Mother's Day Weekend in CA

It's pretty rare that we get back to our childhood hometowns in CA these days. With neither of our parents living in their houses in CA anymore we don't have as much drive to travel back there. We are always thankful when there is a reason to go though and this time it was a wedding for one of Jason's second cousins in Plymouth. 

We flew back to CA on Thurs, May 10th and stayed through Mon, May 14th. Jason's parents were staying in their RV in Placerville already and we were fortunate enough to stay with my brother and his family in Cameron Park. 

We got lots of smiles from people in the long security line

Daddy and Brielle in their row

(Brielle's first flight with her own seat!)

Mommy and the big girls in our row

The girls had an absolute blast staying with their cousins, Tatum and Bryce, for a few days. Sleepovers most of the nights was a big highlight! The kids enjoyed the very cold pool and even got Jason and myself in with them. We made a visit to Cameron Park Lake for a little playtime, had a few dinners out and the kids just had fun doing everything together! It was so cute to see how close they all were even though we hardly get to see each other!!

These two were inseparable the whole trip and they LOVED playing with these magnets

Cammy and Tatum were inseparable also

Dress up time!

Hailey and Bryce were holding hands everywhere!!

Goofing off with auntie Leia at Cameron Park Lake

(we were waiting for Tatum to get out of her art class)

Uncle Jason found a goose egg in the lake and decided to fish it out

(look closely at what he is holding in front of Brielle)

These two were little fish despite the cold water

Somehow I got talked into going in

And then I talked Bryce and Hailey to swim with me

Bathing beauty in the sun warming up

Ready to head to a Red Robin dinner

Sleepover for Hailey in Bryce's room

Sleepover for Cammy in Tatum's room

Cousins!!

And a rare picture of our girls with ALL of their cousins

(Kinsley on the Lumsden side and Tatum and Bryce on the Friedrichs side)

I was able to set up a quick little visit with one of my close college friends, Alli, and her kids while we were in town. We met for a little park playtime for our kids and then a quick lunch at Chick-fil-a before we all had to head to our regularly scheduled activities. It's never enough time to catch up, but we will take whatever time we can get together. And I was so happy to finally be able to meet her newest addition, who is not so little anymore!

Tire swinging for Cammy and Rylan

The girls with Alli's kiddos, Rylan and Dylan

It's like nothing has changed between me and Alli

Jason's mom set up a big family get together on Mother's Day with a bunch of his dad's side of the family. What a special treat to be able to see Jason's brother and his family, grandparents, cousins and their babies, aunts, etc. We had a great lunch while catching up with family and using the opportunity to capture some rare photos of the family! My how it has grown just over the past few years!

 Mother's Day picture with the reasons I get to be a mommy!

Family Mother's Day picture

The girls with their great grandma Lolly and Ernie

The girls with their great grandma GiGi and Marv

The whole Lumsden clan together!!

G-ma and Grandpa with all of their granddaughters

The Lumsden cousins

Cousins and second cousins (or something along those lines)

After the lunch with the Lumsden family we headed out to go visit my grandma and grandpa in Roseville. My grandpa's health had been going downhill for a bit now (I mean he is 94, so he's made it pretty dang far!) and he was slowly getting worse. We felt so blessed to be able to see him and be able to take my grandma away for a little frozen yogurt treat with her grandkids. It wasn't a really long visit, but it was a good one and getting a few smiles out of my grandpa just made for an amazing lasting memory of him!

My brother and I and our kiddos with my grandma GeGe at frozen yogurt

My grandma was so thrilled to have us visit!!

The kiddos with great grandpa Roy

So blessed to get this visit with my 94 year old grandpa!!!

Our trip ended on Monday with a little visit to Coloma with Jason's parents. We got to play at a playground and then watch some rafters go down the American River. 

Checking out the American River

This was definitely a much needed visit back "home" and I am so glad we went at the time we did. Jason and I love being able to drive around such a small area and be able to show our kids everything about our lives growing up...where we went to elementary school, high school, where we got married, where we lived growing up, etc.