Ward Campout...

but we didn't really camp. HA.

I didn't blog about the ward campout last year because I forgot my camera but just in case you feel like it, click here to see pics of Brooke and Olivia. C-R-A-Z-Y how these babies (yep, she's still my baby) change in a year.

So last year we stayed overnight. I was on the activities committee plus I felt like the first camping trip of our marriage probably should happen. Um... I had fun except for that whole sleeping in a tent outside part. And Brent even dislikes that part even more than me, so that's how we roll. This year, we went up for the afternoon, stayed until around 10 p.m. and then drove home. I gotta say (and I do feel bad saying it), it felt really good to drive away from the ward that night (who experienced rain and thunderstorms all night long), and get into our own beds. Pictures taken from Alyssa's camera--

Whoa... halt! My Brooke looks SOOOO BIIIGGGG in this picture. And really pretty, too, right? These two friends just love each other.

Right before Alyssa took this picture of me, I was talking about how unnatural I felt roasting a hot dog. I'm just that girl, I guess. And now looking at the pic, what a ghetto firepit it was, and those hot dogs look nasty... ha.

The boys doing the roasting much better than I did.

So Alyssa typically just thinks of creative ideas like this... of course we needed to blow bubbles while camping! And there is no sarcasm in that sentence at all.

Cutie pie honey bunches

Maybe next year we'll consider staying the night, but it's more than likely that we'll do exactly what we did this year.

Totally fun!

First Swim of the Season

We enjoyed our "first swim of the season" this evening. Brooke actually DID NOT like getting wet or having anything to do with the water. However she did enjoy RUNNING... as usual, I guess.

Pretty sure she enjoyed the bath she got afterwards much more!

Our New Monthly Tradition

Lunch dates with Dad at Brackenridge Park next to the big AT&T building.

So nice to see you mid-day, honey!

So much fun in "So-Cal"

We got back a few days ago from spending four days together in Southern California. What a blast we had together. In fact, we couldn't help but lounge around the day after we got home because of having vacation withdrawals. It's hard to come back and get back in the swing of things, doing your own laundry and picking up after yourself, and cooking, when on vacation it's all done for you! But-we'll make it through. Next week this household will be in tiptop shape again. I hope. We spent one day at Disneyland. Other than the massive crowds and 1 1/2 hour wait times, we all enjoyed ourselves. Brent really liked the rides, I liked watching the parade and seeing the disney characters (I might be a little girl at heart because I just love the disney princesses!), and Brookie enjoyed being outside and being held in the bjorn all day!

At the front of the park ready to have.. FUN!

Beauty and the Beast at the parade of dreams.

Brooke on Roger Rabbit's wild ride. This was the look on her face the whole time. The ride operator said to us as we got on, "does she fit the height requirements?" We said, "uh.. yep!" Who knows if she really did.

Worn out!

Waiting and waiting in line. But we got a fast pass for this one so it wasn't too bad!

Waiting in line for Pirates of the Carribean. If you click on this pic to enlarge, you will notice that Brent tanned in one day and I am still so white. It is just not fair!

Brooke loved the jungle cruise! I had forgotten that the ride operaters are pretty funny on this one.

Oh, and here is Britney (simply put-love this girl!) and me at WICKED!! Her husband is also in the M.B.A. program at Cal and we spent a few hours at the beach that morning with them. Brent coordinated with her and she got the tickets for us. Brent surprised me with the best birthday surprise ever!! Please go to this play if you have a chance. And if you go, please call me. I would fly anywhere to go again.

Brooke's first time swimming. She actually whined for a good ten minutes before she decided she liked it. Then, she was happy as a clam.

We also went to Newport Beach. Brent dipped her toes in the water and she screamed! Can't blame her.. it was absolutely freezing.

She loved playing in the sand and did get pretty dirty. Oh how it would be to live by a warm beach and go every day! We had some serious good times during Spring Break of '08. Ok-back to life, back to reality!

A day at Baker Beach and Golden Gate Park

Brent came home early today because his homework was done! When does that ever happen? So we headed off to Golden Gate Park for a picnic and baker beach for a little stroll.

We all look a little (ok, a lot) pasty in all of these pictures. Good thing we're getting lots of sunshine next week!

When we take Brooke outside, she just sits there and stares at everything. I think she is just in awe at a new world.

Watching daddy play catch with himself!

So fun to have a little mid-week afternoon outing together!

Amy and John visit the Bg's

Our Valentine's day ended when I picked up my sister and her husband at the airport that night! Amy came out to visit last year but John had never been out. They left their five kids (Rachel-10, Seth-8, Ellie-4, Jacob-3, and Colin who is 11 months old) and stayed for the whole President's day weekend. Now that I see this picture of them, they don't look old enough to have 5 kids, do they? Way to stay lookin' y0ung! We had a blast hanging out, talking, eating good food, seeing the sights, and ALL of us went and got pedicures. Didn't actually get a picture of it, though. Here they are with Brookie. She loves having more people around but since they have left, she's been on a much more normal schedule!

The little beach below Ghiradelli Sqare. It was SO COLD, even though it didn't look like it.
Sis pic on Fisherman's Wharf
I have been wanting to see these houses since we moved here! The houses from Full House, right? I think I really wanted to be D.J. Tanner. How embarrassing.
Brent and Brooke passed out on Sunday.
On the last day they were here.
Although I think they were ready to get back to their own bed and house and see their kids again, they kept commenting on how nice it was to be able to really relax and not have to worry about so many other little bodies. We had such a fun time with them here! Thanks for coming!!!

A whole lotta fun, and baby vibrato.

Nothing TOO exciting has been happening at our home. We have basically just been having a really extended Christmas vacation because school starts so much later at Berkeley. We've just been having fun hanging out together and relishing in our last moments before Brent starts..... (drumroll)..... HIS LAST SEMESTER!! Yes, we are very excited about this. The thought of being out of school is... well, it just brings a lot of joy to me! But I have decided that life is so interesting, too. I feel like we are now just getting to the point where we have fully adjusted to moving and living here and that we know our way around and have made a lot of really wonderful friends, and we moved in August of 2006! So I am speaking for myself because it probably didn't take Brent this long. Am I lame? I guess you could say I don't do the best with change. And before we moved here, I felt that way about where we used to live. One thing's for sure: life always changes once you get comfortable! But I guess it is all for a purpose. That purpose being our own growth!

We went up to Washington last weekend to be with my family for a few days. I was in the kitchen when Brent came in and said, "alright, Brookie's all packed." I thought he meant all her clothes were packed. Well, I went in our bedroom and this is what I found! What a clever husband I have. She was "packed" in our bag.

It was quite the trek getting there. Two flights with a layover in Salt Lake. I don't even know what we're doing in this pic (don't mind my scruffiness). Anything to keep a baby from going haywire on an airplane, right?

Stoic baby.

We went out to eat at a fabulous pizza place this week (Fellini on University for those of you in the ward that may be reading) with Tyler and Ann, some friends from the MBA program. This is Ann with Brooke. She is from Mississippi and has the best southern accent I've ever heard and she is so nice. It's true what they say-people from the south have the warmest hearts.
Brooke as George Washington. ha!

We also took another trip to Napa and did some shopping at some awesome outlets. And we busted out the wheat grinder and baked some muffins, with freshly ground whole wheat flour. I felt so domestic, and Brent helped. I actually can't wait to use it again! If you're looking for a yummy and very nutricious muffin recipe, let me know. There's no sugar and they are SO GOOD. I also got to go out to dinner with the girls in the ward which was so fun!

So this is a little video to show that we really have been lounging around because it might be a little boring. Brent calls it "baby vibrato." Everytime she squeals, he would shake her a little, and she'd have a vibrato. If anything it's video for the grandparents to see. Sorry the lighting is so bad.

Cruisin' in Santa Cruz

This weekend we celebrated Brent's 27th birthday! We took a day trip down to Santa Cruz and went to the beach and played at the boardwalk amusement park (no rides, though). We had a delicious dinner at a place called "Chocolate Bistro," and just enjoyed our day together. Here are some pictures that show it!




We were so happy to have a whole day to play together, with no homework to worry about and great weather!




We will definitely make a trip back to this beach after the baby is born! The water was cold, but the scenery was so beautiful.




We even went miniature golfing. I don't take it that seriously, Brent is very focused!




HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRENT!!

The Wine Country

Yesterday, Brent and I took our first trip to Napa to see the famous grape vineyards. It was only about a half an hour away and so nice to get away from the business of the city. A lot of the houses looked just like this one, just pristine and beautiful. We found ourselves salivating at all of the beautiful homes and dreaming of when we'll be in a home! Brent especially loved how Colonial and Victorian they all looked.















This is the entrance to a family's private vineyard. You can't see it very well but it was just as beautiful as we imagined, similar to Tuscany! When we got far enough out on the outskirts of Napa, there was a road just full of individually family-owned vineyards. Growing up doing that just sounds so dreamy! But, somehow I think M.B.A school at Cal-Berkeley won't end up taking us to run our own vineyard ... but it was sure fun to take advantage of visiting while we live here.