LaterBlog: Best Friend Visit

Last week (well 10 days ago) I had planned on going to lunch with my best friends mom - kind of like my second mom - and when I walked up to the restaurant I saw two little angel faces smiling so so big and then I saw my best friend, Ashley. Ash has lived in California for pretty much just as long

as she has lived her in Utah so we only see each other a handful of times a year. She was planning a trip up to visit but just didn't know when it would really happen. Well, after hearing my latest news she basically jumped in the car and started driving. Her and the girls made the trek up and surprised me at lunch. It was so great to see her sitting there and those two little ladies. 

enjoying some after-lunch gelato

It was a very full visit and I tried to spend as much time with her and the girls as possible. We had some fun for sure!

We went to the zoo and fed the giraffes (check #31 off of my 35 before 35) which was so much fun. It was crazy hot though so that part wasn't too fun but animals just have so much calmness to them so it was fun to walk through and see the excitement on the kiddos faces. Kids make everything so fun and new. And I turn into a 5 year old around them so that doesn't hurt either. My friend from junior high gave us the VIP treatment throughout the zoo and made us feel so special - it was also great to catch up with her.

Armadillo fun! Thanks to Rebekah for spoiling us!

Pure joy!

We also went to the Museum of Natural Curiosity - something I have wanted to do since it opened. It was a lot of fun as well but there were soooo many ppl there. I will have to go again when it isn't summer and everyone is trying to escape the heat.

hard to see but Perle was walking across the rope bridge... 

Ash and I got to go grab food a couple times just her and I which is always nice too. She also cooked one of my favorite things - orange juice salmon. She made an incredible dinner for us and a couple friends, followed by a sleepover.

Just eatin' a chicken wing

Mmmmm cake!

I mean those faces...

Orange Salmon Nicoise Salad... so dang good!

Other than that we just hung out and enjoyed being around each other. It is rare to find someone who you can just be you with. Do nothing and be content. That's a best friend and I truly have struck gold in that area. We made some vacation plans and I hope to get out there sooner rather than later. Plus I can't go without hugs from those girls for very long. It was so great to build our relationships, so much personality in such little humans. And man do they have my heart.