Dear Jack: Our Visit to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

5 years, 11 months.

Dear Jack: Our Visit to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

Dear Jack,

While in San Diego two weeks ago for your Uncle Jake’s wedding, Grandma joined us in the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander for a drive to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park; the 3rd row seat was very useful. It was so nice having Grandma there to help with your baby sister.

Dear Jack: Our Visit to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander) s3 s4 s5 s6

The 1,800 acre Safari Park was such a great speed for you. Even aside from the animals, it was such a beautiful place to be. And you didn’t mind doing so much walking, because it was it sort had a treehouse feel.

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One of the things that really sets apart the San Diego Safari Park from a typical zoo is that in addition to its wondrous exhibits, there is also ride that took us through the free-range of “Africa” where we saw giraffes, antelopes, and rhinos in what appeared to be their natural habit.

Conveniently, the climate and landscape of San Pasqual Valley of San Diego appears to be similar to Africa’s. In fact, several times during the ride, I had to remind myself we were in southern California, not Africa.

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Mommy and I had agreed to give you a $20 allowance to spend on souvenirs during our entire trip. We suggested you save it for the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, knowing they’d surely have an impressive collection of stuffed animals for you to consider.

We did see a giant life-size tiger, but it was a little out of your prize range, at $1000. But truly, you fell in love with the last remaining Fennec Fox.

Dear Jack: Our Visit to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander) s14 s15

I think you and I both considered the actual Fennec Foxes to be our favorite animal at the Safari Park.

You asked for help naming her. I suggested Fifi, and you accepted.

Dear Jack: Our Visit to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

Dear Jack: The Beach Bonfire Family Reunion (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

Dear Jack: Our Visit to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

I’m so glad our family got to go to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. What an adventure!

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: Our Visit to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

Dear Jack: Our Trip to Legoland (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

5 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack: Our Trip to Legoland (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

Dear Jack,

Mommy and I couldn’t take our Kindergartner son to San Diego without taking him to Legoland, could we?

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Grandma helped us out by staying in our hotel room with your baby sister, while Mommy and I spent half the day with you, at what had to be for you the boy equivalent of Disney Land.

Seriously, I could see that it was a nearly 6 year-old boy’s dream come true. Undeniably, Mommy and I loved it too!

We started out by going a ride that took us through the Lego versions of popular traditional fairy tales. It’s so cool to see everything made out of Legos.

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I didn’t realize there would be so many rides there, but that’s mainly what we did. We went on a roller coaster, a train ride, a boat ride, a laser tag ride, and a Lego version of the tea cup ride at Disney Land.

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Mommy and I also let you play a carnival game, as you always love try to win a prize. Granted, we only let you play the games where “everyone wins a prize.” You were very proud of the dragon you won.

You were mesmerized by the miniature version of the world. They even had a Lego layout of all the Star Wars movie.

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I loved the giant Chewbacca, as well.

We finished up our visit to Legoland with the build-a-boat exhibit. You and I built a Lego boat, then got to race it down the chute alongside other kids’ Lego boats.

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I am confident that our trip to Legoland will be something you never forget.

Dear Holly: Everyone Loves to Hold You (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander) Dear Holly: Everyone Loves to Hold You (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

Mommy let you buy a $4 Pixel set to work on during the drive back to our hotel. It was funny because Mommy and I sat up front together, while you worked intensively in your own work station in the 3rd row seat in the very back of the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander we drove.

Dear Jack: Our Trip to Legoland (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

Needless to say, you finished the Lego set by the time we made it back to your sister and Grandma.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: Our Trip to Legoland (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

Dear Jack: The Beach Bonfire Family Reunion (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

5 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack: The Beach Bonfire Family Reunion (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

Dear Jack,

A few days into our family’s vacation last week to San Diego to see Uncle Jake get married, we caught up with more of Mommy’s family at a bonfire at the beach. There were some of the family members there who we haven’t seen in years.

One in particular was your cousin Zach. The last time I saw him was when Mommy and I got married back in 2008, which was 2 years before you were born.

Dear Jack: The Beach Bonfire Family Reunion (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

He was a teenager the last time I saw him; now he’s in his mid-twenties.

Zach took a special interest in you. You had an agenda to “make a lake” by repeatedly filling up a liter-sized water bottle and taking it near the bonfire where you had dug a hole.

For about an hour and a half, Zach excitedly (and patiently) walked back and forth with you from the beach to the “lake” you were making, knowing full well that the water would never actually fill up; but instead, simply sink into the sand.

However, you were happy because “it made the sand thick enough to make a castle.”

This bonfire family reunion also was a special event for you because got to have s’mores. (We brought our own special vegan marshmallows.)

Dear Jack: The Beach Bonfire Family Reunion (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

Your baby sister Holly slept through a good amount of it all. I don’t remember leaving until about 10:30 that night. No one was in a hurry to leave.

It’s a rare thing to be able to hang out on the beach, huddled around a bonfire.

Dear Jack: The Beach Bonfire Family Reunion (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

But finally we made our way back to our hotel. Fortunately, because the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander we drove had 7 seats, we were able to take a few family members back to their hotel as well.

Dear Jack: The Beach Bonfire Family Reunion (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

I have many more stories to tell you about our trip. Stay tuned for more adventures!

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: The Beach Bonfire Family Reunion (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

Dear Holly: Everyone Loves to Hold You (San Diego Vacation/2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

5 months.

Dear Holly: Everyone Loves to Hold You (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

Dear Holly,

Earlier this week, we got back from our annual California vacation. Normally we go to Sacramento where Mommy is from, but this time was special, as Mommy’s youngest brother got married in San Diego.

While I have many upcoming stories and adventures to tell you and your brother about our trip, I want to start by showing you these pictures of your cousins and aunts holding you.

As we drove to each new stop on our trip throughout San Diego in the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander, we caught up with a new bunch of Mommy’s family members who were eager to see “Little Holly.”

Dear Holly: Everyone Loves to Hold You (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

There is nothing like holding a precious little baby.

And with Mommy having 9 siblings, 8 of whom we saw while on our vacation with their families, there was always someone who needed a turn of being able to hold you.

For me, it was an honor to be able to share you each person who held you. I loved seeing the look on each of their faces when they saw you. It was rewarding for me to be able to see how much they valued you being there.

Dear Holly: Everyone Loves to Hold You (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)

I suppose our family vacation in San Diego set a record for being the least amount of time I’ve ever held you in a week. Even though it was a bit of a culture shock, not constantly holding you and playing with you for hours at a time, I still got to see family be able to appreciate you.

Everyone loves to hold you. You’re so smiley and happy.

Not to mention, everyone is surprised by how long you are and how fair your skin is.

You are a very special little girl and you have many people in your life who love you very, very much.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Holly: Everyone Loves to Hold You (San Diego Vacation in a 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander)