What a BUSY Month!

It's hard to believe that August has already come and gone. This month has been very active. We had our final family vacation for the summer, we had quite a few birthday's, and we also had a very sudden loss in the family. It feels like there was something going on at all times.

As most of you already read, we traveled to California at the beginning of the month to see my Grandma in the rehabilitation hospital and also visited San Diego. It was a great trip, and even though Grandma isn't 100% yet I am very hopeful... she is a very determined, strong woman, who is making progress every day. In fact she is the proud new owner of an electric wheelchair so she has some of her freedom back! :)

While on our vacation we received a phone call that my great aunt had passed away. It was very sudden, and unexpected. She was the closest person I had left to my paternal Grandma who passed away 18 years ago. My Auntie Sheryl LOVED to talk, we spent numerous hours talking about anything and everything. She had answers for everything, you may not always like her answers, but she HAD them. :) She would tell me stories about my Grandma, things that I never knew because I was so young when she passed. I miss her every day, and I still can't believe that she's gone. I find peace knowing that she isn't hurting anymore, and that she and my Grandma are back together again.

On to a lighter note, I also had a birthday this month. My husband out-did himself and really surprised me this year. We had birthday dinner with my parents a few days early since my brother was home from Reno. Then Tommy cooked me an awesome homemade dinner and cake on my actual birthday. Chicken w/Artichoke & Mushroom Wine Sauce and for dessert...Better Then Sex Cake, which is my all time favorite cake. On Friday we headed to Vegas to go to dinner and movie, but Tommy had also planned a little surprise. He took me shopping!!! I know sounds a little strange that I'm so excited about this, but Tommy and I have been married for 3 years and we had NEVER been clothes shopping together because I like to try things on (sometimes more then once) and he just grabs and goes!! We had a great time and I was pretty shocked by his fashion sense. ;)

Here we are at the end of the month. I was hoping to be going back into the classroom this year, but due to state budget cuts I am unemployed. It's a blessing in disguise...I get to be home with Emalee for a little while longer :) This month has reaffirmed my belief that everything happens for a reason, even though we may not see the reason in black & white. I am ready for September, and hopefully some cooler weather!! :)

San Diego Zoo

The daytime view from our room, and the night time view, it was so beautiful!

This past weekend we headed down to California for our family vacation to the San Diego Zoo. We were a little hesitant at first, we weren't sure if Emalee was old enough for the Zoo, but boy were we wrong!!! We left on Thursday and made a pit stop to see my Grandma who is still in the hospital since her March 17th surgery. She is doing much better, but still not walking or sitting up on her own. Her expression was priceless when we walked into her room with Emalee toddling beside us...she hadn't seen her December!! We spent the rest of the day with her, spent the night at my grandparents house in Long Beach, and then on Friday headed to San Diego! We arrived at the hotel and couldn't wait to venture down to the pool and show Emalee all boats on the water. That night at dinner we discovered Emalee LOVES onion rings, and yes she actually ate the onion, not just the batter!!

Emalee and her onion ring :) and playing with the Orangutan!

We met up with my Godparents the following morning to head to the Zoo!! There was a pretty large crowd, so we weren't sure how the day would evolve, but Emalee had a blast!! We walked the ENTIRE Zoo...having the stroller, taking the shuttle bus would have been WAY too much work. I think Emalee enjoyed the monkeys the most, they were the most active, and they even made her laugh a few times. I think my favorite part of the whole day was seeing the panda bears....it was so surreal! We also enjoyed the new Elephant Odyssey exhibit. There were lots of fun things for kids in there, and the elephants have a nice new place to roam and play. We finally made it back to our room around 11 pm with one very exhausted little girl!!

My Godmother Cathy, Tim, Tommy, and Emalee in the Elephant Odyssey. Me & Emalee in an Aviary.

On Sunday we went back Long Beach to spend more time with my grandparents...I so wish we lived closer so I could spend more time with them and be there to help out during this difficult time for them. We are keeping positive that Grandma WILL walk again, she is a fighter.

We made it back home on Monday, it sure felt like we were gone for longer then we really were. We had a great trip, and can't wait for the next adventure with Emalee. I think Sea World is next! :)