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taking a breather

If you’re friends with me on Facebook (and, as I’ve said before, you probably should be), you will have seen that Mack and I and our munchkins are on vacation. We escaped the icy grossness of Texas to drive 1,500 miles west, and I can’t come up with a way that we could possibly be having more fun.

We’re relaxing, soaking up each other and the warm Southern California sun, making memories and enjoying our little pre-wedding-season break.

When we get home on Feb. 12 or 13th, I’ll download a thousand pictures or so, and write a few blogs to share them all with you. But I figured it’d be fun to mobile blog every few days from the road… just so no one forgets that McGowan Images is a blog worth checkin’ out. 🙂

(and, to everyone who says I should be relaxing, not blogging… it’s fun, and something to do after the kids go to bed!)

On the road to San Diego, we stayed in Carlsbad, NM… it was negative 1 degree when we woke up to head to the Carlsbad Caverns, but nice and warm 800 feet beneath the ground!

I have a strange kind of love affair with the high desert, so we stopped a few times for pictures:

The kids were real troopers for the whole drive… happy as clams in the back seat!

We rewarded them (and me) with In N Out!

On the way through the mountains, we stopped at a lookout tower over Devil’s Canyon:

From the tippy top of the tower, we had amazing views like this:

And hiking down in the boulders, we had views like this! 🙂

My Facebook friends will have already seen this next picture… walking out into the surf Saturday night on Coronado Island.

Our Sunday involved walking past the Maritime Museum at 6:30 a.m. local time (because our internal clocks are still set to Texas):

Shopping & Lounging (and eating chocolate covered Rice Krispie treats) at Seaport Village:

Exploring the tide pools at Cabrillo National Monument:

Our day ended while we watched the sun set from a completely secluded spot on Ocean Beach… well, almost completely secluded. 🙂 Mack caught this amazing picture of a surfer silhouetted by the sun:

Today (Monday), we’re headed to the San Diego Zoo, and then up the coast to have dinner with my sister at her place in Calabasas. I’ll check in again in a few days… see you all soon!

  1. The Nan says:

    Thank you for sharing! I was having major withdrawals without new pictures of my grandkids. So glad your trip is what you dreamed it would be! Can’t wait for you to come home for some hugs from Mama/Nanny!

  2. Nicole says:

    Looks like y’all are having fun! Can’t wait to see more! (And, Mack, that last photo rocks!)

  3. Liesa says:

    I’m so glad you mobile blogged! I’m an addict, so I needed my fix! I still haven’t been to this elusive In N Out but I really hope to one day. I love the beach picture as well as the one of you and Dot on the grass together! Mack, the surfer pic is spectacular! Enjoy the rest of your vacation!

  4. Jen says:

    Looks like things are going much more fluidly than hurrication! Not that it matters b/c y’all seem to have fun just being in each other’s presence. I hope that Ross and I can take little trips where we do what we want without a schedule! Have a blasty blast!

  5. Carman says:

    Beautiful pictures! I like your personal blogs the best of all.

  6. Christian U. says:

    Chelsea!!!! I LOVE these!!!! This blog post completely MADE MY DAY!!!! The picture are so sweet, full of love and just awesome!!! I hope you guys are having a blast and soaking up the beautiful sun!!! Your a gorgeous family!!! Seriously :-)!

  7. Ambo says:

    Love these!!! I can’t wait till you guys get back so I can see the bunches of pictures you’ve taken. I know you guys are having a blast (as well you should be). Pass out hugs from Aunt Ambo and get Mack to give you one too. Miss you!

  8. Scotty O says:

    I was worried yall had maybe taken a vaca from blogging too. These are great!

  9. Kevin says:

    Awesome! It looks like ya’ll are having a great time! And I so want to go to the caves and get my picture with a cool flashlight hat like Jack!

  10. annie says:

    Mack that last shot is breathtaking! Looks like you guys are having SO MUCH FUN!

  11. Misty says:

    Such GREAT pics!!! It looks like the perfect family vacation! 🙂 I LOVE Coronado Island (but not the drive on the scary bridge to get there, lol)!! And Mack’s surfer shot is AMAZING!!!!!! Safe travels, y’all, keep havin’ fun! 🙂

  12. Mike says:

    *major jealousy* Mack – the surf shot is totally wicked.

  13. Brandy says:

    Mack’s photo is wicked cool!

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