Ready for a RECAP? The world's HUGEST Recap EVER?!

Ahhhh, back to blogging! I gotta tell ya, I felt a little out of it for the last while without my daily blog checks! I don't know if that means I'm a little too into this blogging thing or what! Acutally what it really means is that you all have such interesting lives, that I love to read about them! Anyway, we are back from our vacation and for my own journaling purposes, I am going to give a GI-NORMOUS recap! It was jam-packed, fun-filled, and juicy fruity!

We started the trip with a LONG drive, which for the first 6-7 hours was actually really nice. It was such great "me and Chris" time and we talked and laughed and enjoyed the hours of connection we don't normally get! Then we both hit a brick wall at about 1:00 a.m. and our grouchy zombie halves emerged! But we made it to Aaron and Deb's safe and sound and enjoyed some much needed sleep! We woke up the next morning to baby "Yukey" climbing up on our bed, only to realize when he got up that he maybe wasn't too sure about who was sleeping in the bed, and made a dash for the door! We played with the boys for awhile and then headed out to Long Beach, where the AVP (pro beach volleyball) tournament was going down. We got there just in time to watch Misty May and Kerri Walsh (the winner's of the Gold Medal at the Olympics) play in the championship game. It was sooo cool! We also watched a few of Chris' favorite teams, including a former BYU-er. It was such a cool day -- watching one of our favorite sports from the stands that overlooked the ocean! SWEET!
Baby Yukey

At the AVP tournament

Here is Misty May and Kerri Walsh winning the championship -- SWEET!

The next day after church, we headed out to Huntington Beach to visit my good friend, Amber. She and her hubby Matt have the CUTEST little boy and are pregnant with their second little boy. Amber has the most adorable growing belly! We hung out a lot at the beach and enjoyed some great restaurants. We also had the special treat of being there while the US Open Surf Competition was going on (wipe Chris' drool)! Those guys are amazing and it was really fun to watch! Amber is one of the funniest people I know and it is always soooo comfortable being with her and we always have such a good time! And the wee lad, Jake (I can say wee and lad because Amber and I met in Scotland on our missions and Jake's daddy is a real and true Scot) is the happiest and sweetest little guy!
Amber, me, wee Jake

Um, just too cute to say anything else!

Chris checking out the surfing competition

While we were in Huntington, I had the chance to meet up with my best friend, Laura, from high school. We hadn't seen each other for like 5 years, which is such a shame! I'm so sad we lost all those years! But seeing her, it was like not a moment had passed! We had dinner and spent a few hours just talking and talking and catching up. There's just something special about that "at home" feeling you get when you're with someone who you share so much history with. Laura is getting married this fall and I can't WAIT for her big day! She will always hold such a special place in my heart and will always be in so many of my memories from all of our years as friends! Isn't she just the cutest girl ever and can you believe that she used to have jet black hair?!

On Tuesday, we made our trip to Disneyland. We decided it was a must to hit the park because I hadn't been since my senior year in high school and Chris hadn't been since he was about 10 years old. It was soooo worth it! We spent the entire day and night there, just riding all our favorite rides. I don't know what it is, but I swear they gas you with some special kid gas as you walk through those gates because I immediately turned into a 5-year old! I was practiacally running from ride to ride, with the biggest smile on my face! I made Chris go to "It's A Small World" with me, which he thought was pretty torturous, but there's just something about that ride that takes me back to my good old childhood days! You do end up singing the song for the next 36 hours, though, which can get a bit old! We also hit up the new (well, new to me) Pirates ride. LOVED it! The whole time we were out at sea, I kept whispering "Dead men tell no tales" just the way my dad used to when we were kids! Anyway, blah blah blah, it was just such a FUN day! I'm so glad we went! Hmmm, won't say anything here...
The next day we headed up to Santa Barbara area (Carpinteria, to be exact) to stay with our good friends, Burdean and Jeanette and their kids Maddy and Logan. They were such GREAT hosts and we had a lot of fun! We went to a yummy Mexican restaurant and then the boys did some night surfing...well, tried to night surf, but considering a sea lion was chasing Burdean and Chris was a bit freaked out, I don't know if they caught many waves! The next day we went to the Santa Barbara zoo and saw one mean gorilla, almost got chewed out by a lady who apparently felt like she needed to protect the already protected animals (Chris accidentally squirted some water out of his water bottle that fell nowhere near the gorilla), and got very up close with a lion who showed us the inside of his mouth and pretty much all the way down his throat! What a day! We then walked around the amazing shops in downtown Santa Barbara and headed out to the beach so the boys could play some volleyball -- about 10 games actually! Chris was in heaven since he doesn't get to play much anymore. It was a lot of fun! Burdean and Jeanette were so good to us and we seriously HATE that we don't live closer because we would love hanging out a whole lot more! And what can we say about their kids?! Nicest, sweetest, funniest, cutest, etc, etc, etc. Maddy is my new buddy, for sure! I had so much fun playing with her and loved that she found a connection with me! She can just melt you with one of her cute smiles! And we also got to help Logan celebrate his 2nd birthday while we were there! How lucky are we?!
Burdean, Logan, Chris, Maddy

Jeanette, Logan, me, Maddy Killer gorilla



Finally, the last part of our trip was spent with Aaron and Debbie and their boys. The boys did a LOT of surfing and the rest of us got to enjoy some serious beach time (what could be better, really?). We went to Laguna Beach one day and totally lounged. Debbie and I even saw a sand shark while we were out swimming in the water -- yeah, not so cute or fun! Saturday, my parents drove out and we all went to the beach together and then later to a friends' swimming pool for pizza and swimming. I contemplated sneaking A & D's three boys into my suitcase when we were leaving because both Chris and I ADORE them! Aaron and Debbie are sooo great too and we're so lucky that we can be so close, even though we don't live so close! It's always a treat to be able to see them and spend time with their family!
A "Guitar Hero" marathon Kyle
Baby Yukey
Yukey, Ev, Ky -- the cutest little beach bums
Grandma and one of her babes
Peek-a-boo Ky Deb and Aaron
Don't lose your drawers -- and no fair on that tan!
My favorite vacation buddy

And now I must include some of my favorite shots from the week -- why? Cause it's my blog and I will if I want to!



And then we drove (and drove and drove and drove) home to see our very anxious pup! It was such a sweet reunion -- we had missed him sooo much all week! And you would have thought we were dog bones with how excited he was when we walked through that door! So, it was a long, exciting, fun, and amazing vacation!! Thanks to EVERYONE who made it so great for us! Can't wait for our next trip out to see everyone! Next time we'll be bringing our little girl with us! Now I gotta go and check all the blogs that I have missed so much all week!