Lately.

I just got home from a wonderful 12 day vacation in California with Noah.

I'm playing catch-up now, and it's a bit overwhelming. I'm so blessed to be able to run a company from home, but at the same time it's a lot of work for someone with an 8 month old and home to keep up and food to make.

I'm day dreaming of the walk on the beach I took the first day I was in Carlsbad. Just my son and I searching for colors in the rocks and sea creatures in the tides.

Babies Galore!

{Ashley & Finley, Noah & I, Margi & Jessi, Jenny & Corbin}

I have three best friends. The four of us have been friends since elementary school. Three of the four of us got married within days of each other back in 2007. Then last year we found out that Jenny was pregnant. We were all so excited to be aunties to Jen and Jordan's sweet baby. Little did we know what God had in the works! A few weeks later Ashley called me to tell me that she and Dan had a bun in the oven also! After hearing this news, I called Jessi, we squealed and that was that.

Well, not really. Just weeks after that phone call, Rudy and I found out we would be welcoming a new person into our family too! I couldn't believe that all three of us were pregnant at the same time.

Now, Jenny's boy Corbin, is 5 months old, Ashley's girl, Finley, is 4 months and Noah is 3 months. While we were in California, Jessi's mom Margi invited all of us, our babies and our husbands over for dinner. Here are a couple of pictures from the night. I love the top one with Jessi, Margi's baby, sitting on her lap.

{Jessi with Finley in the bangin hat she bought her}

I miss you girls like crazy. There is nothing like the friendship of someone who has known you for most of your life.

Christmas 2010

Here are some pictures of our California Christmas. Rudy, Noah and I ended up being the stripes triplets...as always.

The boys at my dad's house.

My step-mom's parents, Sue and Bob, with Noah.

My mom, Grandma Cici, with a beautiful piece she did for Noah's room. I can tell he likes it!

I miss my sister, Maya, so much!

California 2010

As I said earlier, Rudy, Noah and I were in California for three weeks over Christmas break. The day we left Columbus, it was 12 degrees out. The first weekend we spent in San Diego it was in the 80's. The warm weather really reset my spirits. I told Rudy that we will have to go back home for Christmas every year now, (we didn't go back last year).

It was amazing being around so much family again. It makes my heart hurt to have Noah so far away from his grandparents and aunts and uncles. On the other hand, it's nice to know that he has so much love here in Columbus too. I just miss my parents and sisters and brothers so much. Not to mention my good friends also.

The third day we were there, Noah and I went to the beach with two of my best friends who also have babies. The picture above is of my little guy's first time on the sand. It was a perfect day filled with picnic lunches, warm weather and conversations that you only have with people you've known (almost) your whole life.

I thought that after three weeks we'd really be ready to get back home to Ohio. I was really torn on our last day though. It was hard to think of jumping back into what our life has become, as great as it is. The day we got back into Columbus, I had a bit of a breakdown. For three weeks I was never alone and without help; Rudy didn't have to slave over homework and there was always a grandparent's arms to pass the baby to if I wanted to take a shower. I wish that vacations could last forever!

Even though I didn't want to come back, this first week home has actually gone very well. I'm so grateful for all of the friends we have in Columbus. We have such an amazing group of friends and family here that I know I'm never really alone or without help. I thank God for that. I know that He has us here for a reason, and that when it comes down to it, even if there weren't friends and family around, I'm never all by myself in this.

A tour of our California studio

Seeing as Rudy and I are on the brink of moving into our new digs, I thought I would post some pictures of our apartment in Vista. Even though it was small, (~400 sq ft) it was perfect for our first place together. I will look back fondly on the year and a half we spent there.

Because there was basically no storage space, we got a filing unit that could double as a coffee table that held all of Rudy's math papers. Genius! Gatsby likes it too:)

Needless to say, I'm very excited to get into our new place in Columbus. I can't wait to see how all of the paint looks on the walls and get our stuff out of storage! 8 more days...