Well, the new year started off with a bang. I had a surprise Christmas present that sunday morning. I opened a present to find a toy airplane sitting in a box and a paper taped to the top of the box. I was really confused staring into the box as the kids were jumping excitedly around me. "You get to see Lucy mom, you get to see Lucy!" What?!?! As I looked closer at the paper I noticed an itinerary highlighted with a yellow highlighter. Wes had bought me a ticket to California to stay for a week with Chad, Cherisse and their family and I was to leave that Tuesday-in TWO DAYS! I literally was in shock. I didn't know what to think, I was excited (to go), guilty(for Wes getting a way better present then I got him), sad (that I was going to miss Christmas Vacation with the fam and Wes home), and then excited again. So I flew out Tuesday afternoon and got into Oakland just around the time Melanie was getting off of work-so it worked well. We chatted till we got to Cherisse's. I was so excited to get there. Cher and Chad were organizing all the games, Josie brought me in some material that "maybe you could make a apron or something" and Lucy was sleeping. The pic up top was after she had woken up and had her treatment. I was making her temples and she was knocking them down.
The day after I got there we took an excursion to the Asian gardens in San Fransisco. Thomas and Angela were visiting his family for the holidays, so they met us there. Lucy got to drive her chair the whole time. She was quite the little independant girl, wanting to go to places that were marked off with fencing. The gardens were BEAUTIFUL. Is it too unrealistic to think that maybe my yard will look like that one day-no way! I sure will try anyways.
It was a beautiful day and I couldn't believe how nice it was to go from winter in Utah to winter in California. Nice! Thursday we had a nice relaxing day hanging out at home. I helped Josie make an apron. It turned out pretty cute for my first apron. Friday I took Josie and Dallin on a walk to the grocery store. We made a menu for their parents and then set off to buy the grocery's and come home to make a fancy dinner that they were going to serve their mom and dad. I think it was a little too ambitious. The kids were having kind of a hard time walking home with all the groceries. We stopped at the park on the way home to play, just in time for Cherisse to pull up with the van and drive us the rest of the way home. We made mashed potatoes, pasta and white sauce, chicken cor don bleu, corn, salad. chocolate cake, and sparkling cider. I also got to help Lucy with her first ballet "lessons". She's too cute. She could replay all the french ballet terms back to me when I would put her legs in a certain position. That day I have quite the memory of Josie "singing and dancing" to her crush. SHe Is So HILARIOUS! Saturday morning I went with Melanie to her gym called Equinox. I guess it's a pretty high end gym. I was going to go to her TRX class with her and then afterwards she was going to go to a Danceations class with me. So, warning, I've never been to a gym before (except at college) and I didn't know what TRX was. Melanie tried to show me before we went in and I was like, let's just go do it. HA! I am SO out of shape. I'm sure I was quite the spectacle and entertainment while I was attempting to do the workout. Mel did great! Let's just say it was SOo nice to do the dance class afterwards-totally my think and the teacher is so great. I had a lot of fun. Afterwards, we went into the lockerroom to shower and change. I've never seen so many naked bodies in my life. Blah! I am not used to the "openness" that California people seem to have. Anyways, Melanie treated me to a 80 minute facial. My 1st facial and face wax ever. So relaxing and nice. Melanie is so generous. I really appreciate her. That night was New Years EVE. Chad and CHer bought this yummy deep dish pizza, played games with Ang and Thomas, and then watched White Collar till everyone was too sleepy to stay awake anymore. The next morning I went with Melanie to her SIngles Ward. I am surprised that there are so many handsome, educated singles. WHAT is their problem?!?! I think they are just afraid of committement or settling down-cuz they seem to do well in all other areas. We went home. packed. and then it was off to an all girls weekend. We drove to Monterrey and stayed at a hotel right on the beach. As we pulled into the parking lot and were looking at the ocean, Cherisse was stating that she always thinks she sees a whale or a shark and it's always a rock or a seal or something else. RIght then she yells, Hey I see a whale. We thought she was joking-but-sure enough- a whale was swimming towards the shore line, quite close I might say. It would come up, blow water out of its blow hole, and then back down for a minute or two. ONe time it came up with its head out of the water. SO COOL! We had fun that night eating junk food and watching all the episodes of Once UPon a Time.
THis is a pic at the start of our adventure. The next morning we went into Monterrey and rented a Surry.
This is a surry! SO fun! I would definitely recommend it for a fun way to explore an area when on vacation. We rode up and down the coast-from Lover's Point to Fisherman's wharf. We saw the HUGEST seal.
We went to a great tide pool and found lot of little creatures.
We went to Carmel's beautiful beach and walked up and down their streets with cute little shops.
Here I am wishing my honey was with me and so sending him a little love note.
The squirrels at Lover's point weren't afraid of humans at all. This one came right up to me and stood on it's feet, grabbing at my scarf and begging for food. So funny! We ended the day with a pedicure. So fun to be able to spend time with some of my sisters. We need to make the effort for all of us girls to get together more often. That night Monday night I went to the gym again with Melanie. When we got home we showed Lucy our dance. "we were being a little silly" when showing it to her and she kept smiling and saying Again Again! Tuesday I packed and Angela and Thomas had the exact flight as I did back to Utah. That was nice to have someone I knew to wait at the airport with. I am so grateful for my husband and family sacrificing so I could go, so grateful for the hospitality of Chad and Cherisse and making me feel at home and enjoy spending time with their family. I am so grateful for Melanie and her thoughtfulness, kindness, and generosity, it was such a great vacation.
But I am glad to be back home with my family.
When I got home the girls found out that I made an apron for Josie-so of course, not for them to feel left out-we went to the store picked out some material. and they helped me design their aprons. 
They love to wear them and help me cook and clean. So grateful I have girls and hope they have an many great experiences and memories with each other as I have with my sisters.
Well, the new year started off with a bang. I had a surprise Christmas present that sunday morning. I opened a present to find a toy airplane sitting in a box and a paper taped to the top of the box. I was really confused staring into the box as the kids were jumping excitedly around me. "You get to see Lucy mom, you get to see Lucy!" What?!?! As I looked closer at the paper I noticed an itinerary highlighted with a yellow highlighter. Wes had bought me a ticket to California to stay for a week with Chad, Cherisse and their family and I was to leave that Tuesday-in TWO DAYS! I literally was in shock. I didn't know what to think, I was excited (to go), guilty(for Wes getting a way better present then I got him), sad (that I was going to miss Christmas Vacation with the fam and Wes home), and then excited again. So I flew out Tuesday afternoon and got into Oakland just around the time Melanie was getting off of work-so it worked well. We chatted till we got to Cherisse's. I was so excited to get there. Cher and Chad were organizing all the games, Josie brought me in some material that "maybe you could make a apron or something" and Lucy was sleeping. The pic up top was after she had woken up and had her treatment. I was making her temples and she was knocking them down. 
The day after I got there we took an excursion to the Asian gardens in San Fransisco. Thomas and Angela were visiting his family for the holidays, so they met us there. Lucy got to drive her chair the whole time. She was quite the little independant girl, wanting to go to places that were marked off with fencing. The gardens were BEAUTIFUL. Is it too unrealistic to think that maybe my yard will look like that one day-no way! I sure will try anyways. 
It was a beautiful day and I couldn't believe how nice it was to go from winter in Utah to winter in California. Nice! Thursday we had a nice relaxing day hanging out at home. I helped Josie make an apron. It turned out pretty cute for my first apron. Friday I took Josie and Dallin on a walk to the grocery store. We made a menu for their parents and then set off to buy the grocery's and come home to make a fancy dinner that they were going to serve their mom and dad. I think it was a little too ambitious. The kids were having kind of a hard time walking home with all the groceries. We stopped at the park on the way home to play, just in time for Cherisse to pull up with the van and drive us the rest of the way home. We made mashed potatoes, pasta and white sauce, chicken cor don bleu, corn, salad. chocolate cake, and sparkling cider. I also got to help Lucy with her first ballet "lessons". She's too cute. She could replay all the french ballet terms back to me when I would put her legs in a certain position. That day I have quite the memory of Josie "singing and dancing" to her crush. SHe Is So HILARIOUS! Saturday morning I went with Melanie to her gym called Equinox. I guess it's a pretty high end gym. I was going to go to her TRX class with her and then afterwards she was going to go to a Danceations class with me. So, warning, I've never been to a gym before (except at college) and I didn't know what TRX was. Melanie tried to show me before we went in and I was like, let's just go do it. HA! I am SO out of shape. I'm sure I was quite the spectacle and entertainment while I was attempting to do the workout. Mel did great! Let's just say it was SOo nice to do the dance class afterwards-totally my think and the teacher is so great. I had a lot of fun. Afterwards, we went into the lockerroom to shower and change. I've never seen so many naked bodies in my life. Blah! I am not used to the "openness" that California people seem to have. Anyways, Melanie treated me to a 80 minute facial. My 1st facial and face wax ever. So relaxing and nice. Melanie is so generous. I really appreciate her. That night was New Years EVE. Chad and CHer bought this yummy deep dish pizza, played games with Ang and Thomas, and then watched White Collar till everyone was too sleepy to stay awake anymore. The next morning I went with Melanie to her SIngles Ward. I am surprised that there are so many handsome, educated singles. WHAT is their problem?!?! I think they are just afraid of committement or settling down-cuz they seem to do well in all other areas. We went home. packed. and then it was off to an all girls weekend. We drove to Monterrey and stayed at a hotel right on the beach. As we pulled into the parking lot and were looking at the ocean, Cherisse was stating that she always thinks she sees a whale or a shark and it's always a rock or a seal or something else. RIght then she yells, Hey I see a whale. We thought she was joking-but-sure enough- a whale was swimming towards the shore line, quite close I might say. It would come up, blow water out of its blow hole, and then back down for a minute or two. ONe time it came up with its head out of the water. SO COOL! We had fun that night eating junk food and watching all the episodes of Once UPon a Time.
THis is a pic at the start of our adventure. The next morning we went into Monterrey and rented a Surry.
This is a surry! SO fun! I would definitely recommend it for a fun way to explore an area when on vacation. We rode up and down the coast-from Lover's Point to Fisherman's wharf. We saw the HUGEST seal.
We went to a great tide pool and found lot of little creatures.
We went to Carmel's beautiful beach and walked up and down their streets with cute little shops.
Here I am wishing my honey was with me and so sending him a little love note.
The squirrels at Lover's point weren't afraid of humans at all. This one came right up to me and stood on it's feet, grabbing at my scarf and begging for food. So funny! We ended the day with a pedicure. So fun to be able to spend time with some of my sisters. We need to make the effort for all of us girls to get together more often. That night Monday night I went to the gym again with Melanie. When we got home we showed Lucy our dance. "we were being a little silly" when showing it to her and she kept smiling and saying Again Again! Tuesday I packed and Angela and Thomas had the exact flight as I did back to Utah. That was nice to have someone I knew to wait at the airport with. I am so grateful for my husband and family sacrificing so I could go, so grateful for the hospitality of Chad and Cherisse and making me feel at home and enjoy spending time with their family. I am so grateful for Melanie and her thoughtfulness, kindness, and generosity, it was such a great vacation. But I am glad to be back home with my family.
When I got home the girls found out that I made an apron for Josie-so of course, not for them to feel left out-we went to the store picked out some material. and they helped me design their aprons. 
They love to wear them and help me cook and clean. So grateful I have girls and hope they have an many great experiences and memories with each other as I have with my sisters.
