(This post is dedicated to my friend who reminded me that we live close to the ocean and we should visit it more, and to my other friend who told me that I had enough caffeine in me to write tonight and knew before I even started writing that it would be good. She’s my believer.)
Today I took my kids to the coast.
We’re not on spring break. We’re just running on zero patience and 100% irritability with each other. We decided to leave the house so that we could like each other again!
We drove in the old familiar pick-up truck, even though it gets cramped with us and our stuff (because you do need a bag full of snacks and another one full of sweatshirts, beach towels, and a blanket when you head to the beach). We stopped at our old familiar mid-way point (Casa de Fruta) where we encountered a bunch of peacocks and one very interesting man who warned us about the peacocks and then proceeded to tell us the strangest “facts” about himself and his family until we carefully edged ourselves away from him. (I’m really good at being polite with interesting people, but this guy was pushing it with me, so much so that I was talking out of the corner of my mouth to my kids, telling them to get up and walk away!)
Our drive took close to a couple hours and we listened to a bunch of music (no electronics, for reals!) and we made observations about the currently amazing green earth and quoted a lot of dumb stuff that we’ve heard from the ridiculous YouTube videos and vines they watch. As we drove, it struck me that we are in this really cool stage of life: the stage where the memories they make are strong and they actually contribute more to those memories. Their personalities are emerging in a more “out loud” sort of way and they see things differently than the last time we took this drive (a few years ago). It can be really enjoyable to hang out with them! (I say, “can be” because it isn’t always enjoyable...)
When we hit Highway 1, we opted to go to our familiar beach: Sunset Beach. As we approached the campground, we rolled down our windows to smell the evergreeny, eucalyptus, ocean smell that evokes precious memories every time we smell it. (If someone can capture that scent in a candle or oil blend, I’d super appreciate it!) As we drove past the campground towards the main beach, I told the kids stories about camping with my dad and about how my husband (we missed you today, Scott!) asked me to marry him while at the lookout years ago. We found our old favorite camping spot and the climbable trees and then proceeded to drive (not walk the 700 steps) down to the beach. (Ok. It just feels like 700 steps, especially when you’re climbing back up, covered in sand!)
We climbed over the small dune and onto the wide expanse of beach where, on a clear day (which we had today!!) you can see both Santa Cruz and Moss Landing. There were only about 5 people on the beach as we walked to the water’s edge. I could have spent the entire day there, because it is so beautiful. I have met God numerous times where the waves roar and the water meets the sand. And I love to see my kids on the beach where I “grew up.” (Yes, this usually foggy, cold, wet campground and beach still feels like home to me, even though you had to pay to take a terrible shower and a fire was constantly lit to ward off the cold and wind and some years we dealt with skunks and other years we dealt with the farmers working in the fields next to us WAY too early in the morning. It is still home because of the memories of amazing food, card games, seashells and sand everywhere, early morning walks on the beach, lifetime friendships, and an old hard-sided Apache tent trailer that my dad would crank up every year for us to “live” in). After the kids romped around a bit, we re-created an old photo of them, wiped the sand off of their feet (which is a whole lot easier with them at this age!) and drove back up the hill.
(If you’re wondering why I’m describing so much about this Sunset place, it’s because so many people I know have been there and I’m certain they can see, smell, and feel every part of what I’m writing!)
We ended up at our favorite bagel shop, then on to the Santa Cruz Wharf where we checked out every restaurant before ending up at Woodies, looking out over the ocean, watching the surfers by the lighthouse (anyone know what that point is called?) We then headed back down to visit friends who were camping at New Brighton, totally crashing their beach party. (Well, actually, they were all a Ripon folks so we just blended in like we belonged!) After the rain started to fall, we packed it in and headed to Target to buy a pair of dry pants for the kid who managed to get his jeans soaked up to his thighs. We grabbed caffeine, and then we went home again, home again, jiggity jog. (That’s a Dad quote. It was necessary to quote him somewhere in this post).
We didn’t do math or language arts today.
But we did music and memories and relationships and food.
And those might be the 4 most important subjects we ever study.
KC
