San Diego was amazing- The above picture is a great representation of how I felt the entire week I was there. We had so much fun playing in the Ocean, watching dolphins from our balcony, playing tennis, swimming, trying to get ready and cook with no electricity and cold showers one day while the electricity was out(!), and soaking up the California sun!
Sea World was doing this promotional "summer nights" thing while we were there and of course I was loving that. We went to a night show called Shamu Rocks and let me just say Shamu truly did ROCK! That show was so awesome, and don't even worry that our family got the wave started in Shamu Stadium. Yes, we are that cool...
We went to the Wild Animal Park and the San Diego Zoo while we were there as well. Let me just say that I felt like the Wild Animal Park was a total bust! You had to walk about 5 miles just to get to the next exhibit and then when you got there, no animals were to be seen! We still made the most of it though, even though it was "blazing hot"! ( that is a direct quote from my Dad.)
One day we went down to San Diego and walked along the boardwalk, it was so fun! There was a ton of fun little shops to look in and a lot of crazies on the street trying to sell stuff. This guy was there with about 20 different parrots and he would just grab you and put the parrot on your shoulder or arm. He accepted donations naturally. That parrot Z is holding was so massive! It scared me half to death.
Kendall's parrot wasn't quite as huge, but still freaks me out!
Luckily our condo had tennis courts so we finally got to hold the long anticipated tennis match between myself and my Dad. We took a picture mid-match where I was leading 4-3. Don't worry I went on to beat my Dad TWICE! He went home and bought a racket so he could practice up for next year, and to that I say, dream on!
Zachary wasn't able to make it for the first couple days and I was so happy when he finally got there, it is always so fun to be on vacation together!
The last day my family was all leaving before our flight left so we had to rent a car in order to get to the airport. Zachary got the chance to rent the Mustang convertible at a cheap rate and just couldn't pass it up. It was fun
cruising around with the top down for the day, even though Z looked like a lobster by the end of the day because he was so sunburnt!
We had such a fun time spending time with my family on such a great vacation, it was a great way to start my summer! Somehow I didn't get any pictures on here of us boogie boarding, but you better believe we went everyday! I also learned how to body surf which is really fun. We can't wait to do it again next year! I
definitely don't get to see my family as much as I'd like to and I love it more than anything when we are all at the same place at the same time!
This post is so so late but it just seems that we have been crazy busy and I never have time or want to update this blog. Zachary and I have been going non-stop, filling up on all the fun summer has to offer! We are always wishing for the days when we were kids and had no responsibilities and could just PLAY all summer! My life is so full and I am constantly thinking, "does it get better than this?" We definitely have our share of bad days and bad moods but I am really trying to focus on all the good things in our life, and there are so many! We got to go to Washington for the fourth. It was a total last minute trip and I am so grateful for a husband who indulges me in all my shenanigans. We had so much fun at home! It was great to lay out by the pool and just spend time with my family. We got back from Washington late Sunday night and the next day it was off to Girls Camp for me. I LOVE girls camp. It was a totally different experience going as a leader rather than one of the girls, but it was so great to be up there with the Young Women. I am loving working with the Young Women in our ward, most of the time I just feel like I am still a Laurel in Young Womens, it is awesome!
On the third we continued our tradition of having a fireworks show in our backyard. I think those fireworks just get better every year thanks to our chief pyrotech, Carmen.
Collin getting ready to pass out the sparklers- I love those things, they just make me happy.
Carm and Melissa at the fireworks down at the River. I love going home and having everything the way I have always remembered it on Holidays. We always go to the CBW Fourth of July breakfast, we always swim, we always get together with family and friends for a BBQ, and we always head down to the river to watch the fireworks. I guess it makes me feel like a kid again for a little while!
Me and the Z-man at the fireworks. When I got back from WA I went over to my sister-in-laws house and when I walked in she said, "hello indian!" I guess I got pretty dark laying out by the pool! Can't wait to go home in August!
This past weekend was really busy for us, and so fun. A kid in our ward plays the drums for a band and was the opening act for a Lenka concert so we got to go to that. It was so fun to go and watch Michael play and I loved seeing Lenka. She was seriously the cutest thing ever. 
Here is Lenka jamming out. I felt like she was so talented. She probably played at least four different instruments that night AND she let all the little girls in the audience come up on stage to dance and sing with her- I loved that.
After the session we had lunch at my favorite sandwich shop 
On the way home we got to stop in 