Vacation Recap

It seems like ages ago now, but our trip to California this year was awesome. Since I've already posted about 'auntiedom', I'll use this post to share just a few of the other highlights of our trip.

1. Orange County- Every year we travel back to Orange County to catch up with our friends and family there. I am always thankful for a few days to enjoy with all my grandparents- I know we talk through email, skype and on the phone throughout the year, but there is something so sweet about just getting to hang out in their living rooms, look through old photos, laugh with Curt, pick oranges and talk like we did when I was growing up.

This year during our stay Ross experienced his first earthquake! We also discovered Portola Coffee Lab, I took Ross to Watson's in Orange, and I was able to hang out with my Treegroup School friends. (I love that we can meet up after months of being apart and still have a laugh together. I am really blessed to have such crazy, loyal and generous friends, and to have had them in my life for so long! I love you guys- thanks for always making time for me.)

2. Celebrations- June is a month of celebrations in my family. Ross and I celebrate our anniversary and my birthday during our visit each year.  This year Ross and I enjoyed lunch and a frozen banana at Balboa for our anniversary, then Grandma and Grandpa took us to Cheesecake Factory for a celebratory dinner. We also had a tasty family dinner at my Aunt Barbara's to celebrate my birthday (thanks to all the Nobles and company for coming out). 

3. Rodeo- Mom and Dad like to ensure that Ross experiences something new each visit. This year that new thing was the rodeo in Reno. You'll have to ask Ross if he liked it, but he still keeps talking about wanting to ride a bull...

4. Feasting- We always eat WAY too much during our trip. This year was no exception, as we stuffed ourselves full of fresh fruit, strawberry pie, Mexican food (especially carnitas), Belgian waffles, dill pickles, and, of course, Dad's bbq chicken.

5. Togetherness- I am blessed with an amazing family and living halfway around the world from most of them most of the time, makes me cherish those few days I get to spend in their presence each year. For me, there is no greater gift than the chance to sit surrounded by the people I love most, talking, laughing, playing, eating and just resting.

It really is the simple things in life! 

Auntiedom

Being an aunt is pretty sweet. Unfortunately, living halfway around the world from my siblings means that I don't get to enjoy the perks of auntiedom very often.

Throughout the year there are phone calls, emails, Christmas cards and Skype dates complete with lots of waving and watching as a certain niece stares at herself on the screen. And then... June arrives and I finally get to immerse myself in my auntly duties. For two or three weeks, I get to play, cuddle, kiss, sing, feed and, of course, change diapers. 

Larry Matthew Garcia

This June visit was made even more special by the perfectly timed arrival of a nephew, Larry Matthew Garcia. Matthew decided to appear shortly before my plane landed in Sacramento, giving me just enough time to see him while he was still in the delivery room.  (I know I am biased, but he was pretty darn cute for a fresh-out-of-the-womb baby.) 


His timing meant that I was able to take part in all the chaos, exhaustion and joy involved in welcoming a new baby into the family, including babysitting big sister, trip after trip after trip to the hospital, and getting to sleep over to help out on that first night home from the hospital. Having been halfway around the world when Lydia was born, it was really sweet to be a part of things with Matthew.

Holding Matthew

Plus, with Jess stuck in the hospital and sorting things out with the new baby, I had plenty of 'auntie dates' with Lydia. (Thankfully it didn't take Lydia too long to decide she approved of my as a playmate.) Since our last date was a year before when she was only 6/7 months old, it was fun to see how much she's changing and how much her personality is coming through. 

Playing with a green bean

Since Lydia isn't mobile yet, a lot of our dates were spent carrying her around while Lydia pointed where she wanted to go next. She is a very tactile little girl (most little ones shove everything in their mouths, she likes to touch it, rub it between her fingers, smell it and then won't move on until you've done the same). Together we explored most of Grandma and Grandpa's garden, we explored all the house plants, we explored the chicken coup, and the chicken feed. We demanded to go visit the mean rooster and got slightly perturbed when a certain aunt said no.

Scrunchy face

We attempted to say new words (many of which came out sounding the same). We sang songs, danced, read Country Living magazine (because we wanted to read what Aunt Jennie was reading and the shiny magazine pages were WAY more satisfying than baby books). We played toss, peekaboo, and a series of games that involved laughing every time something was thrown into the air. We ate a ridiculous amount of fruit and cheese, and we did not eat any vegetable, especially avoiding green ones (a certain child takes after her father...). We made turtle faces, scrunchy faces, whispered tiger roars, and waved a lot. We took all our toys out of the basket and put them all back in the basket, remembering to clap for ourselves each time we put a toy away, and we found every cat hair and piece of fluff on the carpet we could (sometimes even imaginary ones). We got excited every time we saw Daddy, Grandpa or Grandma enter the room. We enjoyed lots of kisses, hugs, and high-fives. And most importantly, we prayed for Lydia's tiny heart as she adjusts to life as a big sister.

It is a lot of auntie moments to squeeze into three weeks, I'll admit, but I am incredibly thankful that I get the opportunity to have these moments each year.