Family Vacation

Sione had vacation coming up Mid October and we chose to spend the first part in San Francisco since his dad was visiting from Tonga. We always try to see him while he is in the states. Days before we go LaRee starts, my cousins this and my cousins that. I am so grateful that they love each other so much, at least for the first day and a half, then someone tells on someone else and they decide that this is more fun then hugging and sharing.

Susana doing LaRee's hair and below is the better side of the final product.

I lucked out in the In-laws department, they are good, good people. Happy and humble and a joy to be around. I love every chance LaRee gets to spend with them and myself for that matter.
I have such happy memories of all my grandparents, I want that for LaRee as well.

Monday night we had family Home Evening with Rice Krispies as a treat (big hit) and since it was close to Halloween everyone got a pair of vampire teeth. mwahhhhhahaha!

My Fearless Girl

My neighbors friend stopped by with his motorcycle and I thought my girl was going to loose it with excitement.



What a natural.

LAX - End of the Road

True Friends through and through!!

While in Indio, Grandma Jackie was on a road trip of her own. Luckily we were able to fly back to Texas through LAX giving us a night spent at Julie's house (Becky's sister) where we saw Grandma Jackie and (drum roll, please) Julie's two boys, one of which is 6 months older then LaRee, that really does equal FUN. We were there less then 24 hours and we packed something into every waking minute.

We...

1. Went to the park to eat dinner and play, play, play!
   
2. Had "serve up your own" Frozen Yogurt at a she she shop with hot pink and neon green spoons. FABULOUS!
   
3. Played pirates, cowboys, fireman, tea party and watched "DinoTrain"
4. Ate the best homemade waffles in the world w/ fresh strawberries
5. Dug in the dirt n played house.

Good times!

Tea Set gift from Grandma Jackie - We played tea party most of the plane ride home. Thank you Grandma Jackie. We love it!

My hearts desire is that I can take this same picture, again, 14 years from now.
Wouldn't that be fun.

A Little Paradise in the Desert

Mz. Becky Jean the dancing queen came to San Diego, picked us up and drove us to the desert to Grandma Jackie's house, which to LaRee is as fun as any old amusement park. I have lived on and off with Becky for 15 years with makes me miss her terribly so it was nice to be back together cooking, chatting and trying on clothes like we were school girls again.

Cool things found at Grandma Jackie's house

• Bree, the fun loving pug
• A motorized car
• Sandbox
• Pirate ship pool
• A room full of toys
• A zebra backpack, which is now at our house.

This may look like a bunch of hair, but really, it's LaRee loven on Bree

Feeding the dog. Wish LaRee was equally excited about other types of chores.

Sunday morning while I was taking a shower LaRee had let out Bree and herself to a play in the sand.
and again after church

We decided pedicures would be a fun "girlie" thing to do and that proved to be true. LaRee got her fingers and toes painted. We walked in, picked colors and before I knew it, they had whisked LaRee away. For awhile all we could see was a smidgen of her hair sticking up over the chair and all of the sudden you see her little hand pop out and rest in front of the fan. It was the funniest thing. We could finally see her when they started on her toes and the whole time she had her business face on but the minute they were done her vain side kicked in and it was a lot of hand and foot modeling.

San Diego or Bust!!!

I am 100 percent sure that our move to Texas was inspired and that we are were we are suppose to be, but that does not take away that fact that I LOVE SAN DIEGO and I MISS IT SO VERY, VERY MUCH!!!

LaRee and I were able to take a mini Vacation (key word mini) to first, San Diego, then off to Indio and last but not least Los Angeles. We had such a good and memorable time. As always, I can best sum up our stay with pictures...

Thank you modern technology for helping us on the flight out. That man sleeping next to LaRee wanted to talk politics to me every waking moment. If you know me well, you are laughing right now.

We stayed the first couple nights with my dear friend Wendy. She was one of the first friends I made in San Diego. We became fast friends and have spent more then our share of days in the SUN!

LaRee had a blast watering Wendy's 500 plants.

This picture screams San Diego to me with the Sun on her face and the plants in front of her.

Breakfast out on the balcony. My love for the sun is even greater now. To wake up and sit in the sun and eat...heaven!

Lunch at Sipz Fusion Cafe - Yummlish! They serve Vegetarian Cuisine with a Vietnamese/Chinese/Thai style. They use soy meat and tofu with every veggie known to man kind. It is to die for! San Diego has some of the best food I have ever tasted.

Lots of play time with Owen. He is so good with her and her crush on him doesn't hurt either!

So pretty!

THE BEACH!!

Beware: lots of beach photos to follow

This is Wendy's oldest Tiffany

Proof of a fun filled day at the beach. LaRee was in her element. I true Southern Cali Girl.

other highlights:

lunch with LaRee's church Grandma Carol - love that woman!
feeding the bird
Dinner with the back row girls from my singles ward
snooping around Loma Portal Bluffs changes
a quick trip to Trader Joes
watching Owen play soccer
trips to Point Loma, Hillcrest, North Park, Pacific n Mission Beaches n Coronado Island

Soon it was time to leave Wendy and Owen, sooo sad!

I lived in San Diego for 10 years and I feel so blessed to have rubbed shoulder with so many amazing people.

You want me to pee where??

As I am still trying to catch up - I had surgery the middle of August to remove my Thyroid. I had a lovely goiter/nodule on the right side and when they got in there they found more of the same on the left side, so my doctor decided at that point to take out the whole thing. (Thank you) She was awesome and funny and a joy to work with. Because of the size of my neck, that size being fat , I was considered high risk for breathing so that put me in ICU after the surgery. I was put into what I liked to fondly refer to as the "supply closet". I took a picture with my cell phone because frankly, I wanted proof! I was sure if I told the story without the picture it would not be believable. Also, I wanted to see what my neck looked like and with no mirror, I look a mobile picture of that as well...

Yes, that is a curtain (no door) and yes, that is a fold out toilet that is coming out from under the sink. Those are boxes of latex gloves on counter, walkers in the corner and to the left is a cart with all kinds of hospital gear on it. Not in the picture is a room full of carts, IV stands and first aid stuff galore. Oh yes, and right in front of my bed was a counter with 4 computers on it. I now wish I would have kept track of all of the in's and out's of nurses, maintenance, whosels and whatsels. I am guessing I was in the room where nurses sneaked off to take and make their personal calls and at some point in the night I finally asked 2 nurses to save their "cost of tires" conversation till morning. I was ever so grateful to go home and pee in a bathroom with a door and a lock.

I panicked at first thinking the incision looked huge and then settled down once I realized that the thin lines on the side were surgical glue, ha - my bad! Life is back to normal and thanks to the marvels of medicine, I take a little blue pill every morning and it seems to do everything that my thyroid used to do - Yippee!