GGMA turns 90!

This past weekend we celebrated James' Grandma Lucille's 90th birthday. We call her GGMA (short for great-grandma). It was a lovely day, warm and sunny. We had lunch on the patio followed by birthday cake. Elaina helped her blow out her candles, too. It was a great day to remember and I am so happy that we all got the chance to be there for it. I can already imagine myself looking back on this picture with Elaina when she is all grown up and telling her about how amazing her GGMA is and how lucky we are to have her. I will tell her about how GGMA is so computer savvy, she created James' business cards on her computer (I don't even know how to do that) and she creates personalized photo greeting cards for all us for every occasion. James will surely tell her that it was his Grandma that taught him how to play tennis and golf and about the time when she took him to a speed reading class when he was a child. Plus many other great stories too. She is truly a treasure in our family and someone we all aspire to be like.

May we all live long and happy lives too!

Elaina is 22 months!

Elaina is 22 months old today. She is growing up so fast. It is hard to believe her 2nd birthday is only 2 months away.

Here is a post dedicated to my beautiful baby girl. An excerpt from one of our favorite books.....

I love you through and through......
I love your top side.
I love your bottom side.
I love your inside and outside.
I love your happy side, your sad side, your silly side, your mad side.
I love your fingers and toes, your ears and nose. I love your hair and eyes, your giggles and cries. I love you running and walking, silent and talking. I love you through and through..... yesterday, today, and tomorrow, too.

With love from,
Mama
xoxoxoxox

Sun, Sand, & Elephants?

This passed weekend the three of us took a trip to San Diego. James stayed out there all week last week because he is working out there on the night shift, so Elaina & I drove out there just the two of us on Friday night after 8 o'clock to meet up with him. She slept pretty much the whole way down there which took a little over an hour & 1/2 to get there and she woke up when I started to unload her and our all of our stuff. James was at work already so I did it all by myself. Elaina ended up staying up until James got home around midnight, so that made them both happy to see each other when he got home.

Our hotel was a little older and you could tell it was probably very popular with the spring break crowd, so it was nothing special but you couldn't beat the view. We were right on the beach and we had a view of the beach from our balcony. We were literally a hop, skip, and jump away from the ocean.

Saturday was our first full day in San Diego and we started the day by heading to the San Diego Zoo. I can not remember the last time I visited the Zoo, I think I was around Elaina's age, so it was very excited experience for me as well as Elaina. It was sooooo hot that day but we slather ourselves with sunblock and threw on our hat and glasses to fight of the sun and heat. We took the guided bus tour first, Elaina was thrilled to ride on the bus. We saw some amazing animals like the Malaysian tiger, African elephants, giraffes, monkeys, & flamingos, just to name a few. Elaina was quietly taking it all in and when I asked her to point out the elephants or giraffes, she would point right at them! I keep asking her do you see the elephants? she would nod her head yes. Then I would ask where is the elephant and she would point them out.

We left the Zoo a little early because of the heat which was a little disappointing because there was so much we did not get a chance to see (like the Polar Bears & Pandas), but, I guarantee we will be back again soon. I loved the experience and I can't wait for us all to go back.

After the zoo we spent time in the hotel pool and later down at the beach. It was Elaina first time at the beach. She loved the dry sand, but did not like the wet sand down by the water's edge. She kept telling me "yuck, mommy, yuck" because she did not like they it felt on her bare feet. I have to say her reaction to it was priceless, I could not stop laughing.

After dinner, we ended up renting a movie in our room "Monster vs. Aliens" which Daddy did not make it through. He crashed out half way through the movie. So, it was just us girls watching the movie together, so fun. We all shared a king sized bed together, with Elaina in the middle taking up most of the room. It was a treat for all us to sleep in the same bed together, kinda like a living room camp out or something.

Sunday was our day to head home and relax. Elaina spent some more time in the spa when we got home. I tell you that kid must be part fish. She loves the water!

All in all it was a such great weekend. I love that Elaina is getting older. It has opened up so many more possibilities for us to plan outings and do more things together as a family and it really feels good. I love that we have many more years of these family trips to look forward to and experience, but most of all I love that we are creating memories that will last a lifetime. I could not be happier or more content with our lives right now, at this moment in time.


(sorry I do not have any pictures to post of us at the Zoo, my battery in our camera died. I think I only got 2 pics all weekend....bummer)

(new pics will be posted soon)