Whatever happened to predictibility.....

This past week/weekend my good friends Rachel and Christie came to visit us in Monterey. I was so excited to have them here....I haven't seen Rachel since I left Connecticut and Christie since the beginning of July! We had so much fun while they were here! We did all of the normal things.....Cannery Row....Fisherman's Wharf.....Carmel by the Sea.....Drive down Highway 1 to Big Sur....17 mile drive.....In and Out Burger......San Francisco....etc. It was hard to send them back to Connecticut....but I am sure that I will see them again soon. Till then....here are some pictures of our fun time together in in California:

Christie, Rachel and I in front of the Golden Gate Bridge!
..."the milk man, paper boy, and evening TV"....Full House!
Watching Dolphins play off the pier by my house.
Josh and I infront of some Redwoods before out hike!
Christie, me and Rachel inside a Redwood.....

Rachel, me and Christie with McWay Falls behind us
Standing in the Pacific Ocean on Carmel Beach....after our Sunday Beach picnic after church!
Sunset in Monterey/Pacific Grove....
Our last night at the apartment....we had facials.....
Lastly....a video of one of the Sea Lions on Coast Guard Pier in Monterey!

Friday Night Fun

This past Friday night Josh and I got to go to the Monterey County Fair and to the Jessica Simpson concert. Thanks to two of my good friends from college (Bubba and Elizabeth) we were able to go to the concert...and got meet and greet tickets and VIP seating. Bubba's sister is one of Jessica's friends from growing up and works for her as her assistant. It was so much fun to not only meet Jessica but to hang out with Bubba, Elizabeth, their baby Gracie....and other family and friends of theirs. We had a really good time! Thanks Bubba and Elizabeth! Here are a few pictures! Enjoy.

Josh with Jessica!
at the concert......

This is little Gracie....it was so cute b/c she had to wear ear muffs to protect her sensitive little ears because we were so close!
Evidently they worked really good....she fell right to sleep in mommy's arms!
Josh thought that it was cool to have this sign in our section......

More visitors.....

The Sunday that we got back from Colorado, my parents flew in to come and stay with us for a week. The last time my parents were in Monterey was 26 years ago...or more...since it was when my mom was pregnant with my older brother, Justin and he is 26 almost 27. Anyway.....they met us at the airport when our flight from Colorado got in. The first day Josh had to write a paper for class so I took my parents walking down to Fisherman's Wharf and to see some of the seals and sea lions.....then we all had dinner at the Old Fisherman's Grotto. On Monday my parents and I drove into Carmel Valley.....we walked on the beach....did a little shoppping or more looking...and had lunch at The Hogs Breath...which used to be owned by Clint Eastwood....but not anymore...they still want people to think that it is though because it brings in more tourists that way....sneaky people. Tuesday I took them on the 17mile drive...saw the lone cypress(symbol for Pebble Beach)....stopped by pebble beach for a little bit....then headed to lunch. Wednesday I had to work so my parents did some walking down Cannery Row...and out to Lover's Point......Thursday I worked also...and my parents stayed around the house and got caught up on some relaxing.....that night we went to eat at the Sardine Factory....non of us had ever been there before....it was a really nice restraunt...very good.....a little pricey but hey....it was fun. Friday was fun....we all woke up and got in the car and headed down Highway 1 toward Big Sur. THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DRIVE EVER! I can't even describe how beautiful it was....and the pictures DO NOT do it justice...! We did that drive all the way to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park...where we got out and walked to McWay Falls.....again I can't describe how beautiful it was. Halfway through the drive we stopped at Nepenthe's and had lunch.....my parents ate there last time they were here...years ago...and so we found it and it is still owned by the same family....we thought that was pretty amazing...and our watress was working there last time my parents were there....crazy! Anyway...it is this really cool restraunt that is on the side of the mountain and over looks the ocean and down the coast line. Saturday we got up and started to head toward San Jose....we stopped in Gilroy at the outlet malls....then had lunch at In and Out Burger.....after that we made a quick run to Ikea....and the off to the airport! We had such a great time getting to spend the week with my parents.....lots of laughs....! Enjoy the pictures!

Hog's Breath sign......
At Ghiradelli telling my dad how to get around without me....
On 17mile drive pretending to feed a ground squirrel....
My dad and James Caan....yep...he had a sighting

Drive on highway one...the bridge in the distance is Bixby Bridge
more of the view
Sign to the restraunt on the mountain....
our view from the restraunt.....
more of our view at the restraunt....
McWay Falls...at Julia Pfieffer Burns State Park...

My dad and I looking out at the water next to the fall....

Trip to Colorado....

Thursday July 31 Josh and I flew out to Denver, Colorado to meet up with the rest of the Dishmon/Richter family for Amanda and Ben's wedding. Josh and I arrived around 10pm on Thursday evening and went straight from the airport to meet up with the bachelor/bachelorette parties.....then finally made it back to our cabin for some much needed sleep. On Friday we got up at 8....had breakfast with Bank's, Lou Ann, and Jonathan (which by the way it was so much fun and so good to see everyone and get to hang out with everyone....) anyway...then Josh, Jonathan and I headed to go white water rafting! We had a lot of fun...especially Josh since he had never been before....Jonathan and I had both been twice before back when we were at church camp together at good ole LBC! Well...when we got there we found out that they were going to send us on the advanced rapids instead of the intermediate......well....that means....bigger rapids....bigger drops....etc. We did 2 6ft drops with rocks the entire way down.....and of course when the raft folded....I fell out....thankfully my amazing husband with his lightening fast reflexes grabbed my life vest as soon as I hit the water so I never drifted away from the raft onto the jagged rocks! The only scary part was then pulling me back in....so fast and serious like I was going to die if they didn't get me back in the raft in like 30 seconds! Needless to say we all survived and made it back to our cabin in Boulder just in time to shower and be outside with the rest of the group for the rehearsal dinner/cookout. The food was great that night....we had steak and chicken on the grill with several sides....and for dessert they had one of the local ice cream shops come out and we all got to build our own ice cream...the rest of the night we all just hung out...played...took pictures...and caught up on what was going on with each other. Saturday was the wedding day. The wedding was at noon.....and it was outside up in on the mountain. It was absolutely beautiful! After the ceremony was pictures and cocktails and then we all at lunch under a big white tent set up outside.....after lunch we all went in and did the cake thing! The wedding was so beautiful....as was Amanda(the bride)! That afternoon Josh, Jonathan and I went on a hike a long a creek and in the mountains....it was a nice walk and very relaxing....we...or I should say Josh and Jonathan tried to find some mountain lions...but thankfully we did not have sighting...we did however see a deer as we arrived back at the cabin....! That evening Josh, Jonathan, Banks, Lou Ann, and I all went into town and got sandwiches and Banks took us up into one of the mountains to a picnic area that over looked the city....and we all had a beautiful dinner at sunset. It was a beautiful and peaceful view and a great way to end a such a fun trip! Here are a few pictures from the trip....enjoy!

Josh, me and Jonathan rafting!
This is when I fell out!
Ashley...Amber and I hanging out at the cookout!

The boys....Andrew, Josh and Jonathan!
Josh and I!
Making the boys pose!
Nick decided to join.....
Nephew and uncle.....

Dad and the boys at the wedding....Andrew, Banks, Josh and Jonathan!
Josh and his dad after the ceremony!
Where the wedding took place!
Our hiking trail!
Views on the hike.....

Jonathan decided to be a mountain climber.....
so Josh and I followed him......
Our view at dinner the last night......