Happy 27th Birthday Natalie..

Natalie was in town this weekend to celebrate her 27th birthday. I feel like just the other day we were celebrating her birthday in SF, but that was her 25th birthday. Two years in a blink of an eye. This year we headed out to Oakland to celebrate. We also met up with some ladies we have not seen in a long time. These were some of Natalie's best friends in grade school, and High School before she moved. Crazy to see them also all grown up. The one I was closest to was Brande, she is so nice and seeing her after almost 11 years was like I just saw her yesterday. Like when people have that quality about them, and you can fall into place. We drank bunches, and danced, and laughed it was a great evening. Glad she had a Happy Birthday and that I have been there to celebrate so many (eek, 21? again I feel old).



Gettting started..


Ms. Brande and Kat


Niki and Tami.

Sometimes you just go with it :)

The Ladies.. some of them..

Sisters..

The low note for me came at the end of the night when my purse went missing for about 45 mins., turns out that one of Nat's friends picked it up and did not realize it. Unfortunately with the drinks, I was an emotional wreck and did not handle it very well. The expensive purse, the iphone, the ID and credit cards.. that did not have me in a panic. What did was the fact my camera and fish eye lens were in my purse. They were both gifts, and not at all something I could just replace. I knew I am attached, thinking it was gone made me realize how upset I would be if I lost it. I learned a lesson, and now I am looking into private insurance to get to cover my camera and lens so if I ever do loose them, I won't have to worry about how to replace them. This would be peace of mind. Very very thankful I got everything back.

Kite Festival 2009

I heard there was a Kite Festival at the end of July on the Berkeley Marina, and I really wanted to take D. I know this sounds corny, but I remember walking with Darrian when he was about 5 months old or so at a park and seeing a Mom with her son flying a kite. The kid had to be about 3. I thought.. I am going to get to show Darrian how fly a kite someday. So when I heard about the festival I thought it would be a great way to introduce him to kites.

Keith and I headed out with him early, I had a feeling it was going to get crowded. We got there right when the festival opened. It was a small festival, with these HUGE HUGE kites. They had a kite making table, and sold some kites there. They had a few different things going on, including kite flying teams that were pretty amazing. We grabbed some corn on the cob for D, and some fried Artichoke hearts and watched them fly the HUGE octopus kite (largest in the world they said). I could tell Keith was wanting to buy a kite so we did, and showed Darrian how to fly it. The wind must have taken off cause it flew right up in the air, didn't have to run or anything. It was fun to see all the different types of kites out there.

It was a fun afternoon, I think next time we will pack a lunch and a blanket and make a picnic out of it. I think we may take the kite we bought and go to Chrissy field with it and a picnic. That would be a good time.

Our Kite.. :)

Darrian trying to say "peace"

Girls Night Out..

(pics above from iphone)

Devyn and I went to go see a play on Wednesday at the Berkeley Repertory Theater. We get discounted tickets since we are under 30, they are half off. Since we are 29 (well Devyn almost is) we decided to cash in while we can. We had front row seats. The show we went to see was Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher. It was very funny, and she has a great way of telling the story of her life. What a life she has had. It was nice to get together for some laughs and good time and for a reasonable fee. We are going to try and catch another show later this year, I would tell you to see Wishful Drinking but the tour was over. However it comes back into town go, very funny.

CABO RECAP PART II

The Lobby..

View from our room. we were a level up from the beach..

The Sky pool.. Pam and I made the trek up to the sky pool which is on TOP of the mountain above the resort. Really amazing views. The pool here looks like it is going to the ocean.








View from my Cabana at the main pool.

D thinking about his next move.

Beach at the Pueblo Bonito Rose resort

D playing in the water, it was a beach entrance so he could walk in and out.

Giving Grandma some love.

La Frida dinner final night..
Lots of oringal La Frida artifacts.

Dessert.. Carmel Creme Brulee

Pam's Scallops

My Salad course.. yum.

CABO RECAP.

We got back on Friday from our vacation in Cabo. We had an amazing time. I really love Mexico for vacations. We have been to Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta and now Cabo. I don't think I have ever been disappointed. I know some LOVE Hawaii, but I happen to like Mexico better. We used the timeshare and went to Cabo. They did not have a one bedroom available so they gave us two jr. suites. Each sweet sleeps 4 easily, they have a kitchenette and all have ocean views. Since we had two suites it was Darrian, myself, and K in one, and then Mom and Pam in another. It worked out perfectly.






We spent a lot of time at the pool, beach, and resort. We did go to town one day, and a sister resort to meet Mom and Pam after they got off their snorkeling tour. We had a great time, and the week flew by. Darrian did pretty well with the flights and trip as a whole. He had a few moments of meltdown, but at his age it is to be expected.



The resort Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach is built into the side of a mountain. It spills down the mountain, it has 8 pools. They have carts that run 24/7 sort of like golf carts to catch to where you want to go. You could walk, but it would be uphill. Our rooms were at the bottom right on the beach. We were on the second level, and Mom and Pam's room was RIGHT on the beach. You walked out their door and you were on the sand.


We had lots of margaritas, and great food. We ate at the La Frida a highly rated restaurant on our final night. We got a babysitter for Darrian for the first time, and he did great dancing for the babysitter and was very comfortable being left. He did snuggle me a bunch when I got back too which is nice. :) They have a fun kids camp, but he has to be 4 and once he is I think he will really enjoy doing that a few times during the vacation. He swam a lot and is a total fish baby, he was pretty confident with his floaties, and not afraid of water at all.


Here are some pictures from our trip. I may have to split these up a bit.

Darrian really loved having Pam around, and did not want her to go.

Daddy and D on the beach.

View of the resort from beach up.

Amazing..

This was Mom and Pam's room view, the patio was right on the beach..

Mexican Coffee, we ordered one of these for dinner one night.. .and got a fire show. :)



Finally a pic of us three, I am trying to get D to look at the camera.. not happening.
View from Lunch.. that is one of the 8 pools, and actually not the main pool which was HUGE.

We went into town one day and shopped at the local market, then we went looking for restaurant Mi Casa that someone suggested.. food was really good.

Some amazing pottery.



LOTS of silver in Mexico

Pammy trying on a sombrero

Mom was a bit embarrassed by us, ok not us Pammy. :)

D enjoying the live music a bit.

Lots of these on this trip. They were STRONG too.

Mom and Pammy at Mi Casa.

More to come..