Mother's Day 2011

Oh what fun!  Matt and Orson surprised me with a trip to Monterey and Carmel for Mother's Day weekend!

  We started at the Aquarium, playing in the touch pools, looking at turtles and running around.  That night we went out to the best tapas, at Estaban's in Monterey, I think I have ever had, with more gluten free options then I could shake a stick at (as well as an amazing Sangria) and a chocolate cake and raspberry sorbet that put me over the edge :)

 This quote just meant we had to have dessert, it was so hard to choose between the cake and cheese plate!

 The next morning they woke me up with a beautiful little card (actually signed by Orson) and then we went to mass at the Carmel Mission...the gardens were amazing and cute little kids were passing out roses to moms as we went into church.

 Orson loved smelling the flowers as much as I did :)

 Then we went into town, ate breakfast at the English Tea Room, went into an amazing candy store, looked in every window, admired more flowers, bought Orson a bucket for the beach, and then Matt and Orson surprised me with a beautiful tea cup and saucer from a cute little store on the way out of town.  Oh and we went to a cheese shop and bought picnic supplies for the beach!

 Orson loved playing at the beach and jumping in and out of the water with his Dad...I loved watching.  The water was so beautiful I was almost tricked into thinking it was warm :)

And then on the way home we drove around and I found the front garden of my dreams.

It was an amazing, relaxing and wonderful surprise weekend.  Matt put so much effort into it and I felt so loved.  It made sharing Mother's Day with the anniversary of Mom's Death, beautiful instead of just sad and lonely.  I got to drink tea and look at gardens with her grandchild, something that made me feel like she was right there.  As usual I am overwhelmed by my amazing husband and by my adorable, crazy two year old son and how much they love me.  How I am blessed.

And then this morning, I got to enjoy a great cup of tea, a gluten free scone and flowers from my garden, in a new tea cup...