"Vacation" to California

Is a trip really a "vacation" when you are going with two little kids? I'm voting no. :)
I'm really behind but I wanted to post a few pictures from my recent "vacation." My mom and step dad came up around the fourth of July. Derek was heading out to Illinois for a week long training for work so my mom suggested that my sister and I bring the kids and follow them back to California so I wasn't here alone for a week. For some reason it was a little more difficult than last time - I think it was mostly because Amelia has grown insanely attached to me and would burst into tears if anyone else looked at her or even attempted to hold her. It made the first few days a little difficult to do anything else, but she eventually warmed up to the new environment a little bit and we all survived and had a good time.

Some highlights:

Strutting her stuff in Mesquite. What a babe!

These two talked me into going and getting a pedicure - my very first!

$25 toes!
Amelia warming up...

Lincoln helped Grandma make dinner.

Actually, he mostly ate all of the tomatoes as she cut them... someone had to eat them, right?

We got some games in, of course!

Hmm...

We got the slippin' slide out and Lincoln thought it a good time to lay his towel out on the grass and have a moment to himself.

Mandi's boyfriend, Jared, always makes it a good time!

Kelli being her crazy self.

It's too bad you can't pick up the tone of sarcasm.

Lincoln eventually decided it was safe after we took a few test runs (or walks) back and forth.

I have never seen any male get kids to warm up to him the way that Jared does. He is so great with them. I loved it when he came over. My kids were in heaven.

The kids and I took a trip to Long Beach to visit Autumn and Chanda and their families. We had some pizza and did a little bug inspecting.

We even met a Jedi.

Naked scooter riding with Aunt Kelli.

On one of the last nights, I got the kids to bed and headed out with Mandi, Wendy, and some of Mandi's friends. Crazy, crazy, crazy. Good times though!

Whoever invented high heals should be shot. I should be shot for attempting to wear them. Wendy ended up with some funky flat shoes on and Mandi ended up barefoot, both of them because their feet were hurting. I felt betrayed when they talked me into wearing them and then neither one of them even kept theirs on. Never again! :)

I have a cute little story that I wanted to share because I don't ever want to forget it and I know I will if I don't write it down.

I had been in California for a few days and was feeling a little stressed out. I was tired physically and mentally and I think everyone could tell. Earlier in the morning, Lincoln had been having a "moment" and we had tried to distract him with some cartoon or something that was on television at the time - "Look Lincoln, look at the fish." Something along those lines.

I had just put both of the kids down for a nap and come out to the living room where my mom was sitting on the ground. I've explained before that when I get stressed out, my release is to cry. Many of you have been lucky enough to see me in action. Anyway, I went and sat in front of my mom and laid my head down on her chest. That's when the tears started flowing. I wasn't sure why exactly I was crying, but I knew I needed it. My mom noticed that I was crying and started rubbing my hair and said something like, "Krystal, look!" As she pointed to the television. I started to do the laugh/cry combo and my mom was laughing so hard that she was crying. There's nothing quite like the comfort of a mommy. I love her so much and hope I never forget that moment!