|| We worked up quite the appetite wandering through Muir Woods and went in search of a local taco shop near our hotel. It wouldn't be a Jorgensen vacation (or week for that matter) without tacos, and we hit the jackpot when we found Joe's Taco Lounge in downtown Mill Valley. Their blackened prawn tacos with fresh mango salsa and red snapper tacos with avo-tomatillo salsa were exactly what these Midwest kids were craving on the coast. My mouth is watering just thinking about them! Mila fell asleep on my lap, which never happens, so we decided to order another round of beers and chips and drag out our outdoor lunch a little longer.
And the rest of the day will go down as one of my favorites of vacation. We spent the afternoon at Baker Beach, a beach in San Francisco known for its picturesque views of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was overcast and cool outside, and that signature fog had settled over the top of the bridge, creating a vintage and mystical vibe for our play. We warned the kids about getting their clothes wet, as we planned to go out to eat in the city and didn't think to bring extra clothes, but it took all of about two minutes to remember we were talking about Cruz in front of the ocean. Past vacations have proved that Cruz and dry clothes just don't go together at the beach. :)
But instead of Cruz tackling those salty waves solo, sis joined in the fun this year, too. In her signature pink twirly dress, with her blond locks blowing in the Pacific breeze, she inched closer and closer to the water until she finally let go and let the ocean waves overtake her.
But before that, I got some of the sweetest pics of her! She's getting a bit of a room redo this fall and I can't wait to blow some of these babies up. They capture her so well at these sweet and wild stage.
I could have watched my people in the water forever. Cruz would dart in and out pretending to fight the waves, sometimes winning and timing his leap just right, and other times completely missing and swallowing a mouthful of salt and sand and sea. Mila threw a thirty second fit after her first tumble in the waves, but quickly recovered when she realized just how fun it felt to let go. Me, I sat with my toes in the sand and watched it all transpire, snapping pictures to capture the scene and taking mental shots of the joy and peace and contentment I felt watching my three on a vacation they will always remember.
Our plans to find a nice dinner in the city were quickly abandoned as the kids made their way out of the water completely soaked. And cold! We changed plans and soon decided a night at the hotel that now felt like a little piece of home would be the perfect end to our first chapter of vacation. And it may have been the best decision of our trip! The kids took baths, put on their coziest pjs, and Beau ran to the grocery store for all the fixings for their favorite pb and js while I called and ordered sushi from across the street. Then we retreated to the large patio that overlooked the prettiest scene and made a night of it.
We played Phase 10 and UNO, ate milk and cookies, and watched the clouds roll over mountains to usher in another pretty sunset. Then we started a fire, snuggled with blankets, and laughed 'til our bellies hurt as Beau told us campfire stories in a pirate accent. We were together, just us four, far from home but feeling so very close to each other. And as we carried them to their beds and snuggled in close for one more night at the Acqua Hotel, I fell asleep thankful for opportunities to adventure, to connect, and to love each other really really well. Oh, how I love this crew of mine.
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