The packing, planning, pet sitters and pushing-to-get-out-the-door are all worth it the minute we arrive and meet up with family in our favorite cabins in the Big Sur forest.
This year the cousins joyfully roamed the river, forest and beaches, on this years summer solstice/birthday trip...
...enjoyed the "matchy-match" pajama's that LaLa Pat made them...
...and lounged around in the wonderful weather.
We found a wonderful fuzzy caterpillar amongst the poison hemlock, wild mustard and abundant wild flowers on the trail down to the beach. 
We found the perfect spot where the Big Sur River meets the ocean...
...and collected special rocks and shells to remember our trip by.
And then, after we said our goodbye's, we stopped at a local stable and Annie and I took horses through some beautiful meadows and trails, through the Big Sur River, and down onto the beach. What a thrill!
