There's No Place Like Home

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Coronado: Part 2

My mom was able to fly in the day before Thanksgiving and stay with us until the weekend. We were able to hit up the dog park, walk Orange Avenue and do some window shopping, have yummy meals and go to Sea World!

This year at Sea World was the best! Avery was SO into it! I LOVE it more than the zoo, because it is a reasonable size for a two year old. They have little roller coasters just her size and interactive things for the kids to do. IE: Feed Sea Lions! With my moms discount (Southwest Airlines sponsors Sea World so she can get two people in free of charge!), we were able to have a great day at a reasonable price!

PS: Dad, how in the world did you afford to take us as kids? It is SUPER expensive!!

We sat in the soak zone for both the dolphon encounter and the Shamu show. Ave kept asking to get wet! We only got sprinkled on and she was so mad!! :) We were there for four hours and ran out of time. We weren't able to see the polar bear, walrus and penguins which are my favorite. So next time, we are definitely starting at that end!!

SEA WORLD

Friday, December 9, 2011

Coronado: Part 1

We LOVE LOVE LOVE Coronado! We didn't get to visit it as many times as we would have liked this year, so when we decided we were definitely going for Thanksgiving, it couldn't come fast enough!

Avery and I flew down two days before Nick, since he had to work. We stayed in the condo by ourselves and were able to go at our own pace. Which consisted of sleeping in, cereal breakfasts, walking on the beach, playing with cousins, dinner with everyone and LATE bed times. (I am very strict about bed time, but let it slide for 8 days!) Ave and I were best buddies! I had missed it since Ave is such a daddy's girl. She gets kind of mean when Nick is around. She does not want to share his attention!! :-O

When Nick finally got into town, she did a 180 and didn't want anything to do with me again! Boo! But, it was ok. It gave me a little free time. :)

Coronado is such a beautiful place year round! One day, we will live there!

Avery and her cousin Mia.

Hayden playing with seaweed. Such a boy!

Avery got a new Nick name this trip: Forrest! She never stopped running!

Searching for sea creatures.

This shell was BEAUTIFUL in person! The purples were so bright and beautiful!

Ave and her Nana Sheri

Avery and Wumpah Dale. (New name!)

LOVE this picture!

Avery developed a MAJOR crush for her cousin Hayden. They both are VERY hyper, but once they hung out, they mellowed each other out!

Thursday, December 8, 2011

The Dirty Thirty

Yep, I turned the ripe old age of 30. I didn't think I was going to have a hard time, but secretly I did. I remember when I was in elementary school telling my friends my parents were 28. I have now surpassed that age. Makes me feel old!

Nick had me celebrate for almost an entire month. He let me get away with celebrating every weekend with friends and family. It was so much fun! He threw me a surprise party at our friends bar, Lucky 13. I really had no clue what he was up to, but an hour before the party I had my suspicions. You see, Nick yawns (ALOT) when he is lying! I kept asking what we were doing, and he replied "Dinner (yawn) with (yawn, yawn) our (yaaaaawn) family (YAWN)!" Nick's mom picked us up to go to dinner but instead of going to the intended destination of The Pub, we drove to Lucky 13. Nick said he left his credit card there and needed to grab it. I was almost convinced until Avery yelled "TY TY!" (My brother.) He wasin the parking lot. BUSTED! He was like a deer in head lights and didn't know what to do. So, instinctively, he turned to run away and ran smack into a fence. Whoops!

It was a fun party filled with friends and family!

The next night we had a dinner at our house with our family. Lot's o' celebrating I told ya! We went to Coronado for Thanksgiving and Nick's dad threw a wine and cheese party in honor of my birthday too! So much fun! I told Nick I'd like every year to be like this! ;)

I got all set up for skiing. Nick got me a new ski jacket! I've had the same one for 12 years. I guess it was time to get in style! :)

Thank you again to my wonderful family and friends, especially my handsome hubby, for making my 30th the best yet!!

(I didn't take pics, I let Nick do that. Therefore, there is only a few...)