Valentine's Day Weekend

My parents surprised us and drove up on Saturday morning. They came to visit with their favorite granddog, Lucy, and also to cheer me on in my first USTA league match. On Saturday, we all drove out to Bremerton Athletic Club, where my first tennis match of the regular women's season was taking place. I was a bit nervous because this season I was bumped up to 4.0 level and was playing singles almost entirely. I got off to a good start and won the first set 6-2. Then I started making some errors and my opponent stepped up her game and I lost the second set 4-6. We went to a third set tiebreak, which I was determined to win and I did win.

It was very cool to have my parents there to cheer me on. It kind of felt like I was back in high school with my parents there cheering me on at all my sporting events. We went home where some yummy homemade crockpot chili was awaiting us. Then Clark and I headed out to a friend's birthday party. Lucky for us, we had a dogsitter for Lucy all lined up - my parents - and they were beyond thrilled to watch her.

The next day, Sunday, was Valentine's Day and after having breakfast at Paddy Coyne's, my parents headed back home to Portland (of course stopping at Cabela's on the way home). Meanwhile, Clark brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a card, which told me that I had an appointment at the spa for a facial, massage, manicure, and pedicure. I was so surprised and so excited. So off to the spa I went. It was wonderfully relaxing. When I got home 4 hours later, I had my own Valentine's Day surprises for Clark. I made him homemade Italian meatloaf and homemade macaroni and cheese (made with Cougar gold cheese!). Lucy also got a special Valentine's Day dinner of rice, chicken, salmon, and green beans. For dessert, Clark got a homemade chocolate chip cookie in the shape of a heart as well as personalized Sweetheart cakes. As if that wasn't enough, I treated him with a gift certificate to Puetz Golf to purchase a new golf club that he had been wanting.

It was a wonderful Valentine's Day filled with tennis, family, home-cooked food, and lots of love. I feel so blessed.

The day after Valetine's Day we went to Seattle - a long walk along Alki Beach in West Seattle, some fish and chips at Duke's Chowder House, and golf club shopping

Me and Clark at Alki Beach in West Seattle
The pretty bouquet of flowers Clark got me (my favorites are calla lillies and tulips)

Personalized Sweetheart Cakes
("My Sweet Baboo" is what Sally calls her love, Linus)

The homemade, heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie

Auntie Andrea Meets Baby Alexis for the First Time

The day I have been anxiously awaiting...to meet my niece and hold her for the first time. I drove like a bat out of hell down to Portland trying to get there as soon as I could. Lucky me that Bryan and Vanessa were very generous with their time and let me come over and hang out at their house as long as I wanted...what fun for me!

It is so amazing to hold a little newborn and realize they are so dependent on others for survival and so vulnerable. There is something so innocent and precious about it that just warms your heart. There are no words to describe how incredibly perfect and beautiful Alexis is. I just love being an Auntie!

Baby Alexis

Auntie Andrea holding Alexis for the first time

All Alexis did was eat and sleep, so she was a perfect little angel and didn't fuss at all

Napping on Auntie Andrea

Her cute little feet

Daddy holding Alexis (she is seriously a mini-Bryan with her little flat asian nose, olive complexion, and slanted eyes)

She gets her large pretty eyes from her mommy

Too cute how Alexis is holding her hands and arms crossed (this was NOT posed, if you can believe it)

Alexis and Sock Monkey

Trip to San Diego for Graham and Erica's Wedding

After work on Friday, Clark and I headed to San Diego to spend the weekend with the Mather family to celebrate the wedding of Clark's brother, Graham and Erica. Graham and Erica got engaged on Christmas Day and didn't want to wait to plan a big wedding, so they planned their wedding in less than one month. While Graham and Erica live in Atlanta, they met in San Diego. Erica was born and raised there, so her family still lives in San Diego. Chris and Nancy, Clark and Graham's parents moved down to San Diego a couple years ago and live in Oceanside, about 45 minutes north of San Diego. We were excited for a sunny weekend getaway and able to see the Mather family since we didn't see them over Christmas.

We got in late on Friday night and basically just went straight to bed. On Saturday, Clark and his dad had a "boy's day" and went to a PGA tournament at Torrey Pines. This was Clark's first time attending a professional golfing tournament and he was very excited at the chance to see them up close and personal. What also made this event special was that he had golfed at this course a few years back. Meanwhile, Andrea and Nancy met up with Erica and her mom for a "girl's day" filled with shopping, pedicures, lunch, and a bridal shower. We went to Old Town San Diego for authentic Mexican food. We surprised Erica with a small, bridal shower complete with all the cheesy fun of a bachelorette party, including a tiara, balloons, and lingerie gifts.

After the fun girl's and boy's outings, we met up for dinner. Then Clark did his best man duties and took Graham and his friends out on the town for his bachelor party. Needless to say, I didn't hear from Clark until 7 am the next morning.

Graham and Erica had their wedding ceremony at 3 pm at the beach in front of Hotel Del Coronado. It was a beautiful backdrop. Their wedding dinner reception was held at Gordon Birsch. It was after dinner that I got a text from my brother that Vanessa was going to give birth to baby Alexis. I was so excited...so much to celebrate...a wedding and a baby niece!

The next day, we were able to explore around San Diego some more and take a long walk along the beach (what I had been dying to do since we got there!) Unfortunately, we were only able to take off one day vacation from work, so we headed home on Monday night. It was a fun weekend.

Erica wearing her tiara with her mom at lunch at her impromptu bridal shower

No bridal shower is complete without balloons

Erica was serenaded

Erica got some cute little lingerie gifts

Cheers to the bride!

Erica walking down the aisle with her dad

Graham and Erica saying their vows on the beach

Their first kiss as husband and wife

Happy bride and groom

Graham and Erica with their parents

Erica with her nephew

The next morning we got to hang out with them for a bit at Pacific Beach

Here we are at the beach

Brothers - Clark and Graham

New Addition to the Tull Family - Announcing Baby Alexis Mikaela Tull

Introducing the newest little addition to the Tull Family...baby Alexis Mikaela Tull. Born on January 31, 2010 at 10:22 pm. Weighing in at 5 lbs, 14 oz, 17 inches long. She is perfect and beautiful.

Oh and her mommy is a rockstar. Vanessa started to feel contractions in the early hours that morning. Bryan and Vanessa starting to track them, but went about their normal routine. They went out to breakfast, picked up a rocking chair, and then in the afternoon, the contractions started to get a little closer together, so they thought they'd check in with the doctor. When they got to the hospital, Vanessa expected the doctor to examine her and tell her it was going to be awhile...well, she was dialated to 5 cm already and they thought she could come pretty soon. Within a few hours, little baby Alexis entered her way into the world and mommy did it all WITHOUT any drugs at all! What a champ! Mommy and baby are doing fine. Daddy is in love. Grandparents are all at the hospital waiting to get to hold her.

I am in San Diego for Clark's brother's wedding, so I will have to wait until next weekend before I get to meet her.

Happy Thanksgiving from Palm Springs and Las Vegas

This year for Thanksgiving we took a vacation down south. First to Palm Springs and then to Vegas. Lucky for us, we have a friend that owns a condo in Palm Desert (right next to Palm Springs) and she lets us stay at her condo rent free! We just have to pay for the cost of running the AC and water and other utilities. It has a pool, a golf course, lit tennis courts, and access to unlimited sunshine! We enjoyed our trip so much earlier this year in May that we just had to find time to go back. We left on Saturday morning and spent four days soaking up the sun, golfing, playing tennis, and enjoying the desert. We checked out the Palm Desert Zoo while we were down there, which had an awesome giraffe exhibit and I love zoos, so I was in heaven.

On Wednesday, we drove four hours to Las Vegas...it was a nice drive and somehow managed to beat all the holiday traffic. We met up with Clark's parents in Vegas for Thanksgiving. It was fun, except for our dingy, gross, disgusting hotel. Since we already spent an arm and a leg on the airfare (did I mention that traveling over Thanksgiving is EXPENSIVE?!?) and a rental car, we wanted to keep our expenses down and stay at a cheap hotel. We found a great deal online for Imperial Palace, which had a great central location on the Strip, but I guess we got what we paid for...cheap hotel rates in Vegas = icky hotel rooms. Note to self: next time I may not want to drop $300/night to stay at the Bellagio, but I would upgrade a better hotel...maybe somewhere different like The Venetian, Paris Paris, or New York New York.

Anyway, aside from the dingy hotel room, we had a great time in Vegas with Clark's parents. They showed us all the sights off the Strip and took us to some great buffets at newer hotels off the Strip. We gambled a little, but didn't win that much. We walked around through all the hotels. We never made it to the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris at night or took a gondola ride at The Venetian, but we did see the fountains at the Bellagio and rode the rollar coaster at New York New York.

I don't think we will ever go to Vegas for Thanksgiving again (too expensive) but it was great to spend time with the Mather Family.

Golfing in Palm Desert

Ostrich at Palm Desert Zoo
Giraffe at Palm Desert Zoo

Zebra at Palm Desert Zoo

Big Horn Sheep at Palm Desert Zoo

Caesar's Palace

Paris in the background

At The Venetian (the wait for the gondola was too long)

Andi at the Eieffel Tower

Paris Paris at night

Lucy turns TWO

Today we celebrated Lucy's 2nd birthday...she is older, wiser, and somehow even cuter and more adorable than ever. I baked her doggie-friendly chocolate cupcakes with doggie-friendly frosting. In addition to the special treats, she also got a new squeaky toy...she LOVED it.

Happy Birthday our dear Lucy, we love you!

Lucy anxiously waiting for her signal "release" so she can go chow down on her birthday cupcakes

Lucy's chocolate cupcakes w/ frosting with a bone treat on it and of course...a number 2 candle
Lucy sporting her birthday hat with her new birthday squeaky toy