Easter Morning!

The Easter Bunny showed up at our house!

I gave up coffee for lent this year.  It was quite a challenge for me.  This is a picture of my first cup of coffee in 40 days!!  It tasted SO GOOD!

Easter Sunday Service

Our church, Riverlakes Community Church, rents out the outdoor Amphitheatre down by the river.  Easter Sunday was truly a beautiful day to worship our Lord and Savior!

It was a great day for worship!

Cambria

I grabbed the kids Saturday mid day and headed to Cambria Beach.  We all agree with love the coast!

Briggor's toes in the sand!!

Megan made a heart trail as we walked down the beach!

Megan's loving devotion to Justin Bieber! LOL

Sunset over Moonstone Beach

Mark took the family to dinner at our favorite spot - Moonstone Beach Bar and Grill.  We were disappointed to find out that our favorite waiter no longer works there.  Then, I had my heart set on their Halibut dinner and Mark was looking forward to the blackened ribeye steak which we found out after we got our menus that they no longer serve it!! :(  So, dinner wasn't exactly the way we wanted it but the company was great!

After dinner we took a stroll around the boardwalk and watched the sun set.  Seeing our kids growing up before us makes us realize that time does fly so fast.

Mark and I were both missing our oldest ones.  It seems the pictures just aren't complete!

The end of a great, fantastic, amazing California day!!

Elephant Seals in San Simeon

After a quick stop at the local coffee shop for some hot chocolate we took a ride up the coast.

Several times a year we head north a few miles from Cambria to check on the Elephant Seals.  They are quite amazing to see!  The beach was fairly empty this time of year but the picture does show some of the seals.  We have actually seen the beach completely covered by seals and not a inch of sand showing.

Kayaking on Morro Bay

While in Morro Bay, the kids and I got to do "A-FIRST" - kayak the bay!  The wind was picking up by the time we got into the kayak.  That made for an interesting trip.

My kayak had Jade and Briggor.  Megan and Tasha had the other one.

I have to admit, I wasn't paying much attention to the guy explaining the do's and don't's of the channel.  I was more worried about what I was going to do if something happened while out on the water.  It's a mother thing!  Mark was going to be too far away to help me!

Life of a mom!

So, off Jade, Briggor and I into the channel, against the wind and tide, going no where!! LOL

I was suppose to head straight across to the other side near the sand bar.

I wasn't listening until I heard Mark yelling at me from the pier!  LOL

I was trying to keep Briggor seated and trying to teach Jade how to paddle as a team!

When I finally got things under control and I heard Mark, I realized I better move it to

the other side of the bay!

We thought that only 2 people were allowed in the kayak at a time but found out differently when we asked.  We were having an issue with Bud not wanting to go with Jade in a kayak.  He refused and Jade was upset thinking she was not going to be able to go.  So we found out that I could take Jade and Briggor in my kayak.  So the picture of Bud with the sad look is what happened when he was left out of our little adventure.  We are not sure why he would do such a thing but it worked itself out!

We paddled out to the Morro Rock and Jade says to me "I'm tired!"  I turned around and went "Oh My!  I've got to get us back! LOL  We had a sea lion come pretty close to our kayak as we were out

on the water.  Briggor was loving it!  

Coming back to the pier was easier because the wind and the current were helping!

We were able to kayak pretty close to the floating piece of pier that was keeping the sea lions resting on the water.  We were told not to get too close to them.  But Tasha thought it would be funny to get as close as possible to them.  Megan was screaming for her to stop.  I was in the other kayak yelling at Tasha to stop.  Tasha pushed it too far and Megan just started crying.  She was so scared.  Not a nice thing to do.  Tasha thought it was funny.

Megan did most of the paddling to get back to shore.  Tasha just got mad at her for crying and decided not to help her.  UGH! Teenagers!  Mark handled that from shore.  The current and wind were too strong for Megan to do it herself and she kept running into the other boats trying to get her kayak back! LOL  

Finally, Mark yelled at Tasha to help and they got back safely!

Even though we had a few minor teenager moments, the time spent on the bay was wonderful!

Another Mendenhall memory made!!

Otter Rock Cafe - Morro Bay

We ran away the last part of Spring Break to the Central Coast with the kids.

On Friday, we spent the morning in Morro Bay.  I actually got Mark

away from the shop for a few days.  I was truly happy to see

that we was enjoying himself, smiling, laughing with the kids and

not on his cell phone dealing with stuff back at

the shop.  Much needed break for him.

We ate brunch at the Otter Rock Cafe.  One of our favorite places and as you can see the weather was gorgeous!