Back to California...

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!

South Pas comes to Utah...

I'm not gonna sit here and write that everything in New York is hunky-dory.  The truth is, I miss California every single day.  I miss the familiarity, my friends, my neighbors, the parks, the beach, the smells, my walks, the parks, pretty much everything except my teenie-tiny apartment.  So, when a few of my favorites were in Utah in June, I couldn't wait to meet up with them.  We headed to a splash park in Alpine and let the kids do their thing while we caught up.

We laughed at how different the parks are in Utah County v. LA County. I think we got approached three different times for Missionary Fundraising or Scouting Fundraisers....that doesn't happen in CA.  ;)  

Our kids picked up right where we left off, and it was a great day.  I miss my Sara and Megan.  Make sure you guys come visit me!

One Last Beach Day...

We went back to California a couple weeks ago for Mitch's graduation.  Of course, I had to take the opportunity to get together with my lady friends and hit the beach one more time.  We had a great time spending the entire afternoon soaking up sun rays and building sandcastles with the kiddos.  I am going to miss these ladies....actually, I already do!

Kate and Beck with their sweet shades!

Kate making Remmy smile.  Her little tongue is always sticking out - so cute!

 Most of the kids.

After a long day on the beach, we cleaned up, ordered some pizza, and partied late into the night.  We just couldn't say goodbye, so we said "see ya later" and made plans to see each other again soon.  These girls made my experience in South Pasadena the absolute best it could be.  I truly value each of them!  See ya soon ladies!

Eddie Park Easter Egg Hunt...

Each year our friends have gotten together for a little Easter Egg hunt at one of our favorites, Eddie Park.  It is something we love and look forward to each spring.  This year was no different.  We pulled out our Easter baskets in anticipation, and the kids had fun filling up the eggs that we would hide.  

All the kids lined up and it was 1-2-3...GO!  Dieter was more concerned with eating the mini muffins he had snuck off the snack table, than pick up eggs.  (I looked in his basket and he literally had 12 mini muffins in there!) I pretty much had to force him to run and not stop and eat.  Luckily, Finnley picked up enough for the both of them and was happy to share.

Most of the group....we have been blessed to be a part of this amazing group of friends.  We are going to miss them and all the fun activities we do almost weekly!

Hollywood Sign...

We checked the Hollywood Sign off our bucket list on Saturday.  We've been wanting to hike it for a while, so we took advantage of our free day and tackled it.  It also helped that I'm 37 weeks pregnant and really need to get some contractions going. ;) We had fun spending the day with half the Poelmans and Hawkleys, as well as the Papworths and Lambournes.

The views were amazing, the weather was perfect, and the company even better.  When I asked Dieter to show me his muscles, he pulled up his shirt like this.  This little tank of a kid cracks me up.  Finn was a trooper and hiked the whole way up with her buddy Grey.  You go girl. ;)

Grey, D-man, Beck, Miss Finn, and Maya (Little Rowan not pictured)

 The girls - check out that belly....actually, please don't.

January Beach Day...

January usually brings with it at least a few amazing beach days.  This past week was full of them, so we had to take advantage and head to the coast.  We hit up our regular spot, El Porto beach tower 42.  I think everyone was craving the sun because we had a great turn out and the kids were going non-stop.  I kept having to add money to my parking meter because I couldn't bring myself to leave.  Finnley and her girlfriends were adorable running around and even rolling in the cold ocean water. 

Dieter and his little buddy Ally were so fun to watch.  They have this fun little relationship where they can play side-by-side without saying much at all.  I don't know how we are going to separate these two little friends.