Back from NorCal

We had a fabulous vacation!! It was long enough that we got the rest we needed, had a ton of fun, enjoyed family and time alone, etc. But it was also long enough that by the end of it, we were happy to come home. We stayed four nights with Matt's mom and stepdad, and then spent three nights in Lake Tahoe by ourselves, and one night in San Francisco before we flew home. Adventure #1 for the summer was definitely a hit! I posted a good pile of photos on Facebook, but for those of you who don't FB, here are the highlights:


A relaxing stay with Rich and California Mommy!! (The sign says "Grandparents' house")


CA Mommy in her bright, shiny new kitchen.


The most comfortable bed in the universe!



Matt and Sarah and Rich



Our morning walks passed by some of the most beautiful scenery...





We spent Mother's Day with Matt's dad and stepmom Lois and had a riot playing games!



We always learn a fun new game at the Gouveia's! (This one was called "Manipulation.")

Matt and Lois

Our new back yard that we just had landscaped. Isn't it beautiful?! Okay, I wish it was our yard!

We hiked the Coyote Peak trail at Bothe State Park...




We ate sandwiches from our favorite place, Guigni's (say "JOO-neez")...




Then we headed to Lake Tahoe and stayed at one of our timeshare properties. This shot is dedicated to my friend's son, Adam, who used to smile like this for EVERY picture!




We were a quarter mile from Nevada Beach...can there be ANY better combination, mountains AND beach???


I was channeling Ansel Adams for this shot...

Who doesn't want a picnic table at the end of a dock overlooking the mountains???

We saw Emerald Bay...

Eagle Falls...


...and hiked the Lighthouse Point trail.


We hiked in the Desolation Wilderness near Meeks Bay...



Finally, we headed back to the city for our last day. When we were dating, we spent much of our time in San Francisco, and since I was a glorified tourist while living in the Bay Area, poor Matt had to pretend he was a tourist as well (which, actually, was fun for him too, because who ever does the cool touristy stuff where they live?). When I lived in the East Bay, we would take the transit system to Union Square, pick up the cable car to Fisherman's Wharf, eat ice cream at Ghiradelli Square, cable car back to Little Italy for dinner...or take the ferry to Alcatraz...or watch the surfers under the Golden Gate Bridge...or some combination thereof. So for our last day we tried to hit our hot spots.

So we got a token picture on the cable car...

...met up with Matt's brother Adam, who took us to his apartment on Hyde Street - check out the VIEW from his place!!!!!!!!!...

...ate dinner at Asqew (fabulous kabobs!) in the Marina District...

...and BART'ed back to our hotel (the transit system). I would have loved, loved, loved to just zoom back to Walnut Creek and kick back in my old apartment, but alas, that season is over! Home is Michigan, and I'm not gonna lie: we were happy to return to where there is so much green, the air is clearer, and there's not so much traffic. But what a great trip it was!