Jessie and Clara Visit!

(I keep forgetting to ask Jessie for the rest of the pictures she took during the trip--but I guess I better just post it as it is or I never will--we never take that many pictures anyway)

I was so happy to have visitors! Unfortunately I wasn't feeling very well and Madeleine was the grumpiest child in the world--so I hope Jessie and Clara had fun despite all of it.  I still had fun and was sad to see them go!

We got to eat lots of delicious food both in restaurants and cooked by Jessie, visit lots of fun places and enjoy the sunny weather.  Clara and Madeleine played well together and Madeleine asks for Clara all the time since she left.  They are pretty cute! 

Here is a quick rundown of our activities.  We visited a farm, spent a day in San Fran (went to Lombard Street, the Palace of Fine Arts, saw the bridge, ate at Tony's and drove through lots of the city--because we got stuck in the most horrific traffic- it took us an hour to go 2 miles to the freeway), hit up a few parks, shopped and just enjoyed each other's company.

Cute girls at the Palace of Fine Arts

Valentine's Day

At the end of this pregnancy I really haven't had much energy! Its been hard entertaining a crazy two year-old.  I really wanted to throw a little Valentine's Day party (I'm trying to meet more people in our ward) and invite Madeleine's friends.  Well, I had the hardest time getting the motivation to decorate or really do much, but I did make heart shaped cookies and bought candy and frosting to decorate (I couldn't even make my own frosting...lol)

But even if I didn't decorate or do anything other than make cookies, Madeleine was thrilled to have a party! She was soo excited and the morning of threw a few fits while waiting for her friends to come.  It is so hard to see yummy cookies and not eat and she couldn't figure out why her friends weren't there by 8 a.m.  I don't think I'll ever tell her beforehand if we are having a party again! 

She loved decorating and ate WAY too many cookies.  She also had fun with her little friends so overall it was a success.  I got just a few pictures...

Madeleine's decorating masterpiece

Brody and I decided to celebrate and get a babysitter! I had a free credit on a babysitter site so the sitter was free. We went to dinner at a yummy Italian place and we tried a rabbit dish! It was delicious and so was all the pasta.  Unfortunately, Madeleine didn't do so well with the babysitter and refused to go to sleep for her.  We ended up going home and putting her to bed and then tried to go out again--well apparently M woke up and the sitter didn't text or call me so Madeleine stayed up until we got home at 10 pm.  She was horrific the rest of the weekend and her sleep was off for days.  But at least we got to eat a delicious meal without a screaming toddler in tow.

In her Valentine's Day dress

Oh and Brody got his pregnant wife a scale for Valentine's Day. How romantic.

Babymoon to Santa Cruz and Monterey

Brody had the Monday off for Martin Luther King Day so we decided to make the short journey to Santa Cruz and Monterey and stay for the weekend. We got a hotel for two nights and thought it would be a fun getaway.

The weekend overall was pretty fun, but it is getting harder and harder to go on trips with a 2 year-old.  Madeleine wasn't feeling well on the start of the trip and didn't nap much on the way down (we planned for her to sleep the whole way in the car) but that didn't work.  And then I guess that baby has decided that she hates sleeping her pack and play now.  So none of slept much on the trip and then I started to get sick as well.  To Madeleine's credit, this was her first trip minus her pacifier (which must have been hard for her) and she wasn't feeling her best.  But I couldn't help feeling depressed--I guess we have traveled enough already with that girl.  Maybe she is just tired of it.

Anyway-- we did make some fun stops.  We ate our very very favorite ice cream at Marianne's in Santa Cruz.  (we actually had it twice lol) then we explored Santa Cruz and enjoyed seeing all the hippies and skaters that live there.  We ate some yummy pizza and walked around and shopped.

Also, we were able to visit the Redwood forest close by.  The trees are so magnificent and bigger than I could have imagined.  Madeleine made a friend with a little boy who was just a few days younger than her.  They ran together the whole trail and kept giving each other hugs.  She loved it.

The next day we attempted to go to church.  Madeleine threw an epic fit so we had to cart her out of church before someone thought I was murdering her with all that screaming!  After church I tried to have Madeleine nap in the car while I drove the famous loop in Carmel.  (it is gorgeous) and Brody biked around while I drove around and around.  We spent some more time visiting Cannery Row in Monterey and ate at the the Giant Artichoke restaurant.

Our final day was spent at the Monterey Aquarium.  Everyone raves about it.  It was pretty cool, but I don't know if it was worth all the money or drive.  We drove home during nap time, exhausted and all feeling under the weather.

I proceeded to be sick for the next 3 weeks, but at least we got one last trip in before baby number arrives! And we got to see some more fun things in California!!