Summer Fun

This summer has been so eventful that I've hardly had time to keep up with the blog. First, I have to say that we are LOVING life in California. The sunny blue sky is so refreshing each day that I don't know how we lived without it for so long! We love twice-daily swims and are especially proud of Kate for learning to swim in the deep end of the pool on her own! She started out this summer not wanting to get off the steps, graduated to a life jacket, and then decided she was ready to take the plunge!!! Now she and Allie are water bugs all over the pool together. Roman, however, only thinks he can swim and has to be wrangled constantly...exhausting!

Summer Vacay #1

Destination: Utah

Highlights: Janell's Wedding, Spending time with the Lunt's at a cabin high in the mountains, 4th of July, Sarah Elizabeth Sundberg's Blessing, Visiting friends

Event #1 Janell's Wedding! She was such a beautiful bride! She and Chris were married in the Mt. Timpanogas Temple and then had a stunning outdoor reception at the Lunt's.

This picture summarizes the night for Roman and Dylan!!! (Thanks for wrangling them Paul!)

Event #2. After the wedding we were excited to spend some time at Darin's sis & bro-in-law's cabin. We had a blast! Thanks Robbie & Amy!

FHE at the cabin:

A very ;-) successful fishing trip.

Roman loved Max! (maybe a bit too much)

An evening of smores....

accompanied by a night-swim!

4th of July Fireworks

4th of July Early Morning Hot Air Balloons

Last Event:

Sarah Elizabeth Sundberg's Blessing. She is so sweet and it was such an honor to be there for her baby blessing....and an even bigger honor to have a namesake! I can't wait to hold her again when they visit in a few days! (Although she's a bit fussy in the picture, I'm sure she really loves being held by me. right?)

Hopefully I'll get to update the blog with our trip to Big Trees, Huntington Beach, and all the other fun we've had before school starts on the 17th!!!! Booooo!

Laurie's Visit

Some words that describe my week with Laurie...

laughter, good food, laughter, shopping, more shopping, identical wardrobes, berry picking, chit-chat, deep conversations, sunbathing, accessorizing, San Francisco, GPS!, cupcakes, pick-pocket catching (have to share that), talking to strangers, breakfast out, ear piercing, hugs, tears, goodbyes, more hugs, tears, goodbyes.

Documentation of said fun:

Birthday cupcake, had to chase down a smoker to get a lighter for the candle. This was a great cupcake place whose name escapes me but it's in Ghirardelli Square.


Yummy breakfast in Old Folsom. A full day of shopping ahead!!! =)


Monkeys who are VERY excited for Berry Picking!


Ohhhh so fun! I still have a freezer full of berries. Wish we could have stayed longer. Interestingly, this was one of Laurie's only requests for while she was here. That girl loves berry picking!

Cheesecake Factory (pic taken by waitress who apparently does not have a side job as a photographer. oh well, she still got tipped.)

Taylor was so brave and didn't cry a bit! We thought it was very special to share this event with her.

Birthday morning breakfast before we headed to San Francisco. (Roman wasn't invited and Kate didn't want to go which worked out great because we did a LOT of walking.)

Trolley Museum


I'm holding onto her a bit too tight. haha So typical of me!

We finally got a seat!




Alcatraz in the background. (Pier 39)

Sea Lions! Stinky. Noisy. Fun.

RainForest Cafe. (where the attempted wallet snatching occurred.) I still feel badly that we ate here for Laurie's b-day...HELLO, she loves seafood and we were IN San Francisco but still ended up HERE?! That's just the kind of mom she is!!!

Apparently those are all of the pictures I took....I can't wait to get a copy of hers!

Laurie, Thank you sooo much for turning 30 and for celebrating it with me! (thanks to Curtis for that part.) My life would not be the same without you my Hawaiian Japanese Twin Sister!

Lotsa love,

Sarah