C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A

Did I tell you we went to California last week?! I didn't...well that is because it was a TOTALLY RANDOM spur of the moment decision. I am talking, Saturday night at 8pm we looked at each other and said, lets do it! Shaun had a week of vacation from his old job so we wouldn't be missing any work, and we were both ITCHING to get back to California. It has been raining NON STOP for 3 weeks and we needed some sunshine. So we packed our bags, loaded the new car (what better way to break in a new car than a long road trip) and went to bed that night with huge smiles knowing we would be where our hearts belonged the next day.

We left at 5:30am, made only 2 stops for gas and bathrooms (I am telling you I have the best traveling toddler ever!!!) and got to Antioch, my inlaws, a little before 3pm. Not too shabby considering we have a newly potty trained toddler, a pregnant woman, and about 900 miles between us and California! NOT A SINGLE PERSON knew we were coming! The reactions were great!

We sent Lincoln up to my inlaws door with his suitcase and bear, rang the doorbell and Shaun and I hid around the corner. When my mother in law answered, we heard, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!?" Then we appeared and she was SHOCKED!!! Two days later I did the same thing to my sister. I put Lincoln up at the door, rang the doorbell and hid. I heard my nephew as he opened the door go "LINCOLN!!!" Then I walked inside, my sister came to the door and said, "I think you are going to make Auntie cry...let me look at you" It was amazing!!! I will NEVER tell people we are coming again! It had been 5 months since I had seen my sister and her family and their reactions were great!!!

Watching my little nephew Gio and Lincoln, who are only 9 months apart, and were ALWAYS together, be together again was so special. My favorite was when they both realized they can both talk now and they said to each other "hey you talk now" It was like they never missed a day hanging out. They were both so happy and in great moods! When we were leaving my nephew was crying which broke my heart and he said "but if Linky go home I have no friend again"...oh man pull on my heart little man!!! We were also able to go to Milo's kindergarten graduation...I have NEVER missed a big event in my sisters families lives so I was soooo thankful I could be there! Funny how I had all these ideas to go to restaurants I have been missing, donut shops, etc, and yet, I found myself just wanting to sit at her house and soak in every single moment because I knew it would be over sooo fast.

We ended the trip with a visit to AT&T park (of course!) and the Giants WON!!! What an amazing end to that really boring game! Sadly I was in the bathroom (thank you Brynlee) when all the exciting stuff was happening so I only heard it over the speakers in there. Oh well!!!

Oh did I mention I got in a car accident while there?!? In my BRAND NEW car!? Stupid girl was reversing in a parking lot, there was a car behind me so I couldn't go anywhere (I wasnt reversing, I was going straight). I honked my horn sooo loud CONTINUOUSLY and she never even ONCE looked! The CRASH!!! Lincoln was in the back seat, totally confused as to what happened. I was pist because I had my kid in the car, my baby in my belly, and my new car was now damaged! THANK GOD she had insurance, the damage isnt horrible, but we will be getting a new car seat, and they will fit the front bumper...when her insurance finally responds to ours! Longest process ever! UGH I am getting so mad again just thinking about it!!! She admitted it was her fault, I said usually when someone is honking you stop! She said her music was too loud and didn't hear anything...uhhh then turn it down next time!!!

The drive back was LONG!!! We made SEVERAL more stops on the way home than before. We left later, which I have learned I HATE!!! We left at about 8:30am and it felt like we drove all day! We didn't pull into our driveway till about 10pm! We did stop for an hour lunch break to let Lincoln out and play. Then at dinner we found a park by a gas station and let him play for about an hour again. So take away those stops and it wouldn't have been too horrible. Oh and add in his new line "how much longer"...oh brother!!! We will always leave early from now on!!!

I am so glad we got to visit. Originally we were going to fly home in November for a week, but with Shauns new job, I am not sure we will. He wants me to fly out still for the entire week, but with a toddler and a newborn, at holiday time, I am a TAD nervous!!! He would drive out and only miss 2 days of work instead of a week...then we would all drive home...just not sure about it yet. We will have to discuss it more. I want to go because I want everyone to meet Brynlee, but I don't want to go by myself. Maybe my mother in law will fly out here then fly back with me...who knows!!! For now, we are staying put, working on our backyard (thank you rain for FINALLY stopping) and will just have to figure out another time to visit. Our next FOR SURE trip is to Disneyland in February! So excited!!!