Living the Gypsy Life

I feel like I should have employed a more systematic way of documenting this 6 week sabbatical (and ps, why am I just now figuring out that sabbatical is the proper word for our undertaking?). If I had, this post would read something more like 
Sabbatical Week #5 Recap.
But I didn't employ said system, so I'm going to do a bit of back tracking.
Sabbatical Week #1 Recap *two days in the car, then 6 nights at Chateau Desai in Pacific Palisades. Very excited to be in adventure mode. Loving everything about Southern California and loved spending fourth of July in the Palisades. By Sunday night, July 5th, I was ready to exit vacation mentality and find a working routine.
Sabbatical Week #2 Recap We moved into our rental and were smitten by the 180 degree ocean view that also caught the city line. That view compensated for the small, hot living quarters. We all (?, maybe just me? But you know how the saying goes: if mama ain't happy…) loved falling into a routine. Dad visited us on the weekend making it a party weekend (beach, Katsuyas, Geoffrey's)
Sabbatical Week #3 Recap We were in our element. Everything felt easy and normal. We had solid routines and productive ad quality time during the day and then I went out with friends a lot of nights. Yosh flew in on Sunday. It was great seeing him, but weird how it through off the routines on Monday and Tuesday. Having Dad around and at home during the week is definitely not the norm! (I think he "questioned" the hours of TV in the morning and the overall laziness which, whether we like it or not, is not the usual!) We went to the Imagine Dragons concert which was a mom and dad bucket list item check. Loved the experience. Although I must say, on the drive down I had moments of pure bliss and being in the moment and present and loving our family, directly followed by moments where I literally wanted to strangle my kids because of the excessive whining/fighting/whatever else they were doing. It was a good reminder that in life, the bad definitely comes with the good and to bask in the good and not lose your crap while you plow through the bad. Nothing is completely blissful.
Sabbatical Week #4 Recap Yosh, Dallin, and Porter left on Wednesday morning for the Pope cousin 8+ river rafting trip in Moab.  (A highlight of this week was definitely when the boys all got back on Sunday evening and were talking a million miles a minute about their trip!) With it being just me and the littles, I realized how much I enjoy having baby-sitting age kids! I had to either find a sitter so I could workout or just skip that day's exercise! I owe Dallin and Porter a big thank you for being responsible enough that I feel comfortable leaving them in charge. I got in a WiSpa day which still has me doing the Hallelujah hands. We left the Palisades on Sunday, and I have to admit I was very sad to be leaving. I went to the Palisades ward 4 times while I was there, I visited all my places on a regular basis, I saw all my Camarillo besties multiple times, I hung out with new and old Palisades friends a ton, and everything just felt like old times. Which if we're being honest, was one of my goals with my Palisades stay. Yet there's no tricking reality and, leaving, I was very conscious this was no longer my reality:( Sad, huh. I was kind of surprised but my own emotions if we're being honest. But, that being said, they didn't last long and overall, I know I was present in those weeks and now it's onto the next. We flew to Salt Lake City to meet up with the other half of our crew. Grammy and Bompa picked us up from the airport and, as always, were the best hosts. I love all the opportunities we've had to see them recently. Going to their house feels like home. The boys told us all about their adventures, Yosh and I reunited, and life was good.  Monday, we got in some good Cafe Rio and I got to see my good friend, Annie, from my California times, and then Yosh flew back to Austin. The California Hansen's were at Grammy's also. It was great seeing them! I've missed celebrating Georgia's bdays with her. They're good girls.

K, the next weeks and pics are going to have to wait tomorrow. Signing out.