It's a Bittersweet Goodbye Monterey:

It is so hard to believe that our two years here is up... It feels like just yesterday we were driving up Hwy 1, taking in the coast line and beauty that stood before us, thinking, this is our home! Time sure does fly.

It is so very bittersweet leaving this place I called home for the past two years. Monterey was a lot of firsts not only for my family, but for myself as well. This was the very first duty station for me as a Navy wife, and this was also the very first time I ever moved away from home (I went to college in Jacksonville and lived at home), this was the very first place we lived as husband and wife, and Monterey is the place we welcomed our daughter and we became a family of 3!

There are so many things that I could write in this post, and so many things that I know I will forget. We have been so blessed and lucky to have done so many things in these past two years... From day trips, to weekend getaways, to week long vacations, to just spending time in Monterey: BBQing with friends, picnicking in the park, bonfire's on the beach, wine tasting's in the valley, to just sitting in the driveway enjoying time with our friends!

A glimpse into our life while living in California:
*Many trips to Napa Valley (about 8): Thank you Aunt Traci for opening your home to us and the fur babies so much! We will miss you!

*San Francisco: From day trips to show family, day trips to see family, a weekend getaway for Steven to run his first Half Marathon, to just driving through the city and over the Golden Gate while heading home from Napa!

*San Francisco Giants game

*Visited our family in Gig Harbor a few times: From a long weekend for July 4th when we first moved, to a week long getaway when I was 6 months pregnant, and a weekend trip with Charli!

*A mini trip to Paso Robles as we were passing through

*San Diego: Where we went to the San Diego Zoo and Sea World!

*Many drives down Hwy 1 to Big Sur that I can't count!

*Yosemite National Park

*A couple of trips to Tahoe

*Vegas: I love that my very first time to Vegas I was 17 weeks pregnant, and the second time was Charli's very first "vacation" and she was only 2 months, and we got to see my best friend!

*Sacramento

*Many trips to Santa Cruz, San Jose, Capitola, Fresno, Gilroy

*Ano Nuevo State Park to see the Elephant Seals

*Golf, Golf, and more Golf: From Steven playing on a weekly basis, to attending the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, to Steven being invited to play in the Nature Valley First Tee Open

(Just over a week before Charli was born!)

*And so many things that we did just around the Monterey/Carmel area too: From biking, to hiking, to walking down at Fisherman's Warf, going to the farmer's markets, the beach, the festivals, Cannery Row, the Aquarium, wineries, and so much more!

*And we can't forget about all of our wonderful visitors who came and saw us while we lived here! Thank you to everyone who visited, we will forever be grateful!

There is so much that I love about Monterey, but there is so much more that I love about getting back to the East Coast... Like being so much closer to all of my family and friends! 

Some things I will miss about Monterey:

*Having the Pacific Ocean in my backyard

*The beautiful sunsets

*All of the extremely fresh produce/farmers markets

*Having the Ocean on one side of me, and the Mountains right there on the other side

*The WINE (let's be honest)! There is nothing better than good ol' Napa/Sonoma/California Wine

*And while we are on wine... Having all of the wineries and vineyards just minutes away

*The rare beautiful sunny days (when it actually isn't cold out, and you don't need a sweater or a scarf and can enjoy the blue skies, sunshine, and cooler crisp air, and not be sweating the moment you walk outside). I'm sure there will be days that I will miss being in "Mother Nature's air conditioning", but I am looking forward to actually being hot during the summer months, and wearing a bathing suit on the 4th of July!

*All of the wonderful people I have met here and the friendships that we have made (good thing we have Blogging, Facebook, and Instagram)! ;)

*Our absolutely wonderful neighbors!
*My Tuesday Playgroup!
*All of Charli's little friends

So thank you Monterey, for all of the good times we have shared, and for all of the memories I will hold close to my heart. Fair Winds and Following Seas!


Until I see you again!