Visiting the Birch Aquarium in San Diego

Whale tail sculpture fountain at Birch Aquarium.

Two years ago today we visited the famous Birch Aquarium in San Diego. It was Sunday morning, and we went out for the first of many Sunday morning breakfasts at Denny's in Encinitas.

Afterward, we drove down the freeway to the aquarium. They had some neat sculptures there as well as a great view of the ocean on the aquarium's backside. We spent quite amount of time in the children's play area.

Afterward, we had lunch at the aquarium's cafe. And of course we hit the gift shop!

Here's some photos from our adventure!

Enjoying real maple syrup

I had pancakes with real maple syrup for breakfast today, and it brought back memories of how you liked real maple syrup, too!

Having grown up on a farm eating only real maple syrup, I never liked the imitation stuff, such as Aunt Jemima Syrup, which has a maple flavoring but doesn't come from maple trees at all (It mainly comes from corn syrup!). So when we went grocery shopping together, I always bought real Vermont maple syrup, even though it was quite expensive.

So you also grew up having real maple syrup on your French toast sticks and waffles.

One day while at Denny's, you got pancakes, but they served you fake maple syrup. When you took a bite of it, you made a face and exclaimed they didn't give you maple syrup!

Like father, like son!

Our Sunday breakfasts at Denny's

Ate breakfast at Denny's in Cedar City, Utah, Friday morning and had our favorite - the country fried steak and eggs. Remember when we used to eat Sunday breakfast at Denny's in Encinitas? We'd often split the country fried steak and eggs. You so loved the gravy! No matter how much I gave you, you always wanted more, too!

While waiting for the meal to come, we'd play together with some toys, usually something we'd purchased the day before at wherever we went (often it was Disneyland) or something we'd dug out one of the many totes of your toys I had in the storage shed. We usually had a waiter who also was a father of young kids, and even if we weren't at his table, he'd stop by to see where we'd been the day before and were going that day. You'd usually show him your new toys.

The last time we went there was in December 2011, just before I moved back to Palmdale/Lancaster. I remember you asking me, "Is that the last time we'll ever eat there, Dad?" and when I said "Probably it will be," you were so sad.

Well, I was sad that you weren't with me at breakfast today. One day, though, we'll be together again, and I've got a plate of country steak and eggs at Denny's with our name on it!