Kayla's Blog: 2010 Christmas Vacation...

NOTE: photos are with my camera and mom's. most of me are with mine... :)

Before I start my Christmas vacation, I want to share two Christmas photos with you from early December.. Mom was thinking of getting rid of my Christmas Buddies as she thought maybe I was getting to old for them... Well, I think I changed her mind.. I wasn't into decorating this year like I typically am, but I did enjoy getting my buddies out..

Now on to my vacation.. :)

Sunday, Dec 19th..

Mom got the car packed up without getting too wet, and I was so glad we were finally leaving.

It was in the afternoon, Sunday the week before Christmas and we told my grandpa that we would be there on Monday. By the time we left for Chico, it had been raining for 2 1/2 days straight, practically non stop and still pouring down rain. The roads were a mess and water everywhere. Since the weather was pretty non inviting, we decided to just drive and not worry about stopping anywhere for a long break as we had first planned.

About an hour north of Bakersfield, it stopped raining, and was a beautiful drive to a city near Stockton were we stopped for the night.

Monday (Dec 20) morning we were up early and out by 7am. Mom had this idea of taking a photo at the Capital Building with people walking in/out with umbrellas if it was raining. It wasn't raining, so we decided to start driving north towards Chico. We were passing Sacramento International Airport when mom saw a Kite and large Red Hawk over in a field in some trees just after the airport and a frontage road. We worked our way over there and spent some time in that area. We drove along the road; The Garden Hwy looking for different birds, which we saw quite a few. It rained lightly a few times, but nothing significant. After a couple of hours, we decided to get on the road to Grandpa's. Not much further down the road, in a field near a business district, we saw a flock of Snow Geese. So, mom had to stop and take a few photos. We didn't stay too long since we already told grandpa we would be at his house by a certain time.

Kite's

It was a lovely drive to Chico, especially when we got closer. Saw lots of Hawks, more than we ever thought existed in such areas.

Grandpa and Sue; his girlfriend were happy to see us. We hung out, I watched tv and we all had dinner.

The next morning (Dec 21), mom and I got up early and headed to Gray Lodge Wildlife Refuge. Mom was on a mission to photograph Snow Geese when the whole flock takes off from there at sunrise to the fields were they eat during the day. Mom didn't have much luck in the refuges with them. We never did see them in the refuges, just in the fields in the surrounding areas. So she did what she could with getting photos.

We saw these Snow Geese on our way to Gray Lodge Wildlife Refuge.

Gray Lodge Wildlife Refuge

Afterwards,we met grandpa and Sue for breakfast, then we all ran errands. We went to Costco and I loved looking at the tv's with grandpa. I kept focusing on the really big ones. Afterwards, we went to Target, and then that was it for mom and I. Mom didn't want me out in public too much, and with stores being hot, and outside being really cold, she didn't want me to be exposed to that either. Mom and I went back to the hotel and met up with them later for dinner.

The restaurant we went to for breakfast is in the background...

Next day (Dec 22), mom and I picked up Grandpa to go run some errands and take a drive. Grandpa wanted to show us Paradise; where he first moved to before him and Sue moved to Chico. We stopped at "Little Grand Canyon" to take a few photos that Grandpa wanted. It wasn't the best time of day to do so, but mom still did. We saw a very light rainbow over the canyon. Grandpa also showed us a bridge that went over the river down in the canyon.

You can click on photo to see larger view....

We dropped Grandpa off at the house while mom and I went back to the hotel for my treatments and rest. Then we decided to head back to Gray Lodge Wildlife Refuge for late afternoon early evening lighting. It was gorgeous out. Mom should of stayed at the refuge for sunset, but we saw it driving back to Chico, plus we needed to get back for dinner.

You can click on photo to see larger view...

The next morning (Dec 23), mom and I slept in some, or shall I say "I did". We went for a drive early afternoon, just mom and I while we waited for Grandpa and Sue to run errands and what not. We drove up to Paradise, but a different way. We kind of got lost, but it was a lovely drive.

Mom was wanting to go north, past Redding to photograph a waterfall that I would be able to go to as well, but it was too far for this trip, so Sue said she found a waterfall on the side of the road down in Oroville. It sounded somewhat familiar to mom since mom read through her book on waterfalls in California for this area and remembered this one was quite a hike to get to, and I wouldn't be able to go, but we still picked up Grandpa and went to check it out. The waterfall part that was on the side of the road was the information center in town, but the water fall was 22 miles from there up in the mountains, at the end of a windy road. We still went and checked it out. Sure enough, it was the waterfall mom thought it was, but it was a trail that bikes could go on and looked pretty good for me too. We didn't have time to hike to the waterfall, plus mom wouldn't want to take me until someone she knew hiked it first, but we walked it a little ways, and I got to go in my hiking stroller. Grandpa pushed me. He wasn't sure about it as it was his first time seeing it, etc, but he couldn't believe how alert I was. I was looking everywhere, turning my head and eyes wide open. He must of forgot how I LOVE trees with soft lighting. We walked about 30 minutes before having to head back to Chico. I got upset 1/2 way back to the car as I wasn't ready to leave yet. I sure am aware of my surrounding areas and what I want and don't want.. :)

We went back to Chico, dropped off Grandpa. Then mom took me to the hotel for treatments and a nap. Before heading over to grandpa's for dinner, mom took photos of the lighted tree in town with the water fountain.

After dinner we went to go see Christmas lights in neighborhoods. I loved the lights, but was hard to see from inside grandpa's truck driving by. By the way, I love to go in Grandpa's truck.

The next day was Christmas Eve... Mom read about this hiking trail that was actually a fire road to a small cascade in Smartville. Mom really wanted to find somewhere that we could hike since I really enjoyed it yesterday. Well, we looked for it and looked for it and looked for it, but never could find the last road that you were suppose to turn onto and then park at the trailhead. Mom was so disappointed and felt bad wasting all that time, and I was stuck in the car when we could of been out walking somewhere. So, we went back to Chico and went to this park that Grandpa took us to for a walk. It was a great park with lots of trails (road like trails) that would of been perfect to spend a few hours there instead of driving all the way to Smartville. So, we went for a short walk before dinner.

After dinner, mom thought it would be neat to take me back to this neighborhood to see the Christmas lights, but by walking, not by car. We did, but I wasn't in the mood for it after about 10 minutes, so we dropped off Grandpa and Sue before mom and I went to the hotel for the night.

A side note: A week before we left for Chico, a friend of mom's took us to see Christmas lights in Oxnard that was known for them. We walked up and down streets looking at the lights. I loved it.

Back to our trip...

The next day was Christmas... :):) We got up and went over to Grandpa's for the day. Opened gifts, had breakfast, I watched some TV and then we had a big dinner with Sue's kids. It was nice.

I am looking at my new activity book I got in my stocking from Santa..

I love helping in the kitchen...

Mom and I went back to the hotel to get ready to leave the following day to head back home. We met Grandpa and Sue for breakfast before we left. It was nice out, so mom decided to head over to Sacramento Wildlife Refuge to check it out. Mom is getting hooked on birds, I think.

Two Bald Eagles on the way to the refuge

White Snow Geese we saw on the way to Sacramento Wildlife Refuge

So many different types of birds at Sacramento Wildlife Refuge..

The refuge is in Willows, so we left the refuge, and headed towards Sacramento thinking we would stay there for the night.

Mom took me to Cubby's store, which I love. Even though I was tired, I still enjoyed going and getting Cubby a winter outfit and a backpack.

I am waiting to give the cashier person my member card, gift card to pay for it, and Cubby's passport.

Cubby getting her passport stamped...

Finally a new store we have not been to before...

I am carrying Cubby's bag...

The next morning, we left pretty early to get home early, or at least we had hope to get home early. What should of been a six hour drive, it turned into a 12 1/2 hour drive home. No accidents that we were aware of, just a ton of cars on the road. There was finally a break in the traffic part way over the Grapevine. We were so glad to be home.

We took a much needed break, and had lunch at Anderson's in Santa Nella. Lots of people had the same idea.

Tuesday, Dec 28th, we had Christmas over at Grandma's house with grandma, great grandpa, great grandma, and aunt Patricia. I slept through most of it on Grandma's lap, but woke up shortly after. Mom and I decided to go whale watching for the afternoon. It was beautiful out on the water.

I love going on the boat....

It was nice to be home the next couple of days...

It was New Year's Eve.... Mom and I decided to join a friend whale watching that afternoon. We had a great encounter with Transient Orcas after seeing some dolphins and a Gray Whale.. We couldn't of asked to end the year any better.