Week 18: Burnt to a Crisp

       Our second week in Arizona/California was awesome and terrible and hilarious and horrible all at the same time. It was mainly great but I did a lot of "lesson learning" that I would have rather learned in another way. Arizona was great, I love the valley so much, i got to see family, friends, the new temple, and my family made sure I hit every frozen yogurt shop in the Queen Creek area. It's HOT. My Rexburg/pregnant body was not used  to the intense heat but we stayed inside and had a ton of fun. I went to a "Bachelorette Finale Party" with Danica and Brennon our first night there and let me tell you...if you want to make a big deal out of anything, it's possible with a few dirty Dr.Peppers, dipped strawberries and some mean artichoke dip. Grace Hart (a total sweetheart and Danis BF) threw the party and even though this was the first and probably last episode of the show I have ever seen, i got into it!
     The next day my sweet mother set me up for a dentist appointment in the morning for a little cleaning...fun fun fun. After that was over, we all went shopping and I was able to visit Gail and Madi at Yogurt Jungle (yes, yet another frozen yogurt shop). So fun visiting with mom about her upcoming wedding. I'e never seen her this happy and excited about anything (except maybe grandbabies ) Madi is amazing. I loved seeing her work "so hard" (she works with her best friend and I'm convinced they get paid to laugh). Proud of you Madi girl!
      After that we went back to Danis house and ate a quick dinner before our girls night, which consisted us meeting up with family girls at yet ANOTHER frozen yogurt shop and sharing, get this, yogurt and chips and salsa. Leave it to  my family to eat everything and anything we're craving no matter how odd the combination.
        The next morning we were up bright and early on our way to CALI! William has gotten used to long drives I think because I didn't get sick this time! When we arrived, we went straight to Coronado Island. It was my first time there and I can guarantee it will not be my last. It was beautiful, the sands literally look like specs of gold, the houses and architecture in the area is jaw-dropping and the food is amazing. We went to the beach and I was fortunate enough to watch little Strattons first time on a beach! It was amazing, we has so excited and a little fearless. Brennon and him built sand castles and Stratton loved racking the sand and making the beach look orderly. Dani and I laid out and read our books but Stratton was pretty distracting, i just love watching him.

        We headed in after an hour or so and rented some bikes to bike around the island. Stratton loved his helmet but wasn't so sure about being strapped into the seat. I asked him for two thumbs up if he was ok and he gave me the signal, two side thumbs way up! we stopped at a park to let him stretch his legs on the way back and he chased birds like no ones business. He would have chased them right off a cliff if mom would have let him, he's very dedicated.

        After that we headed to Mission beach to check into our beach house. After a lot of calls of confusion to the managers of the rental we finally got the keys and got in. The house was renamed by the Guttery crew, "The dive". It was...less than ideal. But we had a good time trying to play furniture Tetris, moving everything around to try and make beds for all 11 of us in this tin house. Stratton, bless his heart, received more than one injury just walking around the house stuffed with meaningless furniture. We finally got it all to work but it was no easy task.
         The family came in from Universal Studios around 11pm and we assigned beds and laughed a little more about our future living situation.
          The next day we went hit the beach. I lathered up in sun screen and grabbed a boogie board, I was out there for about and hour and my belly did not want to be thrashed against the waves any longer. The water was perfect and I will never miss an opportunity to go boogie boarding with my dad.
         I went back to the beach a laid out with my sisters while watching Stratton play with sand crabs and be buried alive. We went in for lunch and mom had gotten us these amazing tacos from one of our favorite rolled taco joints on the board walk. I would live there just for the rolled tacos. We went back outside so I got sunblock on again and did some more reading and watching. We even played a game of "Get Breea eaten by seagulls". We placed food on the towel she put over her face while she slept and waited for the seagulls to do the rest.
         As soon as we went inside to get ready for dinner, I knew something was wrong. i was burnt but much worst than I normally am. I felt nauseous and the stinging was extreme. luckily, I was too tired to think about it. We went to bed early that night. My sweet dad rotated cold compression rags from the freezer to my legs to cool down the burns. I had the chills and i was sick and it was a mess. But dad took care of me and my mom kept me calm. (because naturally I was thinking if i'm burnt the baby must be burnt, I must be the worst future mother ever.) The next morning I woke up with no relief, i couldn't bent and I was stinging even worst. Luckily my sleep cycle is way off so i was up an hour or so before anyone and was able to hobble over to the freezer and get some rags to soothe the burning. We were supposed to go to Sea world that day but considering I wasn't able to put pants on...it wasn't going to happen. I was so bummed. 1, because I really wanted to be enjoying this vacation with my family 2, i felt like such a burden. I tried to be tough and independent so everyone could go about Their normal vaca rituals but when you can't move and you're teeth are chattering loudly all day long, it's hard not to effect those around you. my family insured I wasn't a burden and that they loved helping, i felt horrible. 3, I paid for my sea world ticket and it wasn't cheap 4, I was so worried about the baby i could calm down. I told my parents I wasn't going to be able to go but to have fun and I'd call them if I felt I could (it was only a few miles from our rental house). My mom and Danica were trying to convince me that everything would still be ok if I took a Tylenol but I wasn't having it... but something about sitting all alone at "the dive" teeth chattering, body stinging, made me think that maybe they were right. I took half a dose and within ten minutes stopped chattering and could walk...I still walked slow and had very little ability to bend but I could walk. the stinging subsided and I called my dad to pick me up! Yay!
         Sea world was so fun! I couldn't ride any of the rides but the shows were great and I got some awesome picture of my awesome family on roller coasters and rapid rides. Kenna and I made some hilarious videos, Stratton was my best bud when everyone wanted to ride rides and Petting the bat rays became my favorite pass time. Dad sat in the second row at the Shamu show...i don't think he has ever gone to Seaworld without getting soaked by Shamu. I was so glad that I was able to go! The next morning I was pretty sore but it was worth it. I took a Tylenol again and went out the the beach with my family...this time with even more sunblock and an umbrella. We rented bikes again, it hurt but we rode around and went to.....another frozen yogurt place!  when we got back my family was packing up to leave so Brennon Danica Kenna Stratton and I  looked for a place to eat. We played a game called sequence and we can safely say that my competitiveness was showing. I think I've become a LOT more competitive since I married Chad and my family hadn't seen that side of me in a while.
         The next morning was Sunday, we drove home and got back to the Valley just in time to go to my cousins homecoming. He did an amazing job and I just loved taking up 5 rows with my massive awesome family! I rushed back to Dani and Brennons, packed the rest of my bags and rushed to the airport. I was sad to leave my family, as I always am ( think I cry every single time...once no one can see me). But this time I had something great to come home to, a husband! I missed Chad so incredibly much. Allegiant left early and got me home in a hour and 20 minutes... it's like they knew how anxious I was and they were cheering me on. Unfortunately the day of traveling did nothing for my horrible sunburn. With all the altitude changes, i was swelling...very badly. I can honestly say that kankles are the weirdest things I have ever seen or had! I was swollen, tired and burnt but I was the happiest girl alive when I got to hug my sweetheart again after almost two weeks. It's the longest we have ever been apart. While I would never miss my cousins home coming, my family reunion and much needed vacation time... I can also say I will never leave Chad for that long ever again. It was so hard on both of us. We talked two or three times a day and skyped a few times but I just can't go that long without him ever again.
         The vacation was amazing. I learned a lot about pregnancy and my sweet family took care of me so much but I'm so happy to be home were the sun doesn't want to kill me, I get to wake up to my sweet husband and my kankles have gone away!
        HUGE thanks to my amazing family who made my trip so much fun and full of memories, Thanks to Dani and Brennon for letting me live with them again and steal thier kid over and over again. Huge thanks to my dad and Brennon for giving me a much needed blessing that helped me learn some hard but needed blessings and my sweet mom, thanks for everything, making the reunion, the trip to Cali and all my fun possible! Until next year!

No baby updates this week but Williams glad to be home with his dad and growing big and strong!