California: Part I

We are in California! I guess this could be considered our first real family vacation. For those who may not know, Branyon is attending an astronomy conference and Branna and I were able to tag along.

We left early Wednesday morning and got to our hotel outside of Pasadena just after lunch, Calfornia time. Branna did good on the flight, but she wasn't quite as impressed with flying as I thought she would be. I guess she's still at the age where she doesn't fully comprehend what's going. It seemed like she thought we were just in a car.

Branna on the Plane Before Take Off

Leaving Texas in near 100 degree weather and going to visit Southern California, touted for it's warm, sunny weather, I didn't think it was necessary to check the weather. I realized as we left the airport, that that was a mistake. The temperature hasn't gotten much over 70 degrees and has been rainy! We have still been having a wonderful time, even though we're the only ones without jackets and pants. :) (We only packed summer-type clothes...woops!)

On our first full day, we visited several places. The first was the Griffith Observatory where we were also able to see the Hollywood sign. The observatory wasn't open when we got there, so we weren't able to go in. We would like to go back at some point before leaving to at least see a planetarium program.

Hollywood!

The Griffith Observatory

Pointing Out Jupiter

Our next venue was to travel part of the Pacific Coast Highway. We started in Malibu and ended at the Channel Islands National Park in Ventura. Our first stop was just outside Malibu at the Leo Carillo State Beach. Branna had her first ocean encounter there. On top of being cool outside for June, being in the Pacific Ocean, the water was quite cold. The temperature was a shock at first, but after a while, Branna had a blast playing in it. We found lots of hermit crabs and even a sea urchin!

Branna's First Steps on the Beach Looking at the Ocean
Drying Off After Being Knocked Over by a Wave :) She Found a Hermit Crab!

Examining the Sea Urchin

Our next stop on the Highway, was at Channel Islands National Park. While we weren't able to visit any of the islands, we could see them in the distance. After visiting the Visitor Center, we took Branna to a near-by beach for one last swim.

Riding a Seal at the Visitor Center

Playing in the Water, Again