Fun/Exhausting Trip to San Diego

It's hard to think of San Diego without referring to quotes from Anchorman...:)

Overall, the trip was...okay.  I'll start with the cons to get them out of the way:
-It was WAY hotter than we expected.  Our weather apps said it was going to be around 76 degrees-perfect right?  NOPE.  It felt like it was in the high 80s/low 90s.  Bummer.
-Without mommy there constantly, Leif threw a lot of temper tantrums with daddy.  Daddy was very exhausted by the end of the weekend, but he was such a trooper.
-Our hotel was not as nice as we thought it'd be...the bed was super squeaky, people were loud and obnoxious (the door/walls were super thin)-it was called a "resort" but it felt like a motel.

Those were pretty much it.  We didn't go to Lego Land like we thought we would-we didn't realize how expensive it would be even with the discount my MIL sent us (thank you!), but Leif is just still too young to really enjoy the awesomeness of legos.  Besides, he probably would have tried to knock everything over like he does at home!

But the main event, the wedding, turned out just wonderful.  I couldn't be happier for Christina and Joe!  They're such a cute couple and both super nice.  So here we go with our adventure to San Diego in photos:

Friday, September 18

As I was getting things ready to meet the Hubs in Burbank after he was done working, Leif decided to try on my heels.  

Hubs was super hungry since he didn't eat breakfast, so we stopped outside of Disneyland for lunch at Mimi's Cafe.  Leif had fun eating with both hands and utensils.

We couldn't leave the restaurant without Leif doing a little exploring...

After checking in at the hotel, we mosied over to the ceremony rehearsal.  Hubs and Leif wandered around while I had to do the rehearsal portion...

For some reason Leif mastered his duck face this trip!

The many faces of Leif Arthur.  :)

After the rehearsal comes my favorite...rehearsal dinner!  We ordered Leif chicken strips and fries but he wasn't a fan of the chicken, so they were nice enough to bring out mac and cheese later.

I just like how we have similar faces in this photo.

After dinner (which took FOREVER to get to us, but it was delicious), Christina and Joe presented the bridesmaids and groomsmen with presents!  I don't know what the groomsmen received, but the bridesmaids all go these cute silver bracelets with a bow that said "Thank you for helping me tie the knot", and blue silk bathrobes with "Bridesmaid" on the back.  So nice!

 Saturday, September 19

While I was with the bridal party getting ready, Leif went on an excursion with daddy around Carlsbad.  A lot of artwork was displayed on buildings!

Getting smoothies...Leif wasn't a fan.

Leif didn't want to take a bath with daddy without making important phone calls.

Our dapper little boy!

Meanwhile, Christina getting her hair beautiful...

Had to snap a photo with her after her hair was finished!

Sorry the photo quality isn't the greatest-I cropped it from a photo collage one of the bridesmaids made.  Yay, almost ready!

Christina's beautiful dress

Dumb glare, but here we are taking a limo ride to the venue...which is right across the street!  (Seriously, it took a whole three minutes).

Christina and her lovely mom

Hubs' view of the ceremony-Leif fell asleep and the sun was so bright, he stood up against the building in the shadow holding a snoozing Leif.

After taking a few more photos and having Leif melt down so fiercely that Hubs had to take him away (:( ), we enjoyed the cocktail hour (no, I'm not double fisting, just holding drinks for Devon's husband!).  I had to enjoy the ginger ale, which wasn't bad.

My project was to take a selfie with each bridesmaid individually, and here is my presentation:

With Morgan, Christina's new sister-in-law

With Devon, a former co-worker/friend

With Shakesha, a former co-worker/friend

With Tiffany, Christina's friend growing up

With Ashley, Christina's friend from college

And with Cindy, Christina's sister!

Us being silly after dinner

Out of order, but this was taken before we did a formal walk out to the dinner

Cake cutting!  Everyone kept yelling for them to smash the cake in each other's faces, but they're too nice.  I'm glad they didn't!

The bouquet toss

I think a groomsmen's girlfriend caught it...

And those were all the photos from that special day.  I was sad that Hubs and Leif couldn't attend the festivities, but at the same time I don't think they would have enjoyed themselves that much since half the time people were dancing.  I managed to stay almost to the end as Hubs got Leif down to sleep okay, and since everyone was staying at the expensive hotel, I had to find a cab but it wasn't too hard.  All in all, it was a wonderful wedding.

Sunday, September 20

We tried to go to a well-reviewed breakfast place in Carlsbad that morning, but the line was out the door and it was so hot that we went and found a Mexican restaurant that was open and served breakfast.  Turned out really yummy and we were the only ones there so our food came out quick.  Afterwards we hit the outlet mall that was across our hotel...since I left my only comfy pair of shoes in one of the bridesmaid's rooms (I still have to pick them up but she doesn't live too far from us), I hit up Reebok and got some new kicks and took off my heels.  Phew!  We managed to power shop (Leif is very difficult to bring shopping now), picked up some awesome things, and then found this place called "PlayWerx", a huge indoor play complex.  There was a place specifically for toddlers, but he also hit the big kids area a couple times and managed to do fine (even though I had to chase him around and make sure he was okay-I was a sweaty mess!).

Thus Leif fell asleep instantly as we left San Diego.  Traffic was normal, and we managed to get home before the disappointing Seahawks game.

Trips like these are hard because it's really not a vacation-I'm constantly doing things for the wedding, Hubs is taking care of Leif; so we are happy to be going back up to Washington in about a month.  It is for another wedding, but at least I'm not a part of the bridal party and we can relax a lot more!

Before I go, we took some cute photos yesterday...

Leif snuggling with Miles

Selfies!

Hubs captured a few photos of me tickling Leif...this week Leif has been in such a good mood!  I love my happy, giggly boy!

Sigh

Let's just say it's been a rough week at work.  I'd rather not elaborate.

But, to cheer me up, I'm going to post photos of my cutie pie.

Saturday, September 12: Just chillin', watching cartoons

Sunday, September 13: He learned how to dump out all his mega blocks and then run around with the holder on his head.  But before that, high five!

Sunday, September 13: Fun bath time!  I wish his hair would just stay that way, I like it down vs. his crazy wild hair ...

Monday, September 14: Hubs picked up Leif from daycare and once they got home, Leif proceeded to throw up all over him.  Then when I got home after grabbing groceries, he threw up on the kitchen floor/my feet, then on me and my hands the third time.  He was his normal self by 8:30pm; had a fever the next day, but acted normal.  Poor guy.

And there you go, your weekly Leif photo dose.  :)

We are off to San Diego on Friday for my friend's wedding rehearsal and I'm excited to just get away for a little bit.  Wedding is Saturday, and then Lego Land on Sunday!  Fun times!

Full of Fun & Surprises

Holy cow, has it really been over a month since I've posted?  So sorry family and friends!  Here I am to bring you laughter and joy (or boredom, but hopefully not!)...

PHOTOBLAST:

Thursday, August 6

This kid loves sitting in the driver's seat

Friday, August 7

In the mornings when I'm in a rush, I set Leif down on top of the counter (I stay close, don't worry) and feed him breakfast/snacks.  He was excited to be able to pick his own grapes off the stem. 

Saturday, August 8

After Leif's done with his breakfast, he likes to come around and sit on daddy's lap and either eat or feed him...

Good fork work Leif!

Sunday, August 9

Beach day!  We didn't stay very long because it was crowded, Leif didn't want to go near the water, and it was really hot.

Tuesday, August 11

Hubs had the day off and since it's so quiet in my office, I took a vacation day and we hit up Disneyland!  :)

Saturday, August 22

We took Leif on a mini-hike in the Santa Monica mountains-he had a really fun time exploring the great outdoors!

Notice behind him that it's not all outdoorsy...it was on this weird property with lots of old structures.  Looked like it could have been a place for weddings if the buildings weren't so dilapidated.

Here I took a long hiatus of no photos...but then the in-laws came to visit this past weekend!  Yay Nana and Pop Pop!

Saturday, September 5

On our way to the L.A. County Fair!

Leif got to pet and feed sheep and goats for the first time ever!

The feeding was fine until more than three surrounded him...it was a little overwhelming but he had a lot of fun.

1st Place Cow, way to go Hubs and Leif!

Lunch break with Nana!

Nana and Leif in a tractor!

Farmer Leif is excited to plow the fields!

They had this expo hall filled with children's toys and such.  Great place for Leif to explore!

I wish I had gotten a few more photos, but we tried Deep Fried Guacamole balls and Kool Aid balls!  The Kool Aid balls were gross...but the guacamole was delicious and filling!  We didn't stay too long because it got super hot; I carried Leif out of the fair and to the car since he fell asleep on me and I was a sweaty mess once we took off.  But it was a really fun trip to the fair!

Sunday, September 6

We decided to hit up the Camarillo Outlet Mall where Leif scored lots of new pajamas (he's pretty much outgrown all of them!), his Halloween costume (that'll be a surprise), and Hubs and I got a few things from Columbia and the Disney store too.  :) Oh, and for our Three Year Anniversary (back on September 2, but it was a Wednesday and we didn't really celebrate except for a steak dinner I made), Hubs took me to the Fossil store where I got to pick out a new purse and wallet...three-years is leather.  :)  (I gave Hubs his presents Friday evening-a leather/cloth travel toiletry bag that can hang on the door, new fun socks since he's now a collector, and a Seahawk jersey with our last name/#12).

Lunch break at Pick-Up Stix, an Asian fast food place sort of like Panda Express.  Leif loves playing with chopsticks!

Trying fortune cookies for the first time-he liked them!

Nana and Pop Pop watched Leif that night while we went to dinner at Maggiano's for our Anniversary.  Yummy and filling Italian food!  I love this man!  Three years has flown by so quickly!

Monday, September 7

Leif was ready to go to the Santa Barbara Zoo!

Ann wanted to take a photo of me since her friend Cindy wanted to see me...

 The zoo was really nice and the animals were fun, but it was hotter than we expected.  I took more photos with Hubs' phone since I left mine in the car, but he hasn't sent them to me yet!  Oh well.  It was a really fun trip and we had some yummy Mexican food afterwards, but at a restaurant that was poorly run and busy.  Traffic was crazy going home so we stopped at a farmer's stand where they had goats, sheep, llamas and chickens that you could feed.  Double duty farm animals for Leif!  All in all, it was a really wonderful weekend with the In-Laws and Leif loved having them around.  We were sad to see them go, but we will be back in Washington in less than two months.  :)





So the main reason why I've been gone so long from my blog is because...

SURPRISE!!!!  :)  Baby H #2 decided to sneak up on us just like Leif, but I caught this one way earlier!  I actually found out about it around August 10 when I took a few at-home tests because I was feeling way off/bloated.  And I told Hubs about it on August 11, when we went to Disneyland!  I figured where else would I tell him such happy news?!  Of course I told him in the early morning before he wanted to drag me to Space Mountain.  That Thursday I went to my doctor to confirm, and then this ultrasound was taken on Thursday, September 3rd.  She thinks my due date is around April 11th, but she wants me to come back in four weeks for another ultrasound just to confirm.  :)  :)  :)

This little one has made my life a lot harder than Leif did...I've been hungry every two hours, and when the hunger hits, it's more nausea than anything.  It's finally wearing off though as I wind down in the first trimester, thankfully!  Every day at 6pm though, nausea would hit me and I'd have to lay down.  Rough times!  We wanted to tell our family once this ultrasound was taken, thus my hiatus...so much has been on my mind lately!  Now that the ultrasound has finally been taken, we're more excited than nervous/anxious.  It's still a little hard to believe that we're going to have another baby next year!  I did want another one close to Leif's age, so this is all fine and dandy.

My co-workers bombarded me a couple weeks ago to do one of those mid-wife tests to determine the sex of the baby....they took my wedding rings and put it on a thread, touched my belly as I sat in a chair, and then lifted up very slowly and held still.  If the ring moves back and forth, it's a boy; circular, it's a girl.  Both ladies did it, and both times they were very still...and both times it eerily started moving in a circle!  Cross your fingers it's a girl!  :)

I'll try to keep you more updated on life and what not now that the baby is out of the bag... hardy har har.  :)  Happy Hump Day everyone!