Café Rio Field Trip

 

Costa Vida is one of my FAVORITE places to eat. Café Rio is a close second since the food is almost exactly the same. Sadly, California doesn’t have any Costa Vida’s and the only Café Rio’s are 45 minutes West or 45 minutes south. Over spring break some of my girl friends and I decided to head south and get some Café Rio and then watch airplanes land at LAX! The planes were cool and the food was to die for. The company superb! Can’t wait to do it again!

FRIENDS

Each of the kids had a friend to play with!

 

Michelle and her boys!

The Browns!

Darcy., Marin and Anabelle

We Love LA!

Palm Springs

 

Adam and I and Justin and Julie Franson headed out to Palm Springs for a little weekend getaway. Leaving the kids with sitters we spent 4 nights in the desert without a care in the world. We aren’t sure who had more fun, us or the kids but it turned out to be a fabulous weekend for us all!

Adam and Justin golfed to their hearts content while Julie and I shopped, slept in and hung out at the pool. We ate tons of yummy food, ate too much and laughed more than should be legally allowable in such a short amount of time.

We love the Fransons! We’ve known them since 2001 and have been through so much. Pregnancies, moves, parents on missions, vacations, etc. Even though of the 11 years we’ve known them we’ve only lived in the same city for 3 of them we consider them to be some of our dearest, most treasured friends. Adam and Justin are so similar in so many ways, and Julie and I are like sisters! We have only travelled with them one other time and this trip reaffirmed that we need to get out of town together much more often!

Oh and “great shot Frank”!

Julie and I ended up heading out to the desert one day before the guys did! We had one of the most successful shopping trips I’ve even had at the Cabazon Outlets. Can’t wait to go back! Anywho, when the guys came out the next day they went straight to the golf course before seeing us! Our Condo was on the 17th tee box though so when they came thru we were able to wave, blow kisses and snap a few pics!

FIRST NIGHT

ROYS for dinner!

SECOND NIGHT

Cheesecake Factory

 

Saturday Julie and I went out on the course with the boys! I golfed and Julie was our cheerleader!

THIRD NIGHT

PF CHANGS

And Yes, Julie and I did buy matching jammies but in our defense they are the most comfy jammies EVER! We both had to have a pair!

My New Camera Lens

 

Adam gave me a new camera lens for Christmas and I had some fun messing around with it taking pictures of Avery! I have a TON to learn but it’s the fun kind of learning!

This is my favorite! I LOVE her little face resting on her hand!

I love her worried expression in this one!

Laura was up visiting one day and I snapped a this one too. Just thought I’d throw it in! Logan and cute little baby Paige!

December 2011

 

Disneyland

Since moving back to California we had not been to Disneyland as a family yet so we decided to take the kids out of school for a day and spend a long weekend at the Happiest place on Earth! It would be Avery’s first time and we were all sooooo excited for a fun weekend together! It turned out to be a fabulous and memorable weekend and it didn’t hurt that we were able to spend the night at the Disneyland Hotel!

Just came through the entrance

Dumbo was our first stop!

Meeting Mickey. Avery was doing great until the kid in front of us started crying! Darn Kid!

 

Nana and Granddad joined us for a few hours!

Her first Mouse Ears!

Meeting Belle and some of the other princesses was a highlight for Avery!

Waiting for the Christmas Parade to begin!

Spencer, Adam and Annie stayed at the park to get in a few of the bigger rides while I took the tired little ones back to the hotel. They were so tired and were asleep before their heads hit the pillows!

 

California Adventure

We spent our 2nd day at California adventure. The kids were just as excited as they had been the day before. Logan was especially excited because he was finally tall enough to go on California Screamin’!

It was another BEAUTIFUL day!

We had so much fun together! Definitely a “stay-cation” we will be taking again!

Fall Basketball

Garett and Logan both played basketball in the fall. Garett’s team won the championship for the 3rd/4th grade division. Logan’s team didn’t keep score but he sure had lots of fun!

Spencer’s 14th Birthday

We officially have a 14 year old. Spencer quietly turned the big 1. 4. We celebrated by going out to dinner and opening gifts at home! This year was his “off” year for a party! (Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE the off year?)

His present was a going to a football camp with Justin between Christmas and New Years! He needed new cleats to complete the surprise!

Gracie is our other December Birthday in the family!

Christmas

Avery wasn’t even one bit scared of Santa! She absolutely LOVED him!

Matching Jammies from Nana!

Lucy got some LOVE on Christmas Eve too!

This year we spent at home, just our family (LOVED it by the way) and still had a huge pile of gifts!

 

Marching in order youngest to oldest!

A Kitchen, Scooters for the Boys and Kindles for Spencer and Annie! Santa was good to them this year!

I wish this picture wasn’t blury but Avery was SOOOOOO excited about her tangles doll she just gazed at her all morning!

Spencer, Annie and I surprised Adam with an authentic, certified, signed Magic Johnson Lakers Jersey! Spencer and Annie paid for half of it! They were so excited to give it to him and of course, he LOVES it!

Day after Christmas

We hung out in Irvine the day after Christmas and had a Pizza picnic in the park! It was nice to have a relaxing day!

Hanging with the Millers

Spencer and Justin had a camp at the local community college so Ryan and Nic came to hang out for a few days! We had a blast and loved having them. Wish we could do it more often!

 

Coach Miller

 

3 of the 4 Miller Girls! (I promise that’s Amber who’s nose was stuck in a book all weekend! Every picture we have of her she is holding a book! It’s totally become a family joke now!)

 

One of the days we went to the park for picnic. It was so fun!

Football Camp (Spencer is 4th from the top and Justin is 2nd from the bottom!)