Cupcakes in California: Day 3 & 4

Continued from here and here...

On our third day in California, we decided to take a day trip to Solvang and Santa Barbara.  Solvang is a cute little Danish village with all kinds of neat gift shops.  We found one store that sold all kinds of socks and were excited to find cupcake socks.  We decided to each get a pair so we can remember our trip and time together every time we wear them.  I also found another pair of super comfy slipper socks that I wore when I had my sinus surgery.  I wish I had gotten another pair, because they are SO soft and comfortable.

We found this cute little natural/organic store that was just the kind of store Amanda and I enjoy.  It was fun to look around and see all the different kinds of cloth diapers, natural wooden toys, organic clothing, and baby carriers.  They even had the same Ergo carrier I have on display as well as several different Moby wraps (my all time favorite carrier for a newborn).

We stopped at a little bakery/cafe for lunch and then decided to head to Santa Barbara for the rest of the day.  We got there just in time to walk along the beach and watch the sunset.  There is nothing quite like watching a sunset over the ocean.  As the sun set for the day, I realized our adventure was also coming to an end.  It was bittersweet to think about saying goodbye, because I didn't want to leave Veronica and the beauty of California, but I was anxious to see my hubby and daughter again. 

That evening, Amanda, Veronica, and I made sure to get to bed earlier than the nights before, but we sat and talked while Amanda and I finished packing our bags.  Veronica also made some of her delicious cupcakes for us to enjoy and we talked about all the memories we would hold with us forever.  The next morning, as we drove to the airport, I watched the sun rise over the mountains and said goodbye to the mountains, the sun, and friends who have become just like family.  Veronica told us we are always welcome in her home, that their home is our California home, and I am already dreaming of the next trip with my whole family.

The flight home went well, but I was anxious to be home with my hubby and daughter.  I am so thankful for the flight attendants and passengers on the plane who helped the trip go so well and loved on our little ones along the way.  The lady sitting next to me didn't speak English, but Almanzo enjoyed chatting with her in his own baby babble and she smiled and talked back in her own language.  Another passenger made Almanzo giggle as they threw a ball back and forth.  One of the flight attendants gave Almanzo a bag of animal crackers and sat in the back talking with me while I rocked Almanzo to sleep towards the end of the flight.

My cousin, Stacy, picked us up and the airport and was sweet enough to feed us a delicious dinner before we finished the last hour and a half drive to my house.  When we finally got back to my house, it was SO good to see my hubby and daughter.  Valerie and Almanzo just kept on giggling and chasing each other around, glad to have each other to play with again.  Every couple minutes, Valerie would climb into my lap and give me a big hug, as if she was afraid I would leave again.  And, of course, there was nothing quite like being back in the arms of my hubby.  We decided that the next trip should be a family trip.  Someday, I look forward to sharing my California home with them and to visiting with Veronica again.

I also want to share a little more of California with one of you.  I picked up some handmade taffy from a taffy shop in Pismo Beach to giveaway to one of you.  To enter, just leave a comment here.  If you follow my blog by email or through Google Friend Connect, you can leave a separate comment for an extra entry. (This giveaway will end on Thursday, February 10th at 2:00 pm CST.)

Cupcakes in California: Day 2

Continued from here...

Our second day in California was the day we planned to go to the beach.  I was so looking forward to seeing the ocean, walking along the sandy beaches, and, most importantly, soaking up the sun light.  After eating breakfast and packing some snacks, we headed to Avila Beach.  Amanda, Veronica, and I enjoyed walking out on the pier and taking pictures of the beauty of the ocean.  I was almost without words as I stood there taking it all in, in awe of the God who created it all and knew every single grain of sand and drop of water.

Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!   Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created. And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away. Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! (Psalm 148:4-8)

There is something so calming about the ocean too.  I felt so peaceful and at rest while I stood there taking it all in.  I wish I could stand by the shore of the ocean everyday, to remind myself of the God who will lead me through the storms to quiet waters, a God who is mightier and stronger than any storm this life brings my way.

After Avila Beach, we headed to Pismo Beach and ate lunch at the Splash Cafe.  The Splash Cafe is known for their delicious clam chowder and, let me tell you, it was every bit as good as it looks.  Almanzo had a little taste of it, but he much preferred his corn dog and fries.  We spent the rest of the time at Pismo Beach walking along the beach and exploring some of the little tourist shops.

One of the shops we stopped at was the jewelry store where Veronica and her hubby had gotten her engagement ring custom made.  She stopped in to check out the new owner and to get her ring cleaned.  Amanda and I decided it was a good opportunity to get our rings cleaned too.  While our rings were being cleaned, we walked around some more.  When we returned, the owner showed me where one of the diamonds on my wedding band had fallen out in the machine.  I was about ready to cry, because she said she couldn't fix it.  Thankfully, Amanda and Veronica stepped in to make sure she found a way to fix my ring right away.  We had to drive to the next town about a half hour away and, thankfully, the jeweler there was super nice and even made sure to clean my ring again to make sure all the diamonds were really secure and polished it before giving it back to me.  I know it is just a ring, but it is the ring Ted proposed to me with, the ring he chose to give to me when he asked me to be his wife.  It's one of my treasured possessions that I wouldn't want to ever lose.

When we finally returned to Veronica's house, we ordered pizzas and an easy Wildtree skillet meal, because we were all too tired to make a big dinner.  Of course, once the kids were all asleep, Amanda, Veronica, and I enjoyed sitting up, talking and doing devotions together.  I will never forget that time; it was so sweet to talk in person with two sisters in Christ who have encouraged me and loved on me through so much in the past year.  I am so thankful God brought us together through our blogs!

Cupcakes in California 2011: Day 1

Since I finally unpacked my suitcase and carry on bag from my California adventure, I decided it was time to officially blog about it.  We packed so much into our four days, but I have so many memories of an adventure I will never forget.  I'm going to split up this post into different days, so my posts aren't quite as long. 

DAY 1:

Thursday, January 6th

On Wednesday night, Amanda and miss Evaleigh came to our house to spend the night.  We had to get up early enough to leave the house for our morning flight, so we decided it was easier if they spent the night.  Of course, neither of us slept very well, because we were so excited.  By about 4:30 am we were both wide awake and on the road by 6:00 am.  It was hard to believe the day was finally here, after months and months of excited planning.

My cousin, Stacy, lives near the airport and offered to drop us off so we didn't have to pay for parking.  It was such a blessing, especially because she is more comfortable driving there than I am and I was already a bundle of nerves.  Plus, it was fun to see her sweet little Nina before we left too.  (Thank you SO much Stacy!)

We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare, so our little ones were able to stretch out and relax before our four hour flight.  Almanzo was having so much fun running around and meeting new friends.  He hugged one random person and gave another a high five.  Everywhere he ran, people couldn't help but stop and smile as he babbled away with a huge grin on his face.  I couldn't stop laughing either, because he was so pleased with his new found freedom.

Soon enough, it was time to go through security and get ready to board the plane.  I was nervous about the security part, because I didn't want to have to deal with the hassle of having my bag searched while chasing after a very squirmy toddler.  Can you believe that, of all the people in line, BOTH my bag and Amanda's bag was searched?  And, the security person who searched mine was not very nice about it either; he took EVERYthing out and haphazardly threw it all back in before handing it back to me.  I heard them talking about our wet wipes setting off the security alarms or something like that.  Wet wipes?  Seriously???

By the time we actually boarded, I was feeling really frazzled from trying to repack my bag AND keep my son from running away.  When the flight attendant starting walking towards us, I was afraid she was going to tell me I had to put my carry on bag in the luggage bins and that was just NOT going to happen.  Instead, she said Amanda and I couldn't sit next to each other, because there weren't enough air bags for both our little ones.  Thankfully, the gentleman across the aisle from us was kind enough to switch places with Amanda and even sit in the middle seat so Amanda and I could still talk.  I breathed a sigh of relief and was thankful for Amanda's calmness.

The flight itself went better than I expected, but it was still a challenge to keep my squirmy little toddler happy.  It was interesting trying to nurse him and get him to sleep, because he is does not like to sit still.  At home, he only nurses morning and night, because he's too busy during the day to slow down.  I was thankful he was still nursing though, because, before long, he was falling sleep as he nursed.  He slept in my arms for almost an hour while I played a game on Amanda's ipod.  When the pilot announced we were getting ready to descend, Amanda and I looked at each other and couldn't contain our excitement anymore.  We kept saying how we couldn't believe we were going to actually be seeing Veronica in real life so soon.

When we finally landed, the pilot said it was 73 degrees and Amanda and I almost fell over.  73 degrees?  It was SEVEN degrees AND snowing when we left Wisconsin!  We could already see the sun out the windows.  When we walked off the plane, Amanda called Veronica to let her know we were coming and she told us where to find her.  I don't think I can even describe the feeling of seeing Veronica for the first time.  I think these picture says it all...

I told Veronica it was so surreal, seeing her for the first time and putting an actual face to the person I've been talking to and emailing for over a year.  I'm so glad Veronica's hubby captured these moments, because they are moments that will be etched in my memory forever.

After getting our luggage, we decided to head to Hollywood for some sight seeing.  Of course, on the way we got a little lost and ended up in Beverly Hills.  We drove down Rodeo Drive and saw all the super expensive stores that need security guards to keep riff-raff like us out.  LOL!  It was fun to just experience LA as we drove around and listen to Veronica's hubby telling us stories about the area.  He was seriously the best and funniest tour guide ever!

When we finally found Hollywood, it was fun to walk around and see the hand prints and stars on the Walk of Fame.  We even saw all kinds of "celebrities" walking around waiting for the perfect photo opportunity.  Amanda and I decided to get our photo taken with Elmo, because our kids LOVE Elmo.  Valerie was excited to see the picture when we got home.

After eating some dinner at a local diner, we got ready for the three hour drive back to Veronica's house.  We had so much fun talking that by the time we got ready for bed that night it was 2 am California time.  I can't even remember the last time I stayed up so late talking to sweet friends.  It was such a blessing!

Top Ten Moments From Cupcakes In California

 #1 Meeting Veronica for the first time.  It was such a surreal moment to see in person a sweet friend who has encouraged me, prayed for me, and loved on me over the phone or email for over a year.  I love that her husband captured this moment, because it is a moment that is etched in my memory forever.

#2 Staying up WAY too late with Veronica and Amanda, having devotions together and talking about being the mom, wife, and daughter of the King we are called to be.  There is nothing sweeter than being in the company of two sisters in Christ who know and understand your struggles and trials and knowing that where two or three are gathered in His name, there He is also.  I love that, because we are sisters in Christ, it doesn't matter how many miles are between us or even if we will see each other on this earth again, because we know we will be spending an eternity together praising God.

#3 Seeing the sun!  When we landed, it was 73 degrees and was beautiful all weekend.  Amanda and I were soaking up all the extra vitamin D we could get, because it was 7 degrees and snowing when we left Wisconsin.  Having a boost of vitamin D did wonders for my struggles with depression...now, if only I could have brought the sun back with me...

#4 Going to the beach and seeing the ocean that God spoke into existence.  He knows exactly how many grains of sand there are and how big and deep and wide the ocean is.  I was so overcome with wonder at the power, beauty, majesty, and vastness of the ocean, because it is a mere reflection of a God who is even more powerful, even more beautiful, even more majestic.

#5 Spending one on one time with my sweet son.  I sometimes feel bad that he doesn't get all the mommy attention his sister got because she is our firstborn, so it was so sweet to be able to spend the time just with him.  I missed my daughter terribly, but I cherished the time spent with my son.

#6 The way Veronica and her family made us feel right at home and were the most gracious hosts.  It felt so weird not having to get everything ready to go anywhere with two kids; all I had to do was back a small diaper bag and head out the door when we were ready to go.  I loved getting to know this sweet family too.

#7 Watching the sunset over the ocean and breathing in the beauty of the little details he created to show us how great He is.  The end of each day is a reminder that tomorrow is a new day, full of renewed hope and an abundance of grace. 

#8 Driving through mountains, mountains, and more mountains everywhere we went.  Seriously, the beauty around us overwhelmed me and, sometimes, I just had to sit there taking it all in without saying a word.  I wish a picture could show just how beautiful it really was in real life.

#9 Laughing over and over again at the way Veronica and her hubby talked and laughing even more when her hubby started using Spanish slang words and Veronica responded, "No!  Don't teach them those words!"  Her hubby was the best tour guide and chauffeur ever, especially when he had to listen to all our girl talk for hours and hours on end.

#10 Sharing this journey with Amanda, the best traveling companion ever.  She has been such a huge encouragement and blessing to me lately and I'm so thankful we were able to have this adventure together. 

Stay tuned for more photos and a more detailed account of our daily adventures to come soon!

Body After Baby: Week Six

After stepping on the scale this morning, I was discouraged to find I've gained back three of the ten pounds I worked so hard to lose.  But, when I told my hubby, he said, "I don't really believe you gained three pounds."  "Then why would the scale say that?" I asked.  "It lies." he replied.  LOL!  Have I mentioned how much I love my hubby?  He also agreed with me that, since I'm supposed to get my period soon, so that might account for some of the weight gain.  My weight is never accurate during that time of the month.  Of course, it could also have to do with all this yummy food I ate on my trip to California...

We did, however, do a LOT of walking, because it was SO beautiful outside and it did me good to be outside soaking up some natural Vitamin D and enjoying walks along the beach.  (I can't wait to share about it...as soon as I get caught up on laundry, unpacking, putting away the Christmas stuff, and taking care of a sick little girl.) So, I think the scale lies.  And, I'm not giving up.  I am bound and determined that this weight is going to come off and STAY off (unless, of course, I get pregnant again, but let's hope that is AFTER I lose this weight so I am at a healthier weight to begin with).

Samantha suggested doing a 30 Day Challenge instead of the regular Body After Baby Challenge.  I think I might join in on doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, but not every day.  There are often days (like the last three) that I don't make it to the Y, but I could still use that to get a workout in.  So, here is my tentative schedule for working out this week:

Thursday - 30 Day Shred 

(or Wii workout if the kids are well enough to visit my mom...Valerie was throwing up earlier...ugh!)

Friday - Water Aerobics

Saturday - 30 Day Shred

Sunday - Rest Day

Monday - Spin Class

Tuesday - Spin Class

Wednesday - Rest Day

I'm hoping to get some new shoes for Zumba soon, because my arch has been bothering me a lot.  I told Ted he could get me some for my birthday, but I don't know what to get.  Any suggestions?