LA weekend!

We are now returning to the previously scheduled program, that is, My Summer Vacation.

After coming home from Sedona on Tuesday I had exactly two days to prepare to leave for my weekend in LA to visit my one and only Danielle! She FINALLY made it back out to the west coast after being on the east coast in Rhode Island for countless years (it honestly just felt like an eternity). My visit was ridiculously overdue, since I hadn't visited her since my trip to RI three years ago. I had of course seen her during that time, but only for a few hours at a time when she was able to make it to Arizona for different things. I flew in by myself (while Jeff became Mr. Mom for the weekend) and had three glorious California days with her.

We did all the things I love most because we are the same person...

...as soon as I got into LA on Friday morning we headed out to the LACMA and La Brea tar pits.

(And why she can never make a sane face with me, I'll never know...)

I'll go ahead and apologize beforehand for the poor quality of the pictures, but the LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) was a really amazing place...except for the Picasso. I don't get it.

Most of the time she and her Robert (I say 'her Robert' on purpose) would make meals for us (the most impressionable were her tomato and watermelon salad, and the cheesy grits with a fried egg...my mouth is watering just thinking about it...) but we did venture out for a few meals, which was fun too...

(waffels, Italian food, tacos, fish 'n chips...)

They also let me SLEEP IN!

And on a random note, we played models in this store window while we tested out the bed...and then we went and saw a movie just up the stairs! I honestly can't remember what it was though...oops!

The rest of time I was there, we traveled around a lot, sight-seeing, talking, and relaxing. We drove through Topanga Canyon and stopped at a few shops (one of which was a lonely old man's trailer and I thought we might be murdered...) we also drove by some expensive ocean front properties in Malibu and stopped in Long Beach for some shopping.

My favorite part though was the beach. Always the beach.

I can't remember what this place was called, but we visited for the tide pool. It's also where I dropped my real camera in the water and killed it. Oh, and don't worry, that was after it made the trek across the inlet of water where it was tossed 15 feet in a backpack, no problem. No, I just had to have butterfingers at the very worst moment and drop in it a few inches of tide pool water to kill it...argh.

Oh yeah, and one of my shoes broke too. Perfect for the very sharp surface of the tide pools...you know, barnacles and all that...

AGAIN, Danielle! THE FACE! You kill me.

Here we are, about to cross over this little inlet (I'm not sure what it's really called, but there was a gap between the rocks and the waves would flow in and out and we had to cross it to get to the tide pools...) Anyway, guess who had to go first?? (Here's a clue, it wasn't her!)

The tide pools were stunning, crawling with hermit crabs, purple sea urchin, and anemone.

And then my camera died. No more pictures of that.

But we did visit the beach another day and I had my ipod with me... 

...so I took a few pictures...

...and then before I was ready to go, I was already on an airplane headed back home...

The good news though is that she only lives one state away, instead of 10. 

So, cross your fingers, I'll visit more often.

Anyway, that weekend was amazing, and Danielle was the best hostess, as per usual.

I love you!

not so instant instagram...

I'm a little behind on this post...

FOR INSTANCE...

This picture here was taken right after we got home from our Alaska trip in mid-June. It is now September. Awesome.

Anyway, I was feeling jealous that I can't run around half naked all day like my babes can...

I treated myself to some gorgeous sunflowers...

...I highly recommend buying yourself flowers by the way...

Monsoon season officially began with one of these babies...and this was right outside my door.

Fruit smoothies and popsicles have made multiple appearances at our house...

We dressed up as cows again for free food at Chick-fil-A!

( Last year's cows)

We enjoy taking selfies...

When I travel long distances with my family, and if Jeff can't come, Emma will drive with me. Usually she sits in the front seat, but this time she was in between the boys. She falls asleep almost every time.

See??

And I can't help myself...

We're obviously in Utah at this point, at church one Sunday with my Grandma and Grandpa. I've wanted a three generation picture for a long time and I finally go my wish :)

Family photo!

(which everyone still hates, except me...)

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH.

Roadtrippin' through Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming with my favorite travel companion!

I make the best cheesecake brownies.

...from my mom's receipe...

It FINALLY rained one day and the boys refused to play in it. I was bummed.

We FINALLY have things growing in our garden!

(That's actually a lie, we've had peppers, strawberries and tomatoes already)

This. Always. Happens.

I become the favorite seat on the couch.

Sharing is caring. 

But make sure you have two straws.

We like to make people feel uncomfortable with our awkward selfies. Enjoy.

It's so great to have sisters who double as best friends.

The END! 

...for now...

another trip to the natural bridge

Labor Day was spent making the trip up north to the Natural Bridge! Jeff thinks I have an obsession about this place because I ALWAYS want to go...and it might be true. It's always been a magical place to me, an impression that was made when I was much younger when I visited with my family. I love how it's almost like a secret garden, hidden in the middle of  nowhere, and down a steep desert path to finally find an oasis. 

Plus, a water hole is always magical here in Arizona.

But whatever, I'm not ashamed to say it, I love that place!

This was also one of my favorite parts when I was younger, which I have passed down to my kids! I loved taking off my shoes and sticking my feet in the cold stream water! Bonus, it smells like spearmint because it grows all along the banks! 

Another bonus, we arrived early enough to, 1: get a parking spot in the very limited shady spots, and 2, not have to wait to get in! When we left there was a LONG line of people waiting to be let in and it wasn't even noon!

summer at the zoo

I'm interrupting my summer posts to bring a few recent activities...

I love having a zoo membership, but for the most part, I only use it during the winter and fall months, when the weather isn't set on DEATH-MODE. But since I'm a member, I get can get in an hour before the zoo opens to the public, which meant at 6am. Obviously that's a little crazy, so I instead focused on getting there at 7, and lately the weather has been...tolerable...in the mornings. It's also nice that the zoo now has a few splashpad areas for the boys to play in, so we like to get good and wet and then visit the animals. It definitely helps them stay cool and happy. (I wish this idea would have been implemented when I was a kid at the zoo!) 

It's always more fun when friends come (Meaghan, Houston, and Sydney visited with us this time), so anytime someone wants to go, let me know!