No need to check the forecast, every day is SUNNY in the Valley of the Sun!

We are certainly not used to spending February in shorts and tank tops but I think we could get used to it.  We are certainly getting our share of Vitamin D this winter; maybe that’s why our moods are so great (or maybe it’s the lack of stress?).

We are having a blast exploring new places in SoCal.  I drove up for orientation at the California Wolf Center on Saturday.  I was blown away by what an amazing organization it is!  The issue that I have with many conservation groups is the approach that they take to gain favor with people.  The US vs. THEM mindset has always made me back off (excuse my mini-rant).  The CWC wants EVERYONE to work together and I LOVE that mindset!  It takes a village (and all that jazz).

Located in beautiful Julian, CA, the drive was amazing.  I went from 1400 feet to 4400 feet in 40 minutes and it was such a gorgeous drive that I had to take Andy up there the next day.  We spent our Sunday Funday (which happened to also be Valentine’s Day) driving up to see the cute little town of Julian.

On our way back home, we hit a couple of awesome vineyards: Ramona Ranch and Hatfield Creek Vineyards.  We met some amazing people and enjoyed some wonderful wine!  Thankful to be in Southern California right now!

We finished our night by grilling some yummy food out on the patio.

BIG NEWS!  We have family visiting SoCal this week and we are so excited to be with them!  Andy’s dad, his dad’s awesome counterpart (Pat), and his sister KR are visiting.  Not just us but Andy’s grandpa and Aunt Kris as well (who live in Oceanside).

On Tuesday, we drove in to visit them and spend a day on the beach.

We had some very hot, unusual weather and decided that the best way to spend an 87° day was in the water and laying on the sand.

We ended up spending the day on the beach where I saw the ocean for the very first time and where my love for it all began.

The weather was totally different on the coast today.  We have some rain heading our way and the clarity difference was astounding.

The fog dispersed after a while but the clouds held for most of the day.

We headed back into Ramona to close the park and enjoyed our beautiful ride in!