On the drive to the airport to fly to CALIFORNIA! Can't wait to see pavement and palm trees!
Looks comfy! What happens on a flight that doesn't have tvs!
Kids couldn't have been happier to see Papa and Mer Mer! It was so cute seeing them run as fast as they could to give them hugs!
A good family in our ward lent my mom and dad their 12 passenger van so we fit quite comfortably!
First stop...Balboa Island! Eating traditional Balboa Bars and Frozen Bananas.
Sprinkles=Happiness
The girls got to open their birthday presents early! Mer Mer and I couldn't wait!!! Their beloved dream dolls, Caroline and Isabelle! It's adorable because without knowing Kara picked a light blonde/blue eyed doll and Kate picked the darker blonde/hazel eyed doll! They picked their twin's look alike!
All American Girls!
The next morning Justin, Zach, Papa, and Cameron were heading ocean fishing. Sadly the seas were too rough (WHAT?!) and the trips were cancelled! Sorry hon!
Grandpa and some of his girls. :)
That night we had an ugly sweater Cousin Christmas party! We had delicious soups to try and lots of fun.
The next day was the girls 7th Birthday!!! We made plans to go with the Co-rippens to the Wild Animal Park and then to party hardy that night with all of the cousins.
Vacation is tiring them out! This was at 10 AM on the WAY to the Wild Animal Park!
The older kiddos with their cute little cousin Evan.
These 3 matched each other AND the flamingos!
Cute little lemur!
Everett loved all of the animals! It was fun watching him discover.
Fun day at the Wild Animal Park and everyone got to choose a little stuffed animal to bring home. Love my big Little brother and his cute family!
When we got home good ol' Mer Mer was making the cake! A big one to feed everyone and at the girls request, their own small cake to decorate and eat themselves. Mer Mer spoils them.
An old family friend/fellow twin mom Niki McMullen stopped by with her delicious cookies! I love this woman! Her twins are 14 yrs older than mine and I used to go and watch them and hold them and help her because I loved babies so much! Who knew I'd have my own set!
This is why I LOVE my family!!!! My sister and nieces MADE this pinata for my girls! They knew the girls are obsessed with dolphins and made this for them I thought it was so sweet!
And here is the festive fun sugar loaded cake! Complete with 2 islands for the girls to do what they wanted with! The dolphin was a creation by Uncle Harvey from a BANANA! Genius all around this family!
Oh how I love these 7 year old girls! They have gotten super spunky and sassy and often give me a run for my money, but they are great girls who are going to do great things.
And this is their dream come true!!! They didn't talk about this together, but in both of their minds this is what they wanted to do! Kara was so funny about this! She wanted to smash her face in her cake and eat it without hands. She did! Ha! Went all out!
An hour later Kate came back from somewhere and did the same thing! Dreams come true I tell you. Kate always wants to eat like an animal. This was her lucky day.
Then they got a sleepover with their cousin Reagan who is also enamored with American Girl Dolls.
And Mer Mer made doll stockings with them the next morning (Christmas Eve!) because shes is just that wonderful and creative and fun. And she LOVES dolls too so she loves seeing them love their dolls!
Christmas Eve we visited Nanny, my dad's mom. She was basically unresponsive and looked awful. So frail and skinny and breathing loud. I honestly thought she might die that night. The girls were not reserved at all. They were so loving and respectful and sad because they thought she might go too. It was so sweet and I was proud of them. such sweethearts when it all comes down to it. We later found out she was so out of it because of her meds.
Christmas Eve babes!! Santa's coming!!
We looked at the Santa Tracker and caught him right as he was over Cardston! We hoped he knew we were in California!
I love this picture. Zach's hamming it up and Kate's looking at him like he is crazy. :)
Bitty Baby for Addie and a blow up bouncer for Everett.
CHRISTMAS MORNING!
What a goof ball. Sporting the raptors hat (which is now lost...only a month after he had it.)
Zach got the 4X4 Rubik's Cube, still has yet to learn how to do it!
The cuddliest little elf.
Stanta and Merry!
My parents' Christmas nicknames since their names are Stan and Mary. Pretty cute.
Christmas jammies!
Santa's little helper.
Cuddly mermaids!
This girl LOVES playdough! Loves her little dollies too.
Mixels mixels everywhere.
Christmas dinner with some of their Crippen cousins. They love them so!
Michael blew a massive bubble.
One of my favorite parts of my old house, the porch swing!
All the kids need their picture at the counter in the high chair!
My daughters and dollters. :) All matchy matchy.
I love this picture of Addie.
For our last day in California we got to spend the evening at this mansion. It was AMAZING. Too bad it was cold because it would have been so fun to swim there too! There was a zipline into the pool, paddleboats, a huge ballpit, ax throwing, beautiful grounds...amazing.
Childhood dream LIVED!
After our fun night we visited Nanny for the last time and I am so glad we did. She was so with it and pleasant and awake and aware. So much different than a few days before when we visited.
These pictures make me well up in tears. I love my Nanny so much. It was amazing to see just how thin and frail she was. And to see the difference between Everett's chubby fresh baby hands. Circle of Life.
I know this picture is crazy blurry, (and am shocked because it was my tech saavy little bro took this and of the 3 he took this is the least blurry?!) but I will never be rid of it because it's our last family shot with Nanny. We love and miss you Nanny!
The kids are always so sad to leave...especially Kate and Zach. Us 3 were trying to stay on the positive side and smile on the plane. The others were sobbing. They always ask why we have to live so far away and can't the plane just turn around? Makes me even more sad to leave too.
Especially when we come home to this.
Welcome home? Yuck.
Justin texted me this picture as I was getting the luggage and he was getting the car. The ice cut his knuckles as he dug the car out. Eew and ow.
Cute Kate finally smiling and happy to be home with her horse. :) They carried those horses through LAX that way too. :)
He got it clean! My hero.
The drive home. A different kind of beautiful. They cold kind.
Those aren't clouds at the tops of the mountains...it's snow blowing off the mountains. Brrr!
The 2.5 hr drive home from the airport is always mixed emotions. I am happy the roads were good at least. That takes the stress emotion away. Lucky we got home when we did because even an hour or two after us there was a big snow storm.
I think they were tired.
By the end of the drive home I was happy to be here and thought it was beautiful. I do miss my family though and live too far away.
Day after we got home. Kate always has a pity party for a few days after she gets home from California. I joined her on this one. (They are going to live there when they grow up. Going to be dolphin trainers. Kate may be a cook she says.)
Justin always settles in nicely. HA!!!
