Whew! Today is gonna be a DAY! Tab, Britt, and I reported to the hospital bright and early for surgery #2 for Miss Britt. This surgery started out as a lip/nose revision by our craniofacial doctor, but after our pre-op appointment last week quickly changed to a palate repair plus the revision. Not gonna lie-the palate surgery in 2017 kicked our tail so knowing we’re tackling that just a bit again makes me super nervous. I know she’ll do great and this can only continue to improve her speech so it’s absolutely worth it. Sometimes that’s tough to remember when you’re holding a crying baby who can’t eat solids for a week. I’m choosing to be thankful…thankful for doctors and hospitals who do amazing things, but we’d love your prayers for our girl this morning. Thank you!
Another day, another vacation recap happening. Settle in, friends. They’re still coming in hot for a while.
Our second morning in California we woke up to even more sunny skies. Are you sensing a theme? 😉 Our plan for the day was Santa Monica Pier in the morning before Tab had to report to his first Rose Bowl meeting.
Sidenote…for the game on January 1st, Tab’s official meetings in person began on December 29th. Just a little information for you football fans.
We didn’t have a ton of time for lunch so instead of my preferred, The Lobster {we’ve eaten here several times and it’s delish!}, we opted for a more casual lunch spot. To be honest, I don’t even remember the name?!
Sweet sisters enjoying lunch on the pier.
It’s pretty hard to portray through pictures but everyone who knows Britt in real life knows how animated she is with her body language and expressions. This girl can be super excited and she’s know how to throw shade like no other. Here’s just a quick look at an example.
These four were wishing we had more time so we could tackle each and every one of those rides. #nexttime
The people watching on the pier is out of this world. The. Best. Ever.
We walked around for a bit, grabbed lunch, walked a bit more and then made our way back to the car. Please note Tab carrying Britt on his shoulders. Can you see that hill above him? I would have called this my workout for a solid week.
Ebby Lee was at the perfect age for a trip like this. She had so much fun!
Just a great spot when you’re in the area.
The Rose Bowl accommodations were at The Millennium Biltmore Los Angeles, so we moved just a few blocks over to this location for all the bowl festivities.
The Millennium Biltmore is rich in history and is a very historic spot in downtown Los Angeles. Lots of bowl goers popped in to just walk around and check out the space.
Their lobby tree did not disappoint.
With this crew of crazies, we got two rooms. Since the hotel was built ages ago, they have zero rooms with connecting doors so we were constantly in and out. Just something to keep in mind if you have a big family.
The kids and I relaxed and chilled while Tab got bowl game ready and then we headed out to dinner at Bottega Louie, which was a quick walk away.
This was one of our very favorite meals of the week…Bottega Louie is an Italian restaurant with an over-the-top bakery and gourmet market.
While we waited for our table, there was plenty to observe.
Those desserts…to die for!
At this point, Bowen was starving so we were doing our best to keep him entertained.
Another hunger pain, another selfie.
We had pizza, pastas, salad, calamari, and the list goes on. Everything was absolutely delicious!
Our dessert order got a little messed up and Bottega Louie went above and beyond to correct it. We ended with extra dessert at our table plus a to-go bag full of fresh macarons for later.
Remember how I mentioned my kids-but especially the boys have a wide variety of college football gear? Please note Bowen’s shirt. Washington State Cougars, he’s representing.
That big red bow gave me all the feels. Six Slaughter thumbs up for this spot in L.A!
Check out the hotel digs…super gorgeous from this side of the hotel.
Stunning, right?
We ended the night with members from the royal family or they at least felt like it for a hot second.
If you missed other vacation recaps, you can see them here…
And if you have any specific trip-related questions, please e-mail me and I’ll be sure to answer them all! alittlebitofeverything83@yahoo.com
Thanks for reading, friends!
XO
