Last week Chance and I went on vacation to California. All alone, just the two of us, for three full days of relaxation, kid free!!! Chance's cousin was getting married over the weekend and we were so glad that we were able to make it to share this wonderful time with the Bride and Groom! I did better than I thought I would ever do being away from my boys, I didn't even cry, not once!!!

We headed out Wednesday night after dropping the boys off at my mom's in Ruidoso and drove to El Paso. We flew out first thing Thursday morning and flew into Los Angeles. We checked into a very unique hotel (where the wedding was going to be). It was called Hotel Figueroa. It was a Moroccan themed hotel that was built in the 1920's as a YMCA. The hotel hasn't really been updated (minus paint) and the rooms actually had a room KEY, not a card!!! This is the lobby when you walked into the hotel.

Thursday afternoon we set out. We didn't know where we were headed, and ended up in Hollywood. We walked up and down Hollywood Blvd, getting in a little shopping and seeing all the stars in the Walk of Fame. It was a great experience. We then ate at Hollywood's oldest, original Italian food restaurant and it was FANTASTIC!!! Then there was a lot of driving around, where I was a "real" tourist, taking pictures while hanging out the window while driving down the interstate!!!

How neat would that be to live in a castle???

Could you have your kids call you "Princess Mommy"???

Oh, wait, Rayden already calls me that!!! he he!!!

We had our first burgers at this famous place...

Then on Friday we headed down to Long Beach. We had seen a place on Diners, Drive Ins, & Dives called Schooner or Later, so we headed off to get a taste. It was way down on the Marina. We met up with an old high school friend of mine, and had a GREAT brunch!!!

Then it was off to Venice Beach. This is where they told us we would find lots of weirdos. We didn't see many people that were that off. Maybe it was because it was morning and they weren't out, or maybe we are a little weird for finding the people not so weird.... I don't know!!!

The water was FREEZING!!! Chance braved it....

this is as far as I made it!

Chance had said that he was going to stop and ask every weirdo he saw if they would take a picture with his wife. These two men were possibly homeless, they were sleeping next to the pier, Chance was so disappointed that they got arrested before I could get my picture made with them!!! ha ha!!!

Then after a long day shopping on Saturday, it was wedding time!!! The wedding followed the hotel's Moroccan theme. It was a beautiful wedding, followed by a great reception. We had a Moroccan meal, I don't know how many courses were finally served, we left after the main course. It was 1 am for us and we were exhausted, not to mention we were catching the first flight out of LA on Sunday morning! The menu consisted of Lentil Soup, then a Moroccan Salad, then a Chicken Pie (chicken & almonds in phylo dough with powdered sugar & cinnamon on top) then couscous with veggies, some kind of fish, and lemon peppered chicken. It was actually pretty good food, different, but good.

The beautiful Bride, Danielle The Bride and Groom

Instead of wedding cakes, they had a candy bar!! It was so neat!!

And this is what Rayden did while we were gone. My step dad got a "zebra horse" and attaches it to the horse walker, and off Rayden goes!!!

Now we are back home. Back to reality and the loads of laundry, cleaning house! I can't say I feel rested, but I feel refreshed. It was a much needed break!!!!

Happy 1st Birthday Sweet Baby!!!

It is hard for me to believe that a year ago at this time I had been in the hospital for nearly 12 hours, the pitocin had been started and I was waiting on my epidural, and it would only be a few hours before we would be blessed again with another little boy. Casen Aaron arrived nearly a month early at 7lbs 7 oz and was perfectly healthy!!! He arrived with a full head of dark red, curly hair!!!

Now, a year later my blond headed boy isn't so little!!! He weighs 22 lbs 15 oz (55 %) and is 30.8 in tall (75%)!! He is an eater and loves all food. He has been walking for four months already and is a very independent little guy. His 7th tooth just broke through over night. He loves to be outside! He is busy all of the time and the only time he is still is when he is asleep, and even then he isn't that still!!!

Saturday we celebrated his birthday at our house with friends and family. It was a good time, with lots of good food (not good for my weekly weigh in) and good company!!!

His birthday Cake

(not my best work)

Casen's Pig Cake for him to dig into!

He really wasn't too interested in eating the cake!!

And then it was on to opening presents...
(sitting in his chair that HE picked out and Mimi bought him. I have to tell you, we were in Toys R Us and Casen found that chair and immediately climbed in it. We proceeded through the store picking out presents when he saw the chair again, he ran to it and climbed back in it, but this time wouldn't get out of it!!! I would get him out and pick the chair up to carry it to the checkout and he would run behind me screaming until I would set the chair back down for him to sit it!! We can honestly say, he picked it out himself!!)

Lots and lots of presents!!!

The batman 4 Wheeler from Mommy, Daddy & Bubba

(Rayden picked it out, he was sure Casen would want a Batman one)

I can cover more ground just pushing it....

Playing in the ball tent Mimi got me!!

Just hanging out, watching the kids play...

Very important conversations.... it looks serious!!

Mimi

and more talking...

Then things got crazy, it was down to the skimmies to try out some of the water toys Casen got......

Okay, I am really hoping you weren't expecting to see me in my skimmies, that might ruin your whole day!!!!

Summer is flying by. We have been staying busy, playing outside as much as this West Texas heat will allow. Rayden loves the slip n slide and Casen is mastering it as well!!! We have still been working on the house what seems like every waking minute. It is fun to see all the progress we have made. We have sod coming today, so that will be another big project under our belt! I keep saying I will post pictures soon, and I WILL, it just seems like there is always another project in the making that I am waiting for to get "after" pictures!!! We are having Casen's 1st birthday party at the house this weekend (he will be 1 on the 23rd) I cannot believe that it is even possible that it has been a year since we welcomed him into our life!!! Most of the pictures are of Casen, he is just into everything these days, it is hard not to grab the camera to capture all those moments!!!!

Slip N Sliding!!

Now, this is what a real Pirate looks like, in case you were wondering....

The Baby Loves the MUD!!!

(With our neighbor, Rene)

Did I mention Casen likes the MUD????

Finding a Box

"Swimming" in the Dog's water!!!