Auntie Life

August was filled with TWO quick trips to California for me! I say quick because I only stayed a couple nights each time, but since we’re now basically on the other side of the country, it takes pretty much a whole day of traveling each way to get to California and back. It still feels like home though each time I come in. California is where I spent my first 26 and a half years! And the Bay Area in particular is where I first started teaching, where I met my husband, and where I have so many wonderful memories!

So back to my auntie duties! At the beginning of August, I went out for my youngest sister’s baby shower. We had the sweetest lunch in downtown Los Gatos (which is also where I lived as a beginner teacher - I had a tiny bachelorette cottage literally in a backyard of a bigger house, and I loved it to pieces).

Back to the party! We had such a sweet afternoon showering baby Sophie with love!

Flower delivery! I did the arrangement myself - it's seriously my favorite thing about party prepping.

earrings | dress

My sister, the pretty Mama-to-Be:

Grapefruit Mimosas FTW! 

Three sisters, three different states! 💓

 

The rose gold balloons were from the Dollar Section at Target. Perfect, right?

 

For the favors, I collected tiny bud vases and filled them with flowers. They doubled as they place cards for seating!

My mom was stoked about her third grandbaby - and the first girl!

Cupcakes from Icing on the Cake - a must if you are in Los Gatos!

I was in the Bay Area less than 48 hours, but I managed to fit in a Farmer's Market stop! 

Seriously, California produce is just the best. 

Flower love.

I literally could not pass up the artichokes and flew home with two of them, right in my carry-on bag!

Plus a bunch of dahlias, wrapped in a 49ers story. Swoon. And I didn't feel at all silly about carrying them around the airport 😂

24 hours after I left California, my niece was born! She came a whole month early – and as soon as she was born I just knew I had to get back out for some newborn snuggles!!

Which is how I found myself on the same exact flights out just a week and a half later 😊

backpack | carry-on duffel bag | shoes

One of my favorite things about flying solo (besides being able to pack light and have free hands for books and coffee) is using my Apple watch for boarding! Plus, let's be honest, flying by myself is pretty much a mini vacay. It takes pretty much the whole day to get from Hunstville to California (a 1.5 hour commuter flight from HSV to DFW, layover time, then a larger plane for a 4ish hour flight from Dallas to San Jose) and it's filled with books, blogging, magazines, TV shows, movies - it's really a treat 😉 And once I was back on the Best West Coast, I got to meet this sweet newborn!!

I'm kind of obsessed. 

 She couldn't be cuter and my sister is already just the best Mama!

And then, just like that, I was back on a plane!

Until next time, California! 💗