California trip wrapped up

Then the next day, we had the coolest chance ever to go spend an afternoon at the Sacramento Temple. 

My cousin Sara was being sealed to her husband and their gorgeous baby girl. Tim and I felt so lucky to be able to be there to see such a special event!

The kiddles played outside in the beautiful sunshine, enjoying the grounds and fountains and each other.

Photo-op!
Look at all those brown eyes. Then the two blue eyed boys at the top. Then Amelia. What color would you call those eyes? We're still stumped.

Congratulations, beautiful forever family! I love you so much, and I'm so so happy for you. Thank you for sharing your day with us.

Mmmm... water.

Limitless possibilities for fun.

Gray? Can a person have gray eyes? They're not blue or brown or green, so gray they must be. I do so wonder if they will stay that color. I do so hope they do, for I do so love to look at them and the mysteries they contain.  :)

Then we went to eat at The Spaghetti Factory, because not only is it very conveniently close to the temple, it is also conveniently delicious. 

The girls sat at the big kid table, and behaved themselves surprisingly well.

We sat at the Cool Kids table, because we're like that.

Plus at the cool kids table it's completely acceptable to wear half of your meal on your face and spill your water and color on the placemats instead of eat.

We're loving this little second-cousin!

It's so fun to have babies and be with cousins who also have babies. And all be sealed together! It's kinda ridiculously fun!

The next morning we drove home, and the heavily predicted and warned about and threatened snow storm came to pass. The Sierras are some wickedly gorgeous mountains, and they really know how to throw a snow storm. 

We took a break at the Donner Party State Park, partly because we needed a potty and partly because, you know, it was snowing. And it was the Donner Party state park. Made sense. I guess.

Some of us were bundled up.

Some of us have been wearing flip flops in the winter for our whole lives, so why stop now?

We made it. We lived. The mountains delivered us into the vast and lonely desert, and we continued homeward.

Because we sent Lainey home with Jojo there was an empty seat in the back, so I plopped myself down there next to this little gem. Isn't he cute? And doesn't the chocolate/marker/play-doh/fruit snack/bonk on his face just add to the cute?

And one time, when we were stopped at a gas station, this was going on in the back seat. 

You're so sorry you missed it! That's why I blogged it. Now you know. Welcome to our happy insanity.