A Sweet Surprise

Our sweet friends, the Hublers brought us over a wonderful surprise Sunday and River is in Heaven.

A Train set of his very own. We set it up as soon as he got up from his nap and he has been playing with it ever since.

We're so blessed to have such wonderful and thoughtful friends!!

Thank you so much Hubler Family!

A Gift for Baby Lindstrom

I made another Coverseat Cover for my friends Richelle. It was a little tricky because they weren't going to find out if it was a boy or girl until the baby was born. It was exciting mystery, but personally I don't think I could have handled it. I had a hard enough time trying to figure out what fabrics to use and not be gender specific. So I bought a little flower clip to make it a little more girlie just in case, and good thing I did.

A gift to you sweetheart, baby Kaitlyn. 

{ I just knew you were a girl :) }

So CAL : Part V - Playing in the Surf

Our last morning, we got up early and ate breakfast at East Beach Grill looking out at the ocean.

River saw a lady who he mistook for his Nana and got all excited calling her name and waving. When the lady didn't come over or respond he was really heart-broken. He hung his head and stuck out his bottom lip in disappointment.
It was really sad, but nothing a little crispy bacon didn't fix.

We waked along the beach on the way back to our hotel. River loved playing in the surf, and it was all Skyler could do to catch him up as he ran out to meet the waves.

I collected some shells and sea glass. It was the first time I had ever seen sea glass and I could have spent hours combing the beach for the rounded pastel gems, but we didn't have hours.

I laughed as I watched my boys playing in in the sea foam and splashing in the rolling waves, soaking their shorts.
I felt a tug at my heart when I saw the little foot prints River left behind in the sand as he ran up the beach right past me, laughing and fearless.

My little baby is growing up. 

He's a miracle you know. 

And as we life our life, I am beginning to understand just how big of a miracle he really is.

As I was reading in the scriptures the other day, and the question popped into my mind, "what are the signs and wonders you have seen in your life that have turned your faith to knowledge?" 

"River" resounded in my mind and my heart.

I cannot deny God, because I see His Hand, His Power, His Love,

 every time I look at my sweet son's face.

And although I am an unworthy servant, I will strive to serve Him.

I am grateful to God everyday for this growing miracle I share with my darling sweetheart. 

____

With Sandy Feet, we headed to LAX to catch our flight back home. 

So CAL : Part IV - Old Mission Santa Barbara

 In Between the Conference and Take Down, We explored a little bit down town Santa Barbara and Grabbed Lunch at C'est Cheese.

I panicked and ordered a grill cheese sandwich, when I should have just splurged and ordered the cheese plate. {Believe, I am still kicking myself}. 

Not only was it a happening cafe, but they had a cheese market with a variety of cheeses and other tasty things. It took me right back to my mission days in Lille, France, standing in front of the Cheese display deciding which crazy one to try next. I still have the cheese chart we made somewhere.

The cheese making kit did catch my eye :)

Next we went and toured the Old Mission Santa Barbara.  River loved running loose and checking everything out. I think he knocked on every door. 

I'm not so sure River's enthusiasm and noise making was appreciated in some particular areas, like the chapel and the tight little museum, but I tried to rush him through there and let Skyler enjoy them. He loves historical stuff like that. 

But Outside everyone smiled at River and laughed as he climbed, ran, tripped, got up and ran around some more, all the while jabbering away. Every sentence  either begins or ends with mama and dada is usually the topic of discussion.

It was a beautiful building. Skyler remarked how rare it is to have really old building still standing, because they were all made of wood unlike the stone building of Europe.

So it's really neat that the Mission is still here and we can appreciate it.

Also, you can still be buried there. Seriously. Check it out here. 

Then Sky went back to work and River and I settled in for a nap, pizza dinner 

and a little more HGTV  :)

When Sky came home after work, he took River for a dip in the pool and gave me a little break. I love that Skyler takes River to do fun things. River loves it even more.

He's such a hard and honest worker, and We are so proud of him.

 He's also a great dad and husband, and We adore him for it.

So CAl : Part III - Santa Barbara

- Waking Up in Santa Barbara & the Beach Walk -

 - Santa Barbara Zoo -

via

River and I cruised the Zoo. It's a really neat little Zoo, with actually a lot of animals and cool exhibits. They had a ton of birds. I loved seeing the California Condors. My Stevenson Grandparents lived in the bay area when i was growing up and I remember them talking about the condors and seeing them when we visited.
It's kind of a big deal because in 1982 there were only 22 left.
Only 22.
Now more than 30 years later the numbers are up to 400 (half of which are wild), with a tons of recovery efforts still going on. So yay for the wonderful people that are saving the Condors.

River walked basically the whole Zoo. He especially loved running on the wooden bridges and walkways back by the bald eagles and gorillas. 

Touch Screens!!! River's favorite!

River and I cruised the Zoo. It's a really neat little Zoo, with actually a lot of animals and cool exhibits. They had a ton of birds. 

They're kind of my new thing. I've really started to take interest in them, especially raptors. I loved seeing the California Condors. My Stevenson Grandparents lived in the bay area when i was growing up and I remember them talking about the condors and seeing them when we visited. It's kind of a big deal because in 1982 there were only 22 left. 

Only 22.

Now more than 30 years later the numbers are up to 400 (half of which are wild), with a tons of recovery efforts still going on. So yay for the wonderful people that are saving the Condors.

Another cool thing going on at their zoo, involves their giraffes. So in recent years, due to a number of factors, people in africa have began hunting Giraffes for their meat, making them critically endangered. Now Zoos are double their efforts to reproduce them, and the Male giraffe at the Zoo, Michael, has the most diverse genes, so he's a key player in their breeding program. In other words He's a Real Stud. In fact the two lady giraffes with him are both pregnant right now, so congrats ladies. :) 

You might be wondering, "lindsey, how is it you know this?" Well, wonder no more.

We took the little train ride around the zoo because River loves Thomas and it turned out to be very educational.

Choo! Choo! 

River walked basically the whole Zoo. He especially loved running on the wooden bridges and walkways back by the bald eagles and gorillas.

So at the end of the Day he looked like this: 

Good thing our hotel was only a short 5 minute walk away.

- Sunset Dinner on Stearns Wharf -

We went to Stearns Wharf to get some dinner. Actually we drove our car out to the end of the wharf and parked it. It was an a very unique and interesting experience. It felt very unnatural to drive our big ol' SVU  out on to the wharf made of wood. I was just waiting for us to fall through. But it not only held our car, but like 60 others. 

It was fun to get out and wander around. Of course I made Skyler hold River the whole time because there weren't any railings at the end, and we all know how curious River can be.
I loved seeing the boats sailing, the surfers catching waves, people fishing off the pier, and couples snuggling in the the golden light of the sunset.
It was beautiful, and I loved being there in that moment with my little family. 

We ate a delicious dinner at Santa Barbara Shelfish Company. We LOVE Seafood, and the shrimp was great, but if you go there make sure to order the Lobster Bisque in a Bread bowl It's tomato based so it's not a traditional chowder and it was Yum Yum.

We ate our dinner out on the wharf and watched the sun sink behind the palm-lined hills and breathed deep the salty humid air. It was a wonderful evening, spent with my two favorite guys.

(Just FYI, I know from how I described it you would think that everything went perfectly. That River was a perfect little gentleman sitting nicely and eating his dinner while Skyler and I had deep uninterrupted intellectual conversation, but that's not exactly how it went. I believe in imperfect perfect moments and experiences. And I'm trying to embrace it ALL.)