Goodbye California

All good things must come to an end, right? Well after 10 fun days in sunny California we had to put our coats back on and say goodbye.

Bye Nonna! We love you!

The first flight wasn't too bad. We had packed sandwiches and used them to keep the kids busy for a chunk of the flight.

Mia really fought falling sleep on that first flight.
She fell asleep in this position just as we were landing.
Natch.

As we were getting off of the plane Nate saw the pilots and asked them if he could go into the cockpit.
They let him sit in the seat, hold the steering wheel and even press a button!
I don't know what it is meant for, but it made everything start shaking. Scary fun!

Remember how on the flight out we were told we were going to have a three hour delay that ended up being only 30 minutes? Well on the second flight we were not told of any delays, but after they already started loading people on the plane they decided that we needed a new one and we ended up having that three hour delay after all! This was on top of a two hour layover. When booking the tickets I chose between a 40 minute layover and a two hour layover. If you've ever traveled with two kids you probably know that 40 minutes is kind of pushing it... So I chose the two hour option figuring it would give us all the time we needed for going to the bathroom, changing diapers, getting food and finding our gate. I should have chosen 40. : / We kept them busy with food (again) and walking, or strolling, in circles around the terminal. Nate also made some friends who were delayed with us and played a rousing game of duck-duck-goose! At least he made the best of it.

Crashing in the terminal

Poor Nate started not feeling well on Saturday night. He had a very high fever and was complaining about his throat, head and belly hurting. So he was very happy to just take naps, listen to his iPod and watch movies for both of the flights. It ended up being strep. Again.

Mia fought sleep again on the second flight, but at least it was only two hours. We got home just after one o'clock in the morning and we were all ready to crash. And since Peter and I both had to be at work bright and early the next morning (or, no, THAT morning), we had to wake them up earlier than they would have liked, so they were ready for bed at NC time that night! Yay!

Goodbye California - we'll miss you until next time!

California - Days 9 & 10 - Easter!

It is rare that we get to spend a holiday with my side of the family, so we take advantage!

First up - dying Easter eggs. I let Nate do this while Mia was napping...

Bad vegan mom!

Then an Easter Egg Hunt led by my mom and Jerry's church.

This makes a good hat!

Mia's first hunt!  

When they let the "big kids" go Nate ran all the way to the end of the  lawn.
He had it to himself for awhile, but was too interested in what was
in the eggs to get too many of them

YAY eggs!

Checking out their loot

After this trip, I have decided that it is probably a good thing that, unless Peter switches industries, we will never be able to travel for Christmas. Luckily we don't go crazy with Easter baskets so everything we took fit in our suitcase, but what would we do at Christmas? Order stuff online and send it before us? Then how do we get it back? Order two and send one to our house and one to our destination? Try to ship it all back home? I don't know. For now I don't need to think about it!

Deconstructed Easter basket!
I couldn't' find my camera when I was filling the Easter baskets.
Books, sunglasses, socks, sippy cups, utensils, snack bowls...
Nate got a lot of Lion King stuff, Mia's was kind of random.

Easter breakfast!

Good morning!

 We left my mom and Jerry and went to a Catholic church for the Easter service. We went to a church named after St. Francis of Assisi. It was packed! Easter Catholics and the fact that the new pope chose to name himself after this Saint (who, PS, is one of my favorites!) so we ended up sitting in the fellowship hall or something with a kind of secondary service. Weird.

After church we went home and started cooking up a storm for the arrival of the rest of the family for our Easter feast!

Mia sharing with Nonna

The Shipman crew

Cousins! Kat, Mia, Sydney and Nate

Kat checks out what is inside her eggs

Fisher-Starr family - Katie, Kat and Walker

Easter fun! Nate and his "new friend" Sydney

Geez is it hard to get them both looking good at the same time!

Silly boys!

Happy Easter from the Morris family!

Calfirnia - Days 5-8

After the fast pace of the first few days of our trip, most of the rest of the time was just spent hanging roaming Bakersfield, shopping, eating all of the CA food that we miss and spending time with family.

Hanging out at Nonna's

My little adventurer

Cousins! Nate asked to play with her every single day!
But once she was there they were usually fighting. Hmm.

John's Incredible Pizza

This was train ride #2 of 3 for that day.

Ski Ball

Bust a move!

Peter taking over

Feeding the ducks

Reid Taco Night! The fake meat was fine, but the vegan cheese left something to be desired.

I went to see TWO movies with my sister (Oz: The Great and Powerful and The Host), got to sample her new favorite vegan market/lunch spot and share vegan meals at some of our old favorite restaurants.

YUMMY desserts made with love by my favorite sister

Nerds!

Peter and I went on a date night. We had sushi and I saw another movie (Admissions). Sadly, I didn't get any pics of that.

We went to CALM (California Animal Living Museum) where Nate and Kat got to ride on a real-life Dinosaur Train!

Snack time!

Daddy daughter time

Dinosaur Train, the dinosaur train...

Gonna ride, ride, ride, ride, RIDE. The dinosaur train!

Time tunnel! Time tunnel approaching!

And, of course, we can't go to California without some In'n'Out!

He got a 3x3.

Boogers aren't my favorite.

Yummy! This girl can eat!

Because he was just so excited! It had been awhile.