Friday in San Diego

Friday was epic in San Diego. The boys woke up early and went on a chartered deep sea fishing trip for the day. Their job was to catch dinner:) Us girls then went out and got mani's and pedi's with "Shellac" nail polish. I've never had a manicure before, and it was nice. I got french tips on both, and a few weeks later, they are going strong with no chips. That is why "Shellac" is amazing! After the nail place we decided on Italian for lunch, and went into this place that was so good, and so authentic. It was some of the best pasta I've ever had, I ate the whole plate right there.

Then we decided to hit up the outlets in San Diego. I don't consider myself very fashionable, so it was really nice have two very fashion conscious friends with me to help me pick out clothes. While at the outlets we got a text that the boys had caught a three hundred dollar fish and were on their way home! We got excited for them, asking questions about it, telling them to sell the fish, we'll eat something else that night.

Then we got clarification...between the three of them they had caught one little rockfish, which cost them all together three hundred dollars just to go fishing, so it was technically a three hundred dollar fish.
Not the three hundred dollar fish,
but a sea lion that they got to feed on the boat.

Nathan ended up getting really sea sick, even after taking Dramamine, twice.
Matt was feeling sick, from a sinus infection that was back,
Ryan felt okay, but was a bit annoyed with others on the boat.
We all felt so bad for them.
So did others on the boat so they were given a few more rockfish so that we could have dinner:)
While talking about our day over the scrumptious dinner of rockfish (with some of that new hot sauce!) the girls were talking about our nail ladies and their lives, hopes and dreams. Matt said "Wow, we didn't learn anything about Captain Dan". Ryan chimes in "Wasn't his name Ron?" "Yep, his name was Ron Parker. I stared at his name plate for five hours while I was sick in the boat" Nathan said.
That was a really funny moment. The girls learned everything about the nail ladies and the boys didn't even really catch the boat captain's name!
Nathan on the fishing boat, before sickness

Second Day in San Diego

On Thursday in San Diego we first went to Carlsbad to eat some really yummy Mexican food on the beach. Aubreigh showed us where these little baby sand crabs were, and there had just been a hatch because there were thousands. They were actually kind of gross, reminded me of bugs mostly. She scared me when I was catching some and I got sand all over her face. It was like being a little kid again. Then decided to go to Sea Port Village to maybe do some shopping, walk around and then go to the temple.

Nathan and Kendra at Sea Port Village
During the taking of this picture a very creepy looking man was right behind Aubreigh, in her personal space, and we were all getting a little worried that he was going to try to steal the camera. Weirder still was he was carrying an old television set...

At Sea Port we split up into boys and girls, and both independently got things at this hot sauce store. If you know Nathan and I then you know that we are hot sauce conisours. Both he and I bought different hot sauces to try out. Ha! Then we came upon this man who was balancing rocks. He we pretty amazing. He did a demonstration right in front of us, so yes, we can guarantee that the rocks were not glued together, they are only balancing.

Rock Balancing
Amy, Ryan, and Matt took a try at it, too.

Towers of Rocks, right there on the water.
Wouldn't those be cool in your yard?
Though I'd glue mine because the guy even said sometime the wind will come up and blow the towers over.

Nathan, Matt, and Ryan with new hot sauces.
The hot sauces had names like "Slap Yo' Mama Hot" "Ring of Fire" and we even got Jelly Belly's with a kick of hot sauce in the middle.

After walking around Sea Port we went to the San Diego Temple. Last time Nathan and I went was for our honeymoon, so it was neat to be able to go back. The temple was of course beautiful, and during our session the boys thought there was a earthquake, I did notice a little shaking, but didn't really think of it. The girl next to me and Aubreigh had pricked her finger on a pin (why she had a pin even?), and so we were looking for a tissue to stop the bleeding. After our session we decided to go to the Cheesecake Factory! Why not right? It was later than we usually eat dinner, but without kids to worry about, it was heavenly. Aubreigh told the waiter it was Nathan's birthday (because it will be later this month), so he was very surprised when they brought out his piece with a candle:) We packed so much into that day, we didn't get back to the condo until about 11pm, and never once went back to the condo after we had left that morning. That is when we realized we really were living it up being sans kids because there is no way that would have worked with little ones around.

The San Diego Temple
I love the picture of everyone using their phones taking a picture, what a tech world we live in:)

A Little R&R in San Diego

Since last fall Nathan has wanted to go on a vacation...sans kids...for the first time.

He also wanted to go somewhere warm. We also thought it would be fun to go with friends. So hatched was the plan, and last week it was fulfilled. Nathan and I went to San Diego with Matt and Aubreigh, and some friends of theirs, who became new friends of ours, Amy and Ryan from Heber. We flew Mom Grazulis out to watch James and Jackman while we went for five days (that meant four guaranteed nights of sleeping through the night for me? Yes please!). We loved that she would get to spend time with the boys, and we would get a little rest and relaxation. The first few days I felt a little guilty that I had left the boys, not because I had left them but I felt that I had shirked my responsibilities of motherhood onto someone else. I got over that after the second day when I was hearing how much fun they were having, and I could hear it in my mom's voice that she truly didn't mind watching them overnight, even with their nighttime wakings.
It turned out to be so neat for two reasons:

a)now their Grammies knows them, what makes them tick, their favorites, and so on, and
b) Nathan and I got some time together without the kids, some good sleep in, and some grown-up time.

The first day was all about getting there, and since we didn't have a schedule to keep, it was nice to take our time. We also had to stop at a few bathrooms after dinner thanks to a buffet in Primm, NV :) We arrived late to the WorldMark in Oceanside Harbor, but had a great night's sleep (at least I did, I turned off my mommy ears for the first time in 2.5 years, and just slept!)

Wednesday morning Nathan and I went on a four mile run down the beach and around the area. We saw a sea lion in the harbor and someone who had caught two sharks off of the pier. One of my favorites was being able to just run with Nathan. When we got back to the condo we collectively decided to go to the San Diego Wild Animal Park in Escondido. Before heading out there we had a great lunch of fish and walked down to the beach to see starfish.

Nathan and Kendra on the rock pier ready to explore

Finding the starfish!
The tide was out, and Ryan and Matt climbed down near the water and pulled up some starfish for us to hold and look at. Then we put them back of course.
******
So we got to the animal park about 1pm.
Aubreigh thought she'd be done with it in an hour. We stayed until closing time at 5pm.
Old friends from our Provo ward now live in Escondido, so we were able to meet up with Michelle Williams at the animal park. Later that night we got to have dinner with both Ryan and Michelle at an Italian place. It was fun to see where they live and catch up. Unfortunately we didn't get a single picture together with them :(
We did get pictures though at the animal park. When asked what people wanted to do while in San Diego, I voted to go here. It is probably my favorite place in San Diego.
Animals on the safari tram.
I love that place! If we moved to California we'd have to get a lifetime pass
(they don't make those, but I'd get a pass every year).
Did you know that lions and other big cats sleep 20-23hours a day!
Did you know that giraffes sleep up to four minutes a day! Other animals will hang out near giraffes so they can sleep and giraffes are the watchdogs of the Serengeti. They don't run very fast, so they see the lions when they are still far off, and get a head start of getting away (on the off chance that it is during that one hour a day that lions are awake!). I wonder if giraffes are perpetually tired like young mommies?

The Wildlife Park was AWESOME! There was a Cheetah Run, the only one in the U.S., and we got to see it, front row! They have the cheetah run after a lure(a toy, not a baby antelope like I thought it would be) on a grassy 100 meter track.
Did you know that if cheetah's run at full speed for more than 20 seconds their bodies can't take it and they would probably die? So at the Wildlife Park they have to keep the run to under 10 seconds. Then the cheetah rests. If it looks like the cheetah is not stressed, sometimes they will do another run. We got to witness two runs (I guess in the summer that doesn't happen as much, and the crowds are crazy, so we were lucky to go when we did).
Shylie the cheetah did the 100 meters in 5.5 seconds, 0 to 40mph in three steps.
His animal companion, an Anatolian Shepherd named Yetti, ran the track beforehand so that Shylie could feel at ease. That was a little ironic because Anatolian's are now used to watch over sheep in Africa. When the cheetah's see the dogs, they don't even go near the sheep, thus saving cheetah's from being shot. (See all the neat things we learned at the Wildlife Park?)

They whole group at the elephants.
Notice how each couple is kind of matching? Nathan and I in black jackets and shorts, Amy and Ryan in tan and jeans, and Matt and Aubreigh in green and jeans.
That was not planned and we noticed it while walking at the beach:)

The elephants!
They were lots of fun to watch, and the babies were actually playing. Last time at the animal park in April 2009, Nathan and I stayed and watched these guys for over an hour, they seriously were that entertaining. This time also did not disappoint.
These African Elephants came from a preserve in the middle of Africa, where there were too many and some were going to be killed. Thanks to the Wildlife Park in San Diego, and a zoo in Florida, all of the elephants were able to be relocated. The one's in San Diego have thrived, and their family is growing, ie, baby elephants all over the place!
All of that was just the first day!

Marathon Visit Weekend

Over President's Day weekend, Mom and Dad Manwaring came up to visit. We saw ALL of the grandparents from Nathan's side that weekend. That is no small feat either! Friday night Mom and Dad stayed at our house, along with Karissa and Cory. Saturday morning we arose early (though everyone else had left earlier) and left and made our way up to the farm in Franklin where we visited Grandpa and Grandma Haworth. A breakfast of blueberry pancakes, a ride to see the cows in the barn, and some pictures later, we were back on the road to Pocatello to see Grandma Manwaring. Jason and Nicole met us there, and we all ate lunch together. I especially enjoyed getting Grandma to talk about when she met Grandpa Manwaring on their mission. James liked playing with Grandma's fun trucks and cars and blocks. Grandma has a legacy of music that I hope our children will remember and carry on. She sings and plays the piano beautifully. Turns out she and Grandpa Manwaring sang together on their mission, and the mission president decided that they sounded so good together that they needed to be separated until after the mission! What a story! We even were able to video her while she told it.

Hanging out at Grandma's in Pocatello

We also got a four generation picture with her, Dad, Nathan and the boys. Again, no small feat to have everyone looking at the camera at the same time. I think that Nathan, Dad, and Grandma all look very similar. We'll have to see if our boys end up with a similar nose (which wouldn't be bad, they are all very good looking).

Nathan, James, Grandma Lois, Jackman, and Alan
Four generations of Manwarings!

After dinner with her, Nathan and I went back home for the night. Sleeping other places with both our boys isn't the best yet we have learned.

Loving on the Grandparents!

After church on Sunday we then went to Salt Lake to spend time with Grandma Hiller.
I LOVE her creamed corn, and it did not disappoint! She is so easy to talk to, and Nathan and I are grateful that we had the opportunity to live with her to get to know her better after we were first married.

James snuggles Grandma Hiller while Jack looks on

Everyone enjoys laying on Grandma's bed and watching the Jazz play

So there you have it. All the grandparents from Nathan's side in one weekend. Whew!

Thank you to everyone who welcomed us into their home!

We have amazing family, and I am blessed to be a part of it.