a week with the P's ...

Leslie's is one of those blogs I have read from back to front. Devouring every word and being totally inspired by her crafting, homemaking, mothering, love for her husband and the Lord and for just being real. With Leslie you get the good and the bad and its all beautiful and it's all so her ....

and yes she is aware that I have stalked her for years too ;)

While reading her blog I always thought how cool it would be to meet her one day - little did I know I would actually get to see this become a reality. Leslie was the one who got to pick me up from LA airport when I flew in from Sydney. The first bloggy friend I got to meet and hug on my trip. I was SO excited when my plane arrived I could hardly wait and luckily got through customs in like 5 mins! And we got to spend a whole week together in beautiful Cali with her lovely little family too.

some of my favourite moments from staying with this family:

- Leslie praying over our first breakfast together, the week and the rest of the bloggy meet up girls just after she'd picked me up from the airport and we stopped for a bite to eat.

- the gps telling us to "make a u-turn" then when we made a u-turn to "make a u-turn"

- Leslie realizing this after about the fourth u turn :)

- The cute black board in the lounge room with a 'welcome Ms Katie' note when I arrived (wish I had taken a pic...)

- meeting Nick and the kids for the first time. Suddently all those pictures I had seen were moving and it was kinda surreal!

- being this boys crush

 - seeing the cuteness that is their new home.seriously seriously cute!

- Enjoying the Californian landscape. So different to Oz  aka hardly any trees and boulders on the hills, but  oh so lovely.

- constantly trying to get in the wrong side of the car and getting confused everytime we turned left and went ACROSS the intersection! 

- my little shadow Ry Ry  who would watch me every morning do my hair and makeup and always ask "katie what are you doing?"

- Giving Rylan my clean makeup brush and watching her brush it over her face while standing on her little step stool. Thrilled to be hanging out with 'Ms Katie' - precious!

- crazy hairstyles in the bathroom with Ry Ry and wearing my pretties (headbands)

- Sewing in the cutest craft room and sharing new music together.

- Fabric shopping and not realizing we had spend over 4 hours(?) in the one shop until Nick called and we saw it was dark outside! we may have been up to something...

 - 'Australianisms' and Nick and Leslie's face when I would say something that made perfect sense to me but they had absolutely no idea what i was talking about. like where's your 'bin''?

- the way that Aussies apparently 'chuck a lot of things' e.g. 'Chuck a yewie' 'Chuck a sickie' and one of Leslie's favs 'chuck a wobbly' 

- Rylan laughing over a youtube video of a wombat digging - so funny!

- outlet stores :)

 - Going to "Mickey's house" aka Disneyland!!! I'm not sure who was more excited, Rylan - or me.

- going on a water ride at Disneyland with Nick. Who somehow came out of it pretty much dry, while I could hardly walk properly because my jeans were absolutely SOAKING wet!

- Embarrassingly announcing to Nick that it wasn't just my jeans "even my undies were soaked through" - sorry Nick that was probably too much information :)

- the teacups - so fun!!

- Love how the girlies had our teacup spinning so fast and theres Nick in the background just lounging comfortably :)

- it's a small world!

- California adventure!!

- ummm the roller coaster at California adventure and the toy story game which was great cause it was one we were all able to go on it together.

  - crafting - even though we may have taken on more than we could chew!

- for Nick's enjoyment... 'shark biscuit'

- chatting with no interruptions or phone delays -  a dream come true hurray!

- shopping, shopping shopping!

- seeing the kids for the first time, especially Cade who we prayed so much for and threw such a special baby shower for.

- Seeing all sorts of handmade goodies and the scrappy journal from the shower in the kids nursery :)

-  Swedish Fish. I AM HOOKED!

- the bean game - oh Nick I wish we could of played more rounds!

- the excitement of the bean game

- 'stink beans' are for BOYS :)

- Rylan, Cade and myself tying ribbons to ourselves and goofing around taking silly pictures. Ok, Ok I may have been the instigator in this silly game!

-  finally receiving my Christmas Card, because Leslie forgot to put 'Australia' on the envelope and still had no idea why it hadn't reached me! I love her :)

- our plane trip on Southwest to Seattle where the hostess sang goodmorning and goodbye to us which ended with..."We hope you enjoyed our company... next time marry one of us and fly for free" and then the plane erupted in giggles and applause.

- meeting this amazing fellow blogger and having the sweetest yummiest picnic lunch at Laguna Beach.

 - seeing the condo in Orange County.

- "in the boonies"

- "out woop woop"

- Rylan's artwork for me - the first time she used scissors "like mamma"

- my "first time to Disneyland" badge

- Listening to Steve songs in the car "line, line, circle circle square square square square triangle triangle line"... and then yelling out "again again" while Rylan looked at me like I had LOST it!

- California pizza kitchen mmm  + now knowing that Americans call corriander - cilantro!

- those times where 'Morgan' would just sit on the coffee table, craft room table and join in with our conversation (on skype on my laptop).

- Late night sewing with Leslie, Morgan sitting on the table and Nick on the floor turning apron ties inside out.

- Making pretty aprons for some special ladies and having fun choosing fabric and notions according to each girls tastes and personalities.

- Hearing my parents on skype and actually thinking 'Oh my gosh they sound SO weird!'

- experiencing wallmart for the first time.

+ only a few not so great memories.. which included

- getting the stomach bug a few days after I arrived.

- Throwing up all over the bathroom floor of a family I just met

- then proceedings to flood the downstairs toilet (with totally clean water btw) while Leslie was out. Once again POOR Nick! I think I owe this guy a totally fun Aussie surfing holiday!

- Not getting up early enough - I think it must of been delayed jet lag but I feel like we could of fit so much more in!

- Not taking enough photos together! umm and I have not one of Nick and I or Ry and I. so sad guys! :(

- saying goodbye to Les at Seabrook. where we both teared up and I feel like I didn't get to say anything I was really feeling!!

something along the lines of ..

 thank you P's for your love and friendship and for letting me into your life and your everyday. I loved every minute of it (well maybe minus the stomach bug thing). You are an amazing family your love and strength and friendship are so inspiring to me and your children are so beautiful - I just love you all. Oh and please please please come to visit us in Aus one day!! pleeeaaasssee .... cause I miss you and Morgan would like to chat to you while sitting on a chair and not on the table and I think we need another round of the bean game ;)

kt xx

ps. all photos totally unedited because otherwise I knew I'd never get them up! 
More on this part of my trip here.