#98 - Quick Updates!

1. 
   
   Went to Hawaii for the first time, spent 6 glorious days in Maui at the Honua Kai (I highly recommend!) during late February / early March



2. 
   
   Lui proposed on the last day during our drive along the Road to Hana at sunset!



3. 
   
   Two weeks ago, Lui got the keys to his first house - photos to follow...



4. 
   
   Recently saw my Aunt Maxine weekend for dinner and a play, 2 of my cousin's plays are currently being produced: https://circlextheatre.secure.force.com/ticket#details_a0H80000008F2UDEA0 & http://www.ensemblestudiotheatrela.org/ (saw this one with friends a few weeks ago) - so good!


5. 
   
   Found out Suzanne Rogers is having a girl! She's due 07/22/11 - hope she comes a little early and we can share our b-days. ;)

Here's Lui walking towards the ocean from our hotel.

During the Road to Hana we enjoyed fresh fruit bought road-side.

Our second night was spent at a Luau - this time of year there are so many whales (down from Alaska for the winter) they call the area between island (right behind us) "whale soup"!

#97 - Baby Vincent Update

On Saturday I went to see Andrea and her baby and all he wanted to do was sleep...
...until it got late and everyone was tired - then he was WIDE awake and smiling!

#96 - Fresh California Citrus Fruit

Things have been slow (work is hectic busy but life is moving at a slower than normal pace) and I've decided to post one of life's simple pleasures that I don't often take for granted - fresh fruit! Growing up in North Dakota, I remember my mom telling me how delicious the fruit was in California (because it's picked when fresh!). There's no better example than the kitchen/break room table at work. Sometimes we see avocados or tomatoes but recently there has been an abundance of fresh citrus fruit picked straight from a co-worker's orchard -

There is really nothing better! I remember everyone driving around with trunk loads of zucchini in North Dakota so to each their own, but when in CA be sure to indulge in the fresh fruit.

#95 - Baby Hazel & Baby Alexander

Here is Lui's niece, Hazel! Check out all that hair she's smuggling under the cute hat! Hazel is just over a month old but already in 6 mo. clothes - her mom said the only time she wore newborn was coming home from the hospital.

Here's Lui's cousin's baby, Alexander, born December 21st:

Alexander joins big brother, Felipe IV - soon to turn 2!

If ever there was a shortage of babies in my life, it's certainly not now! :)

#94 - Happy New Year 2011!

On New Year's Day I met up with sorority sisters, Andrea (holding daughter Kiera) and Suzanne, in Temecula. Exciting news...at lunch, Suzanne announced that she is 2 1/2 mo. pregnant and due in July!
I uploaded that last one out of order so go back a day to New Year's Eve - Marissa and Tony picked me up from work (we got out early!) and we went wine tasting in Temecula.

Afterwards, we went to Kevin and Autumn's house (Lui and Kevin worked the duty so they couldn't partake in the festivities) then had dinner at The Melting Pot. Here's Tony's ying-yang martini:

We ate SO much good food but still found room for dessert -

Here we are heading back to the Cooper's house to do the countdown to midnight! I picked up Meadow (Lui's goddaughter) and she let me know I may have squeezed her stuffed tummy a little too tight, sorry!!

#93 - Baby V

At lunch today, my mom met me at Andrea's (brought us all Chipotle for lunch) and I got to meet baby V for the first time! I held him for a little while as I sat on the couch but I was SO nervous, he is SO small. I'm looking forward to him getting bigger and chasing him around!

#92 - The babies are here!

I've been joking with Lui that the babies (my niece's and his brother's) were going to be born on his birthday...and one of them was! Here is Vincent Lee Navarette III who wasn't due until 12/16 but was born 12/08 at 3:43PM weighing 7lb 1oz and a looong 22 1/2 inches:
Ironically, Lui's sister-in-law checked herself in to the SAME hospital on the same day but she didn't have her baby until 1:30AM the next morning. Here's Hazel Cruz born 12/09 weighing 8lbs 6oz - her momma didn't have time to get the epidural so she was born naturally (ouch!).