Surprise?

This past weekend I got a text from my amazing friend Courtney asking if I wanted to go home for the long weekend. I wanted to go because hey, its home! But I had made the drive just two weeks earlier and that drive was probably thee worst drive to Provo I've ever had. To give you the cliff notes version.. what should have taken me 6 hours to get to Saint George took me about 9+ hours. I was stuck in 3mph traffic for 2 hours, by myself. NOT FUN! I had come to the conclusion that I was cursed in some way, traffic followed me every where I went. This negative to going home was very quickly overruled by the positive that I would be able to surprise my parents and also see Aaron, Caroline and my beautiful niece Eleanor.

While my brothers were here in Provo for school and I was still living at home, I remember being surprised each of them in so many ways. The ones I specifically remember is first, Austin surprising me by picking me up from seminary and taking me to school. Second, Adam and Aaron coming down for a weekend and surprising me from BYU. I was upstairs watching a movie with Mom and Dad (clearly planned) and I walk down stairs to get something and see Austin standing by the fridge (Austin was still living at home) and two guys turned around making cereal at the counter. I figured that these two guys were just friends of Austin's so I didn't think anything of it... until they turned around and I saw that it was Adam and Aaron. I was completely surprised and shocked!

I was the one being surprised, but now, it was my turn!! MUAHAHAHAHA!

Courtney and I had a very interesting trip to the good ole Riverside. We survived until we got to Vegas and made the executive decision that were were hungry and were craving Wendy's. Fun fact ya'll, never get off on "Cheyenne" (getting off on Cheyenne was our first mistake) because you will most likely become scarred for life with images burned into your life forever. So we went through the the drive through at Wendy's to satisfy that craving and lets just say that our experience in  Vegas on the Cheyenne exit consisted of transvestites, a street lined with scary homeless people, anxious drivers screaming random nonsense at us, getting lost, and a large man riding on a quite tiny moped. Courtney and I made the decision that we were never ever going to get off on the Cheyenne exit ever again.

After a long but entertaining drive we finally arrived in Riverside. As I had said before, this was my turn to surprise Mom and Dad, to see their happy and surprised looks while I walk through the door. Well.. it sort of worked. A couple days before I left I was on the phone with mom venting about something and accidentally spilled the beans about going to California for the weekend. WHAT! Of course I was the one to spill the beans. I tried to cover it up but nothing worked. What I had said was irreversible. Mom then proceeded to ask me if Dad knew if I was coming, which he didn't and she promised to keep it a secret. So at least I would be surprising one parent right? Maybe this is why no one told me secrets when I was little.. and it now all makes sense!

So Courtney and I go down our long drive way with the lights off on her car so that Dad wouldn't be able to see us through the window. I was in correspondence with Aaron and Caroline, they were a big help in making sure Dad was home when I arrived. She dropped me off and I carefully walked through the back door, Mom had told me Dad was on the bed upstairs talking to Adam so knocked on  their bedroom door and poked my head in the door. Dad says, "What the heck?!" (in a very happy and surprised tone) "What are you doing here?! I thought you were Aaron knocking on the door!" He put phone down and I gave him a big bear hug! We had forgotten that Adam was on the phone and that he was just sitting there hearing all of the commotion. Dad finally picked up the phone and told him he would call him back (Sorry Adam haha).

The trip, although short was so fun! Here is the list of pictures that will help tell the story a little bit.

^^ I got to wake up to this little one every morning and right below is a video that in a very short way shows how much fun we had during the weekend. 

^^ She really enjoys her rocking chair 

We went down to Rancho Cucamonga to Victoria Gardens to do some shopping and to be outside in the beautiful 75 degree weather. 

^^ There was an employee at Pottery Barn that was quite impressed with Eleanor and Aaron in this position. 

^^ Eleanor REALLY REALLY enjoys Pottery Barn. 

^^ Lunch at the Corner Bakery, she really enjoyed her pickle as well. 

^^ Almost all of McKell outings need to involve the Apple store at some point. 

^^ Eleanor and Nana

^^ Caroline, Mom and I did some shopping in Banana Republic and we walk out to this beautiful sight. That is exactly how Aaron feels about Banana Republic shopping. 

^^ I insisted that we visit  "Crepes de Paris" on our way out. 

^^ The finished product. Oh my goodness it was heavenly!! We need one of these places in Provo. Wait, maybe not because then I would just want to eat there everyday for the rest of my life. 

The last event of the trip was a fireside in Irvine. If you have ever seen the movie "Meet the Mormons," (if not, I highly suggest it!) you know the last story of the Armstrongs. Well the missionary that baptized Dawn Armstrong, my dad baptized in the Philippines on his mission. That may be a little hard to wrap your head around so I will explain it with a picture. 

^^ Dawn was baptized by Ron and my dad baptized Ron in the Phillipines.  

It was so amazing to be there and hear her story first hand. My dad lit up so much seeing Ron and seeing the domino effect of his missionary work. Such a blessing. Missionary work is an amazing thing and we are beyond blessed. 

All in all.. the trip was.. you know it.. AN ADVENTURE!!