#2. Rock Formations that Make Me Smile & Think of my Daddio

My dad is a genius. One of those geniuses that you've probably never heard of, but a genius nonetheless.

He knows all sorts of stuff that no one else knows. Like why the Missouri river wanted to wind around over the years and form the valley south of our hometown. Like the importance of hanging your clothes in color order even though the rest of your closet can be a mess. Like how to build an exact replica of Mount Rushmore out of chicken wire (seriously, people, he did that...and I got an A!).

But most of all, Horatio Dimwit (that's he's secret name so he doesn't ever have to become famous for how smart he is and deal with the paparazzi!) is the world genius on rock formations. Especially ones that you can see all the layers since The Land Before Time - and he'll tell you exactly how those layers came to be...and then muse about what life must've been like during each of those eras, and eventually wander around to "wouldn't it have been cool to cross the country in a covered wagon?!?!" (No, Dad, the cross-country trips in the minivan were bad enough, thank you very much!).

So when Mr. Awesome & I decided to take advantage of the long weekend and head down to Carmel by the Sea for the day (doesn't that name just oooze romance? and day trips? definitely romance! I love Mr. Awesome, I do), we never expected that we'd be talking about my dear Dad for a good portion of our trip! But hiking through Point Lobos all along the California coast, we saw the coolest things:

Mussels (ooh I wish they were for dinner, yes I do!)

Giant Seal friends

But most of all....

Rock formations!

And I smiled so big and took 101 pictures so I could send them to my Dad. It makes me so happy to be reminded of my Dad, to get to share his sense of humor with Mr. Awesome, and the really wonderful stories of my really wonderful childhood (no matter how I felt about it at the time). I am seriously so

LUCKY

to have him as a father and even luckier to be marrying someone who agrees...and who will probably be a pretty similar father someday too (Mr. Awesome is way into history! not so much rocks, but anything else that's boring to most people, he loves. And I mean LOVES, the way I love Gossip Girl. Do I know how to pick 'em or what?).

My Dad is great.

And the hike was pretty awe-inspiring, too.