Best Friends.

I have a best friend. Her name is Lisa and she is my sister. Thatcher has a best friend and his name is Wyatt and they are cousins. This last week Thatcher and I got to spend time with our best friends. Laughing, dressing like twins, going to the pumpkin patch. All things that best friends do.

Last Wednesday was my mom's birthday. Thatcher and I drove up to get my grandma and then met my mom for lunch at BJ's followed by a trip to target. Later that day I decided I wanted to make my mom a pineapple upside down cake for her special day. I had never made one before and I was very nervous but it actually turned out really yummy. That night we celebrated with my dad, grams, brothers and sister in law eating yummy food celebrating my mom and what an amazing woman she is. Mom we all love you so much and are so thankful for all that you do for us. You are the best mom and grandma!!

Thursday morning Lisa and Wyatt arrived in San Diego. Thatcher and I raced over after his morning nap for some serious hang time. We spent all day Thursday hanging out, going out to lunch and making yummy dinner and of course dressing the boys like twins in their pajamas (3 nights in a row!) Thursday night was also hair night for sis and Wy. Wy guys hair was so long and so adorable but we gave him a big boy hair cut. He looks sooo cute!

Friday was baking day. Lisa's best friend and my good friend Megs is having a sweet baby girl in about three weeks and her baby shower was Saturday. Lisa and I volunteered to make desserts for the shower. We made Megs favorite- cinnamon rolls, as well as cupcakes and lemon bars. YUM. During the day Wy and Thatchy really enjoyed hanging out. Wy even gave Thatcher a push in Thatchers new Jeep walker. It was the cutest thing ever. I pretty much melted. Friday night the Kenney fam came over to my parents so Jamie, sis and I could plan Katie's baby shower. It is going to be adorable!! That is all I will say about that. It was so fun to see baby Emery who is amazingly adorable!

Saturday was Megs and baby T's baby shower. Megs looked absolutely beautiful. I can not wait to meet T! The shower had yummy foods and was hosted at the Spooners new home which I love. After the shower was over the boys and the babes all came by to say hi to everyone before we headed home. Saturday night was party night. Sunday was Lisa's birthday so Saturday night we celebrated with yummy homemade mexican food and Lisa's favorite yellow cake and chocolate frosting.

Sunday which was Lisa's actual birthday we all woke up early and went to Bates Nut Farm with the boys. It was a good thing we got there early because when we left the line to enter was about a mile long! We had so much fun riding on the hay ride and just walking around with the guys. We missed Jimmy because he was at church. Luckily he was able to stop by lunch at BJ's and was able to wish Lisa a happy birthday in person and to say good bye to Lisa, Scott and Wyatt.

The week went by too too fast. Im always sad to see sis go, but this time it was not as bad because I knew I would be seeing her in two weeks and then the weekend after! Ive got to see her as much as possible before baby girl pops out! Scott we will be missing you next week, but we are excited to meet up with you in SLO. (Scott, I hope you read this blog otherwise Im just talking to the air!)

I must say, weeks spent with family are the best kind to me!!

On The Look Out.

Auntie Lisa, Uncle Scott, cousin Wyatt and baby girl are coming on Thursday. We could not be more excited. Thatcher is on the look out for his best bud Wy.

Thatchers First Pumpkin Patch.

Fall is officially here!!! I must say Fall is my favorite season. I have been so ready for pumpkins, harvest, hay-rides, sweaters and soup weather since the middle of summer. Sadly living in San Diego I most days am still wearing shorts. Come on cool weather!!

A week or so ago it was a fairly cool Friday so we decided it was the perfect day to take Thatcher to Bates Nut Farm to look around the pumpkin patch. I absolutely love going to pumpkin patches! Last year I was in my first trimester of pregnancy when we went to the patch and it was not too enjoyable so I was very ready to enjoy it this year.

We walked around looking at all of the pumpkins, going into the nut store, and even going on a hay ride. Thatcher absolutely loves being outside and so it was so fun seeing him enjoying the fresh air and fall weather! We picked up a few decor items from the farm and then headed home. It was a great first pumpkin patch experience for Thatcher Ace. We look forward to going every year as a family!

Catch Up Through Photos.

Here are some highlights of life in the last month through photos since Ive been slow to update.

It rained. Thatcher experienced it for the first time.

I made my first batch of maple cinnamon rolls (recipe found on the pioneer woman blog).

Thatcher went to the park for the first time. He went on the swings and on the slide with his dad.

We were cozy at home.

Thatcher got his first highchair.

Thatcher sat up for the first time alone (only for a few seconds but still).

Thatcher started sitting up in his sink bath.

Got some new cozy jammies.

Played with Dad when he got home from work.

Friday trips to bagels.

We are a family who loves beanies.

Went to visit dad and work.

Started sleeping like a stink bug.

Went to Petersons Donut.

Reunited with old friends to celebrate love.

Went to church with family.

Made bomb roasted vegetable minestrone soup (found on pioneer woman blog with a few modifications)

Sat in a highchair out to dinner with Harry and George.

Got lots and lots of snuggle time before bed.

Its been a really great few weeks. Thatcher is coming more and more alive and is beginning to have a personality of his own. I just love this little man to pieces, watching him discover the world is the greatest expierence ever!

26.

On September 28th I turned 26. Its crazy to me because in my mind I have a certain age I feel everyone in my family is and when I realize I am 26 it kinda blows my mind. For example, my dad and mom are always 42, Chris is 25, Lisa is 23, I am 18 and Bud is 15. Weird for many reasons but it is just the age my mind is stuck on. In reality, we are all not those ages and we are so different from who we were at those ages. Chris is going to be a dad in January, Lisa is a mom to two, I am a mother, Bud is 23 which in itself blows my mind and my parents are grandparents. Crazy beans.

Anyway, that was a tangent. For my birthday I felt so very loved. Prior to my birthday Jimmys family threw me a very sweet birthday party with the whole family (except for Scott, we missed him). It was really nice. On my actual birthday Thatcher and I hung out and went for a walk. Later that night Jimmy, Thatcher my dad, mom and I went out to dinner at Hacienda De Vega and then went to Baskin Robbins for dessert. YUM!! The Friday after my birthday we celebrated with my siblings at my parents house (minus my sissy, scott and wy- who were dearly missed i will say). I just love celebrating my birthday with family. It is the way to do it!!

The Sunday after my birthday we celebrated my birthday with my dear friend Mallory. Her birthday is a few days after mine so we made dinner at their house and celebrated. Mallory just had a sweet baby girl so it was fun to celebrate our first birthday being moms together.

A few days later, my mom, Thatcher and I went up to my grandma's to celebrate my birthday with her. We did hair, hung out, ate yummy food and went to target. A great day in my book!!

A few days after that my dear friend Jenna came over for some hang out time and then a girls night out to dinner. Jenna also shares a September birthday with me- 11 days apart! We had not seen each other in a while (being grown up and having two different schedules can be stressful at times!) so it was super good to catch up. We went to Macaroni Grill and ate some yummy food and chatted our hearts out. I always enjoy my time with Jenna. She is one of those friends that you never run out of things to chat about. Also I am so excited to say Jenna's love of her life Paulo has finally arrived and I can not wait to meet him!!

My last awesome birthday celebration was just a week ago (yes, i stretched my celebrating out!) when Lizzy came into town to meet her friends baby and pit stopped at my house to get some yummy pie and girl-time in while celebrating her 25th and my 26th. Lizzy and I could have gabbed our faces off until the pie shop closed.

All that to say, I felt very loved and very special on this 26th birthday of mine. Thank you to everyone who loved me so much!! I am so thankful for everyone I have in my life!

Sadly I only snapped two photos during all of my celebrating. One of Thatcher on our walk, and one of him at home later that day. But I sure do love pictures of my guy!!

Palm Springs Anniversary Getaway.

On October 3, 2010 Jimmy and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary. Sometimes I can't believe its already been two years, and other times I can't believe its only been two years. So much has happened!!

Last year for our anniversary we went to Palm Springs for a night. We thought it would be a fun tradition to do the same thing every year, so earlier this year we booked a trip to Palm Springs for the weekend before our anniversary. At first we could not decide if we should take Thatcher, and it was a very hard decision but we finally decided to go just the two of us. It was really really hard for me to be away from Thatcher for two days (some tears were shed) but I was able to rest easy knowing that he was being loved on by my parents, his Pops and Grammie, who he loves so much.

Sunday afternoon my parents came to pick Thatcher up and we were off to Palm Springs. We stayed at the beautiful Riviera Spa and Hotel. It was super close to down town Palm Springs which was really fun to be able to walk up and down the streets even though oddly everything was closed. Sunday night we got all dressed up and headed out for cheesecake factory. YUM. We were so stuffed but could not pass up taking a slice of cheesecake for the road.

Monday morning we went out to breakfast in downtown, then headed back to the hotel to lay by the pool. Because it was the middle of the week the pool was pretty empty which was really really nice. The weather was so nice. It stayed right around 100 degrees the whole time. Laying by the pool is so exhausting and all so Monday we took a nap, then got ready for an early dinner at CPK. Im not gonna lie... we dined with the old folks, we went to dinner at 4:30 but we did not eat lunch so we were starving!! After a yummy dinner we went to go see "The Help". I had already seen it but Jimmy had not. It was just as good the second time around. After the movie, being the dessert loving people we are, we went back to cheesecake to grab a slice to go. Its vacation, you're supposed to eat all you want ok?!

Tuesday morning we ordered room service and then packed up and headed home to see our little man. I never knew I could miss someone so much!! Thatcher even gave me almost 15 minutes of snuggle time before he went to bed on Tuesday. So special considering it is a rare occasion to get snuggles around here now-a-days!

But I will say this, it was such a fun trip to get to spend time just me and Jimmy. It was like we were dating all over again. I can not wait for many more years of trips to the desert in the fall! PS sorry all of the pictures of us look the same. When its only two of you thats the only way you can take capture the moment!