Five on Friday: California Winter Break Recap

We’re a week back into the school year but my heart still wishes it was winter break! I loved having two weeks off to slow down, unplug, and spend time with family, both in Kansas City and California.  Here are some pictures and updates from our two week break!

1) New Traditions

We had some fun on Christmas Eve morning starting a new tradition. We went out for a yummy breakfast and then headed to Target. We gave ourselves a $25 and 30 minute limit, then set out to find stocking stuffers for each other (and one additional gift for Olive and for Caleb). We put them in our stockings that night and had fun opening them on Christmas morning before we headed to Jordan’s parents’ house for Christmas day. Olive was a big fan of her stocking, reindeer, and presents, even if Mom and Dad did accidentally both get her the same present (great minds think alike?).

2) Christmas Day Craziness

Jordan’s parents absolutely spoil us with gifts every Christmas, and this year was especially fun as we included my nieces and nephew in the fun. We went to a Christmas Eve service at church and then headed home to open gifts from all the siblings and spouses. My favorite part? We almost all got each other something Kansas City or Royals related. Royals shirts and hats, cool Kansas City prints and wall art, mugs, koozies…you name it, it was a gift in the English family this year. We sure do love our city! The next morning we opened the rest of the gifts from Santa (aka Jordan’s parents) and spent a fun day drinking coffee, eating cinnamon rolls, and watching our nieces and nephew go crazy opening and playing with their gifts (except for the book we got my 5-year-old nephew, which he opened and promptly said “Not another booooook!”).

So. Many. Presents.

The English brothers with their cool KC prints from Jordan’s twin sister!

3) Traveling While Pregnant

The day after Christmas, we headed to Orange County to spend some time with my parents. And in what might be one of my favorite pregnancy perks, we got to preboard the flight. Who knew? We sat in the very front row and got to put our feet up and stretch the whole flight, which was awesome considering I’d had a mild meltdown the night before because I was convinced I was going to get blood clots and die on the flight to visit my parents. I think it’s safe to say that pregnancy makes me even more reasonable and perfectly logical than normal!

Caleb’s first flight (okay second flight since he did technically come with us to Mexico when he was just a tiny 4 week old little bean in my belly)

4) California Fun

When we visit my parents, my favorite thing we do is eat, eat, and then eat some more. My mom loves finding new restaurants to try and her selections this year did not disappoint! Our favorite was a restaurant in Fashion Island called Fig & Olive (yes, it did make us miss our puppy) where we ate delicious olives, oysters (okay I had neither olives nor oysters because EW), and all sorts of other yummy Mediterranean and French inspired fare. Good food, good company, and lots and lots of good conversation. We could not be more grateful to have such wonderful family to visit in California and can’t wait to bring Caleb back for the first time this summer!

5) Baby Shower

My mom threw a casual baby shower for me on our second day in California and it was so fun to see some old neighbors and friends. We didn’t play any shower games or do anything crazy, but I was so grateful for that chance to sit down and catch up with some of the women who helped raise me or who I’ve known since I was a kid. They also gave me some beautiful and adorable gifts that I am so excited to add to our growing collection of cute clothes for our little man! Folks are so wonderful and generous and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.

Happy weekend, everyone! I hope it’s a great one! 

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