A year ago today we opened the door to our California home. A whole year. Can you believe it?! Neither can we!
It has been such an exciting year and so much has happened. Here's a quick run down of what's happened! (sorry this is not in any order!)

• we moved into our California home (obvs)
• We celebrated New Years Eve 2013 in Lake Tahoe in the snow
• I started not one, but two new jobs.
• CL got to travel all over the place and he got to hire someone!
• we traveled to Tahoe, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Napa, Houston, Austin, Santa Cruz/ Capitola, San Francisco, Big Sur, Monterrey, Carmel, and Santa Rosa just to name a few!
• CL got to be part of his company going public!
• We got pregnant!
• We celebrated one year of marriage in Hawaii
• CL sliced the tip of his finger off and got 6 stitches in his pinky
• CL turned 30 years old and we celebrated in Las Vegas
• I joined the Junior League of Palo Alto- Mid Penisula and met some amazing girls
• We made lots of new friends that have become our California family
• We attended a Giants game at AT&T park, a Oakland A's game at the Oakland Colliseum (and lived to talk about it) a 49ers game at Candlestick Park, an Indy car race at Sonoma Raceway, and CL went to a Sharks game at the SAP Center
• As an anniversary gift, we got to go see The Rolling Stones live. 
• CL planted and has kept alive an olive tree. and no im not joking.
• we joined costco. 'merica!
• I grew out my bangs. riveting, i know!
• I turned 28 and we celebrated over dinner at the four seasons and with fireworks
• we had lots of visitors.
• I learned to sew and CL built a bass guitar
• We cheered on the Baylor Bears ever week they played, even if our neighbors thought we were crazy
•  We celebrated our first Valentines Day, Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Halloween, Christmas Eve and Christmas on our own

I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but it was! We have enjoyed every second of living out here, except that whole family is 1000s of miles away thing. We have been really lucky and can't wait to see what 2014 has to offer!

here is a short video of pics of the highlights of our year!

Here's to year two!

Our 1st California Christmas!

Since I can't travel because of baby boy, we knew we wouldn't get to see any family for the Christmas holidays. While it was really hard, it was also really nice and relaxing. 
Since I knew way ahead of time that i'd be preparing all our holiday meals, i started shopping and prepping a week out, which made everything SO easy day of. 
Christmas eve was really relaxed. CL worked a half day and brought home lunch while I tidied the house and baked some cookies. We leisurely hung out around the house until it got dark. My Dad called and asked me if I was homesick yet and of course that triggered my hormones and not being home for the holidays hit me like a brick. I know he didn't mean to, someone was bound to bring it up! Luckily I was able to collect myself and CL and I were out to enjoy some Christmas lights.

 

We headed to downtown San Jose to Christmas in the Park. Christmas in the Park is a carnival, tree extravaganza, ice skating, shows- you name it- right in the middle of downtown San Jose. There were a ton of people out and about, so we were definately not alone. It was fun to see all the Christmas trees decorated- there were hundreds!

 

 

 

We watched the ice skaters, hoping to see someone wipe out, but settled on just making fun of all the newbie skaters.

Before heading home, we made one last stop to see this house. Turn up the volume and enjoy! I was so entertained, we actually stayed and watched it 2x! If you've never seen Christmas lights like this in person, you need to! SO much cooler that just watching on the internet!   We got to FaceTime with my family in Houston for a little bit before we ate dinner. I just love and miss my family like crazy. It was kind of fun to know that we were about to sit down and eat the same meal they had just finished up back in Texas! Its the little things!

Momadear, Nic and Mom all managed to squeeze into the camera!

  We always have seafood on Christmas eve. This was my second time to make this recipe, and yall it's so delish. CL ate every last bit!

 

Before bed, we always open one gift, which happens to always be a new pair of Christmas pajamas from my mom. This is the last year she's getting us pajamas as she passes the torch onto us to carry on this tradition. Its always been my favorite.

Chrismas morning started off with making Chrismas breakfast. I literally wait all year for this treat! since it takes a while to bake, we opened presents in the mean time! 
We didn't go all out this year because of baby, but we still had lots of presents to open thanks to my Mom and CLs parents!

even the pups got presents! antler bones! their fav!

 

 

 

 

  Once we finished opening gifts, breakfast was ready! It was so good! Definitely worth the wait!

 

after breakfast, we FaceTimed with my family in Houston while they were opening presents. Even though we couldn't physically be there, we got to be there in spirit. I love technology for FaceTime alone. It really makes the miles seem smaller.  It was hard this year since all the cousins were together except for me. I wish I could have been there, but for obvious reasons, couldn't. Next year!!!   Since we had nothing else to do for the day other than watch Christmas movies and eat, again, we decided to head to the movies. We got in a quick Skype chat with our niece and nephew before we left and everything!   We saw 'American Hustle'. It was really good! I didn't even have to get up to pee for the whole film which is a miracle in and of itself considering it was 2.5 hours long!

 When we got home I got another FaceTime call from my family. This is what happened next!

Dinner was our family's lasagna and I only hope that I made my Momadear proud! It was my first lasagna, ever. CL ate it and we've since then polished off all the left overs! I guess it was a success! I also made her Chocolate mousse and it was delish as well! I guess If I ever have to do this again, i'll be a pro!

 

 

Even though it wasn't a Christmas that we have had in the past, we had a really great day. Sometimes the simple days are the best!
We still have our decoations up and they aren't coming down until New Years. I don't see the point in taking them down right away! Hell i'd like to keep them up til Baby Boy arrives in February, but I don't see CL allowing that ;) plus we need the space where the tree currently is residing!
We hope you had a great Christmas!

Thanksgiving in Texas! Part 1 of 3!

Yes, a week long trip to Texas for Thanksgiving is going to be a 3-parter. There is that much to catch up on! We were so excited to spend a week at home after not being able to visit since we moved to California, so there was a lot to be done, a lot of people to see, and a few surprises as well!  Plus, its the last time i'd be traveling (by plane) and seeing most of my family until baby boy is born, so we wanted to make the trip count!   We arrived late Tuesday night in Austin to chilly weather! It was actually colder in Austin that night then it was in San Jose when we left! We were happily surprised when my Mom, brother Nic AND Mr. Rocket (!!!) came to pick us up! Even though we just saw my Mom and Nic in October, it was so great to see them again!

ladies, meet Mr. Rocket. The sweetest lil boy ever in the whole world. and Molly's biological brother! Twins, crazy huh?

As requested, my awesome Mom picked us up Tex-Mex from Maudie's and had it waiting (and hot!) for us when we got to her house! It was SO. GOOD. 11 months without Tex-Mex is just too long to wait! 

 

We were exhausted, so we all went to bed early so we could get on the road to Houston and try not to hit traffic!    We were up and out early, and didn't hit any traffic. Any car trip with Mr. Rocket is pretty fun. He's not a good car rider!

Mr Rocket. Butt in my face, head behind my mom. He's redic. and I love him for it.

We got to my grandparents for lunch and it was SO good to give them hugs! Being so far from them is the worst! This was the first time they got to see me pregnant and they both got to see the belly! And to make them even more amazing, they surprised CL and I with a hotel room at the Houstonian for the week as a Babymoon surprise! It was so nice of them to treat us to a special week at such a fab hotel. We are definitely lucky to have them as grandparents and soon great-grandparents!

 

 We checked into the hotel, and CL took a nap, and I got ready for the evening. (He was up extra early go get some work done remotely, and drove 1/2 way to Houston, so he was excused!)

For dinner that night, we got the whole gang together at El Tiempo for more Tex-Mex (I know.) It was so nice to see my Aunt Kari, Veronica & Claudia, Ms. Diana and all 4 Nelson boys, my Aunt Lorraine, Chris and Jad, and of course my grandparents, mom and brother. We were a huge party (like 17) and loud and fun and it was the best. Im shocked we didn't get kicked out after the 3rd round of drinks! (I had 2 virgin strawberry daqueris thankyouverymuch.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

After dinner, and a photoshoot (ha!) a group of us went to Kung Fu to continue the fun. It was just so fun being around everyone! And yes, I was in a bar. With my belly. and I had a blast!

 

 

After midnight, I threw in the towel, and drove my gang home so that I would be well rested for Thanksgiving the next day!   Thanksgiving is seriously one of my favorite holidays because FOOD. haha. We had a small group this year, but it was just as fun as it usually is! The turkey this year was hands down the best in years!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed lunch and dessert before heading to CL's parents house in League City. His grandma and Aunt had flown in, and his sister and (soon to be) brother in law were in town with our niece so we were excited to visit with them!   Our niece is seriously adorable and growing up so fast! we had dessert, again, and caught up with everyone. I hadn't seen his aunt or grandma since our wedding, and it is always great to see them. As the night wore on, Im not sure who was more tired, Gwen (our niece) or me. She even asked me to lay down with her to go to bed. So sweet!

 

 

 

Our first three days were jam packed, and there's plenty more! Stay tuned for part 2 & 3!