4th of July weekend

We had a great time in Bakersfield with all of my family in town. ( all my siblings except my oldest brother, Mark) The only complaint was that we really didn't have much time.. We arrived Thursday night and went straight to Red Lobster with Christian and Errin. Nic and I had been dying for Red Lobster which is strange because I don't really like seafood. (well.. i thought i didn't but learned i like shellfish, just not the other stuff) We just kept seeing commercials for it and really wanted it. There is one in Sacramento but we just hadn't made it down there yet. So, I found one in Bakersfield and so we mapquested home to red lobster. I had a lot of different directions printed out and so I labeled it at the bottom in big, pink writing: HOME TO RED LOBSTER. On our way out of town we stopped at the Clark office and faxed in our loan application to the lending agent in Idaho. Nic picked up the stack of papers in the car and then after he faxed it he realized he had also sent our lender our directions. I am sure she found it really funny that we were driving 300 miles to go to Red Lobster. It was awesome. Dinner was fun and it was great to be with our brother and sister in law. We really like hanging out with them which is kind of funny because I think Christian and I used to fight the most while growing up. We have a lot more in common now so its nice. Plus Errin is awesome and though we Gchat almost daily it was nice to talk face to face! Then we picked up my parents from the airport. No one thought I looked very pregnant... liars. Friday was the all day family fest celebrating Nana's 80th birthday. It started with the insane 4th of July breakfast at my Aunt Susie and Uncle Ove's house. They host it for the community every year and its HUGE! Bakersfield was HOTTT so we went to Uncle Kurt and Aunt Terrie's house to go swimming. It was so fun. I can't believe how much all of our neices and nephews have grown up and we just saw them 7 months ago. Especially Sid, my sisters oldest who is 12.5. He is looking almost manly lately and its freaking me out. Then we went over to the church where the actual birthday party took place. There was dinner and then we went outside and Nic took family pictures. It was funny because as cousins we rarely see each other but also, none of us ever get to be with our siblings either so we mostly hung out with our own family. Nana was in heaven though. All 4 of her kids, tons of her grandkids and most of her great grandkids. I think that was the best present we could have given her. Then there was a program (Errin's favorite) but, Nana was eating it up. One of my cousins put together a slide show of her life with tons of pictures of every stage of her life. It was really great and really sad. My grandpa died when my mom was pregnant with me from a massive, unexpected heart attack and so my Nana has been alone for 24 years. I never met him but I've always felt a special bond with him. She got up at the end and was bawling (we all were) and talked about my Grandpa and how for the past 24 years she has loved us for 2. Then she said that each of the 5 grandkids that were born after he died (me being one of them) carried a special part of him. I am crying again just writing it! I could tell it was very bitter sweet for her, she was loving this celebration of her life but her life was empty without her spouse. Ever since I fell in love with Nic 4 years ago I've thought about my grandma and how she is so devoted to my grandpa so she never remarried, still wears her wedding ring and says that her heart belongs to him. When I finally knew what it was like to love someone that meant so much more to me.
The whole Soelberg Group

Generation 2- my cousins. I look like a stop sign.

Nana in the middle with her 4 kids (the white haired ones) and their spouses.


Nana with her kids. My mom is in the red. She is so cute.


My mom found a wood carving of Lehi's vision and she loved it.

We also watched the fireworks at my Aunt Susie's house with my parents and brother Kjell and his wife Sarah and their kids Drew and Chaz. We hadn't seen Chaz since he was a month old at our wedding and he is so big now! And adorable!

Saturday we drove 2 more hours south to my FAVORITE beach, Leo Carrillo. Its not the best beach for playing in the water, but it is the best exploring, sea-life and shell finding beach. I don't think Nic was as into this beach until we went to the cove and found crabs, a star fish and so many shells (that we are going to make a project with :) I'm glad we stayed longer with my brother Matt and our sister in law Janna and their three kids Cally, Casey and baby Annabelle. We hadn't gotten a chance to talk with them very much so it was cool to spend a couple of hours at the beach with them and then we went to dinner in Newberry Park before we drove back up to Bakersfield to spend the night. The cave! this is the best part of the beach.
Our cute neice Cally and Matt and Annabell's legs.

Best boyfriend ever.
starfish
Matt and Janna wanted to take Cally and Casey up the rocks to see the starfish and crabs so I held Annabelle. She is obviously a 3rd baby- she went straight to me, a stranger and was completely content. And very cute.

Casey, Matt, Janna, Cally and Annabelle. So tan.

Then, we said goodbye to my parents who had an early flight Sunday morning. We went to church with Nana where my Uncle Craig is the Bishop and my Aunt Barbra (from my dad's side) plays the organ so it was fun to see them again and say goodbye. Then the 5 hour drive back to Yuba City. It was a fun, short trip but we made the best of it!