Oh Mexico...

I have so much to say about our recent trip to Baja that I don't know where to start. As always we had the time of our lives, and this year more than ever I am left with a longing in my heart for more - more wide open road and pure simplicity. Something about Baja just casts a spell. It's dirty, rugged, and often downright uncomfortable and somehow when you are there you feel so much more alive. There is this part of Eden that I have only ever seen down in Baja. Just this complete abandon. This year while down there she decided she wanted to change her name to "Eden Hunter Fisher Walla". She had become quite the fish hunter, crushing snails with a rock and using the slugs for bait, really very serious about the whole thing. I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story, as always there are quite a few.

The kids were crazy good on the 11+ hr drive, peaceful good, enjoyable adventurers good. Seriously nothing short of a miracle.

Helping dad let air out of the tires before setting out on the dirt road.

Stoked to be getting closer.

So stoked to be setting up the trailer and settling in.

I was pretty thrilled that I had potty trained Zi prior to our trip to Baja. For the first time ever I  didn't have to pack innumerable diapers and wipes for the journey. What I didn't consider was the (what felt like) 1/4 mile hike to the outhouse 5 times a day (cause thats how often he likes to poop). Poor Zi, the trip was such a set back for him, and so confusing.

View from the outhouse, gives perspective re the trek, nothing for an adult but a world of travel for a two year old who really has to poo (right now!) 

A week before we left this year Jonny got stung by a stingray out at Doheney while pushing Eden into waves. A week later (literally the day before we left) it became severely infected with cellulitis. Thankfully Jon was able to see a great orthopedist prior to leaving and had it x-rayed to make sure the infection and/or barb was not in/near the bone. Looking back I feel so bad for him. It was unbelievably swollen and painful for that entire 11+ hr drive then putting camp together...it really makes my stomach hurt to think about. But he is incredible and never complains and totally made the trip happen even though he was semi-miserable. Now, 3 courses of antibiotics later /: it is finally resolved.

This was the sunset the first night we arrived - such an incredible welcome.

Helping Dad make pancakes...just look at that happy face!

Tailgate costume change in the early morning light.

The kids blew us away on the rocks, they were slippery and sharp, and difficult to navigate but the kids were both careful and actually became somewhat skilled in maneuvering them.

Counting hermit crabs/mesmerized.

When I asked Zion what his favorite part of the trip was, he said: "Hiking (the dunes) with sister." He was obsessed with riding the dunes on the boogie.

This is the kind of sand that never comes off.

Eden would march up this dune truck and all. Zi maybe made it up once or twice on his own. Granted Eden is a couple years older but I always remember her this way in the dunes. Her strength is unreal.

A jar of homemade bubbles given to us by previous campers. (:

"Eden Fisher Hunter" preparing the bait.

One of her slugs.

Surfing with Dad. I feel very fortunate about the waves this trip. It was incredibly fun for me the entire time with some really perfect days for the kids and a day or two of bigger waves that were a bit more fun/challenging for me in conjunction with a couple unreal glassy days which I have almost never seen in my ??? years going down there. Seriously there is normally always some sort of wind so the glassy thing was such a treat!

Eden surfing on her own

How serious is she?! She really was incredibly serious with boundless energy.  This year by the end of the day Jon and I were so completely exhausted from the kids' boundless energy and activity that each night we were in bed with them at 7 o'clock. I don't remember being that tired since I was pregnant with Eden.

Zi playing with/torturing ): sand crabs.

It's hard to tell but Zi has a big shell, he is listening to the ocean with it.

The kids played so amazingly together and for the first time I am actually kind of stoked that there weren't any other kids for them to play with. It was so rad to see them play and really love each other and be best friends. 

Family ride to wash off all that sand.

Zi getting warm in the sand and also pouting about who knows what - whatever it is that Zi pouts about. (; 

We left shortly after Valentines Day this year and Eden had all things hearts on her mind, so when we found this beautiful shell with a heart inside it felt very serendipitous. Later we made it into a bracelet.

Eden was so stoked on the fish she caught. Jon cooked it up deliciously, and although it didn't end up being a very delicious fish (kind of mushy, as surf perch often is?) the kids ate it like it was candy.

Look how proud she was!

This was the kids' little dune that they would flock to every evening as we cooked dinner. It was semi-removed from camp and they went up there collecting bones and doing who knows what with them - it was pretty hilarious.

Zi surfing with Dad

Jon, Eden, and Zi going out to dive for clams. They were quite a site with the goggles and such. I was heading out to surf and all I could think about whenever I looked at them was the song: "One little, two little, three little indians..." And it has been playing in my mind ever since especially whenever I see those three together. 

Zi giving his fish a kiss

Eden reeled in this fish all by herself. It was bigger than the others,  kind of fat, Eden was so excited to keep it and eat it for dinner, but then suddenly little baby fish started streaming out of it! Oh my goodness! There was so much panic and rush to get that fish back in the water along with all of her babies!

Perhaps Zi was not feeling the need to rush as much.

I feel like this could be a rip curl add if only it were in focus /:

Mom surfing in the background.

Jon surfing

Eden's giant sand crab 

Klamath and "Sammy" the seal. Seems like they had it out at least once a day.

There is nothing better than watermelon at the beach.

The kids and I apparently have something of a starfish obsession.

Zi showing Danny (Jon's buddy from work) his starfish. Whom, by the way, it was such an incredible blessing to have on the trip. Every year we scramble to try to get people to go down there with us, this year we were just over it, and out of the blue Danny called Jonny days before we left. He turned out to be one of the nicest guys we have ever known and he was so great with the kids. 

Eden was so thrilled when Jonny brought her this live clam. 

Another heart themed shell..

The bracelet "Happy Heart Today"

More live clams

Happy Hunter

Jonny & Zi Surfing

Zi feeling the stoke

We trekked all the way out to the middle of the bay to check out this boat. The kids were so mad when I would not let them go on it. I was worried about scorpions. Jon was worried about old hooks, either way they didn't get it and thought I was lame. I can hardly blame them.

Here they are making their way back to the point the best they can.

Our favorite starfish, one that I am convinced we saw as a baby many years ago, when Eden was a baby in my belly in fact.

Zion cried when we put it back. Here he is kissing it goodbye.

Morning pancake picnic, somehow Jon's everything is better than mine could ever be (pancakes included), but I have to say I can hardly blame them. Jon really is a very good everything. (:

Zi loved the surf mat! Speaking of which we've got to take that thing to Rivi!

On our way to the next point for more starfish hunting and the rest.

I counted 16 starfish under that little cleft.

My attempt to photograph them all.

Klamath made a friend.

At this moment, the wind is blowing sheets of sand off the dunes. I am miserable but  you would never know by looking at these pics of the kids. They were as content as they could ever be.

 

The land we stay on is a ranch. Every once and a while you see the cows roaming. The kids and I love it!

Up on these rocks was a rad little pool that warmed nicely by late afternoon. It was fun for the kids to play up here.

Eden dug these live clams up herself and was extremely thrilled!

Parting shots of Jon surfing.

This was part one of our trip, from our time spent at Cardone. Part two to follow, petting the whales, one of the most incredible experiences of my life.