Weekending in San Diego For James' 33rd

For James' 33rd birthday I kidnapped him for a kid-free weekend in San Diego and we had SO MUCH FUN! I vowed after our Maui trip last year that we would get away more often, just us two, and this was me keeping myself honest! There's something about getting away together that slows (and quiets) things down and you really just get to enjoy each others company. This time together is so special and this weekend was so fun...maybe we should go away twice a year. Three times?! Do I hear four?

Our first meal was really an it-can-only-go-up-from-here moment, haha! We learned something very important: if a menu says on the bottom, "even if you don't like it you still have to pay" just leave right then and there. Ew!!! The grossest Japanese food I've ever, ever had.

On James' actual birthday I made him run a 10K with me--maybe not the relaxing morning he had imagined but such a fun way to start a new year. I'll be honest, we rocked it! I finished in under and hour which was my goal (that PS I didn't think I would accomplish) and James finished 15th overall in a race of 1000. I busted my rump and thought I might die, he barely trained and didn't brake a sweat, so it's all good and fair in the world, right?! Honestly though, this was the perfect morning and I was so grateful for a healthy body that could accomplish something hard.

The 10K crew--I love these fun friends that ran the race with us!

The race was in Mission Bay and it was beautiful! I loved running through wildflowers and by the water. 

Post-race brunch is always my favorite meal. This food from The Cottage in La Jolla may have been the best breakfast I've ever eaten, and that's saying something because breakfast is my jam!

The hilarious irony--you would not believe how many people were climbing over this sign to get to the forbidden beach!

Recreating this was one of my favorite moments of the day!

We toured the USS Midway, an aircraft carrier in San Diego, per the birthday boy's request. We were able to listen to so many docent lectures and learned so much.

Because nothing screams "San Diego cuisine" like Russian food, this is where James wanted to eat on his birthday, haha! The food was amazing, we were impressed!

On Sunday we went to Mass at the oldest mission in California and it was so beautiful. It was palm Sunday and really well attended and I felt like I was a part of something big and important. I love when good people get together to worship Jesus and I was so grateful we could be there. 

A final walk on the beach and we happened upon lifeguard shack 33...you can't tell me that wasn't lucky!

And before we knew it we were home with these four who maybe missed us a little but mostly had a blast with their babysitter, Miss Savannah. This Junior's Devils Food Cheesecake that I ordered from New York was waiting for us and our little family gathered outside to sing happy birthday to our dearest Dad-Man and dig in. Happy birthday James, glad we got to celebrate you!

Baby Ballerina

Cora at almost three is like a little mosquito constantly buzzing around my person. A tall, darling and lovable mosquito, but a little bug just the same!

She prefers hanging with the grown-ups over playing with the kids and as much as I encourage her to go find a doll or a dress or just about anything in her room she's overjoyed to jump on my lap as if I were her own personal gym and jabber incessantly. Her voice is low like her mama but also squeaky like a mouse and she's always saying things that make me swoon. Like a few days ago when someone asked what her name was and she said, "I call me Coco." It sounded so cute coming from her little mouth, especially because it was perfectly parroted from me introducing her to people. ("Her name is Cora but we call her Coco.") Or at the park when I had to grab something out of the car and she took Melissa's hand and said, "Will you be my mommy till that mommy comes back?" She loves to ask questions--so many questions--and is known to repeat herself until your answer meets her standard. "Mama, why you doing that? Why you doing that Mama? Why you doing that. MAMA, WHY YOU DOING THAT?!" That never gets annoying...insert seriously long and dramatic eye roll. For a little girl that went so long without uttering a word she sure is making up for lost time and even our closest friends frequently comment about how much she talks and how well she talks. A lot, and really well.

When we drive in the car she asks me to roll her window down so that she can say hi to people and then she proceeds to enthusiastically wave and shout greetings to fellow cars, homeless people on the street, Bird riders and even trees and flowers if there are slim people pickings. She sings all the time, mostly Daniel Tiger songs, and will often chastise her siblings with music. At the table she'll tell Everett, "You gotta try new things 'cause they might taste good" and has been known to sing a fitful Quinny the song, "When something feels bad turn it around, and find something good." If I want a few minutes of peace during the day I will sit her at the table with a coloring book and ask Alexa to play Daniel Tiger music. If I'm lucky she'll sit and sing along, if I'm not she'll follow me around and ask if I want to sing with her! (Which I do...as long as we switch Alexa to Taylor or Ariana!)

For months she's been begging me to sign her up for a dance class, ballet to be exact, and I've been all--you mean basketball?! This sort of girliness that comes so naturally to her is far out of my wheelhouse, but I finally found a class, Two-Two Ballet, and it is exceeding all of her dancing dreams. The first day the teacher couldn't figure her out because she's as tall as an average four-year-old but has the coordination and comprehension of, well, a two-year-old. #tallkidproblems But Cora is loving it and I am all gushy seeing my baby ballerina dressed in her pink leotard and flats. She is confident in her love of princesses and babies and strollers and pink and my job of late is to sit back and watch this fancy little girl sparkle!

Who gets to go to dance today? ^^^This girl!^^^ 

"I'm excited to twiwl in my dance cwass!"

Oh, I love you Coco-bird!

Sunday-sitting

Our most recent adventure in dog-sitting came with a five-month-old Australian Labradoodle named Sunday. She was so sweet and we had so much fun pretending she was ours, but puppies are a whole lot of work and this experience taught me that maybe I'm not quite ready for another newborn just yet! But if you ask the kids? We ready!!!

Easter

"Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come."

--Joseph Wirthlin, Sunday Will Come

Hand-me-down Easter duds are our very favorite kind! This was after church so they were a little scruffier than before, but I just loved how they cuddled up together on the wall when I asked for a picture. 

Considering the simplicity of a Wiggy Easter basket this picture really made me smile!

Would that I could be as happy everyday as Coco was when she was given a "blowie flower" by her brother.

No picture of Easter dinner with friends, copies of the talks we gave during Sacrament Meeting or views of my pajama'd babies hunting for eggs, but this Easter was a good one and this picture is my favorite. I'm so thankful for my Savior--his life, death and resurrection and I love Him. I know that He lives. 

April Fools Day at the Beach

None of these are April Fools Day jokes: We had our first official 2019 beach day on Cesar Chavez Day, thank goodness for an 80 degree day off of school. We stayed and played for 7 1/2 hours. I reapplied sunscreen every other hour and no one got burned. We had the time of our little Wiggy lives.

Now, here's an April Fools Day joke: Coco didn't fall asleep on the way home, didn't scream through her shower and doesn't still have sand in her hair a week later. 

Ehhh, worth it!

Bring it sunshiney SoCal Summer, we're ready for our beach bum lifestyle!

March was a party

March was a constant party, and you don't see this girl complaining. 

Here are a few random pictures from some of the fun we had.

T's shindig at school--line dancing, gambling and potlucking with gold rush (ish) food.

We caught a few hours with Ash and Log before they headed out on their 10th anniversary cruise. Any time spent with them, especially my favorite little sister, is magical.

James has been diligent about keeping our Sunday's full of service, including rotating between a couple of nursing facilities. We played games with the memory care patients at this place and it was so fun.

Long story short, these two set out on a Daddy/daughter date to the Dodgers where front row tickets and endless food awaited them, only to break down on the side of the road within viewing distance of the stadium. Quinny was such a trooper as they waited for AAA for hours and James was heart broken. Luckily they made it to the game (with two innings to spare) and Quinny even caught a ball before one of James' coworkers brought them home. Best laid plans, amiright?!

Melissa and I showed up to decorate for an activity in head-to-toe the same outfit. Literally same shirt, pants and shoes. It was hilarious, and so typical of us!

Afternoon sibling reading sessions.

Chase's birthday party at Camelot--so much fun with so many crazy kids!

Quinn's Multicultural Day at School where students represented Thailand, Hawaii and India. My little hula girl was just the cutest and made me so proud! I'll never forget her part, "Hawaii became the 50th state in 1959. The capitol of Hawaii is Honolulu." 

Oh, sweet Quinn. I can't believe how big you are getting.

Cora dressed in the most Hawaiian thing she owned because she didn't want to be left out! I still can't believe these two are mine. 

Quinny and Annie, two peas in a pod.