my birthday trip to california

What a blessing it was to be home with family for a week and a half. I've missed everyone's sweet faces. There really is nothing like living close to family and friends.

I loved our Family Sunday Dinners and playing Mafia with everyone. (Even though some of the little ones cheat :) I loved going to Del Taco about seven times for a bean and cheese burrito--no sauce, extra cheese. I even went at 10:30 am once. (I <3 Del Taco.)  I loved having lunch with great friends: Lora, Brittany & Britney. I loved going to the Fabric District in LA with Mom and Aunt Hilary to shop for baby's crib bedding fabric.

on the hunt in Michael Levine's

mom's really excited to be a grandma

homeboy's future crib bedding. fun and bold.

I loved getting ready in the mornings with my mom--laying on the bed, eating tortilla chips and crushed ice, borrowing her Urban Decay eye shadows, borrowing clothes, borrowing jewelry, (I borrowed a lot it seems). I loved just being with my mommy and running errands. I loved watching Lina play in her first volleyball tournament and doing so well!

 #54 ready for action

I loved cuddling in Lina's bed in the morning and talking, talking, talking as she got ready for Seminary. I loved making Piviniters--our Danish cookie tradition! I loved seeing Tangled with the fam--sooo cute--or just laying on the couch watching TV at night. I loved the dryer weather and getting a Neti-Pot and finally relieving my sinus cold. I loved my sweet handmade birthday cards that the Larkins kids gave me. For example, Daniel made me a Birthday/Valentine's card complete with a taped on lollipop and a picture of me drawn entirely out of hearts. I <3 this card :)

I loved going to Solvang on my birthday with Grandma, Mom, Lina, Heather, Mandy and little Will--stuffing my face with waffles and strawberries at Paula's, holding the waitress's hand when she really was reaching for my menu, perusing our favorite stores like Picket Fences, Rasmussen's and the Antique Store, stuffing my face with a caramel apple, getting squished inside the Solvang Shoe Store, finding some Birthday goodies!, oohing and ahhing over baby things/outfits (which we couldn't buy since we didn't know the sex of the baby yet), getting a sock monkey for the baby (thanks Heather), resting at benches, talking about this and that, oogling over an enormous $150,000 grandfather clock, and most importantly, being able to hug these fabulous women whenever I wanted to.

heather, lina, mom

I loved going out to eat with my parents and Lina. I loved defiling a Jazz shirt with them to show the Skabelunds our unflinching Lakers pride.

fuzzy dad

I loved talking about Spencer with my family and all the good he is doing on his mission. I loved watching old home videos that my Great Grandpa GG took of my Grandpa Gary growing up--and being blown away by how much he looked like Spencer in his teenage years. I loved watching home videos of me and my siblings as little kids (it makes me so excited to see my own little one!) I loved having the baby really start to move and feel that precious one growing inside me. I loved pedicures and salon trips and feeling a bit more beautiful after months of ickiness and colds. I loved going to the Los Angeles Temple and having the session FILLED with so many kind faces from my old stake. I loved getting answers to family prayers and fasts on Sundays and seeing how the Lord truly sends tender mercies to comfort and cheer us. I loved every minute you could say. (Except for the minutes when all I wanted was an ice cream twist from Foster's Freeze and their machine was broken EVERY TIME we went buy for one. Those were bad minutes.)

I am blessed with a wonderful family--exemplars of love, kindness and righteousness. I am blessed with a wonderful husband who put on a happy face and told me he was excited I was going for a visit. Our little boy will have so many people that love him, so many people to help set an example of living the gospel righteously. He is one lucky little dude, and we are so excited for him to come!