California

So it has been a week since we got home from California.  We had a very long trip home, I think we spent longer there this time then we did for our own wedding.  We traveled home to see family and be a part of Dustin and Malia's wedding.  Jake and I spent a few days away from Nicole for the first time.  We went to Monterrey and went to the aquarium.  Both me and Jake remember the aquarium being much bigger than it was this time.  We had a great date night out for Jake's birthday. 

Jake sure knows how to take a picture.

While we were away from Nicole she was being spoiled by Nana and Papa.

After going to Monterrey we went and spent a few days with Grandma and Granddad.  She got to enjoy spending time with the dogs and playing in the dirt.  It seems that granddad doesn't want Nicole to nap.  Constantly playing with Nicole while trying to settle her down, sounds a lot like Jake.  

Jake, Dustin, Scott, Mike and Andrew all got to go fishing.  They went to somewhere, where it is almost guaranteed to catch a fish.  Andrew was a little hesitant to hold the fish and wanted to play more once he caught one.  The guys taught him to say that the fish was big and how to hold his arms all the way out.  It was really cute.



So happy, loving the outdoors





Smiling at her Papa





I want some lip gloss, please. 



After spending time with Jake's dad we went and stayed at a hotel for the remainder of our trip.  We took Nicole swimming for the first time. However the pool was cold and not heated at all.  So eventually we got into the hot tub.

We were lucky and got to see Anna and Sarah before they headed to the coast for Relay for life.  It was so hot on this day, may have been the hottest, so we indulged in a Gigantic snow cone.  

We made one long day and drove to the beach and saw Randy (Jake's high school friend) and Granny S.  We were lucky and Granny had the day off, so we all went to the Ocean.  The water was warm much warmer than the pool at the hotel.  Nicole was mesmerized by the ocean she just kept staring at it. She enjoyed playing in the sand.  We found a sand dollar and brought it home to remember our first ocean visit with Nicole.

We met and spent some time with Jake's cousin Chris and his family.  Nicole sure enjoyed her time with them.

Nicole also got to meet her Aunt Cindy and Uncle Dennis for the first time. At lunch with the family Dennis gave Nicole a lemon wedge while we were waiting for some food.  You know how impatient she gets.  She kept making a face while eating the lemon but never put it down, so she must have liked it.  

Nicole also got to meet Granny S brother Bill and his wife Doreen.  She found herself a new love in Bill.  She just had so much fun with him.  I think it might have been the beard.

Nicole sure loved Andrews Mater Toy.  We thought she was getting ready to walk with help from a toy with wheels.  And had talked about getting her something when we got home.  Nana and Papa had this still so for the first couple of days she crawled with the toys and pushed them around that way.  Eventually she realized she could walk and push or pull the toy. Every time she sat on this she would roll backwards and not forward.  Whatever works for her I guess.

I got Jake and Scott to stand back to back and see how much more till Scott towers over both of his brothers.  He is already taller than Dustin.

This was nearing the end of our trip.  The wedding was the next day and then we were headed home.  I think we were home longer for this trip than our own wedding.  But it was a good trip.  Got to see a lot of family, introduce Nicole to some new family and take part in a great wedding.  It was great to see Dustin and Malia make it official.  It is nice to be home now.  Planning our next trip.  Probably to Oregon and Washington again this fall.