Wicked Weekend

In January I was able to go with 15 other UOP Dental wives to L.A. to see Wicked! Our big adventure started with a super early flight out of SFO on Saturday morning, down to L.A. Here is me, Sandee and Katie on the plane, we're so excited!
We had four rooms booked at the Renaissance Marriot Hotel right at the Hollywood and Highland shopping center. After getting settled in our rooms and grabbing some lunch we decided to head out to the Grove for some shopping. Here is Christina bravely riding in the front seat of our Taxi.
Katie, me and Sandee in the back seat.
The Grove was so fun. They had just about every store you could ever want, and tons of restaurants. It is just the most fun place to shop and if you havn't ever been there , you need to go. It's amazing and the way it is set up with the little street down the middle and the trolley cars going up and down is adorable.
Not to mention all of the "celebrity" sightings! While we were there we saw Jose Canseco, and Shane Sparks from So You Think You Can Dance! We had to get a picture with him, he was definately a favorite choreographer from the show. I love him!

For some reason these are the only pictures I can find of this glorious weekend I know there were a ton more taken, just don't know where they are. I just have to recap the days so I don't forget. After we got back from shopping we got ready to go to dinner and the show. We ate dinner at this Italian restaurant in Hollywood and Highland and then on to the show! It was amazing! I LOVED every second of it. The girl who played Glinda was so perfect, she couldn't have been any cuter. I can't wait to see it again, and hopefully soon! After the show some of us girls went to Johnny Rockets for some shakes and fries. While trying to get a group picture I slipped on the table and knocked an entire glass of ice water in Sandee's lap! I was so shocked and felt so bad, but thankfully Sandee and I are still friends! After Johnny Rockets about ten of us got together in one of the rooms to watch WWF between some of the girls, and dance routines from others. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard in my life! The next morning we had to get up bright and early for our flight home. It was the most fun weekend with the greatest group of girls, I had a blast! None of it would have come together if it weren't for sweet Katie - thank you again for working so hard, it was the perfect trip!

Glasses

When I was little I had to wear glasses, and they have been the source of lots of laughter ever since. I watched Sandee and Charlie's boys for them a while back and when they came to pick the boys up somehow these glasses found their way onto their faces. We were all dying laughing!
This picture of Brock is just priceless.
Gotta' love it!

Birthdays

My dear friends Katie and Sandee both have birthdays in January. To celebrate a few of us girls went out to breakfast at a little place in Sausalito called Dipsea. The food was delicious and the company was the greatest, I miss all these girls so much.

Napa Part Three

While we were in Napa we stayed at the greatest little Best Western Bed and Breakfast. We loved it! They had a hot tub so we were able to put the kids to bed in our hotel room and then go down with the Henry's.
The next morning there was a complimentary breakfast and it was super yummy.
A quick family shot.
After shopping at the outlets for a couple of hours, and getting some lunch we went on a little walk. The weather was perfect, it was so beautiful outside.
I stopped at a Whole Foods with Ashley to pick up a few things including these grapes. They were so delicious, we all had to laugh at the fact that here we are in Napa with vineyards everywhere you look and we're snacking on grapes shipped in from out of the country.

Napa Part Two

The girls had tons of fun just rolling around on a patch of grass, they were being so cute we couldn't resist taking a few photos.


Matt and I with some of the winery behind us.
Before going out to dinner that evening we had to stop at this little grocery store. It was adorable, filled with yummy breads, pastas, suaces, pastries...I could go on and on. We all loved it and came back with a few yummy treats to remember it by.

Napa

It's been forever we know, but once we get all caught up you'll see just how busy we've been! So, back in January we went on a quick little trip up to Napa with the Henry's. It was so much fun! Matt and I had been wanting to go there for the last two and a half years and thanks to the Henry's fun planning we finally did! On our way up there we stopped at the Sonoma Traintown and walked around for a little bit and let the girls go on a couple of rides and explore on the old train cars.
Here's Maddie riding on the airplanes. We weren't sure how much she would like the rides but she loved this, especially when she got the lever pulled down just right and could raise the plane up and down as she went around!
Olivia was so sad and confused watching Maddie go on the plane while she had to watch from the bench with the rest of us. Poor little thing, eventually she got over it.
After the Traintown we stopped in the little downtown Sonoma square and had some delicious lunch at the Sunflower Cafe. We walked around the square a little bit more and tasted some yummy treats at the Cheese Factory. We then headed up to Napa, but we had to stop at this amazing winery on our way. The grounds were incredible!
The happy little travelers.

The Throw Ups And Then Some

A few days after Christmas our little Olivia got the flu! The girls had never had the flu before and Matt and I hadn't either in years, so we were a little terrified of how to handle this!! Luckily we were at the Carpenter's so we could throw in laundry all the time and we were so grateful for it! After many calls to and from our amazing pediatricians, and seven days of the barfs, Matt getting sick two days after Olivia, me right as Matt started to feel better, we were finally done with the throw ups! I am still amazed that Maddie never got sick -it must be all of the city germ exposure she's had over the years! That and I made her sleep with me on the floor of the living room while Matt and Olivia were sick.
There were a few times we propped Olivia on the couch and wrapped a blanket around her neck like a huge bib, that way when anything came up the blanket would catch it. I think that Matt and I grew so much as parents through this, it was really alot of work and alot of stress to see our little girl feel so terrible for so long. Every time we thought she was feeling better and kept some fluids down for a few hours, up they would come. We were all so exausted by the end of the week, we needed another vacation.
When we knew she was finally feeling better we took a walk down to the park for some much needed fresh air. It was really sad to see the little bit of weight she lost during the week. Thankfully she bounced back to her old round self in no time!

Maddie and Ashley swinging!
Cute picture of Matt playing on the bridge with Olivia.
For Christmas Grandma and Grandpa gave the girls a set of dress up shoes and fancy jewelry, and they LOVED it! The girls love to have fancy shoes and accessories so this was the perfect gift!
Here is Maddie going down to show Grandpa and Daddy her loveliness!
Ashley likes to play these little pac man type games on the computer and Maddie loves to sit with her and watch her play. I think this is such a cute picture of the girls!