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California!

My grandma's memorial was in California so we got to go on an impromptu trip to my home state!  Nearly ALL of my extended family lives in California and it was sooo nice to see everyone and to spend time with everyone.  We stayed with my cousin, Kelly, and her family.  Kelly is much more like a sister than my cousin- she was my very first friend, after all- and my very closest friend still to this day (outside of Jim, of course).  So indulge me just a moment while I embarrass Kelly and myself with a few pictures- this is what happens when you're history toting grandmother passes away, you get LOTS of pictures you have never seen before.  ;)

We are exactly 4 weeks apart and we often celebrated our birthdays together the first few years of our lives.  Here's our first birthday!   I'm the giant child that looks like she's about to eat the other child- just in case that wasn't as obvious as it looks to me.


Kelly and me with our grandma- It's pretty appropriate for the trip.



This is Kelly and me when we were 5ish.  Best friends!


And this is from our recent California trip.  I love this lady!


And we let the boys in this one...


So Kelly has the most wonderful teenage girls ever, Autumn and Courtney.  Seriously, these girls are sooo wonderful AND they're teenagers!  I know, those two words shouldn't be in the same sentence, but seriously, these are the sweetest girls you've ever met.  Sadly, I didn't get pictures of them because we hardly took pictures AT ALL.  Kelly also has a little guy that is Austin's age, Jason, and we told each other that we were going to take so many pictures of the boys playing together just like we used to, but we didn't.  Thank goodness Courtney picked up a little of our slack and she took most of the pictures I have from the trip, but consequently, the girls aren't in most of the pictures.  Sorry girls!!  So here are some memories of the kids playing together.  They were instant friends just like their moms!

Bath time!  Three men in a tub...


Here's one of Courtney!  And Jackson.


Jay and Jackson playing store.


We're not sure what Jay was doing, but Jackson's so used to Austin climbing all over him he was totally at home.


Courtney again!  And a cousins sandwich.


Just hangin with the boys watchin a little Wreck It Ralph.


It was gorgeous weather while we were there, so we spent a little time in the water.  This brought back a lot of memories of our own childhood growing up.


One of my family's favorite restaurants in California is The Northwoods Inn.  Some of us got together to eat right before we headed back to Texas.  Literally, we had a big family dinner and then started the long trip home.

My dad and Vivian joined us.  It was so good to see them again.  
It was starting to get dark so these pictures are kind of dark.


My Uncle Glenn and family.


Kelly and Jason.


I wish my grandma was in all of these pictures, and I hate the reason for the trip, but the trip was so wonderful!  I miss my family so badly and I wish Kelly and I still lived next door to each other like it was when we were growing up.  I'm so so grateful that I got to see so much family- we say A LOT more family than was pictured, but I, regrettably, didn't get pictures of everyone.  Next time!

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