We've been in Oceanside for just over a week now, and it's been really nice, and just what we were hoping it would be.

People keep asking us how it feels to be on our trip, but so far it still feels like we're just visiting my parents and will go home soon. Then you remember we don't really have a "home," and that home is wherever we are. I think it'll take a while to sink in. Thinking about the scope of our trip actually freaks me out a little bit. It's just so big and new and unknowable. So it's a good practice in just taking life one day at a time and being present in the moment!

Last week was Thanksgiving, which gave us a little more latitude to visit instead of work. Last Monday I drove down to San Diego to take a belly dance class with a teacher recommended by my teacher in Oakland, and it was incredibly fun. Somehow I always forget how much I love dancing until I'm dancing. It's a bit of a drive, but I'm going to try to keep going while I'm here, and try new classes in each of the places we're going.

Tuesday, we all stopped by my Dad's work site to check out the project he's been working on. It was really cool to see it in person and be able to have a mental picture of what he does every day.

Wednesday and Thursday night I got some dog time by dog-sitting at my aunt's house, which was really fun. It felt really good to be useful and available.

Thanksgiving dinner was at my cousin Chad's house, and it was really wonderful. The food and the company, everything was perfect. It was really nice to spend a Thanksgiving with my family.

Then this weekend we celebrated Mike's birthday early, because next weekend we'll be taking a trip to Phoenix. Friday night, he and I got a nice dinner in Del Mar, walked down to the beach, and then did a really good Escape Room down in National City. Saturday, my parents joined us and we all saw Coco (which was wonderful), got dinner, and hung out with my aunt and cousins (and they did a cake for Mike, which was really sweet).

Mike got himself an Oculus with a Black Friday sale, so he's been spending a lot of time either setting it up or learning more about Bitcoin, which is his new favorite hobby.

The rest of the trip we've been working, and running errands, and cooking, and watching TV with my parents, which are all the things this trip was sort of designed for -- just living life and being with each other.