I love the summer months- mostly by staying home and enjoying our complex's pool and local friends' get-togethers. But, in consolation of the pending autumn season, I relish the month of September when we can travel without higher costs and without the busy crowds.
This September I was lucky to be a part of a girls' only trip to Seaside, Oregon (via Portland) to celebrate the pending motherhood of my dear friend, Laura. Fourteen years of friendship only gets sweeter. Laura and Alysun (above) were two of my bridesmaids eight years ago. Come November, there will be six children between us all! I enjoyed four days/three nights with these friends. Ah- the coast!
Rogue strawberry plants. So pretty.
Oh, the adventures to come for us! It was so nice to be with the girls.
We left for San Diego a week after I returned from Portland. On the 14th we celebrated our eighth anniversary by packing for our trip south. I dreamed of living in San Diego as a teen during my summers at a summer camp in the area, and I lived that dream for 2+ years after Dan and I married. It is an incredibly beautiful area and just visiting feels like going home.
We rented this middle house with two other couples and their families, so there was a total of six adults and five children (between the ages of 4.5 and 10 months). Ciaos? Yes. A slice of heaven? Definitely.
My feet...
... Camille's feet.
She wasn't impressed by the sand and wanted to stay on her beach towel instead;-)
Leaving on our delayed anniversary-date-night to Humphrey's. What a hot date:-) I love this man.
Hometown friend, April, and I went to breakfast one morning and then returned to just chill. That's a good friendship:-) No entertainment needed.
My friend Sarah and her mom, Anne (Canadian ex-pats), and miracle twins Katalina and Kody- born at 27 weeks gestation (two days after Camille's birth), came to visit as well. Such wonderful people and I miss seeing them.
"Surf & Turf" dinner (prawns and steak) with the gang and the kiddos. Life doesn't get much better than this.
My angel girl.
I love this!!
Never enough sunscreen. Obviously, he didn't burn at all but I did a little and it has ripened into a nice tan... just in time for the fall;-)
I will admit that I've felt quite lonely lately, with friends either drifting away or moving away. It takes so long to establish a friendship and to break beneath the surface talk... at least three to five years, I'd say. And in that time, friends have moved away and new people come,-changing the dynamics of a group. I'm learning to cherish those that stay close- those that call for no reason and those that love you enough to say, "let's go on a vacation!" Thank-you, friends, for the sweet times:-)
5 comments:
Ah, I'm so glad you had such a great, great time!
You are so right...holding on to and enjoying close friends is a blessing.
Looks like both trips were wonderful!
Great post, Hill. Good friends (like you) are a treasure.
Both trips sound so great! I took my first ever trip without the kids to visit my BFF in San Diego. I realized that I MUST do this every year! While there, I saw all the great rentals and decided we are going to do that one day. You'll have to share more details about where you stayed!
It was great seeing you...I remember the first time when we talked on the phone and you extended your friendship to me. God is so good like that! Thank you for being my friend! One of the best lessons that I have to still learn that you taught me was---it's okay to chill out! I love you!
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