My Birthday!

Birthday week started very nice...Jay took me to brunch at Double Helix, one of our new favorite spots...because the food is good, outside seating is lovely and it's right outside the movie theater where we sent the kids for the second time alone :) 

 I did their 3 course brunch, started with a chocolate croissant

followed by a croque madame...Jay's a beef plate and carne asada tacos, which are amazing!  If you haven't noticed, I love all kinds of food, but brunch is one my favs

then finished off with beignets...not as good as the ones from Cafe du monde, but they were fine :)

during the week, I definitely got my fill of seafood...my team took me for a surprise lunch to Hot n Juicy...so yummy...got down and dirty boiling crab style, except I used my spoon more often to appear somewhat civilized...hee!

then later that night, mom made me a steak & lobster dinner...so so good, I was in heaven!

 

 we were stuffed, happy and stuffed!

that Friday the day before my bday, we headed straight for the beach! 

too cold for the water, so just played in the sand while I read some Hunger Games :)

 then headed up the hill to Las Brisas restaurant...my favorite picture of the weekend where Jaylin said it's so peaceful here :)

food was okay, more for the view...I want to go back for brunch, I heard that it is really yummy.  Jay really liked the ceviche, I liked the dessert, not really a cream puff/eclair lover, but these were good with the ice cream :)

kids chose to have their dessert at the gelato place on the walk back to the car

woke up early the next morning to have breakfast at Madison Square Garden Cafe in Laguna Beach, which I had heard about from a friend...the pictures on yelp don't do it justice, it's just so darn cute in there! 

 was nice to have breakfast in the garden

and look at my German apple pancake!  Delish!

 koi pond

love places that are nice to the kids...the owner came around and gave the kids Easter eggs and toys...we will be back!

 

 went for a swim at the hotel before checking out...learned that there is such a thing as a half day rate, so we did that til 6pm and then were pleasantly surprised when they ended up not charging us...manager said not to worry about it...great wow customer service so I filled out my on-line survey right away :)  do you know the survey actually asks if the cookies at check in are warm, love it!

daddy slide

 Jayson shark

 quickly got ready after swimming, just in time to try the new Dim Sum place at the Spectrum...

was yum!  kids enjoyed it, but by the time we left they were all pretty much passed out on the chairs...headed home shortly thereafter, just in time for Easter and a last bday dinner with Gail & Larry, who just got into town that evening...was a perfect way to end birthday week!

Love Holsteins burgers & shakes...smores shake and a kobe rising sun burger...have yet to try others as they have several that sound so good...the nom nom is my favorite so far
 

 

Twas a Great Birthday Week!

Little Ethan shares the same birthday month as me!  Isn't he too cute!

  Ethan loves Elmo...Tip had such a good spread and the pop corn she had in those boxes were nerds and pop rocks, so good!

 Happy 1st birthday Ethan!!!

3 little handsomes right here! 

cake time!

Auntie tip hired a professional break dancer to teach the kids some moves...easy for Ty since he already does head spins and is practically a jabawockee! 

Fun Party, Peace Out!

going back to Cali...

Jay's team had a Disneyland team event the last Friday of the month, so he drove out there Thursday night...me and the kids were going back and forth about meeting daddy there...flights were too expensive, train was too expensive, that would mean I would have to drive 4 hours there by myself with the kids, which I had never done...I can barely drive an hour, daddy is the driver :)  In the name of love, we did it :) I rented a car one way and we left right after school...didn't even stop at home because I was too scared I would get distracted, wanted to get on the road as soon as possible in the day light!  I did it though, which is a huge accomplishment, may not seem like a big deal, but a huge one for me...hee!  Still can't believe it!

 didn't do much Friday night, just hung out at the hotel, but got up early so we could take advantage of the day since we were leaving that night...took the fam to Plum's in Costa Mesa

for my already featured deep dish pancake...hee! 

then down to San Juan Capistrano...had recently heard about a petting zoo down there, Zoomars...super cute little place...fed the animals

this was his favorite spot...not a fan of guinea pigs, but this is where they had the most fun

 poor little scared rabbits

they ate though

the big kids even had fun :)

 mining

 for treasures

 more animals

 train ride...I forced them to go on, but they really didn't want to, they wanted to stay with the animals...hit me that they may be getting too old for train rides :( 

never too old for pony rides!

 walked around the rest of downtown San Juan Capistrano, cute little shops and restaurants...want to go back for this tea place I saw :)

took a bunch of pictures like this per Jayson's request...he got this spy watch from a happy meal and wanted us to call him agent :)

kids begged daddy to stop at the beach since they didn't want to head back home, so we let them put their feet in

or a little more than feet :)

 We got alot done in a day, was nice to go somewhere in Socal that we hadn't been to before...love these quick weekend trips...we may be doing them more often, especially when we need to get away from the Vegas heat!