California Dreaming

I usually let so much travel go by without a blog mention, because by the time we're home and catching up on life, something else comes along and I just never get back to it. Case in point: our honeymoon to Bora Bora where I only wrote about the first couple days. Oops. Not to mention the fact that we just returned from Dallas, and I of course want to share all about that trip. But first, the rest of our May California adventure (read about our first day in San Francisco HERE). Ready for some time travel? Back to May!

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California Here We Come, Right Back Where We Started From

The first week of May, Parker and I tagged along on Max's business trip to California. I'm not exaggerating when I say Max was on travel for all of April (poor guy doesn't even know what month it is right now), so we figured this was the only way to see him (#kiddingnotkidding).

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Auntie Life

August was filled with TWO quick trips to California for me! I say quick because I only stayed a couple nights each time, but since we’re now basically on the other side of the country, it takes pretty much a whole day of traveling each way to get to California and back. It still feels like home though each time I come in. California is where I spent my first 26 and a half years! And the Bay Area in particular is where I first started teaching, where I met my husband, and where I have so many wonderful memories!

So back to my auntie duties! At the beginning of August, I went out for my youngest sister’s baby shower. We had the sweetest lunch in downtown Los Gatos (which is also where I lived as a beginner teacher - I had a tiny bachelorette cottage literally in a backyard of a bigger house, and I loved it to pieces).

Back to the party! We had such a sweet afternoon showering baby Sophie with love!

Flower delivery! I did the arrangement myself - it's seriously my favorite thing about party prepping.

earrings | dress

My sister, the pretty Mama-to-Be:

Grapefruit Mimosas FTW! 

Three sisters, three different states! 💓

 

The rose gold balloons were from the Dollar Section at Target. Perfect, right?

 

For the favors, I collected tiny bud vases and filled them with flowers. They doubled as they place cards for seating!

My mom was stoked about her third grandbaby - and the first girl!

Cupcakes from Icing on the Cake - a must if you are in Los Gatos!

I was in the Bay Area less than 48 hours, but I managed to fit in a Farmer's Market stop! 

Seriously, California produce is just the best. 

Flower love.

I literally could not pass up the artichokes and flew home with two of them, right in my carry-on bag!

Plus a bunch of dahlias, wrapped in a 49ers story. Swoon. And I didn't feel at all silly about carrying them around the airport 😂

24 hours after I left California, my niece was born! She came a whole month early – and as soon as she was born I just knew I had to get back out for some newborn snuggles!!

Which is how I found myself on the same exact flights out just a week and a half later 😊

backpack | carry-on duffel bag | shoes

One of my favorite things about flying solo (besides being able to pack light and have free hands for books and coffee) is using my Apple watch for boarding! Plus, let's be honest, flying by myself is pretty much a mini vacay. It takes pretty much the whole day to get from Hunstville to California (a 1.5 hour commuter flight from HSV to DFW, layover time, then a larger plane for a 4ish hour flight from Dallas to San Jose) and it's filled with books, blogging, magazines, TV shows, movies - it's really a treat 😉 And once I was back on the Best West Coast, I got to meet this sweet newborn!!

I'm kind of obsessed. 

 She couldn't be cuter and my sister is already just the best Mama!

And then, just like that, I was back on a plane!

Until next time, California! 💗

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California Love

Who loves California? Why, this little guy right here!

This of course makes me all sorts of happy. 

I might be a Southern Wifey right now, but my first twenty-six-and-a-half years were spent in the Golden State, so I love taking Parker there each year (this was in fact his sixth trip to California in his three short years). 

On our must-do list each year...

Visiting Mama's California friends (and their littles!)...

Exploring Stanford (where Max was attending grad school when we first met)...

Stanford 2016

Stanford 2015

This year, Parker was especially obsessed with the bell tower, and playing in the quad with his new soccer ball that we picked up at the Stanford bookstore. 

Also, I literally have dreams about Palo Alto's artisanal, tart Fraiche yogurt (we indulged twice during this trip, score!). 

Another must-do? The beach with SheShe and Ayah!

 Beach-bound 2014

Beach-bound 2016

After experiencing the Gulf Coast just a month prior, Parker kept commenting that the California beach was coooold! Knowing that we'd soon be returning home to hot and humid Alabama, I was happy to soak up some chilly temps!

We made our way to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk which was a bit warmer, and this dipped cone had my name all over it...

Enjoying a ride with his Ayah...

I just love the boardwalk colors.

 Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk 2015

 Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk 2016

This trip we also celebrated Cousin Kate's grad school graduation!

We partied all day and Parker was in heaven with ping pong, a bounce house, corn hole, taco and churro trucks, and tons of attention!

The fam :)

Since everyone lives in different states, this was the first time the grandparents had both their grandkids at the same time!

After a full day of festivities, Parker and I peeled off early evening to grab In-N-Out (our last California must!). Since we'd be flying out the next morning, we booked a room at The Hayes Mansion, close to the airport. It was our first time there, and I was pleasantly surprised with the grounds and accommodations for a modestly priced hotel (bonus points for being a historical landmark). I donned my hotel robe and we enjoyed our In-N-Out milkshake in bed (a vacation tradition in the making?).

 Milkshakes in Bed, San Jose 2016

Milkshakes in Bed, Seattle 2015

And then, we were off. Someone loves a room service breakfast just like his Mama!

A matchy-matchy cousin photo shoot before we headed to the airport...

And then this champ, riding the rental car shuttle bus headed toward lifetime flights #45 and #46... travel pro.

All the California Love!

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