Hotel Del Coronado=Paradise!

Hello to all of my friends, now this is a very lengthy post...probably over 50 pictures, but it was my parents 25th year at the Del (my 23rd, Steve's 3rd and Joe's 2nd) and it was magical. This is the vacation that I literally start counting down the days at Christmas. Here's a little recap of what we did, for my journal purpose...Tuesday left at about 11:00, stopped at Del Taco at Avery Pkwy...I saw the Matterhorn first, Chelsea and I tied at the exact same time for seeing the San Diego Temple first, and I think Ben and Ben tied for seeing the bridge first. Tuesday night we ate a delicious pizzeria. Wednesday we woke up and ate at a nearby bagel place, headed to the beach, headed to the pool, ate pizza, headed to the room to get ready and went to Costa Azul for dinner. Went to the park to play, went and got Moo Time Ice Cream and then Steve flew in! YAY! Thursday went to Sheerwater for a fabulous breakfast, went to the beach, went to the pool, ate Subway, went to the room, ate dinner at a diner, went and played at the park. Friday, ate breakfast at the park after the bike ride had a great orange scone, went to the beach, went to the pool, had pizza for lunch, and then to Miguel's for dinner which Joe slept completely through on my lap...amazing. Went to the park and then Moo Time for ice cream. Saturday, the Sheerwater again, then pack up, pool, candy shop, and on our way home. Such a fun trip, I love being with my family! It is so fun to go somewhere where we can go everywhere together and eat together and stay so close together. I love my family tradition!Joe & I flew into town Monday afternoon and got to have a yummy dinner at Wood Ranch with the fam. Since I hadn't seen Ben with his braces off I knew I needed a picture with this stud.
So excited to be reunited with my sista sista, and of course her hubby who wouldn't stop taking pictures
Ben's first time at Coronado, he was thrilled!
My brother Dan, helping Ben try out my new camera, he looks so tough!
Joe's favorite women...couldn't give enough hugs or licks for his grandma who he calls ma ma!
Joe loved his cousin Grace, she took such good care of him and even taught him to say a couple new things...my fave...I see ya! which sounds like I-te-ya
Joe's first time in the ocean, he reacted like his mom, fine as long as the freezing water doesn't get me too wet!
"Ha ha so many choices, cereal, croissants, muffins, fruit..."
So excited to have arrived!
I think these 2 were really in need of this vacation!
Can my son go anywhere without flirting? This is 15 month old Charlotte that came and introduced herself to him...
My suave JK
Ready for din din! JK, Max, Jimmy, Ben, Em, Jack Jr, Kenz...all reunited and ready to go
Some of the fam at a yummy pizza place
Ah Sheerwater restaurant at the hotel...we have had the same waitor for about 3 years now, I wonder what he thinks when he sees all of us back again...hopefully good thoughts :) and hey, he's lucky that it's a buffet because all he does is bring drinks
My mom played smash ball with EVERYONE and I finally got a chance for all of 2 minutes before I was summoned by my dad to tell Joe to stop eating sand
Emily after a sweet ride
JK, Max and Grace (running behind) with their boards
O the life of a baby who can't walk through lots of hot sand...nice uncle Ben gave him a lift
Mom, Sammy and Julie taking pictures of our boogy boarders, I think between all of us we took almost 1500 pictures!
Begging Joe...cookie please!?
Grace, Kenz, Josie and Joe playing together, thanks girls for entertaining him!
My boys, I am so glad Steve got a vacation! Hope you enjoyed yourself honey!
My sweet boy, the star of our blog!
Very concentrated on...not looking at the camera
This should be a postcard or advertisement for the hotel!
McKenzie and Joe were getting a kick out of each other
Mr. Independent, probably singing to himself and talking with the sand
Happy boy with room to roam
Obsessed a little! Yes, my sister snapped a bunch of good shots
Jack Jr, Jack, Julie, Sammy, Kenz, Emily relaxing
Joe eating, dad reading, Chels relaxing, Jack relaxing
Joe & Joe relaxing on the beach, my dad is really a happy person he just doesn't hold a smile past 1,2,3 cheese...red dot...flash...flash
Joe sat here listening to "the ocean" in the shell for about 5 minutes, he'll do anything my mom tells him too. Me, envious, a little!
Grandpa...kna kna I know you are in there! Let me in...
Every year my mom makes sure we do a bike ride on these surry's, except her and my dad usually get singles, so no wonder they like to do it EVERY year. I think my brother Jack said, the one thing we want to leave the island is still staying strong...A couple of our restaurants were gone this year. Jack starts us out and he is pretty aggressive and will literally run you off the road, he makes up the directions so you don't want to pass him in the beginning, of course his team took 1st
Getting to the final destination...Jack's way, so we came in 2nd!
Joe loves bikes, steering wheels, pedals, handle bars, pretty much everything that is too big for him right now that he could get hurt on. Luckily Grandpa Joe and daddy stayed close to watch him so I could eat!
After a fun game of bs, me and my brothers, JK nice shades!
Everyone loves playing 3 flies up and taking charge of the pool...hey we've been here so long we deserve it
My sista sista best friend who slept most of the time under a hat or magazine, whew, I remember the tiring days of being a newlywed, no kids, not too much to do besides take care of your spouse...pretty rough Chels!
I am crazy about this man! So grateful he FINALLY got a vacation...It is very long overdue!
Joe loved swimming with Uncle Ben and we had to watch him very carefully because he would get out just to walk to the other side and get back in
My big kick kick boy trying to get to grandma
Joe loved the pool, he would probably love it even more if we let him go so he could swim like his big cousins, Max, Grace, Jimmy, Jack Jr and Cass.
Allstar baby, slept the best at the pool after a long couple hours at the beach every day.
Every year outside our favorite Mexican restaurant my mom gives everyone pennies and they make a wish and we try to catch the "wishing picture"
The one model shot I agreed to taking...my sister asks for at least 1 a day to make me feel dumb!
Max-"Baby Joe we are going to look at your mom and say cheese!"
Yes, we were there at the local bookstore at 8:00 am, they opened an hour early for this release and we RAN down there bought it and RAN back in time to try and get ready for family pictures
Superstar Ben
Superstar JK...obviously they were never on the same team it would have been unfair, not even a game
Our little tree hugger...we love you Max!
My hubby playing wiffleball
The umpire enjoying his bench and the grandma feeding her picky grandson so his mama could play!
After our last night of wiffleball and football...we love "our" park that we've adopted. Dad was the umpire and some pretty funny things happened that I want to remember...JK? running into Abby to make a domino effect with Cass and Grace I think...a couple pitchers getting hit...Julie said something hilarious where I think everyone ended up on their knees...my brother Jack taking me out completely in the most suave way possible coming into home with me as the catcher, I just remember seeing him come at me and I started to duck and somehow I didn't hit the ground hard at all...
Ben & Jack Jr. dominating...None of us like to end our vacation when we are enjoying ourselves, so after the 2 1/2 hour drive home, everyone came over to either hyperventilate over Breaking Dawn, eat, play cards or play tennis. It took me so long to find random things to wear for tennis, it looked like my parents (or brothers) were trying to make it look like I never lived there! Daddy, I love you for rescuing me and next time I come I hope my new tennis clothes will be hanging up (hope it's white)! Ben Hudson-keep practicing, maybe one day you'll be as good as Steve & I, but when you are dancing on the court with Chelsea don't be surprised when we whip you 6-2!
O, this little one was tired and just walked onto the court to give me a hug...it was a nice reason to give me a minute break. I just love him!
Max & me, he is such a tennis pro
Maybe one day I will cut the umbilical cord as my husband would say, but when I have such a great mama why would I?!
The family that still resides at home...must be pretty quiet without Chels and I
The grandkids all looking quite beautiful ready to head to the beach for big group pictures
My siblings and I, JK would rather not put his arm around any of us in case we fell off the rocks and took him down with us!
Our happy family, all 28 of us...Mike & Shuho are out of the country with Shuho's family, but next in line is Tim and Julie (far left), and they have Abby, Kenz, Cass, and Jim. Then there is Jack and Sam (standing next to Steve & I), and they have Maddie, Emily, Jack Jr, Grace, and Max. Then comes Dan (if I knew how to put an arrow in I would, cuz he is in the back left next to JK white shirt). Then there is Steve and Tina (next to Tim & Julie) and they have Ethan, Josie and Ryan. Then comes me and Steve with Joe, then Chelsea and Ben by Jack and Sam, then studs JK and Ben and my cutie parents. Whew...that was tough

Here are the 2 that make it all possible! Thanks mom and dad for working SOOOOO hard to make this trip for all of us so wonderful. It is very much appreciated. We are so lucky to have such amazing parents and grandparents that want to do a family vacation every year. Thank you for the memories, the great meals, and the company. We love you more!

Happy Anniversary babe!

Today, August 6 is our 3 year anniversary...Wow I feel like we have accomplished a lot in 3 years! Steve finishing school and starting real life work and us having our sweet baby boy!



Honey, I love you so much! Thanks for the past 3 great years filled with lots of love. Thanks for being my best friend and for mellowing me out. Thanks for helping me become more patient and for being patient with me. It means a lot to me to have a worthy Priesthood holder in our home, thank you for your example. Thanks for being such a wonderful husband and father, Joe and I hate to be without you during the week! Thanks for your hard work that makes it possible for us to have such a good life. You are such a sweet man and thank you for being my prince charming! love you forever
I'm so glad that something so special was my 100th post...be ready for my 101st post about Coronado! Our family picture is a little sneak preview of the paradise vacation we took last week!

Our boy is 18 months old!

Today our sweetie is 18 months old! He hung out with dad for awhile so that mom could go get her hair cut and then we went out for In N Out and Joe had his first strawberry shake to celebrate! Joe was pretty easy for his dad today...he took a nap in his big boy chair/recliner thing and fell asleep on his own...NEVER would he do that for his mother, he doesn't even take a nap when his mom is home. Joe is still a picky eater, but he is getting better. He LOVES cashews, thanks son for picking the most expensive nut to like and he really likes pretzels. He had a doughnut muffin this morning for breakfast and actually ate that. Chocolate is his favorite drink, it is chocolate milk, but we only say chocolate and cross our fingers that he'll drink it. He is becoming quite the little talker, he was attempting to say shoes yesterday but it came out as a funny s- word that Steve was like, Jen did he just say what I think he said? It was pretty funny. I love it when he says keys, please (sign and talking), more (sign and talking), thank you (sign), moo, woof woof, yeah, no, and boo. He has started doing this hilarious thing where he'll throw his head back, start laughing, and do his total cheeser face with his eyes squinted. I don't know if he is imitating us or what, but he was doing it tonight when we were walking to our car and these people passing us started cracking up because of it. His kisses are excellent, depending on how much he likes you he'll open his mouth that wide. Our friend Kristen got a big lick on both cheeks when she asked for a kiss!
Joe, we love you so much when you are so peacefully sleeping and you are our little angel,
but we love you just as much when you are doing something crazy that cracks us up...Peek a boo and hiding behind the doors are a new thing for Joe. I assumed he was hiding behind the bathroom door. Since it was dark, I once again assumed nothing could be going on, until I walked in and he was in the corner applying mascara just like he sees his mom doing and he thought it was pretty funny. The cleaning off part he didn't like so much since he got some perfectly on his eyelashes! Time flies when you are having fun with a sweetheart boy! Happy 18 months baby!

Memory Lane & Joe

I took this from my friend, Kera's blog and thought it might be fun. Do it if you want :)
1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

*Joe woke up with 104.6 degree fever today randomly, no other symptoms, hope he doesn't come down with Roseola in a couple days, my poor baby :(

4th of July weekend!

Steve's best friend of forever came into town for the long weekend ...the weekend started with Wii...My son woke up at 12:30 and didn't go back down until 2:30, how could he miss a party!
Joe's face most of the weekend was pointed in Teme's direction, he couldn't get enough of her and misses her!
We took Brady, Lacee and Teme to our favorite park, and although I don't take as good of pictures as Patrick & Kera , I think I did good on this one! They are such a fun family, we had a great time.
The dads playing on the teeter totter
Joe flies down the slide now, it's so funny how something so little is so huge to me now. That little push off the side makes me so proud.
Happy 4th everyone! Love, my stud Joe
Everyone inside enjoying the yummy food...left to right Garrett, Makenzie, Stephanie, Teme, Mary(top), Lacee, Hillary, Sarah, Heather and Kena. Steve hooked up his bbq (see post below) and we had some friends over for our 4th of July dinner. Thanks for coming, such a blast!
The guys outside waiting on some meat to be done...how did Garrett skip out on this one!
Is it bad to tell your 18 month old adorable kids to kiss?! I love it when Joe gets kissed, he totally knows it's a big deal. When Steve saw, he was giving Joe a rough time about it and Joe walked over and kind of pushed him...like I know dad leave me alone and was blushing...so cute!
Kena, Sarah, Makenzie, Teme, and Joe getting into Cheetos and buns. They all looked so cute decked out in the red, white and blue!
Right before the fireworks started, Joe was very curious as to why we were sitting so close to the edge...
I love San Francisco! The fireworks couldn't be seen because of the fog, but that didn't dampen my 4th of July spirit at all. I'm sure the high ones were awesome because the low ones were and they don't do anything mediocre here. Thanks Ben for scoping out the place for us! We sat right next to the water and were so close to where they were being set off!
This is Joe's face whenever Teme is around, she is not pictured because she is getting ready to get in the bath, but she was talking to her "boyfriend Joe" and he could not get enough of her this weekend! Lacee and I were talking and I could see the kids out of the corner of my eye in the bathroom but I didn't hear anything suspicious sounding so I didn't go in...Well we did go in after a bit to see that Teme was combing Joe's hair, with a wet brush, but we never heard the faucet go on...Yes, the water was coming from the toilet :) and my sweet little Joe was just standing there loving every minute of attention he was getting from Teme and went along with it. Lacee and I had to look away while we were trying to stifle the laughs. We then washed Joe's head with clean water and brought them back into the living room.
And our weekend ended with Wii, love you guys! Thanks for coming to visit!

Date night!

Steve & I had the opportunity to go on our first date since we have been in San Francisco! Yes, I am pathetic, we have been here for a year & I trust people, but I don't want Joe to be unbearable like he sometimes is at church! Anyway, I am a really good friend, and dumped him on my 39 weeks pregnant friend Heather. She is amazing and I am hoping that Kena helped for the little bit we were gone. We went to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, thanks to Linds and Bryan and had a great time with each other. My cute husband had no idea what to do with the lobster claws once they arrived and had to ask our waiter.
I love this man, and we need to do this more often. Thanks to Heather for taking good care of my baby and I'm sorry he didn't put you into labor!

Last minute visitors!

We have had some very fun visitors since we have lived in San Francisco, but when my friend Lindsay called and said she was leaving New York and flying into San Francisco the next day, I was in shock! She is one of my greatest friends since junior high and onto high school where we cheered together through to being in my wedding until now---I thought she had fallen off the face of the earth and I was about ready to call off our friendship until I heard about Bryan. When we were on the phone, she said Jen, he is a great guy---he is like Steve...I knew I had to meet this character. A lot of my friends aren't LDS so they think Steve is the whole package, which he is, but a comparison to him means this could be serious. I picked up Linds the next day drove her around the city some and then we went to get Bryan from his teaching conference.This is Bryan and Linds, we took them to the crookedest street after dinner. I tried to grill him in the car, but after about the 3rd question, I could tell this guy was for real and I stopped asking. We love Bryan, his next challenge is to make it through a McKeon family meal, maybe when I come home soon...They are so happy together and really know how to treat each other.
I took them to the Point Bonita Lighthouse, well, mainly because I love it there and think it is so pretty.
I love this bridge, whenever I see it I am in awe of how beautiful it is and that the pictures don't do it justice.
Joe stopped his awnriness(?) for a second for the picture. I guess I can't blame the kid, he was napless for 2 days, but when Lindsay is in town it's a PARTAY and he'll come to know that soon enough. Linds, thanks so much for letting us see you! I know it was supposed to be a romantic weekend, but thanks for including us! Thanks for making the trekk to the church to say goodbye, and especially for having the guts to knock on classroom doors to find us! Love ya!
Can my son be the face of Pirate's Booty? Thank you to Pirate's Booty for making this all natural, good for you product...It is my son's breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with some other things in between. Isn't he the cutest!

I la la love my hub!

Steve brought me home some b-e-a-utiful flowers! Thanks babe I love them!
And he FINALLY put together his bbq that I got him last August for our anniversary...now he has been very busy and we have a very curious little boy so I can't blame him for not putting it together before now, but I'm glad it's finally up and working!