girly getaway

Last weekend Tiffany, Susanna and I packed up some bags (and FOOD) and headed for the mountains! We reserved the Swiss Family Robinson Suite (highly recommended) at the Storybook Inn (INCREDIBLE service!). I apreciated the time with them so much! (not to mention the gorgeous views of the valley from our tree-nestled room).

Breakfast time:

Our entertainment room trap door...

Tiff and Sue surprised me by decorating the room for my birthday. As if it wasn't decorated enough to go along with it's theme ;)

My surprise cake managed to survive the windy mountain roads...

More Pictures with Chris

Pumpkin Carving!
Disneyland!

He's pretty much amazing...Lilies are my favorite!

Family, Sunsets, Pumpkins, and Disneyland

This past week I spent pretty much everyday with Chris while he was here. I feel like I sort of got a mini vacation while I spent time getting to know him better. Even running errands with him was fun. We went to the Yucaipa pumpkin farm and got to pick our pumpkins off the vine. It was a pretty neat place and the weather was beatiful. You can decide which Jack-o-lantern you think is better ;) On Friday we went to the happiest place on earth, Disneyland, and I had a couple pictures from that too. So! now back to the old routine this week, studying, laundry, work, studying, and more studying and work...and did I mention studying?

School overwhelms me consistently and when I need a perspective change, I have found that there's nothing more humbling and hopeful than the image of a beautiful sunset. I've escaped from homework and the craziness of life many evenings recently to drive up little mountain and take a moment to be in awe of who God is as I try to take in the beauty of his creation. If I ever can make the time maybe one day I'll start painting and sketching again and I can use these amatuer photos as inspiration. Here's just a few from my growing collection:

Well it's been crazy lately so there's a lot to catch up on! I've been struggling to maintain a level head with the whirlwind of emotions I've experienced these past couple months.

It's been almost a week since Crystal and Jamen flew back east to meet up with Phillup and the relief of stress somehow doesn't balance out the grief of missing their presence in my daily life. Who knew you could possibly miss a baby so much? My little "booger man" with some strange language all his own, a punk rock hair-do, with his untimely farts and silly hicups somehow stole my heart from the moment I saw his little poopy head crown in the delivery room. There's nothing more precious than the glory of God radiant in the miracle of children. Crystal and I have definitely bonded deeper than I could have imagined a year ago and I am so thankul for the experience and honor of being a sister and friend to her.