Home

There is nothing like HOME-- I never feel more relaxed and at ease than when I am under my parent's roof. I was thankful to end our vacation doing just that: resting at home. Don't get me wrong, even when we keep things low-key at the Berg household, there is never a dull moment. We cooked meals together, played corn hole and board games, pampered ourselves with pedicures and happy hour margaritas, relaxed by the pool, made sure to eat at all our favorite restaurants, and enjoyed each other's company.

Sadly, the timing worked out so that we barely crossed paths with my dad and Jason, but I was so thrilled to be able to meet my brother's colleagues and hear just how wonderful they too think he is before we sent him off to his new job in California.

True Food Kitchen

Since I have become increasingly passionate about nutrition these days, I was excited to try this restaurant, which features dishes that follow the principles of Dr. Weil's anti-inflammatory diet. While Ryan and I have discovered how delicious healthy food can actually taste, it can be extremely challenging to find a place to dine out that adheres to the same concept [probably because healthy ingredients tend to cost a little more]. Grammy and Poppy graciously offered to treat us to this wonderful dining experience and I loved every bit of the atmosphere and the meal. I'm so blessed to have a family that is so willing to accommodate my high standards for the food we put into our bodies-- I sincerely believe we're all a little better off because of it!

The lagoon

Even though we had already spent a considerable amount of time in the car, we couldn't bear to be so close to Arizona without actually going there. After all, this state is filled with not only childhood nostalgia, but also some of our very best friends. 

The Artinos are dear to us for so many reasons and have been an incredible example of marriage and now parenting. We were thrilled to be able to spend some time with Paul and Lauren and their three seriously adorable and charming children.

Laguna Beach

After realizing that the Dana Point Harbor was much prettier than its rocky beaches, we ventured a few miles North to Laguna Beach. Since we had an in with the locals (thanks Ryan & Kailyn!), we found and fell in love with Thousand Steps beach, which derives its name from the extremely long staircase at the entrance/exit. Once we discovered the privacy and beauty this beach had to offer, we were more than willing to make the trek a second time before we hit the road.

Dana Point

After our camping trip, we were spoiled by my family the rest of the week with a beautiful hotel in Dana Point. We spent our days eating summery delights and laying by the ocean in the most perfect weather I could imagine. So perfect, in fact, that I completely forgot the meaning of SPF and spent the rest of the week covered head to toe.

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Hike to Vernal Falls

We chose a slightly more moderate hike for day 2 and quickly realized the change in elevation and temperature. As if the vantage point from the top wasn't rewarding enough, the waterfalls gave off a cool, refreshing mist that we enjoyed in the shade. We soaked our toes in a creek at the bottom of the trail and headed on to Mirror Lake, where we found nothing but a dried up basin that was somehow still beautiful. We even visited the lodge to pick up supplies for a campfire and s'mores for the perfect ending to our dream camping trip.

Half Dome

One of the best parts of Yosemite is watching how the sunlight casts it's rays on the mountains and valleys throughout the day. We found a great spot to watch the sunset overlooking Half Dome on the first evening-- where we stayed until dark, hoping we would be able to find our way back to camp with only landmarks and paper maps to guide us. The next day, we chose a perfect roadside stopping point where we were able to see the valley in the early morning light and right before dusk that night. It's pretty amazing how drastically different the same view appears with the changing position of the sun. 

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Sentinel Dome

After setting up our campsite, we hiked Sentinel Dome, which has an incredible 360 degree view of the park. It's a great place to start because the hiking is easy and there is a compass-like map carved into a rock with all the mountain ranges in sight. We felt like we were on top of the world, soaking in the beauty of the land we were about to call home for the next few days.