Aunts + San Diego

Let's start with this adorable picture of Gigi, our little buddy.  Look at her all dressed up as Buzz Lightyear! Such a sweet girl.

 Landon loves dressing up as well and had a LOT of fun as the construction worker.  We have a huge bag of costumes and they love playing with them.

 Hunter is Superman.  No, he REALLY is.

 My favorite week of the year came at the end of July this year.  My mom's sister, Aunt Donna and Chi Chi (Aunt Nesie which cannot be pronounced by my children) came to stay with us.  Aunt Donna came on Friday, Chi Chi on Saturday and Brian and I went out of town just the 2 of us (and my breast pump) Sunday-Tuesday.  My aunts were rockstars, taking care of these 3 little angels/monsters and I couldn't be more grateful to have them.  There's also a somewhat special feeling you get when you are surrounded by people who love you, and have loved you, for your entire life.  I love that I can be myself with these ladies and we all get along SO well.

Aspen took to Aunt Donna right away, which is a little surprising given her separation anxiety.

 We took Aunt Donna to the beach after dinner where they all played in the sand.

 We exhausted her already!

 Pool time!

 Goofy lady.

 My cousin Jenn and her husband James came up for the weekend from San Diego where they are in the Navy. It was nice to meet James and fun to see Jenn.

 Blackbeard stopped by our house.

 My goofball aunts.  They remind me of my mom is so many ways.  They each are like her in different ways and I love being surrounded by them.  I especially love Chi Chi's hairdo.

 Jenny and I had to copy them.  I talked them into doing an Insanity video with me (not Jenn. Lazy.)

 Aunt Donna loving on her son in law.

 Jenn was our photographer while we were doing Insanity.  Thank you SO much, Jen.

 Landon was NOT excited about Insanity and was quite upset that i wouldn't hold him.  Hunter did the entire workout with us.

 Aunt Donna and James

 The Insane group.

 Then we made a HUGE meal

 Jenny and James love babies (uh oh.)

 Aspen was thinking about crawling.  Don't worry, she has since changed her mind.  She does move a little bit by reaching and stretching on her belly.  I only want her to crawl so she stops yelling at me to bring her toys.

Brian and I went to Pelican Hill in Newport Beach for 2 nights.  It was amazing.  I love being a wife and not just a mom.

 The view

 Us!

 Landon wanted to snuggle with Chi Chi.  He really loves her.

 We went out to dinner - just us big girls.  Brian was nice enough to watch the babies (they were sleeping.)

 I dragged them on a run to the beach.  Don't worry, I rewarded them with muffins from Beckers.

 Later that day we went to decorate cakes/cupcakes.  The kids were so all encompassing that I don't think I could do this without my aunts.  The boys had SO much fun - and so did my aunts, who decorated a super cute cake for us.

 Landon is very serious

 Hunter was eating food dye/fondant

 Aunt Donna

 Chi Chi. She was so busy with the boys that she didn't get to do too much on the cake until I removed the children from the premises.  We went and sat in the car and watched tv while they decorated.

 Cleaning her hands.

 The finished products from the boys.  I decorated one.  Can you pick out which one it is?

 Master decorator

 Duff tried to hire her (I'm kidding.)

 Wa-la!

 Then we went in the pool.  Look at this little angel

 Landon pushed Aunt Donna in the water

 They presented the cake - they're not at all silly.

 I wanted in on it!

 We don't love one another at all :-)

 cutting the cake.  It was only right for them to do the wedding pose.

 The next day, Thursday, we walked to Uncle Bills and then to 22nd st to play on the beach.  Then we walked home.  It was almost 6 miles (of hills) and we were all exhausted.

 I love how these 2 play together.

 Aspen and Aunt CHi Chi

 You know how they say "a picture is worth 1000 words?" Well, this IS Landon.

 On Thursday night we had one more girls night out.  They left on Friday afternoon and we headed to San Diego.

 We were exercising our chins so we don't get loose skin.

 And Chi Chi remembered loving the Creamery, so we went there too.

 I will miss them so much and can't wait for the opportunity to see them again!

We made it to San Diego (Carlsbad, technically.) And went right to the pool.

 Landon is an amazing swimmer, at this point.  He is almost independent in the pool but doesn't quite trust himself.  That's fine with me :-)

 Go Team USA!

 We went to both Legoland and Sea World one day.

 This was Legoland - super fun!

 This baby just MELTS my heart.

 Sea World dolphin show - Landon's true love.  He was totally into watching it and asking questions.

 Daddy got them Slurpees!

 Landon LOVES the penguins - it was almost nap time which makes him want to stay wherever he is at that moment.

 Turtles

 Me and my boys

 This girls is such a Daddy's girl (and a Mommys girl too.  We are both so loved by her.)

 Landon was driving the car.  I told him that he had to say he was 3 or else he couldn't drive the car.  I'm a horrible influence I know, but he wasn't quite big enough to do much at Legoland and he was throwing a fit.  When they asked him how old he was, he one upped me and replied "5." Ha.

 Our good little driver.

 Riding the "widdle twain." Definitely a favorite. Landon is still train obsessed.

 In his element.

 Brothers (we rode this more times than I care to share.)

 LOVE this girl.

 We took a real train down to San Diego to have ice cream at Ghirardelli (a childhood favorite for me.)

 The boys playing together on the train.

 Ice cream.

 She likes whipped cream!

 And apples.

 Sea World play area.  The best thing about having passes is that you can go for just a few hours a day. The kids loved playing here and then we went home for naps.

 Shamu is in there!

 The boys had s'mores with a high school friend of Brian's, Zack and his son Jack.  The boys LOVED Jack.  I was in the room with a sleeping Aspen.

 Tired boys.  You think we exhausted them?

 Pretty in pink.

 Pizza by the pool.

 Daddy and his girl.

We had SO much fun these past 2 weeks.  We're happy to be home for this week and get the boys back on a schedule of some sort.  We leave town again on Saturday (yes, I'm serious.) We are loving life and are so blessed to get this family bonding time.  I adore my little family SO much!