So, we are back from Mayberry – I mean Ferndale, CA ;) (Martin calls it Mayberry so it’s okay hehe) Kian did AWESOME on the trip thanks to our DVD player and several movies. We got up there around dinner time on Wednesday (took us about 7 hours to get there because of several stops and really intense rain for part of the drive in the mountains). Of course when we got there Kian just wanted to walk around and not sit in his chair to wait for our food at Curley’s. We did meet up with Jon and Ester (the people who hosted Thanksgiving dinner, own a part of Full Sail, and have a recording studio in Ferndale that Martin is the audio engineer for). I was too busy wrangling Kian and trying to eat the same time to really be able to converse with everyone but heard bits and pieces here and there. Upon walking the half block back to Martin’s place he told us that Eater opened the “parsonage” to us and we would probably be more comfortable staying there. Just catty-corner from Martin’s place is a BIG, old church that Jon and Ester own along with the parsonage behind it. Let me tell ya, when I think of a parsonage I think of simple living, small place but this was QUITE the contrary! It is a Victorian home but has been restored on the inside completely! We were MORE than comfortable there and felt very blessed by Jon and Ester for opening this house to us – pretty much complete strangers.
Thursday there was quite a crowd at “the ranch” (a 19 bedrood 19 bathroom place!!). It’s on top of a mountain that overlooks the ocean. Kian had a great time running around outside on the vast land, playing with the pool table, and trying to love on Ester’s little dog named Lilly. Turkey dinner was AMAZING! Ester and several helpers cooked everything for the 20 some crowd. It was an amazing meal :)
Friday we got up and had breakfast at Papa Joe’s. A bit of a longer walk this time (instead of a half block it was 2 hehe) and we had an AMAZING breakfast there. It was one of those places that offers just a few things on the menu but each one is awesome! I guess a lot of the ranchers go there after they are done milking their cows. Oh yeah, this area is definitely a big part of the dairyland of California. I felt like I was in Wisconsin with the amount of cows we saw. It was very odd to see cows grazing and the ocean waves rolling in the behind them!
After eating breakfast we walked down the main street in Ferndale and looked at shops (most of which had pieces of paper taped to the windows that said “Closed Thursday through Sunday Happy Thanksgiving!” Ferndale is a cute little town :)
After our short walk home we headed up to the studio to check it out. This place is AMAZING…I think our tour lasted about 2 hours to cover the whole place with stories and everything. That place is amazing! The artists and record pretty much anywhere in the house (including the bathroom!) for different sounds. And it’s not only a studio but it feels like a house that has a lot to do so the artists and those working with them will feel comfortable. There is even a chef that works up there to cook for those who are working! I know I am not even giving this place justice in what I am saying – it’s so amazing I’m not even sure where to start or how to talk about it lol!
We left late Friday afternoon. We were all pretty tired and I’m sure Kian was sick of hearing no touch all the time. Kian did great in the car again – that is until we would stop and let him stretch his legs. He didn’t want to get back in the car…poor guy! We got home in just under 5 hours! Thanks to not a lot of traffic, no rain, and not a lot of stops (Kian’s dinner consisted of dried fruit, toddler crackers, and Kix washed down with some whole milk so we wouldn’t have to stop for over a half hour for him to eat).
I think we were all happy to be home and sleeping in our own beds (Toby included). Kian was up an hour earlier than normal – he was doing that when we were in Ferndale – and he went to bed about an hour and half later than usual so today is our recovery day. But we all had a great time and were very happy to spend the holiday with family :)
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