Trip to California

August 2016

I was very nervous about driving 12+ hours with 3 little kids (one of which was under 1 month old) but thankfully the drive there and back was very smooth. Our main reason for going to California was because one of David's brothers was getting married. Every other time that we have visited we always said there wasn't enough time to see everyone. So this time we decided to make it a week long trip and spend time visiting everyone. Plus I really wanted to go to Yosemite, since I've never been there before. 

So here are some photos of that trip (=

We drove out Friday after David got off work. Took a 4-5 hour stop during the night to get some sleep and then made it to Sacramento around 10 am the following day. 

Waiting in the cool car while the other 2 run some energy off at a playground nearby

Saturday we got to catch up with 2 of my (second) cousins. It was so nice to see these girls and spend time together. When I was younger my family always made a trip to Sacramento around thanksgiving to see all the relatives. I would almost always spend the whole trip at these girls' house playing with the hamsters, collecting stickers and writing in our diaries (= Such fun memories. Sadly I didn't get to see my other cousin Lena. 

Sunday we got to visit our former church Highview Bible. It was nice to see everyone, and see how their families were growing and expanding (=

Sunday was also David's 26th Birthday. We celebrated it at BJ's restaurant with some family. Gabriel was more excited about the candle than David haha 

Sunday evening we spent at Shkaruba's house with some friends 

Monday while the 2 little ones slept soundly, David helped out some of our friends with electrical stuff at their new home.

and in the evening we went to the lake to cool off

Gabriel wasn't a fan of the water

This girl loved the sand

Personal mini pool, because she also didn't like the lake

Cousins spending time together (=

Tuesday afternoon we visited a kids play area 

She seems to really like David's beard =D

Tuesday evening we had dinner with our former mentors. It was so nice to catch up and have dinner together like we used to 

Wednesday morning we had a family photo shoot (which I'll do a separate post on) and in the evening we had dinner with some friends. 

11 kids within 5 years between these 5 mamas

Also on Wednesday this little one turned 1month old 

Thursday we went up to Yosemite Lower Falls. 

Snack break

Making some friends

After I took the photo of David and Zeke Gabriel wanted me to take one of him also. He even posed himself (=

Friday I decided to stay home while David helped out with wedding prep. 

Saturday was the wedding day.

The Tsytsyn Family is growing

With my little girl at the wedding

What a fun-filled week! Sunday we left really early in the morning to head back home (= 

Carseat hair haha

Gabriel is always willing to help (=

1 year together! photos

September 6th, 7th, & 8th, 2013

1 year strong!!!

(=

David and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary a week early by going to Cambria for a weekend. Here are some photos from the trip.

Enjoy! (=

On the way to Cambria we stopped by Eagle Castle. We took our wedding photos there the day after our wedding and wanted to take some pictures next to the castle.

Then headed to our camp site.

Our cute tea kettle. I picked it out (=

It was so foggy and beautiful in the morning during our walk.

The camp site was next to the ocean. Too cold to swim though /=

We ended up eating out most of the time, but had breakfast at the camp site. Coffee and bagels with jam (=

David's boss bought us tickets to tour Hearst Castle. On the way there we stopped by a pier just to take a few pictures. We also took pictures by this pier the day after our wedding. 

This is Hearst Castle. Very beautiful place. 

The view of the ocean from up top. 

The pool. It wasn't foggy up on the hill so it got pretty hot. The pool looked very inviting. 

Beautiful 

This is an elevator inside the castle. 

The AMAZING library Hearst had. 

All his books were under locks, and when guests came and wanted to read one, he has his staff open up the books and hand you the one you wanted.

This picture is said to be the most valued possession that he owned, and he didn't even know it. 

They made sure it was really secure so no one would steal it. 

After the tour we decided to take a walk on the walk way by the beach. 

That seagull was king of the hill haha

This was so cute! There were a bunch of squirells running away from people as the people were taking their walks. David found a peanut shell and tricked one of the squirrels into thinking it was some nut. 

Our Anniversary dinner (=

And dessert. yummy

best chocolate cheesecake I've ever tasted. 

On sunday (our last day in Cambria) we decided to visit a church. This is First Baptist Church of Cambria. Very small church and very nice people. A lot of them came up to greet us and ask where were from. 

And our lunch before heading back

(=

We got the same thing

That's how we celebrated our 1 year of marriage (= 

To a lot of married couples 1 year doesn't seem like a long time, and to be honest it flew by so fast for me, it doesn't even seem like we've been married a year. 

But with divorce rates so high and so many marriages struggling and failing these days, I'm thankful to be able to spend a weekend with my husband appreciating him and what he brings into our marriage. 

David and I have had some pretty high highs, and pretty low lows all in one year. More then others, you could say. And through it all we stuck together, and have gotten closer and closer to each other. 

I am very thankful to God that He sent me a husband who leads me, upholds me, supports me through my melt downs and loves me the way Jesus loves His church. 

I can only pray that He works in me to make me a wife deserving of such a husband.

I love you babe <3

xoxo