Our California Adventure

So a few months ago, Jason and I decided that we needed to go to California to visit our dear friends and family.  We knew that with a baby in tow, and the prospect of skiing, that the luggage would be massive, and therefore costly and a pain.  Jason threw out the idea of driving, and initially I laughed.  Us, a one year old, and 30 hours of driving to get to all our destinations?  HA---laughable right??!  Well, we did it, and I am so glad we did!  Last week we arrived home from our two week vacation driving through Oregon, California, and Nevada.  We stayed in five locations over the course of our trip and enjoy every single stop.  Emmalee did amazing....a true traveler.  She slept through each night, napped each day, and did not throw one fit in the car!  In fact, she did better than her mother!  With a total of 2200 miles of traveling, we covered a lot of ground and made a lot of memories!  Most special were our days with the ones we love and we feel so fortunate that we got the chance to spend quality time with some of our favorite people!  We started by visiting and staying with Uncle John and the Piekarski clan in Pleasanton.  Emmalee loved spending time and meeting her extended family, she especially loved her cousin David!  His baby picture was up in the house and while she enjoyed the grown up David, the baby David was her best friend during our stay in Pleasanton.  I had the great fortune of visiting my dearest friend in San Fran!  I FINALLY got to see and stay at the Backus Casa, and wow was it beautiful! More than the accommodations was the quality time I got to spend with my lovely Brie and her hubby Mass.  A day of shopping and a night out was just what I needed!  Jason and Emmalee were able to meet us for some afternoon sightseeing and lunch, not too mention some pics in our new t's...."WE DO LOVE SAN FRAN!!!"

Then we were off to Mammoth to visit some other special special friends, and to meet one very new special little friend, AVA!  Matt and Noelle graciously invited us to their mountain house for a wonderful relaxing four day vacation.  We hiked, we ate good food, drank good wine, had some wonderful walks, and of course the boys got a day of skiing in while Noelle, Ava, Emmalee and myself spent some quality girl time together.  We always enjoy our time with the Burnetts, but this year our visit was extra special because we were able to spend time with and meet their little angel Ava.  She is precious, and Emma is so happy to have a California best friend and pen pal!!

Finally we finished our trip in our version of heaven!  Two night in Lake Tahoe with our baby girl was truly amazing!  We hiked to the beach, shopped in town, went to our favorite pub with Emmalee (thank you CA/NV laws!!!)  and had some amazing family time full of super special memories!  We really valued every minute of our trip, from the rigged up hotel rooms for Emma's sleeping arenas, to our rest stop play sessions, every little moment and every mile held something truly adventurous for the Rowleys first official road trip! 

Here are a few....OK-A LOT!!!! Of our favorite moments!

Lunch in San Fran--Loving the new shirt!

Group Pic in front of the Bay Bridge

Thanks B and Mass for the tourist gear!  Umm....is Emmalee saying San Fran is #1?

Cheers at Leopolds

The Lyons Steps....see all the other people working out!

Awwwww....friend pic!

Still loving San Fran

Emmalee and her Auntie B

Relaxing at Convict Lake

Riding a Sycamore tree branch!!  What is more fun than that?

Can you say California girl?

Emmalee and Uncle John!

Driving to Mammoth

The Burnetts at Convict Lake

The boys and their girls!

Convict Lake

Car ride entertainment

Rest stop fun!

Lunch on the tail gate....a road trip staple.

Shopping in Tahoe

Playing in the sand at Lake Tahoe

Hiking in Tahoe

Lake Tahoe Pic

Emma on the Bart in San Fran

Mammoth

Napping on the golf course in Mammoth

Ski day for Jason in Mammoth

Must be a good day!

Another thumbs up?!?

Walking around the village in Tahoe

Officially a rock climber!

Check our her new back pack!

Taking a break at our favorite pub!

Jason at the "Jelly Donut" in Grants Pass....went there every California trip as a kid!