Catalina Adventure: Avalon

A few weeks ago, we ventured to Avalon with two families. Our friends graciously opened up their family's house to six adults and four kids.

Descanso Beach had undergone a major remodel with cloth covered cabanas and fancy wooden lounge chairs. We saw a baby seal resting on the beach. The staff at Descanso had marked an area for her with caution tape. At first, I was worried the seal was dead, but she rolled from her back to her front and let you observe her breathing. It was so exciting to be so close to her.

One morning we ventured to the botanical gardens and hiked up to the Wrigley Memorial to take in the view.

Not limiting ourselves to land, our group enjoyed a submarine ride to look at fish. Ilsa of RamblingLA and my oldest son saw a manta ray.

The Pencil Sharpening Patrol put in their hours.

And each night, happily tired little bodies gathered round for a reading from Windsor McCay's old Sunday comic strip Little Nemo: 1905-1914. I picked up our copy of the book as a gift to Eric when we first started dating. Who knew that later we would read from it each night to our children? I'm so glad I acted on impulse years ago and bought this book. It is now out of print and a much anticipated ritual to read six pages together each evening.