Gigi in LA!

Last Thursday Mom arrived in LA to spend the long Labor Day weekend with us!! We saw her last in June at our family beach vacation and were not supposed to see her again until October, but she HAD to sneak in a quick trip in between to see her girls (+guy) and we were SO thankful!! 

Friday morning I had to work a half day, then I grabbed the girls and headed to sushi and shopping! 

This girl LOVES her Gigi!! They have the sweetest bond - Maddie thinks she is hilarious! 

We headed home after a LOT of shopping (Mom got me some early birthday gifts woooo!!) Gigi and Maddie had a girls night at home while Age and I had a long awaited date!! 

Maddie and Gigi probably squealing their hearts out that we were leaving them for late bedtime and girl talk. 

This man.. he loves me.. he cherishes me.. 

It's not easy living 2000 miles away from family or being a full time working mom married to a PhD student.. And he recognizes that and he makes absolute certain that I feel loved and appreciated. Not sure how I scored so big with this man.. but I sure do thank God for him every single day.

We chose Kazu Nori because it is a hand roll, bar seating only restaurant that we loooovvvee but can't take Maddie. Y'all that hand roll right there with the warm rice is LIFE CHANGING. After one drink at a dive bar down the street, we were yawning and calling an uber to head home. #solame #noshame

Saturday morning we were up early to check another thing off our LA bucket list.. Abalone Cove!! This place was a decent drive away, but man it was a pretty drive with some amazing cliff side houses to look at! 

Just go along with the fact that I'm about to dump a million pictures that are all pretty much the same, but I couldn't decide which ones to post. Ha!

This girl only has eyes for her Daddy!!! 

We were getting our zen on down at the bottom of the hike! HA! Seriously though, that place was sooo peaceful. It sure is easy to get in exercise when its 65 and breezy and have views like that!

Right across the street from this hike/beach, is Wayfarer Chapel (another item on the bucket list!) The Chapel is complete glass -- I couldn't really capture the beauty because there was a wedding going on but...we will be back for sure!

Next stop was Redondo Beach pier. We had never been to this pier and it was such a nice surprise!! Definitely old school feel like Santa Monica, but with 80% less tourists! 

And had an amazing lunch at Old Tony's on the water!

Next it was time for showers and the Georgia game!! This little girl can't quite call the Dawgs yet, but we know she will make the right choice when it comes to the Dawgs/Jackets debate :) 

We were excited to take Mom up to our church in the clouds! We are so happy to have found Bel Air Presbyterian - we love the music, the pastor, the laid back feel, the children's' program and all the opportunities to get involved! 

And Maddie wasn't the only kiddo in nursery with a smocked dress and a bow!! She made a friend from Shreveport, Louisiana! Small world, right!? 

Maddie was out about 2 minutes after we left church and was pretty confused when she woke up at a farmer's market! We had brunch in Studio City at Joan's on Third and grabbed several veggies and flowers from the pop up farmer's market next door. 

With Mom's last day in Los Angeles coming to and end, AJ and I popped next door for one more quick date. It is SO weird not packing up diapers, food, bottles, toys and walking out the door without everyone and everything in tow!

Evert time Mom comes to LA she HAS to cook my favorite meal - salmon cakes, rice/gravy, English peas and biscuits!! (AND she restocked our freezer with casseroles!!!) LOVE having a little taste of home.

This girl loved having some Southern cooking too!! She could eat rice and biscuits all day, every day. #giveherallthecarbs #shegetitfromhermama

One last sunggle before Gigi headed back to Georgia the next morning. Waiting three months was roooughhh on all of us, and we are SO thankful we only have to go 5 weeks this time!!