Summer Bucket List ( # 2 )

I was able to knock off two items off my bucket list with one outing.  BOOM.



Or...maybe I shouldn't be too impressed, actually...I last minuted bribed my sister in law to watch John John with cash & pizza since I failed to get a sitter sooner & then I dragged my husband out to the fair without a thought to cost such as parking, entry, food, etc.  $10 for parking & $11 each for a ticket.  Yep, that's right....$32 later and we are actually inside the fair!  But, to be fair (pun intended) they do offer tons of discounts, none of which I looked into to save us some money.  So, when I say that I "planned" a date night what I really mean is that I last minute decided we should go and then forced it all to happen.  But, whatever.  I'm still taking it off my list because it's my list & I can do what I want! 



Once we got in, we decided to eat.  I mean...what else do you go the fair for?  This is what we ate...

 

You obviously don't get to see the delicious "before" because there was basically no time between my scarfing it all down & this photo.  Here are some signs of food they sold but we did not eat...mainly because I don't have enough money to 1. buy them 2. find diabetes medication for the medical conditions sure to follow  3.  Join Weight Watchers

 

I actually have no clue what is going on in this photo below...we rarely take normal photos these days anyway...but if you would like to see us faking "normal" you may look on my Instagram: @MrsAshleyOBrien

 

 

like the lazy bums that we are...we each spent a quarter sitting down and having our feet massaged.  Best 18 seconds of the fair and best quarter ever spent...

Also, does anybody think it's weird how the guy in the background is holding that girl's head?  The first thought that came to mind is that is the perfect "swirly" hold...You know, what you do when you dunk the geeks head into the toilet?  It can't be just me who thought that...

Anyway, I then forced Matthew to pay this company $4 so we could both see the giant Florida gator.  And yes'um, it was giant!  I normally feel pretty bad about animals forced into captivity so that people like me with small children can pound on the windows & torture the poor thing...but they included the info on why poor ole' gator was in captivity and it basically boiled down to the fact that he would swim into this sanitation district area & eat people & parts of the equipment.  It was captivity or the guillotine for this guy...

 

 

What is not pictured here is the fact that we no longer wanted the fair to rob us of our child's college fund so we did no eat dessert there like I had dreamed.  Instead, we went left, went to Cold Stone & then got home early.  After such a delightful night I fell asleep promptly at 9PM.  It was a sweet night & I'm glad Matthew plays along with my crazy plans...Only 70+ more years of him having to deal with this!!!

the giggles

I'm pretty sure that some days John John just wakes up in a giggly mood...

 

 ...also, please pay no attention to the saggy Target diaper.   

Anybody (Can Change the World)

If you want to find me today, you're gonna have to go here & visit my pretty friend, Wynne's, blog where I'm guest posting for a series she runs called Anybody (Can Change the World)! 

Have a great day, friends!  Hope you are all enjoying this beautiful weather!

This Time Last Year

As I'm busy planning John's first birthday party I couldn't help but think about where we were last year in our adoption process...I couldn't actually recall many details except that we were in the "waiting" stages...but luckily for me, I have this blog to look back on and see right where we were!   So, this time last year...

As Matthew and I were waiting for John John to arrive I set a few goals for myself: Waiting On The Babyand FYI, the only goal I accomplished was to re-watch the entire series of The Office.  In fact, I took that goal so seriously, I watched and re-watched it a few times since I've made this list.  What can I say?  I'm a sucker for hilarious office humor.

I was also very impatient & having a hard time wrapping my head around the unknown.  I'm a bit of a control freak.  I was "thankfulish"

We took some "maternity" photos to kill some time ....they turned out wonderfully and we started the process to adopt a boy due in October.  This was our first and only failed match. You can read our "Updates & Photos" adventure here.

Anyway...You can read on by going to my archive on the left side of the page in the month of June 2012.  I hope as you see my struggle through this you know that the Lord was glorified.  As I worried, waited, paced, doubted & cried my way through the adoption process (I was also joyful, FYI, but amidst the joy I struggled) the Lord was at work on every single tiny detail of our adoption of John John.  And, furthermore, as we battle some small legal  issues in our adoption now that have me waiting, worrying, pacing, doubting and crying...It's amazing to look back at see proof that it is all in vain.  There is nothing  too big for the Lord & He is in control.

Oh yah, and this is post number 200!  I can't believe I have actually stuck to this blogging thing for 200 posts...but unfortunately for you, I think I'm gonna stick it out just a little while longer! ;)


 

Summer Bucketlist [#1]

This past week John John and I were able to knock off our first item from my  Bucket list!  After his morning nap, we packed a lunch, hopped in the car & headed off to the Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center in Laguna Beach.

The drive was short, as we went after morning rush hour, and to find our way was easy.  So, I give it a big thumbs up for that!  We pulled in and the center was a lot smaller than I expected...I guess when your used to Sea World everything but the ocean itself pales in comparison. Anywho, we walk in (I brought the stroller but it was completely unnecessary) and are greeted by a number of volunteers waiting to share information with us.  My favorite part of this is that they never asked us to donate money and shared all kinds of interesting facts and then let us alone.  I appreciated that and wondered if when the time came maybe they'd sell me a car instead of the dealers!  

There were a number of medium sized areas for the seals and sea lions with pools and concrete. 

Basically, the point of the smaller enclosures and fresh water pools was to get them in, rehabilitated and back home to the ocean.  I love that.  It reminded me of adoption!  Adoption is never plan A.  The goal is to keep the baby in the home & zoos and aquariums should never be plan A either.  The goal should be to keep those guys in their wet and salty homes, too!  

 

I would definitely not suggest going and making a day out of this.  It's small and takes about five minutes to get a good look at it all, but John John and I had fun watching the sea lions jump in and out of the water and every time they barked he would smile and laugh.

  

 

       We actually stayed for about forty five minutes just watching them play!  There was also this great little display where you could push buttons and hear the animal sounds the seals and sea lions make.  John loved the ones that sounded like Papa snoring! 

 

As we left, we donates $5 to the cause, looked at all the souvenirs in the gift shops and walked out.  All in all, we did not need to pack a lunch to eat there...But, there are beautiful trails and parks in the canyons of Laguna close by that I can see a picnic there being an awesome add-on to the day.

Summertime!!!

I'm basically all kinds of excited because last week  all of a sudden, it hit me!  This is summer!!!  And if I don't get a move on it's gonna pass me by!  So, I started getting out of the house a heck of a lot more and it's done both me and John John a world of good!  Not to mention, with the new promotion Matthew received (yay!  so proud!) comes new hours.  He leaves for work around 12:30 PM and comes home 10:30 PM...which has me waking up with the baby and putting him to bed.  So the days all of a sudden seem much longer!  

I could tell that John John and I were both getting restless so with the changes in schedules and weather- inspiration struck and I realized we needed to experience life!  I'm always trying to wait and do things when Matthew has a day off which has us bombarding an overworked and tired man with activities and has us with five days of nothing to do.  With all that said, I have put together a summer bucket list.  I mean, come on!  I live in Southern California...what excuse do I have for not visiting beaches, tide pools, fairs, festivals, parks and everything in between!?

So, without further adieu, I give to you

The Rules

-95% of the items on my Bucketlist must be extremely inexpensive or free 

-everything we do must be located in Orange County, California.

The Standard To-Do

-Take part in as many story times as possible

-Take long walks 

-Go to the beach 

The More Adventurous To-Do

-Go to the Orange County Fair

-See a concert in a park

-Visit the Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center

-Make a traditional Ugandan dinner

-Sea Saturdays at the Ocean Institute 

-Go to an Angels game

-Visit the Balboa Fun Zone

-Play at the Santa Ana Zoo

-Splash around at the Splash Pad @ Irvine Spectrum

-Have a tasty treat at Farrell's ice cream

-Play at Atlantis Park

-Watch "World of Color" at Disneyland's CA Adventure

-Do some grocery shopping at the Farmer's Market

Personal To-Do

-Make grown up Popsicles (must be 21+ to enjoy!)

-Re-read Love and Respect

-Plan a date night 

-Spend an entire day by myself at the beach/pool

So that's it!  I've knocked one item off the list so far & I can't wait to tell you all about it!  But for now, here are some photos of us enjoying the summer heat thus far:

Btw, what's on your summer Bucketlist!?

Checking out books & playing at the local library

Walking home from open mic-night at church with da-da

Sharing a snack at the park with friends

Spending the evening blowing bubbles with John John & his best buddy, Avery.

The view from our morning walk

...Africa Blogs...

I was blessed to be a part of a team that was not only sold out for Jesus, but they were also incredibly loving & kind, brave, compassionate & hilarious.  Seriously, the laugh-factor was ridiculous. 

Anyhow, I was also blessed to be a part of the team who was led by the Knights & the Elders.  Jenna Knight & Wynne Elder are both blogging/adoptive mamas and can I just take this time to say that if you think they are beautiful, Godly women and love their blogs & photos & all that...then they will blow you away in person.  I wasn't quite sure what to expect upon meeting them.  I mean, I've been following their blogs for over a year now & felt silly because I felt like I already knew them!  I kinda felt like a stalker!

But, they are both humble & kind & I can happily say that we are now true, genuine & forever friends.  And did I mention the other girls on my team?  I miss them and they all will forever hold a special place in my Africa-lovin' heart.  So, with that said, both Wynne & Jenna have been writing about their time in Africa and all that they experienced during our time there.  You can check Wynne's blog out HERE & you can check Jenna's blog out HERE.  Also, the coolest J-Rey I've ever met is writing about her experience in Africa & you can check her blog out HERE.



Do it.  You won't regret it.  Promise.