Labor Day fun.....

The holiday weekend didn't start out to well for Josh and I. It seems as though since the weather is warmer here in Monterey our allergies are attacking us big time! We have both been down for the count....but still having to suck it up and go to work and school.....sleeping at night....the little that we do get is not very good......since we were both off on Monday and spent Saturday and Sunday trying to fight the allergies...we decided to actually do something. Josh and I and our good friends from the boat back in Connecticut that came out to Monterey a few months before us....Bonnie and Noel and their little one Nicholas.....all went to Gilroy, CA about 45 min away and went to the Gilroy Gardens amusement park...and then to the outlet malls. Military got in free on Monday at the Gardens so we decided that we would try it out. It was not crowded at all...which we were very surprised. It was a very pretty park....but it is pretty much for young kids. It was still fun though to walk around....they have over 40 gardens in the park....a butterfly sanctuary....a bee habitat.....waterfalls....ponds with swan paddle boats....and much much more.....we even rode one of the roller coasters. It is so fun to get out and try new things and see new things while we are here in California! It was also a lot of fun to get to hang out with the Wadsworths.....we hadn't seen them in a few weeks and we live like 5 min. away from each other. Here are a few pictures that we took at the park. Enjoy! Oh and Josh got his schedule for the next quarter...and it is just as good if not better than the current one. Josh takes finals starting the week of the 22nd and the next quarter begins the week of the 29th. His new schedule looks like this:
MW 10-noon and 1-5
TR 8-noon
F no class...again!
its a hard life he leads :)

These are for Rachel....the entry was lined with Palm trees!
Some of the waterfalls in the park...
Josh and I infront of the falls...we got soaked!
There were so many cool trees!
Hibiscus trees...so pretty...
and Orchid trees....

another cool twisty tree....
a crazy palm tree.....
another cool tree.....

Whatever happened to predictibility.....

This past week/weekend my good friends Rachel and Christie came to visit us in Monterey. I was so excited to have them here....I haven't seen Rachel since I left Connecticut and Christie since the beginning of July! We had so much fun while they were here! We did all of the normal things.....Cannery Row....Fisherman's Wharf.....Carmel by the Sea.....Drive down Highway 1 to Big Sur....17 mile drive.....In and Out Burger......San Francisco....etc. It was hard to send them back to Connecticut....but I am sure that I will see them again soon. Till then....here are some pictures of our fun time together in in California:

Christie, Rachel and I in front of the Golden Gate Bridge!
..."the milk man, paper boy, and evening TV"....Full House!
Watching Dolphins play off the pier by my house.
Josh and I infront of some Redwoods before out hike!
Christie, me and Rachel inside a Redwood.....

Rachel, me and Christie with McWay Falls behind us
Standing in the Pacific Ocean on Carmel Beach....after our Sunday Beach picnic after church!
Sunset in Monterey/Pacific Grove....
Our last night at the apartment....we had facials.....
Lastly....a video of one of the Sea Lions on Coast Guard Pier in Monterey!

Friday Night Fun

This past Friday night Josh and I got to go to the Monterey County Fair and to the Jessica Simpson concert. Thanks to two of my good friends from college (Bubba and Elizabeth) we were able to go to the concert...and got meet and greet tickets and VIP seating. Bubba's sister is one of Jessica's friends from growing up and works for her as her assistant. It was so much fun to not only meet Jessica but to hang out with Bubba, Elizabeth, their baby Gracie....and other family and friends of theirs. We had a really good time! Thanks Bubba and Elizabeth! Here are a few pictures! Enjoy.

Josh with Jessica!
at the concert......

This is little Gracie....it was so cute b/c she had to wear ear muffs to protect her sensitive little ears because we were so close!
Evidently they worked really good....she fell right to sleep in mommy's arms!
Josh thought that it was cool to have this sign in our section......

More visitors.....

The Sunday that we got back from Colorado, my parents flew in to come and stay with us for a week. The last time my parents were in Monterey was 26 years ago...or more...since it was when my mom was pregnant with my older brother, Justin and he is 26 almost 27. Anyway.....they met us at the airport when our flight from Colorado got in. The first day Josh had to write a paper for class so I took my parents walking down to Fisherman's Wharf and to see some of the seals and sea lions.....then we all had dinner at the Old Fisherman's Grotto. On Monday my parents and I drove into Carmel Valley.....we walked on the beach....did a little shoppping or more looking...and had lunch at The Hogs Breath...which used to be owned by Clint Eastwood....but not anymore...they still want people to think that it is though because it brings in more tourists that way....sneaky people. Tuesday I took them on the 17mile drive...saw the lone cypress(symbol for Pebble Beach)....stopped by pebble beach for a little bit....then headed to lunch. Wednesday I had to work so my parents did some walking down Cannery Row...and out to Lover's Point......Thursday I worked also...and my parents stayed around the house and got caught up on some relaxing.....that night we went to eat at the Sardine Factory....non of us had ever been there before....it was a really nice restraunt...very good.....a little pricey but hey....it was fun. Friday was fun....we all woke up and got in the car and headed down Highway 1 toward Big Sur. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DRIVE EVER! I can't even describe how beautiful it was....and the pictures DO NOT do it justice...! We did that drive all the way to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park...where we got out and walked to McWay Falls.....again I can't describe how beautiful it was. Halfway through the drive we stopped at Nepenthe's and had lunch.....my parents ate there last time they were here...years ago...and so we found it and it is still owned by the same family....we thought that was pretty amazing...and our watress was working there last time my parents were there....crazy! Anyway...it is this really cool restraunt that is on the side of the mountain and over looks the ocean and down the coast line. Saturday we got up and started to head toward San Jose....we stopped in Gilroy at the outlet malls....then had lunch at In and Out Burger.....after that we made a quick run to Ikea....and the off to the airport! We had such a great time getting to spend the week with my parents.....lots of laughs....! Enjoy the pictures!

Hog's Breath sign......
At Ghiradelli telling my dad how to get around without me....
On 17mile drive pretending to feed a ground squirrel....
My dad and James Caan....yep...he had a sighting

Drive on highway one...the bridge in the distance is Bixby Bridge
more of the view
Sign to the restraunt on the mountain....
our view from the restraunt.....
more of our view at the restraunt....
McWay Falls...at Julia Pfieffer Burns State Park...

My dad and I looking out at the water next to the fall....