friends friends friends

Its so nice hanging with friends, isn't it? My friend Sarah came back in town for a few days (she lives up north) and I had a great time seeing her all week. Tonight we went out for some dinner with a couple guys that we know to hang out and catch up with her. We had a great time eating, reminiscing, and getting to know each other better. Good times for sure!Luke-Jeremy-Sarah-JodyI miss you Sarah!! I wish you could move back to Cali! Until then, keep visiting and hopefully I can go visit you soon too! Love you!!! :)

go ANGELS!

My sweet friend Sarah and her family invited me to join them at a baseball game tonight.

take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the crowd...
buy me some peanuts and cracker-jacks,
i don't care if i ever get back
for its root root root for the ANGELS
if they don't win its a shame...
for its ONE...TWO...THREE strikes you're out at the old ball game!!!!

I had a lot of fun with the girls...they are such sweethearts! We enjoyed a nice game (that we unfortunately lost) and they girls ate some yummy goodies, like ice cream and cotton candy. It was great spending time with all of them.


Oh, and the most fun thing of all...it was FREE BEANIE NIGHT! We all got free Angels beanies...fun fun fun! :)

David home from Iraq

My cousin's son David has been over in Iraq since last summer and he has finally returned! My uncle had picked him up from base and dropped him off at my grandparent's house and we drove out to meet up with them for lunch. We had a nice afternoon catching up with David, as well as visiting with Grandma and Grandpa
(Gma & Gpa with David)Cory, Paige and I sat next to each other at lunch and had some fun goofing off. Cathy, their mom/my cousin, sat down at the end of the table and made known to everyone that she could see my gray hairs from where she was sitting. So sad for me!!! but it did make everyone laugh! :)After lunch we left Gma & Gpa's house and took David out to Yucaipa to visit my other cousin Christy and her family. We chatted, played some pool, ate yummy dinner, and enjoyed David's company. It was nice to see him again and we're all glad that he came home safely! :)

IOWA

My brother and his family live in Story City, Iowa and they just had their second child, a girl...little Finch Adalene Vasquez. My mom and her hubby Ray-Ray had planned a visit out to see them, my sister's family was hoping to get out there too, and so I decided to fly out there. We were hoping to have a family reunion, since its been over a year that we've all been together. Well, it happened...we were all able to get together!My mom and I flew out at the same time, and everyone was to come later the next week. The trip was fun, we did lots of sleeping, eating and relaxing. It was nice. I was glad that I was able to take lots of photos of my nephews and nieces. Here are a couple pics of Townes while he was eating breakfastand bath timemore pics of all the kiddos will be on my photoblog (soon)

My mom and I did a little antique/thrift shopping... unfortunately we didn't find too many treasures. I'm always hoping to find LOTS! :) I did find this rad shirt....The first week while I was there we had a blizzard! The snow came down in all directions! We had a "snow day" and had some fun playing games...like speed scrabble and the card game "golf"and playing "hide" with little Townes under the blankets and pillows
puzzlesFun times in the snow!

Jessie, her dad, Townes and I had a little outing to the grocery store and took a few pics...and I bought Townes his very first Starbucks! I love being an Auntie :)
(don't worry, it wasn't coffee...he had a hot chocolate)
Townes had just sucked down (within seconds) his first Starbuckscheck out this cute little baby goat...so sweet!Jessie also had one of her friends come over and give us haircuts...that was nice. My hair was so long and I hadn't had a cut in forever! I finally got a style again...and had about 5 inches or so cut off! My hair feels so much lighter! :)Mom also got her hair cut, but not too much...Ray-Ray likes her with long hair! (cute) Townes was so cute getting his hair cut...but he's just cute all the time! On the little Main St. in Story City, they were doing a "Toddler Fest" one day. Townes got to meet a big blue dog named Smiley, sing and alphabet song while keeping rhythm with some sticks, talk with a clown, learn how to wash his hands properly, and he got to climb all over a fire truck and wear a fireman's hat! How fun!!!

When my sister's family arrived the second week while I was there things got a little more exciting around the house. We all managed to stay in the same house...all 14 of us!!! A little tight, but fun none-the-less.

Mom and Ray-Ray were happy to be reunited again after being apart for two weeks...And our first night with EVERYONE together we met up at Bandanas in Des Moines...Danny's new favorite restaurant (its BBQ food).Me and my MammaThe boys seemed to have a lot of fun playing with their marshmallow shooters

playing on the tire swing

Cute Sammy on the horsey on the porchWe spent quite a few hours making duct tape wallets and purses with the boys

the boys got to color Easter eggs and have a fun Easter egg hunt







and through the whole trip, there were LOTS of funny faces!

Townes' Aunt Amy and Uncle ShawnGrammy and GrampySteevie-WeevieAuntie Jo with her sweet little nephewsSilly SistersAuntie Jo with Zack


and then there was a family photo shoot:
(you can't all travel cross-country and not take some pictures, right?! :)





Well, it was a great trip! It was nice being able to go for such a long trip...being unemployed has its perks! :) Hopefully our family can all get together again soon...and not have to wait a whole year again!