Califor-NI-A!

We had SUCH a great spring break vacation in California last week! It was honestly the best vacation I've had in a while! Granted I haven't been on vacation in nearly a year--so the trip was more than needed...but it was SO fun! Thank you Cali for being WARM for us!

We left Thursday afternoon, dreading the long drive. We were driving Ben's sister's car down for her and flying home. So we stopped in SG to drop off our car, then started the long trek. Connor didn't do as great as we'd hoped he would..out of the 5 1/2 hours we drove he only slept for about 1/2 hours collectively...but he made it ok. He screamed the last 30 minutes I think because he was bored of the car and his ears were popping. We pretty much just went to bed when we got there after some fun play time with grandma and grandpa Tyrrel!

The next day we woke feeling rested, and went to visit Connor's great grandma Tyrrel! She just loved him and had so much fun holding him and looking at him. Connor had a lot of fun getting to know her as well! After a while we went back next door and Connor fell asleep while I rocked him outside. It was SO warm and lovely! I was wearing pants and my legs were starting to burn up so I laid Connor down for his nap and changed into shorts! I got my first mini tan of the season! It felt SO good...and I loved looking at the view of the orange trees and the valley.

I made Ben lay out on a blanket with me and decided we have to move back to Cali-or at least somewhere WARM! It was SO nice! Upon looking at my bare feet I realized I was in desperate need of a pedicure! So I asked mom Tyrrel if she wanted to get one! After going to lunch with Connor and Ben at Olive Garden, we headed over to the mall where she always gets her pedicures! The boys walked the mall while Jenice and I got what was the BEST pedicure of my LIFE! It was the "Royal" pedicure and was heavenly! Thank you Jenice for treating me to such royal treatment! :-)

Saturday brought a whole new day of fun and adventures! Connor got to meet his great aunt Jaelene, cousin Wyeth, great aunt Jerilyn, her husband David and Ben's cousins Cooper and Grant! It was a full day, and he got lots of loves and play time! It was so enjoyable to spend time with the whole Tyrrel clan, it's been a while since we've seen most of them and it was fun to catch up! I wish we could see them more often!

I also started a fire Saturday..I was warming up my leftover breadsticks in the toaster oven..in the bag...not smart. I walked in just to see the bag ignite. Oops! No damage was done- Ben put out the fire very quickly. But I felt pretty dumb...

The next day, Sunday, we went to church and got to show Connor off to even more people! He got tuckered out so we came home to let him take a good solid nap. While he was sleeping I laid outside on a blanket again. When he woke up I fed him outside on the blanket...so a few hours later this is what happened:
I was getting ready to feed Connor, aka taking his feeding source out of my bra. I felt something squishy and assumed it was food that had fallen down there haha. At first it looked like a rolled up leaf, but it turned out to be a little caterpillar! I screamed and flicked it--right onto Connor's FACE! I about DIED! I flicked it off, scaring him in the process...and felt like there were bugs all over me for a while after that! ICK!!!!! It had been there for HOURS! BLEH! Aside from that horror it was a pleasant Sunday...but we looked forward to the next day--ORANGE COUNTY!!

We couldn't wait to get going on our way to OC. We hadn't been there in about 10 months or so! The first thing we did is buy sunblock at Target for the babe..then went to South Coast Plaza to buy some makeup..then to our favorite pizza place, Pizza D'Oro! MMM it was good. Not AS good as I remembered it being--but GOOD! Of course Connor had to eat as soon as the pizza came out so that made things interesting for me...but it was so fun nonetheless! We checked into our hotel- the Hyatt Newport Beach and let Connor take a nice nap. It was SUCH a nice hotel and I wish the pool had been warmer to swim in! We got a really good rate though- which made it even more enjoyable!

After Connor's nap we went to Sprinkles and got some yummy cupcakes! MMM...by now we weighed about 10 pounds more than when we left Utah ha ha... After that treat we took Connor to the beach! He had so much fun squishing his toes in the sand and letting the water (freezing as it may have been) come over his feet! He really enjoyed being in the sun and fresh air- I think he wants to live in Cali or Hawaii as much as mom and dad do! We didn't stay long at the beach but got our fill in! Life is SO different with a babe. You can't just sit there for hours watching the waves...they have different agendas! Still fun though!

That night we went to dinner with Ben's old boss Dawn. We ate at ZTejas at South Coast- pretty yummy! Connor did ok at first but really hated the noise after a while and was genuinely EXHAUSTED. So we went home to the hotel and got a really great nights rest!

The next day we went to see my old office so they could all meet Connor. It was fun to see everyone after so long- but made me grateful I'm a stay at home mommy now and not chasing the almighty dollar! Ha ha.

We went back to Riverside and enjoyed the afternoon at home. After a long nap we took Connor to meet his great aunt Helen and his cousins! They loved him so much! His cousin Vanessa loved holding him and "petting" him as she said. It was her first experience with a real baby! I got to meet Ben's cousin Kassandra and laughed my BUTT off! She is so funny and uncensored, sorta like me! :-)

The next day Ben had a meeting with some people at Performance Riverside, and his old teacher from his undergrad days. He dropped me off at Robyn's to hang out with her, Lincoln and Tyler. It was so fun! Lincoln didn't quite know what to do with Connor, ha ha but I think he liked him for the most part! :-) I didn't have my camera so I relied on Robyn to take some pictures of the boys. It was so nice to visit with Robyn though- she's pregnant with her 2nd baby, a girl they are having in May!

Ben picked us up- we rushed to the airport and Connor had his first airplane ride! He of course decided to poop as we stood in line to board...that was great...ha ha. He did GREAT though and slept for the whole 45 minute flight!