Eight Days

Of fun. 

Of birthday parties.

Of love.

Of adventures in a very full minivan.

     Annie and I just got back of eight days visiting family.  Poor Dad had to stay and work (and somebody has to be here to party with the dogs and cats and chickens!)  It rained almost the entire trip, which I love (love!) even though it really cuts down on fun things to do with 4 kids under 3 years old, and wasn't so great for birthday party day.)

My little San Diego baby, in her jams, trying to figure out
what all this stuff is falling from the sky.  

         Other than our serious need to be with family at least once a month since Annie was born, the real reason for this trip was to be there to celebrate Norah and Shelby's first birthday!  I can't believe these beautiful, curious, adventurous, sweet, daredevil girls are one year old already!

    We partied all day! Bubbles, instruments, sandbox, swings, slide and kiddy pool in the backyard.  Party dresses, headbands, new shoes.  Running, climbing, playing, hugging.  Grilled cheese, tacos and coconut cake!  Family and friends who are like family.  What could be better to celebrate these two!

Oh, and Annie really likes having cousins just her size to borrow headbands from!

    We also got to pretend a little bit to celebrate Jack's third (third!!!) birthday.  Annie and I left a day before his birthday, but at least we got to give him his presents and see his excitement in person.  My friends, I tell you, I have no idea how this amazing, sweet, funny, explorer, energizer bunny, chocolate loving, lego building, sunshine singing nephew of mine became three.  

And can we all take a second to think about how amazing my big sister and my mom are to have put together 2 beautiful and fun birthday parties for 3 kids only 8 days apart! Phew!  And raising these 3 amazing kids!  Just one week there and Annie and I were exhausted!

     And man, oh man, we found so many fun things to do to keep ourselves busy on those rainy days!  

We walked dogs up and down hills, through trees and past beautiful views.  We walked to playgrounds and almost to the beach.  We walked the little early riser back to sleep.  

We cuddled with Zeus.  

Made and drank juice with Nan.

Had lots of smiles and high 5s with DP.

Paid visits to Beverly's and Hart's Fabric!  You can not get this kind of fluffy beauty in San Diego.  In my efforts to save on shipping I may have accidentally incurred an overweight bag charge with Southwest.  Moral of the story - while one big bag may be a whole lot more convenient while traveling alone with a toddler, two smaller bags will save you $75 and from being treated like a criminal by the check-in counter woman.  Whoops!  Good thing this fabric is pretty enough to make me forget all that.

Moda, Birch, Anna Maria Horner!
Birds, Polka dots, Flowers, Paper Airplanes, Monsterz, Gingham.
Swoon!

We piled in Em's minivan and went on all day adventures to the Monterey Bay Aquarium (plus picnic and playtime at Dennis the Menace Park) and the Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose.

3 adults and 4 carseats (and 3 napping babies!)

Both the aquarium and the museum have amazing quotes painted on the walls.
Fantastic and inspiring and I wish I had taken pictures of them all!  

We even got the see the busy bee Auntie Lu three times (between her work and yosemite hiking, photographing adventures)!  

Oh! And Annie and I got to attend the 2nd birthday party of the twins of more friends that are like family!  And hug, pet and get kissed by Lola!

And as always, we did lots of playing and reading and dancing, and cooking and eating, and giggling and hugging and loving!  It is hard to live so far, but we are so lucky to have these monthly visits full of love and adventures.  Can't wait till we can all be together again soon.  

Coming soon!  Handmade presents for two 1 year olds, two 2 year olds and one 3 year old, plus new blankets and bibs coming to the shop!