Catch up, Califonia & Cravings

It's midnight here in CA and I'm wide awake. I fell asleep for about an hour while trying to get Isabella to bed and then woke up. I'm still hoping I'll be able to get a few more hours of sleep in before dawn...I seem to suffer from pregnancy insomnia. (NO fun!)

I can't believe it has been so long since I posted and now I don't have hardly any photos to show...because they are still in my camera (all 1200+ that I've taken in CA). A lot has happened.

Back in February we were suppose to move to a new apartment but some weird, crazy things came up with the new place and we were able to get out of the lease the day before we were to move (a lot of our apartment was already packed up). I spent the following two weeks completely cleaning out all the closets, painting some of the rooms, redecorating, etc our old/current apartment. I still need to finish up some of the decor, take photos and post all that we did. Brian's brother, Spencer, worked his magic and the apartment looks fabulous. One evening when Brian came into the apartment he commented how it finally felt like a home, "our home". And I cried!

As soon as the apartment was coming back into order I became swamped with work. And since then I have spent the last three weeks visiting my family while getting a healthy dose of sunshine and spring in northern California.

Isabella and cousin, Gillian, modeling Aunt Alex's fancy shoes.

This trip to California has been one of the craziest. I had planned to relax, work on sewing projects with my mom and drink in the sunshine while Isabella played in the tall grass with cousins. I got to do a bit of that in the beginning. (Thank goodness!)

Preparing for the operating room. The bandage keeps her from playing with the IV.

But this trip also brought some unexpected obstacles: a trip to the emergency room, which included a stressful, all night hospital stay (Isabella aspirated a piece of a cashew) and a death/funeral (my aunt, Nancy, died, at age 62, after battling cancer the last three years). I will so miss Nancy's wit, smile and gentle boldness.

After the services for my Aunt Nancy, Brian said, "I must be getting old because I really enjoyed the funeral." And it's true, the service was so sweet, wonderful, uplifting and brief. Then afterward there was a lunch for everyone (provided by the local Relief Society). We talked and laughed (and laughed and laughed) with family for a few hours. It was great. And I guess that means I'm getting old too. ;)
Now I'm craving rice crispy treats. I've been thinking about them for a week now. Ever since I saw my niece enjoy one at Pluto's in Palo Alto. Crazy!

I think it's time I have a bowl of cold cereal and drift off to sleep.