San Diego 2012
This year was incredible. It is incredible every year but I have been anticipating this year for a long time because all four kids and their spouses and kids were all together in our favorite place! It's a new chapter in the Toolson family where everyone is home from their missions, we are having kids and growing, growing, growing!
We got to San Diego on a Saturday and spent the first night at Grandma and Grandpa Toolsons which was neat since we haven't stayed there since Liv was a newborn. The next day, Sunday, we all moved into Brent and Stacey's house just down the street from the Halverson's and Nixons. The kids were in absolute heaven and I pretty much did not see them until bed time each day.
As usual, I uploaded these pictures backwards so I will start at the end, then hop around the trip as the pictures go.
The last and third week of our trip was spent at the Four Seasons. Michelle had an extra week and asked if we wanted to stay-um YES! So we changed our flights and Mimi stayed with us. We had all these plans like going to the beach each day, maybe Sea World or Lego Land, aquariums, shopping. We did none of that. We hung out at the resort, did the activities they offer children and played at the pool. Why leave paradise? It was so wonderful to just do what we wanted when we wanted after such a busy, hectic first two weeks.
They have a little playground, basketball court, volleyball court, soccer balls to rend and croquet just below the villas. This first day was a little sad for the kids since they had cousins to play with the first two weeks. I called this detox day.
They finally gave up and came in for a three hour nap. They needed it!
Every other day they had a fun activity for the kids at the club house. This was animal day. He brought in gray parrots, a tarantula, a chinchilla, a hedge hog, a millipede and a stick bug. Kids loved it.
I was obsessed with this hedge hog. I giggled like an idiot the entire time he talked about it because it was the cutest thing I'd ever seen!
Another huge plus to staying another week was tons more time with the Bakers! Sharilyn brought the boys over this day and hung out for a couple of hours. Drew loves her!
They had a kids bar at the pool every day with fun snacks for $2.
I know I say this all the time, but Mimi is the best grandma. She held my baby, played with my kids and let me take a nap if Drew had a tough night.
She also took the kids on separate little dates and got them Mimi presents. Liv chose clothes, of course, and Johnny got more Legos.
Shannon, who was 9 months prego, invited us over for Sunday dinner which was delicious! Thanks Shan!
The Baker Women-Grandma where are you!?
Johnny was having a major growth spurt this week and had four eggs and four pieces of bacon every morning. And was usually ready for lunch at 10:30.
Another activity-ceramics. Johnny absolutely loved this and was actually really good. No surprise, he's my little arteest. Liv just wanted to watch everyone else and socialize.
Liv decided she likes these new fuzzy pj shorts and no shirt. And naps every day were a must.
Cute little stinker would NOT take a nap if he wasn't held. Spoiled rotten.
Johnny is really good at the lounge around all day and do nothing thing.
Lori and the girls came to play one day and it was SO fun!
I had to document what Mom and I wore for seven straight days. The robe.
I love Lori. She is so fun.
My mom's laugh never gets old.
Is she not the most gorgeous pregnant lady!? She as all ready to go swimming but we were not up for it.
Drew making stink eye to Sharilyn
Johnny's best bud for the week-cousin Jared.
Happy boy!
I tried moving his crib all over at night so I could sleep better, and the kitchen seemed to be the best spot.
Random shots of Asher loving on Drew. It's like he knew they were going to be best beds:)
Ok, back to the very beginning of the trip-Johnny and Andrew haven't seen each other for an entire year and did not skip a beat. They are so great with one another.
Uncle Ryan is the best and does not ever sit down at the beach. He is playing with someone the entire time!
KC and his BOMB burrito. A California burrito with two taquitos inside.
Daddy was a really good baby holder!
More loves from Asher.
Turns out, Asher loves painting! He sat her with Mimi for an hour!
Fun games for the big kids on the beach. Oh, Greg came and stayed with us for a week! It was great to get some time with him before he left for BYU.
Uncle Brent came home and was so awesome with the kids. He was also awesome for letting John and I stay in his room and he slept in his son's room until we were gone. That's love folks.
We made artichoke hearts for dinner and these Nixons POUNDED them. Wow. It was insane.
Pic nic at the park. One of my very favorite traditions. Gosh, I love my family so much.
Sweet grandma is dealing with shingles and still planned and prepared dinner for 30 people. I love her.
Grandpa-James Richard Toolson and Sheree's baby James Timothy.
Happy Birthday Dad!!!
It's baby time in this family! Sheree and James, Drew and I, and Linley and Thomas.
She is my best friend in the whole world.
James is the happiest baby you will ever meet.
Annual kick ball game!
Johnny hates not being good at things-wonder where he gets that?
Toolson sibling pictures.
Such a good looking family. Troy, Debby, Brent, Grandpa, Grandma, Mike, Michelle, Gregg
Emma is one of the girls who is just the nicest, funnest, most beautiful inside and out people. How is she single? I don't know. Lets find her the hunk of the century.
The "little" boys. These guys used to be the Johnny and Andrew of the family. Pure entertainment for Greg.
My crazy daughter. She loves her papa.
Boys got to drive home with Brent in his 1965 Mustang. It had no seat belts which Johnny thought was the coolest thing ever.
We've added the Torrey Pines hike to our list of things to do each year. It is more of a walk right on the cliffs above the water and winds down to a cool rock, tide pool thing. You'll see. Johnny could not part with Andrew this day. I think they went to Nordstrom with Uncle Tim:)
Drew's first hike.He was amazing and slept the entire time.
Great pic of the fam. The random girl in the blue stripes is KC's now ex-girlfriend.
I love that kid so much!
Uncle KC and Liv.
Nice hat and socks dad! Classic Mike.
The rock thing.
Isn't this cute! Don't worry, the babes didn't even cry when being chucked 8 feet in the air!
My brothers make pretty awesome dads.
Of course, my hubby is the best!
We were going for the Little Mermaid splash behind us in this shot.
Sweet Berkley is so her dad's daughter. She's holding a crab and wondering if she should eat it.
I love these pictures and am so bummed Johnny is not here!! I don't know what Sean is saying in all of them but he would not shut up and smile for the camera.
By night time we were all pretty wasted and loved watching the Olympics.
Papa Mike got sick and we didn't see him after day 4.
Is there anything cuter than a toddler tummy?
Ryan is so sweet with my kids.
I love shots like this-it's what we did every day. play with our babies, boys played football, Ryan walked around showing off his bod. Ha ha. Just kidding.
That's what Sean did.
I don't want to know what Sean is talking about here.
And this is what I did the whole time. I held my baby under an umbrella. My knees and feet were black by the end.
More Baker time at the beach! We switched it up this day and went to Del Mar.
Drippy castles!
These two girlies had so much fun together.
Drew slipped out of the stroller one morning and fell flat on his face on the pavement. It was the worst moment of m life aside from Liv's seizure. I'm not going to talk about it ever again. Use the seat belts is all I'm saying.
Nap time was touch and go for this dude.
Football!!
Huddle time.
Family pictures at the Toolson's beautiful home.
I still can't believe I have three kids. I am so lucky. Love these little chickens.
Colbi got the girls cute little matching outfits. Mimi and and Papa and their grand children.
The Ry Toolson Fam. Off to Grand Canaria!
Pops and Drew boy
9 years with this fool. Love him to death.
We fight a lot but I love this girl so much. I'm hoping we are just going through a rough patch and will figure it out soon.
Baker family day!
This is how Asher walks around most of the time. Doggy and thumb in his mouth.
Elsie Laura. Her daddy's clone.
Eva Le'Diva
Matching suits!!
Johnny wanted to try boogie boarding so bad but just couldn't do it. Maybe next year.
I LOVE these pictures of these tow. The sky and their suits and Elsie's hair are so great.
My beautiful Berkley Boo.
Papa is the best at the beach!
We don't talk about Sheree's body. She is a freak of nature:) Berks is 9 months here and walking like a champ.
Hi buddy!
Drew's first day to the beach
Fun at the Four Season with the boys-Andrew and Cason.
Wish Cason was there longer-too bad they didn't decide to MOVE to San Diego until the next week:)
Nate, Craig, Lulu-cutest child on the planet.
Go Longhorns
Is Hudson so delicious!?
Time to say goodbye:( Our last day with the Nixons.
Best friends for life!
It was SUCH a fun trip! I was a little freaked out to bring a baby but he gave me the chance to relax and watch and enjoy my family. It was fun and crazy and exhausting staying with 15 people in one house but I'm glad we did it. Next year we will be way too big to do it again so we enjoyed it while we could. I love my family so much! So grateful for each of them.
Some of our favorite SD memories:
beach every day
catching crabs
Robertos
swimming at the four seasons
dinner at Jakes
walking to Andrew's house
jumping on the tramp
shopping at the outlets
VG's donuts
the smell of sunscreen
showers at night
playing with Asher and Berkley
pic nic at the park
pizza party at Toolsons
hiking Torrey Pines
touching the anemone's in the tide pool
Legos
playing with Eva and Elsie
Target trip with grandma and grandpa Toolson
Four Seasons robes
Getting our house cleaned every day by the sweet maids
Pool and jacuzzi every day
movie night at the pool
The greek place we found and ate at twice in two days
getting mimi all to ourselves
Bruno's pizza
lots of time with the Bakers
Lots more pictures to come!
