Fourth of July Weekend.

Saying weekend makes me feel like this stuff all happened SO long ago, but really the fourth was only a couple days ago, on Tuesday, so it doesn't really seem like THAT long ago if I think of it that way.

Seth and I were both lucky enough to have a four day weekend (actually lucky Seth had a FIVE day weekend since last Friday was his Friday off), so we had quite the little celebration! We went in to the weekend with no real specific plans other than celebrating the fourth with a BBQ with family, but it ended up being quite a busy weekend.

Friday was for...

- work for me and school for Mason
- an oil change for Seth
- a text to me from Seth saying an airplane crashed on the freeway by the airport (thankfully everyone was ok!)
- a failed attempt at a haircut for Mason
- a trip to California Adventure since the weather was so nice and unusually cool for the summer
- churros and ice cream for dessert

Saturday was for...

- last minute ABA session cancellations
- a trip to IKEA
- an attempt at taking a cute fourth of July picture
- a certain child dumping the remains of the confetti from said "cute picture" over the edge and on to the roof of our apartment complex and me thinking we were going to get fined or evicted (I tried to clean it up as much as I could but most was out of reach!)
- a belated celebration of my brother in law and sister in law's anniversary

Sunday was for...

- slow mornings
- a belated birthday lunch for our friend, Vickie
- dropping Mason off with Nanny so we could go see The Book of Mormon in LA at the Pantages
- a trip to Target sans Mason to take some pictures of birthday gift ideas for grandparents and aunts/uncles
- getting pictures of Mason and his cousin, Addison, at dinner together

Monday was for...

- a Best Buy run, a Target run for fourth of July dessert supplies, and a Lowe's run
- dropping some stuff off at Nanny's house and checking her mail
- I'm sure more stuff, but I can't seem to remember due to the fact that I didn't take a picture #momfail #bloggerfail

Tuesday was for...

- celebrating America's birthday!

It was the perfect mini-vacation-away-from-the-real-world-and-work weekend. I didn't want it to end!

Hope you all had a great fourth as well!

Mother's Day Weekend.

Clearly a little late on recapping Mother's Day since it was just Father's Day a couple weekends ago (maybe expect that recap in July lol!), but I didn't want to skip sharing some photos since it was definitely one of the best Mother's Day's I've had since becoming a mother.

My brother in law actually organized the whole thing and to be honest, at first I didn't want to go. He mentioned to Seth that he was making reservations at a tea house and I kind of blew it off like "I don't want to go sit around and have tea and crumpets for Mother's Day." So Seth told him I didn't want to go. But then my sister in law texted me, surprised I didn't want to go, and asked if I had looked up the menu and... to be honest... I hadn't. So I did and then... I wanted to go. Ha! Thankfully she texted me.

So we added me on the reservation and we were on our way!

But first... I got spoiled a bit from Mason's multiple schools. First up, speech class.

Mason made this super cute puzzle piece picture frame for me in his speech class and I couldn't love it more. Not only are the puzzle pieces perfect (for autism), but that picture is to die for. Look at that sweet smile!

Second up, preschool.

Mason made this "I love you to pieces" picture in preschool and I absolutely love it. I think he's made one similar in the past, but no matter how many I have, I love them all more than the last one.

And finally, his ABA class.

When he got done with ABA class on the day before Mother's Day, he brought me not one, but two cards, AND a pretty flower. He quickly broke the flower, but then I had two, so I wasn't mad ;)

After ABA, we came home and got ready for a night with Bubbe to celebrate Great Grandma's Day. We opted to bring dinner and dessert to her at her place this year and she was just SO happy to have us all over. It was so sweet. We love to shower her with gifts and food and love whenever we can.

thankful for a brother in law with a long arm for selfies ;)

the great grandkids

On Sunday, actual Mother's Day, we took the Amtrak train down to San Juan Capistrano to hang out for a bit with everyone (kids and husbands included) and then the guys took the kids and the girls headed to lunch at The Tea House on Los Rios. They had a special Mother's Day lunch going on when we were there, but the menu was sort of similar to what they show online.

my mother in law and pseudo mother in law (my brother in law's mom)

sister in law and sister in law

The BEST tomato soup I've EVER had.

Key Lime Pie dessert.

The food was delicious and we left stuffed. We were also gifted a "tea steeper" (the thing you put the loose tea in and then put in your cup to make tea), so of course we had to buy some loose tea to use it for ourselves at home. Overall, it was a wonderful day -- a good combination of spending time with the one that made me a mom as well as spending time with adults and nobody poking me every thirty seconds saying "mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy" ;)

And, one last photo to end Mother's Day. Mother's Day wouldn't be Mother's Day without acknowledging the woman who brought me in to this world -- my mom. Though she was taken from me far too soon and she never got to fully experience being a Grandmother (I say fully because I know she is looking down on us now and enjoying watching Mason), I think of her often and know I am the mother I am today because of her. She is my idle, my hero, and if I am even half the mom to Mason that she was to me, then I am doing something right.

I hope everyone had a great Mother's Day!