LA part 2

Friday evening after we got home from the beach we went back to the hotel and Janie and Tory had gotten there! Yeah! They were out at the pool with Kathy and the boys all swimming so the kids were so happy to be able to jump in and play with their cousins. Earlier we had decided it would be great to go to an Angels game together...so Kathy was a champ and said she'd stay back with the younger kids to make it easier on everyone. Such a fun grandma. So Tory Janie Ayson and Me Tob and Cash and  TJ all climbed in the van and headed to the game.  Long drive but so worth it and loved seeing our two darling boys together at a major league game. We bought scalped ticked and Cash even got a ball thrown to him. Good times. I was pretty sick to my stomach and there wasn't really any great food to help settle my stomach at a ball field...hotdogs just weren't cutting it...but overall it was fun to be together and enjoy the game. The next day we planned to all be together and so we woke up got ready and headed out to Santa Monica Pier. What an awesome place! The beach walk was so lovely, the kids and boys loved playing on the swings and the ropes (cash even made it to the top of one...what?!) and walking up the pier was my favorite. I love the carnival atmosphere. Toby on his FIRST try made two shots to win Cash a full size basketball and he took the kids on the roller coaster while I walked with Tate. Then I got to go on the Ferris Wheel with the kids and the view was so beautiful. Super fun to be together with their cousins and Kathy and just be together. Todd was so missed. We thought about him lots and know he was probably there with us enjoying every moment. That evening was the boys and probably everyones favorite part as we headed to El Segundo for the Christensen's to be reunited with good friends for a Home Run Derby on their old HS field.  Such a wonderful thing to watch them all in their element and to really enjoy people who were more like family to them. This is where I really missed Todd. After we headed over to Jose and Elouises house for a spaghetti dinner which was so sweet and thoughtful of them.Lots of great memories made.

The next day was Sunday and unfortunately I woke up feeling really really terrible. We planned on walking the LA temple grounds and attending Sacrament meeting after and I didn't want to miss out on it but was unbelievable nauseous and really struggled that day. (a few days later I would figure out why) I even threw up in a paper cup in the car. Good times. After they all wanted to go to Titos Tacos...which normally I LOVE but was so sick I couldn't even get out of the car. Tory and Janie offered to take my kids to a park after and Toby just drove me back to the hotel so I could sleep before the banquet. I good a good rest in and was able to get up and get ready quick with all the kids and then headed downstairs for the mingling and the banquet. Jose and Elouise offered to come watch the younger ones so we could enjoy the food and evening a little better which was more than generous and so appreciated. Only disappointment of the night was that Todd wasn't mentioned which really didn't make much sense to us...but overall we were grateful and happy to be there. We got some fun pics.

LA part 1

So crazy that we just got home from Hawaii and the NEXT week we take off to Sunny California! That is definitely not the norm for us but so much fun and I love love traveling so no complaining here. We weren't sure we'd be doing the Cedar Sinai this year with Todd being gone, but they called Kathy and invited the whole family to be there which really meant a lot to her and Teren and all of us really. They even offered to pay our flights out there...yeah!!! Not going to lie driving with Tate didn't sound the funnest, even flying with how busy he is made me nervous but I was also really excited to see his little reaction to an airplane. He didn't disappoint. He was so animated and expressive and excited...but like we thought didn't want to sit very still. He moved back and forth between sitting next to Toby and I. But it was a quick flight so wasn't a big deal. Now the rental car line after the flight...brutal. We were pretty tired by the time we got to the hotel. The next day we were going to go to an amusement park and any of the Christensen's that wanted to come with us could...but last minute decided it was maybe too much work and money so we chose to go to one of my all-time favorite outdoor malls Fashion Island and to the BEACH. It was a bit of a drive but soooo much fun. Fashion Island has the most awesome pet store that the kids could have spent HOURS in. Tate's eyes were huge and loved every second of being there. Such cute little dogs. I'm so picky with food right now but the food court was off the charts. We ate at two or three of the best restaurants and really had a great time walking around together. Then we headed to Newport Beach! I was so excited to see Tate's reaction to the water and sand. The kids had just been in Hawaii so they had just experienced it, but it was so fun to watch Tate play in the most enormous sand box he's ever seen and be so close to the waves and water. That part he didn't like too much. Maybe the water was too cold or just seemed too scary or something but he much preferred digging in the sand. I adored sitting back and watching my little crew play together. I feel so blessed. I love them all so much and love spending quality time together like this. Does my heart so much good. 

Happy Birthday Sweet Elle!!!

You know I just LOVE birthdays. I love the chance it gives us to celebrate just ONE person and how special they are to us. This time it was our darling little girl Elle. Don't ask me how she's 9 already. I can't wrap my brain around it. Since we had just got back from HAWAII and we are headed to LA in just a few days there was a lot of time, money or need to throw a huge celebration but we sure wanted her to know how loved and appreciated she is so I did all I could to let her know that. She woke up to balloons, breakfast in bed, a fun lunch out with Grandma Kathy, Cash, Tate and I and trip to one of her favorite places ever...Pet Co. - I got a phone call right before we were having the Downs over for cake and ice-cream form her Aunt Jamie begging us to let her buy Elle a bird. WHAT A bird??!! Yes Elle had been wanting one for years but I wasn't sure if I was ready for that yet, but you know what? I was really too sick and tired to even think about it so Toby and I said whatever and Jamie with the help of other went for it and Elle got her bird. Kiwi. She loves and adores it so I guess that's what matters;) She got gift cards to the American girl doll store, and a Hawaiin doll, and fun things from her Aunt and Uncles and I hope that by the end of the day she went to bed feeling like a princess. LOVE you Elle!!

Disney Aulani part 4

When we were first booking this trip the thought of being there 7 whole days felt like an eternity. How did it go by so quickly?! We woke up on Sunday morning and I couldn't believe that just like that it was almost over. Still a lot we wanted to fit in with the kids so the first thing we did was find a sacrament meeting to go to...the kids thought it was kind of funny to see some of the men in "skirts" and when people got up to bear their testimonies they started with "Aloha" and the congregation responded with "Aloha". From church we headed to the Dole plantation and Elle was thrilled to get to "pick a pearl". Her dad is such a sucker for her. She was so lucky to get a Black Pearl! It was beautiful. We ate chocolate covered bananas and ate pineapple ice-cream and walked around the plantation. From there we drove to North Shore and Waimaie and watched the surfers out in the crazy waves. The last place we took them was to the Leia Temple. What a site that Temple is. It was Stunning! We went to the visitors center and walked around, took pictures, and enjoyed the feeling that was there. What an amazing place that was and I was so grateful the kids got to experience that. After that it was just time to go to the airport. We had some extra time there so we sat down there and ate together and talked about the whole trip. I think we were all really ready to see Tate but just not ready to go back to reality! I know it'll be a long time before we make it back all together. Although I have made Toby promise me that we will return when I am my normal self and not a sick mess.  It really was a dream come true though. I hope these pictures and stories will help my kids have their memories forever.

Disney Aulani part 3

One of the nights we also wanted to take the kids to see Waikiki beach which is where Toby and I have stayed in the past when we've come to Hawaii. Our favorite restaurant there is Hard Rock so we went there and had such a fun time! We walked the beach, took pictures, and was hoping to go to the International Marketplace but it had just shut down like a month before. Weird! This night was by far my sickest and I really struggled walking around everywhere and the second we got back to the hotel barely made it to the room before I spent some good time throwing up. Lovely:) Another fun thing we got to do while we were there is celebrate Elle's birthday! (a few days early) We made a reservation for the character breakfast and let me tell you I've NEVER seen a breakfast buffet like this before. It was SO incredible! So much food and it was all delicious. They sent Minnie over especially for Elle and sang to her, we got picks with Mickey, and the kids got to go around singing songs with Auntie while we ate. Such a magical time. I LOVED how we could walk from the pools to the beach to the lazy river to get food all within feet from each other! So convenient yet there was so much there to do. Really an amazing layout. One morning we woke up and got out a little earlier than normal and were able to go on a really nice family walk together. Did we miss little Taters? Absolutely but it was so nice to spend time with these two incredible little kids of ours and just love them to death. Aside from being pretty naseaus the whole time and not feeling like myself...this was such a wonderful time for us. Felt so blessed to be there with them!