The Schlaiss Family

Wow it feels good to be home. I love vacations, but boy oh boy did it take a lot out of me. We didn't even get to sleep in our own bed between these two trips. Here is a recap of our trip to San Diego and Chicago:

San Diego, California
I don't even know what negative thing there is to say about San Diego. Such a glorious vacation spot. Whats better than cool weather, the beach, and not a care in the world?!?

1. Our tire blew out in Buckeye! No worries because I married a stud who fixes things for me, but that did slow us down by two hours while we waited for Discount Tire to get us a new tire. Luckily we ate wings nearby while we waited.
2. We tried a new hotel in Downtown San Diego. Super fun! It was nice to be able to walk to many different restaurants. The Bristol Hotel was super chic and had a zebra black, white, and red theme so naturally I fell in love.
3. I experienced my first earthquake! 5.7 earthquake while we were on the 7th story of our hotel. It wasn't scary because it was a rolling motion versus an intense shaking. I literally thought Andrew was shaking the bed until I realized the whole room was swaying back and forth.
4. We spent almost 5 hours taking pictures on the beach and tons of other outdoor locations with Radiant Photography. We did a little "Trash the Dress" session, but in reality my dress looks exactly the same. All the dirt and sand washed right off :) (If you ever need wedding, maternity, senior, family pictures, etc. look into this company! Well worth your time and money! www.radiantphotographyaz.com)
5. We were introduced to Bennigans' Monte Cristo Sandwich. Delicious! Thanks Scottie & Breanna!
6. We spent a relaxing day at the beach and eating yogurt in the park.
   
7. My all-time favorite part of the trip: We first went to Seaport Village and bought tons of delicious, chocolate goodies. We then drove to La Jolla and ate them while we watched the waves rolls in. My favorite thing to do is soak up the gorgeous starry sky and listen to the crashing waves. It reminds me of what an amazing, powerful God I have. I could literally sit there every night. I love sharing moments like that with Andrew.

Chicago, Illinois
I have never been there before, so I was super excited to be in a big city! Andrew's Dad is from Chicago, so there is still a lot of family there. It was nice to meet all the Aunts and Uncles and finally put faces to the names.

1. It was pouring rain the second we arrived at the hotel. It was also super windy, so I was curious to see how our night to tour Downtown was going to unfold. Luckily the rain stopped and gave us a few hours before it continued.
   
2. Andrew's Dad took us to the neighborhood he grew up in. We saw his old house and all the different areas he used to frequent. I like that sort of stuff, so it was fun to hear all his stories and different memories.
3. Uncle Danny took us to a Police boat on Lake Michigan for a view of the city. I really enjoyed being out on the water and watching the sunset over the city. It pays to know people! Free, private tour that was cooler than the boats people were paying to go on.
4. Uncle Danny also took us to a fire station in the heart of Chicago. It was interesting to see the differences between a traditional, older city and where we live. I'm glad Andrew works in AZ...much better in my opinion :)
5. We went to a cousin's wedding. I am envious of all the greenery in Illinois. Perfect for outdoor weddings!
6. We never stopped eating there. We had to experience it all in a few short days! We had beef sandwiches, homemade Italian ice, pizza, pasta, ice cream sundaes, and more.
7. The Rockford Airport now has a special place in my heart. They had a waiting area for kids. Needless to say, that's where Andrew and I waited for two hours. I mean who could pass up the chance to watch Peter Pan?!