sarakmenssen: Adventures with MOM!

My mamma came to visit me last week. We spent 3 days hanging out and going on mini adventures in Long Beach and Orange County. The weather was BEAUTIFUL! and it was fun to have good company. She arrived Sunday morning and rode to work with me. While I did a matinee she wondered around South Coast Plaza, I could hardly believe that when we met up for my birthday dinner she hadn't found a single thing to buy. After our dinner of freshly made guacamole, chips and chicken quesadillas we walked back over to the theatre. I gave her a quick tour before I was officially back on the time clock and then after the evening showing of Prince of Atlantis we headed back to Long Beach. Monday we drove to a few thrift stores and stopped at the Long Beach beach where we started a collection of sea shells. We then headed back to #201, made lunch/supper and drove down to Crystal Cove State Beach - dad said she had to see it and I totally agree it is quite a nice spot - much nicer than the beach in Long Beach for many reasons. We hiked down the beach and settled on a spot to eat our supper and watch the waves. The tide was coming in and at one point we decided we should probably move a bit more inland, just to be safe. We clambered around the rocks looking at the various sea life and then just relaxed on the beach. It seemed very appropriate watching the majesty of the waves rolling in that we should remember Walker and Greg out loud in that moment for they are always in our hearts. We joined many others around the globe that night as we toasted our coca-colas to them and later that night lit a candle for each of them.
The sun was shinning again on Tuesday so we ventured over to fourth street which is where a bunch of fun vintage shops and thrift shops are located. We had first tried to go to the Nordstrom Rack but it apparently no longer exists in Long Beach so we headed over to 4th street where we each left with a few more things to our names. We had lunch at the In'N'Out and then headed back to my place to put on sun screen. Our next adventure was a walk to the beach. We collected more sea shells, found two pennies and a plastic shovel. We brought our treasures home and rinsed them out before I had to head back to the theatre for Tuesday night's show. It was a quick trip but a good vacation. I am almost starting my official countdown of days until I am back in good old Montana. We close Prince of Atlantis next Sunday and then I start my last show at SCR with their Teen Players. I am going to be a little sad when this show closes as I have really enjoyed this cast and the people I've been working with but not so sad that I'm not super excited to be headed home for a Montana Summer. Here are some pictures from when Mom was here - she took lots on her camera too but I forgot to down load them before she left - she has apparently already put them in an album so if you are in Kalispell and want to see more pictures of Long Beach in April just ask.

Cactus Flower

Probably some kind of Gecko - we saw lots of these guys

Hiking down to the beach

More pretty Southern California vegetation

Mom carried the cooler, I carried the camera

Sea shells!

Sea gull

If you look close you'll see the anemone

Clams? or some kind of mussel? I'm not sure but they were everywhere

Not sure where the rest of this guy was but I'm pretty sure he's sad he's missing his pincher

Pelicans - these guys are fun to watch

Not sure if this caterpillar survived much after we left him, the tide was rising and he was cruising about about as fast as caterpillar cruises which I'm not sure was fast enough to escape the water