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The next arrival in a wonderfully long lineup of visitors this Summer (which has saved my heart from soul-withering loneliness) was our dear friend Carolina from Spain (see Europe blog posts to remember how much we love this girl). She is in Sacramento for the Summer, tutoring a family in Spanish before they move to Spain, and she emailed to ask if she could fly down to visit us. We were over the moon, and asked her what she wanted to see on her first and possibly only trip ever to Southern California - we had three days and we wanted to pack them full of SoCal magic.

It had been 27 years since I had been to Universal Studios. I had pictured a museum-like tour of a movie studio, learning about old Hollywood and the process of film-making. Instead it was a hot, crowded amusement park... with a movie theme. I was disappointed, but the Studio tour (after a full hour in line) was actually really cool, and the show pictured above did have pretty stunning water and fire effects. 

As hot and smoggy and soulless as L.A. feels to me... it is fun to see the Hollywood sign on the hill and to walk in the footsteps of some truly amazing Artists.  Carolina had of course wanted to see the iconic highlights of L.A., and it was more fun than I had expected! We found our favorite stars on the walk of fame...

...and stood in awe as we pictured real live fingers and hands in wet cement at historic moments in history. This one was from the premier of Star Wars in 1977, and we all found slabs that transported us to somewhere meaningful for us. Julie Andrews in 1966... Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson in 2001... Judy Garland in 1939... it was pretty amazing.

Next, a driving tour through Beverly Hills and past Rodeo Drive to the Santa Monica pier for dinner and a (freezing cold) walk at sunset.

Back at home with Carolina. Stone told me that he loves Carolina as much as his own family.

And another Southern California standard... riding the waves. We're getting the hang of the beach now - there are a few beaches I can drive to and park at without needing a map, and we have all the gear and can get it to and from the water pretty quickly. Good equipment + good weather + good attitudes = fun beach days.

Sophie is our hardest sell each time we suggest a day on the sand. She hates the feeling of being dirty and wet, and the waves scare her. I was really proud of her for trying again with a smile!

Carolina and the big girls stayed in for a long time... it was a perfect wave day in San Clemente (only 15 minutes from our house!)

Stone ran back and forth and back and forth through the foam, and then body surfed for a long time, getting slammed by some of the waves but just standing up and going back for more. It was so stressful for Sophie to see him getting crashed by the waves that she was nearly in tears and couldn't watch. :)

Waiting for the perfect wave....

...Lindsay rides it in

The next day, I dropped Carolina off at Disneyland with Lucy, Sophie and Stone, and took Ariana to the airport to fly home. We were so sad to see her go!! 

Then returned to pack in an INSANE number of rides. We had left the house at 8:00 am, parked and shuttled to the entrance to walk in at 9:00 am...

...and were still going strong at 9:00 pm.

We arrived home from Disneyland barely able to brush our teeth and collapse into bed... and Carolina's flight left at 7:30 the next morning! I set my alarm for 5:40 and was unconscious until I heard a light tapping on my door... it was Carolina who had been too embarrassed to wake me up earlier, and so had just waited and worried until she had to come knock on my door. It was 6:20. I leaped out of bed, grabbed a sweatshirt and flew down the stairs, but thought there was absolutely no way. The airport is a 40 minute drive, and we were pulling out of my driveway at 6:25 to make a 7:30 flight. I won't write what my speedometer registered as I wove in and out of the fast lane... but there was no traffic (for once!!!) and we pulled up to the curb at 7:00. I made sweet Carolina, who will never inconvenience anyone, that if she wanted to get on that plane she would have to ask people to let her cut in the security line. I don't know if she did, but she made it onto her plane!!

When I arrived home I found gifts for all of us - chocolates and notebooks and candy from Spain... and on top of classic Seville polka dots was this note and a little statue of our beloved Giralda tower. We had looked and looked for the right Giralda souvenir to hang on our Christmas tree, and could never decide on one... and then suddenly we were in our last few days in Spain and didn't have time to go back to a shop and buy one! We had told Carolina this, and she bought one for us. We will miss her so much! But what a blessing that we got to see her again, and have such a jam-packed awesome three days.