it was a whirlwind beyond whirlwinds
you know,
heading back home
to our beloved san diego,
at the peak of the holiday season
along with every other holiday traveler across the nation...
oh but it was a long time coming.
the girls would say
2 years was a wee bit long to wait
before heading 'home'...
for a reconnect.
so here is the recap
(grab some joe,
i might have been a bit wordy with this one)
stick with me...
team estrogen at the front end of our venture
across the coast.
the girls after our first leg,
ready for what is on the other end.
hey look.
simply books...
if only they had remembered the 'r' and the 'e'
arrived safely in sd
with only one delay.
lived to tell the 1am tale.
first stop on home turf...
mexican food.
any local san diegan knows there is a limited menu when home:
mexican food
in & out burger
and
mexican food.
need i say more?
first social visit:
the old hood
would you look at the look on michael's face?
it was a kid reunion beyond kid reunions.
i think miss kim might have even cried a little bit
when she saw the girls.
aaah.
we were together again.
the kids played all night,
as if not a day had gone by.
delightful.
purely delightful.
it was a bonus seeing our cousin, izzie, play in her
ayso soccer playoff game.
and lo and behold,
ran into an old friend from elementary school.
why do the children keep growing up on us?
one of my oldest and dearest friends
and liv,
her beautiful daughter
i got to hang out with my
old, old neighborhood
(that means two moves ago)
why didn't i take a picture of the whole gang?
duh.
this is amy
and les
(les is also known as my sister in law)
love them both
have to share this most amazing tree
see those silhouettes?
we all got those when our kiddos where in preschool
how smart is she?
framed them all and hung them on her most amazing tree.
do i tell a lie?
and you should see the rest of her house...
next day,
girls met grandma,
grandpa and cousins for a sleepover
and while the girlies went to the local movies...
i got to help celebrate this little lady's birthday,
so why do i get to leave with a shopping bag too?
have i mentioned how much i love my husband?
he a good good man.
never will i forget this day.
thanks for letting me in on your special day, corine.
love you, lady.
off to dinner
with dear dear friends.
look familiar?
you might recognize this rising star
she's on her way to big big things...
trust me on this
yes, i know.
where are all the boys?
apparently our sole boy skipped out on this picture.
oh ben?
where are you?
maddie and tess measure
looks pretty even, girls.
you can not see the running shoes,
oh but they have them on.
one more playdate with the old hood.
bring it, boys.
all duded up.
ready for our annual fete at g & g's.
in front of the infamous tree
the men in my life who shaped me
and their wives
one very special g&g tradition:
christmas dresses ala grandma for the girlies
on christmas eve.
this year
plum
and girlies weren't the only
ones showered with adornment this year.
yet another trip to
our favorite otay ranch mall.
no anthro in fayetteville,
or gap,
or banana,
but who's keeping track?
another check in the block
while in chula.
can you say filled up?
let's just say i had no mascara left after the first worship song.
patriece and marcus rocked it as usual.
gosh, i miss that place.
finally,
one of my favorite moments while in sd.
see my most beloved grandma
(now suffering from final stage alzheimer's)
grandma doesn't talk much anymore,
but after showing her a picture of her young self with grandpa,
she did.
she said, "mom and dad" clear as day.
not a dry eye in the house.
i know she recognized her grandson even if she couldn't say it.
one of the greatest moments for me:
showing the fragile circle of life to my girls
and seeing the tender care they showed their great-grandma
as she sat helpless in her chair,
talking to her,
holding her hand
and engaging her memory.
unforgettable.
another unforgettable:
trying on prom dresses from 1962,
watching the girls flitter around playing dress up,
asking if they could wear grandma's dress to their formal.
finally,
one last trip to the mall.
do you think they are spent?
great visit back home.
chula vista most defintiely delivered.
but more than chula vista,
it was the people who live there
that completely made this trip for me and my family.
i thank each and every one of them
for opening up their homes and
allowing us to feel their love.
we are rich in friendship and family.
we thank you.
