Exploring - Sunday Funday

On Sunday morning we set out for a family walk along the coast.  We went down to the Strand at Headlands in Dana Point.  We knew we were at the right place and just above the ocean because we could hear it - but we just couldn't see it through the crazy thick fog.  (Those houses back up to the beach.)

While Daddy and I knew that it was mainly for exercise and fun, I told Emily and Everett that we were going to look for more elephants.  I knew there were two there but thought they would be far along our walk.  As it turned out, they were straight in front of our parking spot.

After those two elephants, we continued along the path, up a hill, down PCH, and up another hill to a cool hiking trail that we couldn't go on with our stroller.  But, they had a public restroom so we used that and headed back toward the car.  Knowing there was more to see, we passed our car and walked to the funicular (cable railway) that went down to the beach.   

We decided that we would go down and Daddy returned our stroller to the car.  While we waited, Emily took it upon herself to stretch with a lady that was preparing to go down the stairs and walk along the beach.

 The lady was very nice and showed Emily (and later, Everett too)...

some different stretches including quads, hams, and arms.  By the time Daddy returned, we were able to bid our friend adieu and head down...

to the beach.

We were only there for a few minutes to watch the waves and surfers...

before driving over to the harbor.  (approaching from the street we had walked along to find the hiking trail)

We decided to go there because we knew there were more elephants and all along our walk, Emily had been asking and asking where the other elephants were!  So, we found one straight out of the car...

and then enjoyed a few minutes on the dock behind it.

 After a brief stop back at the car (for a proper elephant map, this was the new mission along with exercise), I found Daddy, Emily and Everett sitting and waiting for me...

to find the next elephant - "Beady."

 Then, we walked a ways to find a couple more.  First, a pose like Ernestine/Lily...

and then the beautiful flowers...

before we walked some more to find (an important one to our M Family Iowa heritage) CORN!

Have I ever mentioned on here that Everett LOVES corn on the cob?!  Well, he does.  And he chose to eat some while we were there (his idea).

From "Corn," we walked on a bridge across the harbor to find another cool one that is important to the M family - present day.

After quickly finding Disneyland on the map (of course!),

we sat for a few minutes to watch the boats, paddle boarders, and kayakers entering and exiting the harbor.

Then, we buckled back in the stroller and walked back to our car and beyond - to the Ocean Institute...

where we found this favorite.

But, we didn't see him immediately, first we walked around back to the entrance to the tide pools where  a docent (several actually) was available to show us some treasures found in the tide pools.

Among the special things were lobsters, crabs (bodies and legs separately), sea lion jaw bones with a couple of teeth, a sea lion rib, pelican wing bone (so cool to see through the hollow center), sea stars, and a golf ball.  Full lessons taught here... things that belong in our oceans and things that do not.  :)
We did not go down to the tide pools then - it was WAY past lunch time already - but we did spy a few crabs in the rocks on the way back to the car.

Well, the wheels were starting to come off at this point (for Everett especially).  We were hungry and ready for lunch!  But, Emily was confident that we hadn't seen all of the elephants because the "grand ol' flag one" (as Emily and Everett so lovingly called it) that was plastered on all advertisements and maps, was still missing!  So, since Daddy and I knew where it was, we decided to go to the shopping center where it was located.  TA DA!!!

What's that?  Not a "grand ol' flag?"  It DID have stripes!!  Ugh.  We were not at the corner we thought and therefore, did not find OUR elephant!!  Imagine this...  we are more than 3 hours into our outing, have now added an extra 15 minutes (and at least 70 stairs) and have not completed our mission!  We didn't even find a sandwich shop!!  So, back to the car we went, and drove to the correct corner where we immediately spotted our friend, a good parking spot, and a Dominoes pizza!!  Within 20 minutes our bellies were being filled and all was right with the universe again.

Also during this time, I found someone's lost phone in the parking lot, we did some people watching, a live band started playing across the parking lot, the kids had a dance party on the low wall, and the owner called her own phone and we managed a meet up/return.

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Then... finally... we went out to visit our last two elephants for the day!  (There are many more... Emily just doesn't know.)

 Hooray!!

When all was said and done we had walked over 5 miles and were home for a (late) 2:00 nap.  Not to mention the fact that we had found so many new places for further exploration.

Now THAT was my kind of morning!!