picture above?  Well he didn't come with us in the car.  We were sitting watching Maia and all of a sudden Marcelo pulls up on a bike. HOW did you get here?  How did you know HOW to  get here?  The day before we had hiked up a very steep dirt trail from their neighborhood up to the horse ranch.  He said he remembered the way and  "rode" the bike up the trail and then came down the street to the ranch?!? Of course the guys had no idea that he had even left the house! UGH! We couldn't believe he did that on his own...but yet I can.  He said a couple on the trail asked him if he was with his mom and he said  "No, Im riding to meet her at the horse ranch."  Ayyyyy Marcelo

We hung out at their pool everyday.  The kids jumped into the pool then hot tub. Repeat. Im glad they got so much quality time together.  

Sunday night ALL of the family came over for a cookout and once again all the primos played together. 

My nieces (Cariza and Andrea) and I went to get pedicures and Boba.  That was the first pedicure I had in a year and a half!😱 Boy did I need that!  Also Thai Tea Boba is THE BOMB! 

Cariza just finished up her spring semester at school so she is over all the time!  We switch around players, but you can be sure that four players are sitting around this table every night playing pegs and jokers.

On the other side of the room you might see this! 

The little loveseat pulls out to a bed.  This is where the boys sleep.  Paloma sleeps with her cousins in "the big house."  Ernesto and I sleep upstairs in the extra bedroom.

I love snapping lots of pics of the kids because they are changing so quickly!!

Look at my little supermodel! 

Waterfront Park has been on our list of places to go with the kids for many years.  There is usually running fountains where the kids can play in the water, but due to Covid were not turned on yet. The playground is still awesome and right in front of all the tall buildings downtown, so makes for a great afternoon with good views! 

Tio Jerry and his girlfriend Shelly were just about to close on a house before we left last Summer.  Well they have now settled in and we were excited to come over for a cookout/pool party! 

I am even more convinced now, that we definitely NEED a pool.  You would not believe how few times we actually had to parent. LOL. A pool keeps everyone happy!  The kids were in the water all day and were very happy.  That makes me happy.

We were at this table the whole day, playing pegs and jokers, talking and eating!

Jerry grilled up some delicious chicken and was the perfect [laid-back] host!!

I could not stop starting at the garden bed behind the table.  I mean LOOK AT THAT AGAVE cute couple 😍😍😍

At the beginning of this trip I vowed to NOT bring home my usual haul of succulents ....but but but there were baby agaves that needed a home.  Jerry said "Take 'em" and I promptly grabbed a shovel. 

 Ok, just a FEW plants!

It proved to be harder than I thought, (those roots are tough) so this professional gardener took over for me LOL 

Beach, pool. Pool, beach.  That is what Summers should be about right?

The closest beach a mis suegros is Coronado.  It's also one of my favorites, for a several reasons:

- I love crossing the Coronado Bridge

- The homes are AMAZING and walking around is so fun

- The beach is HUGE and never feels too crowded

- There are military planes that fly over it and I love the sound of loud fighter jets

- The Hotel del Coronado is iconic and just a beautiful backdrop (just look at it!)

We had all the kids....including Elias and the neighbor Jalyn, who is Mateo's best buddy.

Abuela y Tata came this time too. They wondered, "why don't we come to the beach more often?"

Look how relaxed Tata was. Nappy-nap. haha 

On Saturday night we left the kids with los abuelos and joined some friends in La Jolla for a dinner party.  Jeff actually started the Christmas Light Pros in San Diego and is the one who suggested that Ernesto start it up in Atlanta. (Back in 2004!) 

This was our first time meeting his girlfriend Sole.  She bought this house a year ago and she and Jeff live here together.  

It was jaw-dropping amazing! Notice their kitchen and back "yard" in the above pics and here the living room. Um hello entertainers dream!?!  

And their entertaining skillz match the house.  They cooked a delicious selection of meats, a braised meat-stuffed pasta, and a beautiful salad.  They did everything possible to ensure that their guests were having a great time.

After dinner and several glasses of vino, Sole led Erin and me up to her “costume closet” which was jam packed with fun outfits, dresses, boots etc.  "Pick anything" she said with her cute Italian accent.

I was immediately drawn to a long green sequin dress and pulled it out…"yes! put that one on!" she said...to which I quickly said “my a$$ will not fit in this."

  “Oh of course it will, it has stretch.” she said

And boy did I stretch it! Haha  

I have to say it was a pretty hot dress, amiright? We showed off our new outfits to onlookers and then descended another flight of stairs to the basement nightclub.

No, seriously.  DJ booth, black lights, fog machine. There were only 12 of us, but man it was a great party! 

Needless to say the night was a blast and we did not make it home!  I woke up with a slight headache, but windows with an ocean view, so that eased the pain. LOL

Tavo and Ernesto took all the kids to a Padres game that next day and the house was so quiet. I went back to bed and slept until 1pm! Well I Never!!

They ate pizza at BASIC.  It's been around a long time and has such a cool vibe. 

Another week of fun here....so of course, TO BE CONTINUED........