A trip to Solvang Mang

Thursday night was the night to pull out all the warm clothes I had a pack up for a road trip to Solvang.

Dog Ears! Never thought we would have even a remote chance to wear these but here we are. Weather report says low 50's and rain. That's good enough for me.

Rowan couldn't even hold her head up with the hat on.

Aidan's "Blue Steel"

I'm trying a new one

Rowan is a book worm.

So we barely made it out of Orange County and one rider was sick and the other's holding it together.

I can't tell you exactly what this look is for but it has to do with broccoli and fiber bars.

Just kidding.

You may ask yourself how I get these pics of passengers while doing 80 in the rain on the 405...

You just have to pick your moments

And stay as cool as a cucumber.

This is how Courtney rides.

This is right outside the Santa Barbara area. Really reminded me of Hawaii in a lot of ways. None of which were the clouds, rain, and temp BUT the way the road runs along the ocean and the rural-ness of it all. Very pretty

Then we hit Santa Barbara for some lunch.

This sequence would look cool as a gif file.

So cute!!

This is Bakugan. It is Aidan's favorite thing right now. BTW, $1.60 at Macdonald's got him this, so it just goes to show that money means nothing to kids.

Native cafe brings out the animals in all of us.

Then we did some shopping. I can't show you everything due to gifts being purchased and who knows who might be looking.

If this was more of a political site, I might ask how cities claim they are broke and counties need more taxes and then light up streets like it's Christmas. I will find another soapbox.

More food for the baby. She is a great eater.

Then we walked next door to grab some dinner.

Andersen's split pea soup is on deck and I am READY!

But right across the street is Ellen's Danish Pancake House. That trumps soup any day.

Just ask this kid. Chocolate chip pancakes please and I should be ready for bed soon. Yeah right. More on this later.

So here is our sweetness and I think those are pancakes on here plate. Which is her second choice. French toast was not so hot but the pancakes were rated number 1 of all time.

So this is what chocolate chip pancakes gets you.

A kid bouncing off the walls.

Busted. The girls are here!

The next day we had to say goodbye early to our hotel room. The weather and Courtney's stomach were not cooperating so we left early.

But we had to make a trip into Solvang for me.

Cute little town

My girls braving the elements. Sick and all.

Dog Ears are back. Bakugan is never far away.

I may be the last person on Earth that had never been here but in case there is one person left, this is the center of town.

Little lunch and we hit the road. Took us 5 hours, 4 bathroom stops, about 48 nursery rhyme songs to get home but we made it safe and sound.