October comes to an end

These are just random pictures I got on my phone while we were in Utah. It was a very long three weeks but honestly worth it since I do not know when we will get another chance to go back. I knew I wasn't going to be able to go for the holidays so this was my way of making up for it.

My plan was to stay with my mom for 2 weeks but after 10 days she came down with some  horrible sickness and out of fear Bentley or I would get it my father got us out of there ASAP so that meant we got to spend more time at my sister-in-laws which is always a blast but my heart was sad. I really wanted to spend that time with my mom and Bentley didn't even get to give her a hug or kiss goodbye cause I could't risk him getting sick like that.

We went to Utah

We took a 3 week trip to Utah and it was so nice but way too long. It seems every time we make it to Utah we end up sick or something bad happens. Not kidding. Last time Bentley and I got horrible allergies which ended up as pink eye. We first went to my sister-in-laws house and hung out with her for a few days which is always so nice to get to talk to her and hang out. She is superwoman with 3 small children and everything she has to get done in the day I am not sure how she does it all. This is why I only have one. My two request were first I needed to have some Rita's water ice which is part of my childhood in Philly, I was one happy girl and the other one was that she needed to drive me through Provo Canyon which is where Jon and I took our engagement pictures so it a special place for me. It really is a magical place and when I get to Heaven that's what it will look like. I just love seeing all the yellow leaves and white tree trunks. Bentley and I got out and took some pictures which came out pretty cute but pretty quickly after that he started sneezing and I knew that was it. this boy is allergic to something up in those Utah mountains. Thank goodness I had some Benadryl for him and he wasn't down for too long.

Then we headed to my moms and got spoiled by her with cooking every meal for me and playing with Bentley and letting me sleep in. It was heaven. We also got to have two playdates with my really good friend Ashley and Bentley's best friend Brae. These two are just so stinkin cute I swear. I cannot get enough of their cuteness when they are together, they act like an old married couple for sure. We also got to see her new baby girl Reese, we had already met her in July but just for a few minutes and she has gotten so big and Bentley is loving babies so he got to hold her this time around. I really miss being back in Utah and having my family close by and having friends I can count on for anything and children for Bentley to play with. 

On Sunday after church my dad took us all to a park to go on an afternoon stroll which was a blast. A river runs right by it and its just so peaceful. It's the same park I used to take Bentley to when he was first born. Brings back good and bad memories of those times. I sure do love Utah but California is also so magical. We had a good time with family and friends while back in Utah. It's always a good time when I go back.

First half of October

Can you believe we were still going to the beach in October? This weather is really spoiling Bentley and I. Once it drops below 70 we are wearing winter clothes. I'm sure our Utah friends and family would laugh at us. 

We got to meet up with some friends at the beach and had a blast. It was a new beach we had never been to called Topanga Beach and we fell in love with this place. It has free parking plus it secluded which I liked cause not too many people were there. The kids got to run around nonstop and play in the sand and rocks. We spend almost 5 hours at the beach with the kids. 

Some of the other things we got to do before we headed up to Utah are in the pictures below but I'll explain: mom-mom came to visit for the day and we ended up at the Los Angeles temple which is beautiful and it felt pretty calming inside the visitor center, Bentley likes to fall asleep in weird places, Jon, Bentley and I got a family picture taken that actually turned out good, our Philly cousin who I love to pieces she totally gets me probably has to do with the fact we both grew up in Philly, cousins playing games on the iPad, took Bentley to the kid museum and he is such a silly kid, more from the kid museum, do you see superman doing his thing? yes my child is crazy, and last check that smile I love this boy to pieces.

Then we were off to Utah for 3 very long weeks.........

Childhood friendships are the best

Early October I got a message on facebook from a childhood friend whom I had gotten back in contact just a few years ago. The day I found her online I was so excited. For years I had wondered what had happened with her and her family. 

Her mom was truly an angel send to our family when we first moved to the States, she got us registered for school and took us to all of our doctor appointments to make sure we had all the vaccines needed to go to school. She translated for my mom any time my mom needed her for something. She was truly God send and I know my mom feels the same way. This lady had 3 daughters at the time one was an infant, one was a year older than me and one was 2 years younger than me. We all clicked and became good friends. 3 years later they moved to Indiana for work and I remember that being one of the saddest things I had experienced up to that point. I cried for days and tried to stay in touch but back then it was hard so we lost contact. 

So when I found her online I was super excited to see how life was going for her. I hadn't heard anything for about 14-15 years. She had 2 beautiful little girls.

Anyways fast forward to me getting her message on facebook where it said she had noticed we had moved to California and that she was in the area and wanted to know if I would like to meet up. Immediately I was jumping from excitement. Meet up with an old friend who I loved dearly? Of course I was up for it. I send her my phone number and we made plans to meet up at Knotts Berry Farm. 

Seeing her was like we had never missed a beat, felt so natural. How I love when that happens. I feel like we were meant to be friends and one way or another I was going to have her in my life. Her husband was really nice and her girls were so good with Bentley. He fell in love with them. I got to go on some roller coasters with her older girl which was a blast and I would have never done by myself but I couldn't say no to her sweet face. 

It was a bittersweet meeting though. My friend Nicole was diagnosed with cancer a few months back and she had just finish her last round of Chemo. Breaks my heart to see someone so amazing have to go through such a hard trial but I know the Lord has a plan for her and she will beat this. 

To be honest I fell in love with her little family and hope to be seeing them again soon. 

Till we meet

Jon's grandma whom we loved dearly passed away on the 25th of September. Exactly one year to the day of his grandpa passing away. 

I know this must've been a sweet reunion for them both. We also know she is no longer in pain but it is always hard saying goodbye to a loved one.

I was worried about how Bentley would take it as this is the first person that he was really close to who has passed away. Bentley was able to create a great bond with his great-grandma even though she couldn't speak, he loved her so much and always run up to her first thing to give her a hug and a kiss.

The day of the funeral Bentley said he wanted to say goodbye to grandma. 

I grew up in a country where death is not hidden from children. If it happens you are there and you witness everything. One of my earliest memories is my grandpa's funeral when I was only 4. I still remember all the men in my family taking his casket from my grandma's house to the cemetery. I still remember we sang "Oh my Father" and how emotional I was about it. In Costa Rica when people die at home they are never taken to a hospital or anything you die and your family dresses you they have the casket brought to the house and the viewing is that same day and you have to be buried within 24 hours so that you don't start to stink. So really there is no time to think about what the children might see or not.

So anyways me having been brought up that way when Bentley said he wanted to say goodbye to grandma I wanted him to have that closure even if he is only 4. I waited till Jon got to the funeral home to talk to him and Jon was on board with me that Bentley gets to make his own choice about this. I knew Bentley didn't really understand what was going on but I didn't want him saying to me that I didn't allow him to see grandma one more time. He got to see grandma and say goodbye which made him really emotional and he probably cried for a good hour but he has to learn these things happen, right?

Anyways grandma's service was the most beautiful service I have ever been to. She gave her own eulogy. A few years ago our cousin made a video of her telling her life story and we thought no one will be able to do it like grandma would. What a very special woman she was to so many.