Keeping up with our busy Navy lives....wherever we live :)

Sunday, August 12, 2012

San Diego Bound!!

We arrived in Los Angeles at my mom's house Sunday night, and Monday morning got up and continued our trek down to San Diego to visit more great friends. Our good Navy friends the Mitzners moved to San Diego last December! So we made good use of being so close and stayed with them for three nights!
Our girls have always been close friends--and enjoyed the mini reunion together
 We headed to Sea World one day! Julie got the girls these adorable matching Hello Kitty shirts!!
 Dolphin tank-up close and personal
 Killer whales!! Down in the viewing tank we got the rare view of all four of them training at the same time!
 Sting ray touch tank
 Aside from the kids we got some mommy time in as well!
Got to see our other friend Allyson for dinner out, while Julie's husband graciously watched the girls so we could escape!
 Thank you Julie & Dan  for a wonderful visit!

TAHOE Family Vacation

Onto Tahoe!!! Which was still only the middle of our California adventure!
Every five years, starting on their 50th, my grandparents have treated us to a wonderful trip as a family.
And on this third attempt.....we noticed just how much our family is growing! The previous two trips were cruises, so this time we changed things up and they rented a HUGE home in South Lake Tahoe!
We made our own meals, and relaxed amongst the beauty of the mountains in summertime.
The home had 8.5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, an indoor pool on the bottom level, and a hot tub up top!
 Swimming in the pool!
 Spent a day at Zephyr Cove to soak up some sun. Of course the water was freezing, but we all had fun.
 Abby and her Great-Grandparents
 Aunt Amy--any chance to make a silly face
 Maddy and her marshmallow (one of about a dozen she ate that night I'm sure :)
 Hot tub time!! Grandma and Grandpa got to relax too!
 Abby & Andrew (3-1/2) had a blast being the "big kids" on the trip!
We had zero great-grand kids on our first anniversary cruise 10 years ago.....and this time around we had 5 under the age of 5!
 Abby & Andrew hot tubbing it together!
 The view from our deck
 Each night a different couple/group would prepare dinner! On this night my cousin Erin and I teamed up and did a Luau  night! The kids looked great in their grass skirts and leis!
(Maddy's favorite activity of the trip.....for the whole week.....taking (or pretending to since we didn't teach her to advance the old fashioned disposable cameras) photos of everyone! After each shot she would say....."Got it!!!"
 And of course Mike and I's eighth anniversary was during the Tahoe trip!
He surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers that traveled all the way from the Mediterranean Sea....or at least the order did :)
 My beach lovers
 Sand castle building-- Amy and her boyfriend Adam got into the mix and took over to make quit the fortress!
Family shot!
 Leaving Tahoe to head to Los Angeles.....the car was packed in tight!!

Redding- Lake & Family

After Fairfield, I made the drive with the kids all the way up to Redding to see Mike's brother Kyle's family!
I just couldn't go all the way there and not see them too!!!!
(Oh, and I forgot, on the way to Redding we stopped in Chico and had lunch with Aunt Sarah too!!! No visit overlooked!!)

Again the kids haven't seen their CA cousins in a VERY long time. The weather was perfect!! We spent one day at the Whiskeytown lake with the entire Smith clan! Then the kids had just enough time to play outside and inside with their cousins.
Ryane & Abby swinging
 Stefan (almost 4) & Abby playing dressup!
 Oh......and Abby's favorite part of their house--cousin Ethne's hamster!
I quickly informed Abby that we do not do rodents in our home so she should enjoy her time holding one now!
 Maddy, Ethne (8) and Stefan

Fairfield- Family & Fun

Leaving Cailin's I headed back to Fairfield to stay the day/night at Mike's mom's house!
(And of course somehow I ended up with no photos of Grandma Smith......not sure how)
The girls walked right in and of course were infatuated with Grandma's little dogs! 
We made a quick visit to the Jelly Belly Factory with Mike's long time friend Ian, and then relaxed at Grandma's for the evening and the kids were entertained with storytime by Aunt Susan!
 The girls latched onto Ian as if they've known him forever!
 When in jelly bean world.....buy your own mix!!
Ian took on Maddy the whole visit and helped her choose her beans!

Steinbach's-Best Friends

I left Bonnie's after our pool party and headed to San Ramon, CA to see my best friend (and old college roommate) Cailin and her family. Her daughter Sienna is just 2 weeks younger than Maddy, and it was my first time meeting her adorable chunky 4 month old little guy Connor! We spent three nights with them, and kept busy!
 Can you tell Abby was starting to get worn out???!!! The three of us shared a room at Cailin's, and one night when I went to bed, I found Abby passed out like this with her lovey on her face (usually she snuggles it under her arm, so this was a first)
 One of the days we took a trip to San Jose to "Happy Hollow" to let the kids have some fun!
 
  Abby can't get enough of little babies! She loved holding Connor any chance she could get.

 Oh, and when in California, do as they do and get pampered! 
Cailin and I took her to get her very first Mani/Pedi! 
She LOVED it!! Such a special treat!
 Sienna and Maddy on their horses!! Giddy up!
 Hopefully they follow in their mommy's footsteps and stay friends forever!

Mike, Allison, Abby and Maddy Smith

Living life in beautiful........well, everywhere......US NAVY!!!