Santa Cruz Pics

Here are the pictures from our trip...we had such a great time with Brian, Emily & Violet!

Group picture at Eagles Landing (a great hike right in their backyard!)

Violet was a little nervous about standing on this little platform, but she persevered with her friends by her side!

Hiking is good for my heart! I always feel so happy when I get out in the forest!

When we weren't hiking, eating, or playing games, we were likely at a park playing!

Or playing in the neighborhood...

We also had a nice (quick) visit with Greg's brother Jeff and his wife Lisa and their daughter Rheanna (Travis was out). It was so fun seeing them, even just for a little while. Maren and Joel had thumb wars with Uncle Jeff.

Maren got sick one day and slept until after 10:00! We had to force her to get up and drink some gatorade...I think she got dehydrated from all the playing and stubbornly not eating or drinking much. She was fine after 32 oz of gatorade and a nap in the afternoon. :)

One afternoon we went to a Marine lab on the coast...it was a fun outing and we saw lots of cool things!

This touch tank was the best part...

Cute couple.

Three of the four mornings we were there, Brian and Greg had "dawn patrol". They had a great time surfing early in the morning - Greg had some of his best surfing days ever that week! (This is not them...we didn't join them on their early morning outings...)

This is still at the Marine Lab...there is a little path that goes along the cliffs with some beautiful views.

And some cool whale skeletons.

Another hike in the redwoods (also in their backyard)...

This climbing wall is at the camp...

Everyone had to try it out except for the mama's.

One night we made our own sushi rolls! It was so fun and yummy! (This pic is sideways, sorry)

Emily actually got to eat first this meal because she demonstrated how to do it and then was able to sit down and eat while we did ours! (She worked tirelessly to be a great hostess and make us wonderful meals!)

On Sunday afternoon the Nealons went to the beach...which was SO windy that we didn't stay long.

But somehow it was long enough to have sand in everything, and the kids wet up to their waists! Joel had a blast jumping in the waves and running all around!

This was on our last night there - we were all saying goodbye because we got up EARLY to start driving home in the morning. These three kids had a lot of fun together and are so darn cute in their jammies!

Thank you for a great week McCutchens!! We love you guys!