Part 3: California Here We Come, Right Back Where We Started From

Thursday morning, we got off to a "late" start and drove all the way back to Orange County (yes, right where we were in the beginning of our west coast tour).  My brother, Michael, was getting married in the Newport Beach temple.  Josh and I drove one car with Annie, Charlotte, Gracee and the twins, while my parents, Tahnee, Eleanor and Gregory were in the other car.  Our car was perfect. The kids were angles.  For lunch, we stopped in St. George for In-N-Out (we tried to go as much as possible).  We arrived earlier than the other car, so we fed all the kids and went to the park to play and get all the wiggles out.  After we dropped all the littles off, we made a Golden Spoon run.  

Passed the LuLaRoe headquarters at the corner of the 15 and the 91 freeways

 

The next day, we headed out to the Irvine Spectrum and ate at Pieology.  When we lived in Rancho Santa Margarita the first year after Charlotte was born, we went to the spectrum at least once a week. Josh worked across the street, so he would walk over and meet us for lunch, we would right the carousel, play in the splash pad.  It was a fun place to hang out.  This time was no different.  And the weather...HEAVEN!!!  

Friday night was the Open House for Michael and Courtney.  We held it at the Murray center in Mission Viejo and had In-N-Out cater (duh!).  Sadly enough we didn't get any pictures of the couple. They were busy chatting with everyone.  It was fun to see so many family and friends we have known for so long.  Thank you to all who came!!

 

Saturday was the day of the wedding.  I went to grab donuts for everyone in the morning.  Lines out the door.  Don't mess with Californians and their donuts.  Tyler flew in.  My parents came over for a bit so Tahnee could do the little girls hair.  We just relaxed and took advantage of a 2:00 ceremony.  

Once we arrived at the temple, we got the kids situated and then had the sealing performed.  It was a beautiful ceremony and lots of loved ones for Courtney and Michael.  Once they came out, a tunnel was formed and they ran through everyone's arms.  I cannot wait to get all the pictures back...I mean, have them get the pictures and show us....  But while we waited for them to come out of the temple, we had our own photo shoot.

 

In between the temple and the family dinner that night, my family went to Islands and got a bunch of appetizers to hold us over and did a Sprinkles run.  Even though we live by a Sprinkles, other people with us wanted to go.  We had two of Michael's friends from Hawaii hang with us all day.  Dave and Tanner were so fun to be with and we were so glad to have met them.  Dave, I hope your wife loved the cupcakes!!  

Later that night, Courtney's family put on a family dinner for all of us.  It was fun to hang out with my grandparents and aunt Robyn some more.  It was at a beautiful park in Irvine and pretty dark, so I wasn't able to take any pictures.  

We left early the next morning out of John Wayne and arrived home around 5:00 pm.  The flight was smooth and Charlotte was seriously a dream.   Really the last three days of the trip she was such a champ, with all the photos and running around.  I was so impressed.  We are so glad to be home though and look forward to not traveling again until Christmas!!