Girls Trip to California

It was that time again to go fly to California. Since we live so far away from family, another trip was in order. My best friend Stephanie was getting married, so we decided to make the trip out for her wedding. This time, it was just me and my little Autumn. Collin couldn't make it with us because of work. We missed him so much, but had a wonderful time in California.

I'll admit I was a little nervous about flying solo with Autumn, but she did great throughout the flight! Luckily, it was a direct flight to Sacramento which made the trip go by really quickly. It also helped that the people were so nice and helpful.

We stayed with my mom during the entire vacation. She was super mom/grandma the whole time we were there. She did all the babysitting and provided so much for Autumn and I. She is so amazing and I don't know what I would do without her.

Autumn got to see her grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. She got so much attention from everyone. It was so great to see her bond more with all of them.

I was happy to be able to spend some quality time with my family. Not to mention, I always look forward to my mom's amazing cooking. ;) Whenever I come visit my hometown of Loomis, it just always feels like home to me. It's a small town where I was born and raised and I am so excited to share this part of my life with Autumn.

The biggest highlight from the trip was going to the California coast. I grew up loving the beach and I was excited for Autumn to experience it for the first time. We went with my mom, sister and her family to San Francisco. We ate dim sum for lunch at a local park. The kids had the time of their lives. Autumn loved being in the swing while my niece and nephew had fun running around the park.

We drove down to Muir Beach which is near San Francisco. It was overcast and cold, but we didn't let a little chill stop us from enjoying the beach. Autumn had a blast and didn't mind being in just her swimsuit. Of course, I made sure to put warm clothes on her later on. I loved seeing the look of pure joy on her face as we were exploring the beach. I knew since I was pregnant with her that she would love the beach. I'm glad this trip was a success for her.

My best friend Stephanie was getting married on July 14th (which is also my sister's birthday.) The week of her wedding was busy, but fun and eventful. We went to her bridal shower the week before her wedding. It was at a beautiful home with cute decorations and delicious dessert made by Stephanie's mom. I had just flown into town so I was happy I could make it to her bridal shower. Also, Autumn got to meet her awesome aunt. :)

During the week, I got to have a girl's night with just Stephanie and I. We ate sushi and got some frozen yogurt at The Fountains in Roseville. It was great just catching up and talking about wedding plans.

Her cousin Brittany put together a fun bachelorette party. We got to eat dinner at Stephanie's favorite restaurant BJ's, play an Escape Room challenge, get dessert from Wendy's, and ended the night playing games. One thing that stood out to me the most that night was the Escape Room challenge. It was my first time going through and I loved it! We had to solve these clues and puzzles to get out of a room. We didn't win, but still had a lot of fun.

The Saturday that followed was Stephanie's big day! Being her bridesmaid, I wanted to make sure everything went smoothly on her special day. I was so happy and honored to see her get sealed to her husband Kurt. He is so sweet and I know he and Stephanie will have a happy life together. Stephanie was a beaming bride.

We took pictures around the temple after the sealing. The colors were navy blue and yellow which was perfect for summer. I loved our bouquets which had sunflowers and baby breath. Of course, the bride and groom looked stunning together.

The wedding reception was held at the San Juanita building in Folsom. The decorations were breathtaking! There were sunflowers for center pieces, twinkling lights, cute signs, and navy blue tables. I was so glad I was able to help a little bit with the decorating and everything turned out so wonderfully!

My mom and Autumn came with me to celebrate Kurt and Stephanie's eternal marriage. Autumn did so well and is just a patient baby. We got to see the cake-cutting, bouquet tosses, and dancing. Because Autumn had to get to bed, we left early, but I was glad I could be there as much as I could for Stephanie. She is such a good influence on me and deserves nothing but the best in her marriage.

Before we knew it, our vacation was over and it was time to say goodbye. It was another successful flight back to Texas. I was so happy to see Collin. I missed him way too much! Autumn had a sweet reunion with her daddy. We come home and find that the house is clean with roses on the table. I have the best husband in the world!

I will never forget the wonderful memories we had in California and I have the pictures to prove it. :)