Big Sur and Cottage in Carmel

Sunday was spent driving the most breathtaking drive I have ever experienced. We took the famous Highway 1 up the coast all the way to Carmel. You just didn't even want to blink because you might miss something spectacular. I don't have a ton of pictures of it as I sat in the back, but Hannah, our family photographer, sat up front to get lots of shots and she has some amazing pictures. Maybe down the road I can steal some from her to put here!

Then we arrived at heaven-on-earth. This little cottage. We pulled up and it just stole my heart. From the moment I walked in, I knew I could live here for the rest of my life.

Everything was comfortable and welcoming, from fragrant soaps to fluffy towels and soft bedding. It had the fragrance of "home" from recently built fires in the fireplace. There were flower gardens wrapping all around. If you listened out the window you could hear the ocean. Our bedroom had a balcony out onto this quaint little street where friendly people walked by. There was always a cool breeze, and birds singing. Yes, we had indeed arrived at heaven-on-earth.

I told Danny that I am never leaving. Never.

Reagan Library and Our First Celebrity

Saturday we went to the one place that Danny had wanted to go from the beginning - the Reagan Presidential Library. It was set in a breathtaking landscape, nestled in the mountains, and it was absolutely impressive.

We got to tour the Air Force One as well which is on site.

This photograph is made ENTIRELY out of jelly beans!

This is a picture from the back porch of the library. It was beautiful even on a cloudy, foggy day.

This is a piece of the Berlin Wall. Very neat to see.

After the library we went to lunch at Claim Jumper. As I sat there I kept looking at a man that I thought looked a lot like Mel Gibson. Then I realized that we were in California where it could possibly be him - so I looked closer and realized it actually was him eating four booths away! By the time we decided we were going to go and say something to him he was getting up to leave. A couple of the kids got up to follow him but he was already out in the parking lot, driving away in his fancy car with dark windows... even though we couldn't get a picture or autograph, we did get the below picture at the wax museum!

We continued up the coast and stopped at the Santa Barbara Mission. It was just beautiful. The garden was so peaceful I could have sat there all day...

The parking lot was full of really neat chalk drawings!

Then we drove a few more hours with absolutely gorgeous views the entire way! Our cameras were going off almost the whole day!

You can see Jacob here in the reflection taking a picture.

Then we arrived at our hotel for the night. It was nothing compared to the inn of the night before. Dark, dreary, and dated. It was kind of creepy. Jacob walked in and immediately thought it reminded him of the Tower of Terror! haha

Beautiful Inn at Westlake Village

The next couple days were filled with travel as we made our way up the coast. This beautiful inn is where we spent Friday night. Most gorgeous place I have ever stayed I think...

MUCH of this trip you could see Hannah behind the lens of her camera. I can't wait to see her pictures when we get home and she edits them.

Prop Day and Warner Bros. Studio

Friday we left Carlsbad and headed to Los Angeles. While there we went to visit the Propstore of London where Ryan had particularly wanted to go. We had a personal guide take us through cool props such as the stuffed Aslan from Narnia, but Ryan was interested in Stargate items. He thought he had died and gone to heaven. He looked through bins of props but decided against buying any. The man who was guiding us actually gave him a free prop - a crystal from the Stargate series! Ryan was sooooo excited!

Here is Ryan pictured in front of two huge props used in the show.

After that we went to Warner Bros. Studios for a tour of the backlot and prop sections. We learned a ton about how movies are made - it was fascinating! We drove by sound stages where the new Batman movie was being filmed as well as the Ellen show. The highlight, though, was an entire floor of Harry Potter props. It really was neat - we all got to sit on the actual stool that they used in the film to get sorted - and wore the sorting hat and got sorted! Very cool.

These are books use in the Harry Potter films...

This is the wall where they filmed the famous Spiderman kiss!!

The famous set where Friends was filmed.

And of course, the car that was used in one of the Harry Potter films. As we came out of the tour, Jacob said "Well that was highlight number 19 of the trip!" haha Truly, there have been so many highlights that if I weren't recording them all here we would probably forget some of them. We have been truly blessed.

Visit to Hollywood in style!

Yesterday we went into LA and toured Hollywood and Beverly Hills - but Danny surprised the kids and had lined up a limo to take us in and show us around! It was such an experience - one we will never forget, to pull up in front of the walk of fame and get out from a stretch limo, everyone was looking to see who was getting out. I am sure there were lots of disappointed people as it was just us getting out... but it was fun!

Unfortunately it was an overcast day, and so the Hollywood sign wasn't all that visible from the lookout point.

The famous Dustin family in front of their ride! haha

Did I already mention how cool it was?

These are pictures on the famous Rodeo Drive, where all the rich and famous shop. It was pretty, but we were rather unimpressed. Our driver was surprised when we spent a whopping six minutes there...

I have to say it was rather depressing to see such worldliness and materialism, so sad that so many cling to the false and temporary fulfillment this world has to offer. I left feeling like the people there are more lost and unreachable than many others in the nation as they are so very unaware of their need for salvation and seek the pleasures of this world.

Seeing the Kodak Theatre was neat though!

And of course the handprints of the Harry Potter stars - that was a neat thing.

While we were there, we met a few celebrities...

Okay okay, it was a wax museum... but really cool to see the wax celebrities!!

Hannah, for whatever reason, really doesn't like Penelope Cruz, so she was happy to make this pose!

Jacob and Leo are best buddies now.

On the way home we stopped at the famous Randy's donuts - seen in both Iron Man 2 as well as the movie 2012. That was really neat... and the donuts were good too!!