At the beginning of March, I got to fly out to California with my kids for a whole week! It had been almost a year since we'd been there and I was so darn excited to be back. I met up with my mom in CDM for a few days before we headed down to San Diego for the AORN, an annual nurses convention where I'd be working with my sister for a few days. We had a blast! My parents watched my kids during the day while I "worked" and then we had fun walking down memory lane at night. We grew up spending our summers in San Diego where my grandparents had a condo. One night, my mom, Amy, Finnley and I drove around town hitting all of our very favorite spots. I loved it.
After a few days in CDM, and a few days in San Diego, I got to go "home" to South Pasadena. I still feel like that is my home - I did live there for three years, and gave birth to two children there, so it is very dear to my heart. Plus, some of my very favorite girlfriends live there that I miss MUCHO! We got together for Megan's birthday at the very yummy HOOK burger in Pasadena. It lived up to the hype, and I wish I could go back. After, we enjoyed our $15, hour-long, Chinese massages at Master Wong's. This place is a hoot, and I always get the giggles when I go. This time I got the giggles watching Sara's facial expressions as the Chinese man dug into her back leaving her with bruises. Yowza! After more food, more chatting, and more fun, it was time to pick up the kids who were playing with Uncle Damon for the night (thanks D!).
Another highlight of the week was our pirate park playdate in South Pas. My kids were beyond thrilled to be reunited with their buddies. It didn't take long for them to pick up right where they left off. It made me so happy and so sad at the same time. There aren't many little kids nearby for them to play with here in New York, so seeing them run around with the kids they grew up with pulled at my heart-strings a bit.
There have been so many babies born since we moved and it was fun to finally meet them. My friend Kate had cute baby Jade (above), and I wish we lived by each other so our babies could grow up best buds. Isn't she adorable!?
Oh, Dieter and Ally - the cutest little boyfriend and girlfriend around.
My next fun adventure took be back down to San Diego. I'm not sure how it worked out, but I was lucky enough to be in town the same weekend some of my girlfriends from the early dental school years got together for a girls weekend. We came in from Oregon, New York, New Mexico, and California for the fun reunion. We talked and talked and talked the WHOLE time. We'd find ourselves parked on the couches of Nordstrom, standing in a circle in Forever 21, or sitting at a table in the food court for hours catching up and laughing - hard! It was so much fun.
After a yummy BBQ dinner at Phil's, we headed to our hotel where we talked until the wee hours of the morning. I bunked up with Kate, Lindsey P. and her sweetest little baby Marcus. Oh man, I didn't want to let his sweet chunkiness go. He was an angel baby, and didn't make a peep the whole time....for real!
The next morning brought beautiful San Diego sunshine, and an 8 mile run along the boardwalk. We grabbed breakfast at Einsteins and headed up to Torrey Pines for a 3 mile hike and lots and lots of pictures!
Kim, Alyssa, Kate, Lindsey, Lindsay, Allison (Hailey, pregnant with twins, was waiting up top)
I was sad to say goodbye to these fun and beautiful ladies, but we left with the promise to do it again soon. I'm going to hold them to it!
Back in CDM, we had fun hitting up the beach, hanging out with Grandma Jan, and eating lots of yummy food. My mom is one amazing lady and I had the best time with her and didn't want to leave. Truthfully, if I didn't miss Mitch as much as I did, I would have figured out a way to stay. I left feeling like California might need to be a higher option for us to live, but no matter what happens, we can always visit.
A big shout out to my mom who watched my kids a bunch that week and allowed me to have one of the best weeks I'd had in a long time. I love her and miss her bad. So, that was my week in California - go, go, go and fun, fun, fun!
