road trip

now that we've been here (the great northwest) almost a month i thought i might get my lazy backside into shape and post some pictures from our drive up. it's been a while and my memories are already fading, so NOW is the time.

penelope is ready for the trip! she doesn't know what she's in for at this point..... driving and driving and driving some more.

our first stop was in san fran! i've never been, so i was excited to get to stay there. i loved walking around the city. i definitely want to go back for a more extended stay. but for now i am glad to say i've been there. 

in san francisco riding a trolly.

we went to the musee mechanique. it. was. SWEET.

bryan lost. 

this guy predicted our future.

some asian guy took about a hundred pictures of bryan and penelope (they are cute, so i can't blame him). he got his favorite shot of them playing this game. 

alcatraz is behind them in this shot. penelope was a little disturbed about the idea of a jail and wanted to "get the guys out of that jail." 

pier 39

driving and driving and driving....

the redwood forest was awe inspiring. i could not believe how enormous these trees are. we hiked a couple of trails and drove extremely scenic roads. we decided that we need to make a repeat visit, rent a little cabin and do more hiking. 

our hot ride.

she's such a tree hugger.

we drove along the oregon coast. there aren't many words to describe the feeling you get when you are surrounded by this much natural beauty. 

walking baby

isla is walking! celebrate. she started really walking on sunday, prior to that it was a few steps here, a couple of there. now she's really challenging herself to walk all around. it amazes me how many times a baby can fall down and just stand back up and keep trying. it's all really inspiring to me, because i feel that i give up on some things easier than i should. the fear of failure really is a crutch that the wee folk don't have. it's beautiful.

all the other photos i took were blury, so you get a very focused expression from the babe.

and a video...for the grandmas and grandpas:

disneyland and other california things

hello from redmond! i am sitting at my computer here in our corporate housing, which i am super grateful for, wishing we had a place to live. we have been crazy obsessed house hunters for the past few weeks and i am plum tuckered out. does anyone know where the phrase tuckered out came from? is tuck a person? anyway, i already miss california and so does miss P. it is beautiful here and i know that once we are more settled and explore a bit more we will start really loving it here-fingers crossed.

here are a few pictures from before we left san diego.

we thought we might do disneyland one more time before leaving. justin and anna joined up for one of the days we were there. i am so sad to be leaving SoCal and part of the reason is that J&A won't be as close....BOO!

saying goodbye to our apartment complex. this place was a good home. 

 we took one last trip to the san diego zoo. we will truly miss the zoo. there were times when we were going to the zoo every week. we will miss it! 

 you know those things that zoos and other attractions scatter about for the sole purpose of kids being photographed on and around them? well, penelope insisted on being photographed on all of them while we were at the zoo. here they are:

we did a little pre-party for isla before we left. we had a feast at J&A's new house and ate mass quantities of costco's chocolate cake. 

  

happy 1 year to my isla may! yesterday this little girl turned 1.
we have just arrived in redmond and we are excited to get settled. i am going to post some pictures of our adventures on our road trip. get excited. that is all for another time, right now i want to focus on our little isla.

isla,
you are a beautiful girl and such a sweet, sweet baby. we have felt nothing but blessed with you! i remember a year ago i was so excited to have you coming into our family, but at the same time i was nervous that i wouldn't have enough love for another baby. i knew the second that you were born that i was wrong about that. the doctor handed you to me and you rested on my chest and i wanted to cuddle you next to me forever. i'm getting all teary and snot faced right now, because i know those days are gone. you are a big girl and you want all of us to know that. you can't walk quite yet, but you won't let us carry you. you WILL walk. you feel big when you talk on the phone or when you pretend to read mom's books (most of the time outloud) and when you "dress" yourself. while all this independence makes me feel the loss of my baby, i simply can't wait to see all you learn and discover this year. i love you my sweet baby.
love/mom

i took these pictures when we were readying to move...so they are a week early, i thought i would take a picture of our surroundings at the time.