recap: the 12 days of chula vista

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

remember this?

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

check her out here:

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.

eastlake community church

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.