A Weekend in California!

I finally did it. I left all three kids (AND my husband) for a weekend on my own. I never understood why married women enjoyed weekends without their husbands, but now I do! Of course, I missed Nathan and the children but spending some time with my dear old friends from college gave me an emotional boost that will hopefully last for months.

On Friday morning, Becca, Ruby, and I boarded a plane in Provo and flew directly to Oakland.

The flight was wonderful, and we made it to California in just a couple of hours. Becca's mom, Karen, picked us up, and we headed straight to Oakland for Ashley's wedding. Becca and I were bridesmaids, so it was a mad dash to make it to the temple in time for pictures. Ashley looked beautiful, and it was wonderful to see her and our good friend CoreyAnn.

I feel like I've known these girls forever, so it's strange to think I have only known them 8 years; I guess that's a true hallmark of a good friendship.

I spent the night at Becca and Katy's home, and we stayed up late talking and watching Supernatural. Again, this made me very happy. The next morning, we headed to Monterrey for the reception. I had never seen the west coast and the Pacific Ocean (unless a distant view of the Seattle Harbor counts), so I was in for a treat. Becca has always told me that Monterrey is paradise on Earth, and I would have to agree that it is absolutely lovely.

Ashley and Junior had a traditional Tongan wedding reception, so we were in for a treat! Ashley had adorable decorations, and we had a good time visiting with one another. 

Afterwards, we headed back to the piers of Monterrey and saw the sights, which included seals and a giant mechanical man.

And to top off a perfect day, we went and saw World War Z that evening. 

By Sunday, I was definitely missing my babies and Nathan. It was nice to see these smiling faces the next morning!