Our California vacation is coming to a close here shortly. We started off in Aptos, spending a few days relaxing at the beach and celebrating my brother’s 50th birthday. The ocean was calm and peaceful, and it gave us a chance to just slow down and enjoy some family time.

From there, I rented a car and we made the drive down to Los Angeles to see Grandma, who is turning 101 years old on Sunday. We stayed with our Aunt while we were there, which made it feel even more like family time.

Then today was the big drive up to my dad’s house in San Jose. What should have been a 5.5 hour drive turned into a long, tiring 7.5 hours instead. And of course, after all that driving, I still had to cook dinner for eight people because family still needs to eat.

Now it’s almost time to head back to Maryland, get the kids ready for school, and settle back into daily life. It’s been a full trip—long drives, family meals, celebrations, and plenty of memories to take home with us.

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