California Trip/ Fourth of July

Hey, I am backlogging a little bit here. Because this blog was so much Twilight themed (not that I mind that!), and not enough family...plus this is importanat stuff! This is from our vacation in July when we went back to my hometown of Seal Beach, CA. We went for several reasons, 1) to see family, 2) to just get out of the heat in Utah for a while , and 3) to bless Rebecca. (P.S. Not all of my posts are going to be this long or full of pictures! Promise!)

This first set of pictures is from our trip to the beach with Rebecca on July 3rd. It was her first time at the beach. She wore a little swim suit and everything! The water was pretty cold and so I was worried that when we stuck her feet in she wouldn't be happy, but she didn't really respond much at all! Her little feet almost turned purple they got so cold, and she just did not care. It was a fun day! (Gotta love my tan lines...eek!)

Isn't she just the cutest thing ever?

This next set of pictures is from the 4th of July. Rebecca wore her adorable sailor outfit for the first time. We went to a church breakfast at my parent's ward, then had a parade at the neighborhood park in a decked out umbrella stroller (Becca was entered in the 3 and under category, her cousin Christian was in the 3-6 year old range and drove a tricycle) and then went and saw fireworks at the Los Alamitos base later that evening. It was lots of fun! Becca got very tired by the end of the day, and she slept right through the fireworks!

This is our family that went to the breakfast...(Back)Tyson, Me, Rebecca, Grandma Bowen, (Front) Christian, my sister Wendy, and her hubby Sean.

These next pictures are from Saturday when Ryan and Natalie arrived at the Hotel California (Otherwise known as my parent's house) with their three kids James, Sophie and Maxwell. Maxwell loved Beccan and wanted to grab her a lot. Sophie kept announcing that "The baby is so toiny!"





Then later that day we went to Tustin to see Jen, Nathan and Katelynn. Jen was my roomate in college and they were living in CA for the summer while Nathan did an internship. It was good to see them again! We spent time hanging out and Katelynn loved playing with Becca. Then we went to Wahu's for dinner. YUM!



Katelynn is such a cutie! Gotta love that smile!

Then on Sunday we went to church in the morning then did the blessing in the afternoon at my parent's house. This way some of Tyson's family could drive down from Ridgecrest and not have to wake up super ealy in the morning. Rebecca wore the dress that I wore when I was blessed and a little gold ring that I wore as well. The family members that came down from Ridgecrest were Grandma Ratliff, Trent & Sabrina and thier four kids, Rees, Caden, Page, and Tricia, and Torri & Scott, and their three kids Victoria, Sirus, and Logan. The members of the circle for Becca's blessing were Tyson (daddy), Grandpa Bowen, Great-Grandpa Riccilli, Uncle Ryan, Uncle Sean, Uncle Trent, and my parent's bishop, Bishop Shaw (not pictured). Rebecca was so worn out she was not happy, and cried the whole time, but regardless it was a very emotional and spiritual experience. We felt the presence of her Grandpa Ratliff, and we know that he was there to be part of our baby's blessing. It truly was wonderful.

This is Rebecca with Aunt Brina, cousin Sophie, and cousin Rees. This is before the blessing so she's just in a onsie and not her dress yet.

Becca and her cousin Victoria


This is just a really cute, happy picture of baby Maxwell from that Sunday.


Becca and mommy's rings.



Rebecca and Grandma Ratliff

This is Becca and the participants of her blessing (minus the bishop, he already left). They are (L-R) Sean Morris, Grandpa Riccilli, Daddy, Trent Ratliff, Grandpa Bowen, and Ryan Bowen. (Sean had already changed his shorts, and Ryan was helping with dinner...thus the apron).



Our happy family on Becca's big day!

This is Becca with Torri and Scott and thier family, she didn't stay happy long so we needed to end the picture taking after this.

These are some pictures we took of Rebecca in her dress after we got home, since she was so unhappy that day. She is laying on my baby blanket too, that her Great Grandma Riccilli made for me when I was a baby.




Then Monday Tyson and I went to the beach with Ryan, Natalie and thier kids, and Wendy and Christian, and left Becca at home with Grandma B. Good thing too, cause Tyson and I got fried! We drove back on Tuesday and that was our big vacation. It was a great trip! I hope you enjoyed the pictures.