San Diego Temple

While on our trip to San Diego, we made a special stop at the temple on Sunday.  It was beautiful and nice walking around the grounds.  

Landon's first time in an umbrella stroller

What a beautiful place it is, and we are so glad we were able to take time to visit on this trip!

San Diego Trip

A couple weeks ago we found out that Brett got a new job!  

We are so excited about it, and feel so blessed that he found something.  I have to brag for a minute...

Brett has been looking for a better job more related to the direction he wants to take his career.  He has been looking for over a year now, and it was very discouraging at times.  We just had to keep reminding ourselves that this is a hard time for everyone to find a job, not just us.  But he never gave up and always was diligent in applying for jobs and looking into different options.  After lots of praying, applications, and interviews, he finally landed something that he is excited about!  He is also thinking about starting a Master's program soon.  But more on that another time.  

To celebrate, we decided to spend the long weekend in San Diego.  I have a really cool uncle, named David, who is an attorney in San Diego (he is also an author, he wrote this book.  It's awesome, check it out!  You can even get it on Kindle).  His family lives here in Mesa still, so he comes home nearly every weekend to spend time with them.  He gave us an offer we couldn't turn down...a weekend to stay in his vacant apartment.  

Since he lives there on his own during the week, we refer to it as the "bachelor pad".  It is literally across the street from the ocean, and tucked away in a quaint little part of La Jolla.  Not a pot or pan is stocked in his cupboards, but he is fully equipped with surf boards, boogie boards, beach chairs, and cable TV.

He gave us some great restaurant recommendations, so we had a blast walking around the little shops, lounging at the beach, and taking lots of naps.  Since this time of year is "off-season" we just felt like locals.  For some reason, this trip was exactly what we needed!  A low key, relaxing, fun time, just as our small little family.      

Sleeping in and lots of naps were had.  We pretty much just co-sleep/use the car seat for Landon's sleeping while out of town.  

Loved wearing the Moby wrap with Landon while we walked around and explored this pocket of La Jolla.  

Landon would even take little naps in it while we were out and about...

For lunch one day, we ate at the Cheese Shop--super delicious sandwiches.  It was full of vintage candy, and even popular Canadian novelty sodas and candy.  Brett enjoyed looking through stuff and telling me things about the different Canadian items.

 About to brave the cool California waters and skim board...

 At Piatti, an Italian restaurant that was seriously delicious.  I could have eaten their bread with oil and balsamic all day long.  It was embarrassing how many baskets of bread we asked for... 

And then it was time to head home.  We have a good little traveler.  We love having the mirror on the back seat, so we can see what he's up to during the long drive.   

More Holiday Happenings...

We had lots of fun things going on this last holiday season (see part 1 here)!  

I celebrated my 23rd birthday.  It was a great one!

We attended two Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties!  One at the Allen home, where we played Minute-to-Win-It games and had some yummy snacks.  The other was at the Whiting home where we had a really cool hot chocolate bar with some yummy food as well (to see more of that party, go here).

Tacky never looked so good...eh?! 

Christmas Eve Dinner with the Clark side of the family...

Landon got to be baby Jesus...so by default we were Mary and Joseph! 

Didn't you know, baby Jesus sucked his thumb?!

On New Year's Eve, we hung out with Aubrey and Thomas.  We let off the flying lanterns and sipped bubbly at midnight (I need to get pics from her, they got a nice new camera for Christmas that we used that night!).  The next day, we ate breakfast at their house and then went out to the desert to go shooting.  Unfortunately, we couldn't find anywhere to "legally" shoot.  We need to do more research before we head out of town next time!

He makes me swoon in his flannel shirt and vest.  Love my little outdoors man!

Expecting baby girl Whiting here at the end of January! 

Thomas and Aubrey with cute Sasha!

We tried the Moby on Dad and went on some walks around the neighborhood (we tightened up the Moby a bit after this, it is hard to tie it on someone else when I can't feel how it is fitting them). 

 

We have tried to stay warm in our pajamas when we hang out at home watching movies!

Family Fire Pit

This year, we got a fire pit for Christmas (thanks Melanie and Jared!). 

So last Saturday night, we bundled up and hung out in the backyard. 

We roasted some hot dogs for dinner. 

Landon was in awe of the flames and just stared for a while. 

It was a fun time just hanging out with our little family, doing something fun!  We are planning on doing it again in the next week or so, along with s'mores for dessert!



3 Months

This is a couple weeks overdue, and Landon is already 3 and a half months old!  He is growing up way too fast for my liking.  But I suppose, I would rather him grow up to be big, strong, and healthy.

He is such a sweet little thing.  He sleeps all through the night.  We usually put him to bed between 8 pm and 10 pm and he usually sleeps until 8 am, so we can't complain!  It's the getting him to bed that is the real challenge.  He fights sleep terribly.  And he fusses, and won't self-soothe.  But once he is asleep, he usually does great!  We are working on figuring out a more solid naptime/bedtime schedule, so hopefully we'll have something a little more nailed down in the next few weeks.  Occasionally I hear him stir later in the night, and then a minute later I hear some lip-smacking, which means he found his thumb and he puts himself back to sleep, which is wonderful.  We love that part about thumb-sucking (and the fact that he looks darn cute when he does it too!). 

I am excited to get his stats at his 4 month appointment, just take a look at those chubby thighs and that sweet little smirk!  He gets the smirking from his dad, it's something I noticed right away when I first met Brett.  It was that quiet, confident smirk that made him such a mystery to me, I had to find out more about him!



And then he started to tear off the sticker, so picture time ended! 

Love this boy to pieces, he makes me happy beyond belief!