By the end of last school year, one thing was painfully apparent: we needed a vacation. We were all beyond burned out. So Nate worked his magic and combined our hopes and dreams into one amazing, unforgettable trip. We drove to northern California to see the redwoods and go to the beach in search of tide pools. We stayed in the perfect little vacation rental by a river full of tadpoles and spent our days exploring and our nights hot tubbing. Our only regret is not staying for longer. (And that one time that Bryn threw up all over the car . . .) Here are some pictures of our amazing trip, which we named, "Tide Pools and Big Trees." We did lots of driving through the desert. This was the highlight of the first day's journey, the "Tree of Utah." Nate stayed up real late making these amazing landmark maps for the kids to follow along with. When we reached a flap, they could pull it off and get the prize underneath it - screen time, a treat at a gas station, etc. A l...