My legs may be absolutely covered with mosquito bites, but I just had a really amazing trip home to Maryland.

And not just because of the potato chips…

It started off with this little guy, who greeted me wearing the Los Angeles onesie I sent him when he was first born.

I got to hang out with Max and my mom while Jenny was at a training session for work.

I’d call it babysitting, but Max is way too cool for that.

It is pretty much predetermined by the kid’s awesome genes, but my Mom bought Max a few T-shirts just to seal the deal that this kid rocks.

Yes!!

It was also my Dad’s birthday while I was home, so I whipped up a few of my yummy summer desserts.

What’s a birthday without a Peach Crostata, right?

My mom and I stopped by their local Farmer’s Market, featuring only Howard County Farmers, for some flowers.  Of course, I checked out all of the produce.

It’s no Santa Monica, but their stone fruit, breads, jams, melons and even summer apples looked delicious.  I could most definitely make it work!

On the last day I was home, we headed over to the Schall’s where we had a crab feast celebration in honor of Karey’s birthday.

I’ve missed out on this day every year since Karey passed away, and I was so thankful to be there with the people I love celebrating a great woman who we lost entirely too soon.  Being surrounded by the ones who understand the friendship, love and loss makes you feel more at peace and a little more normal.  We shared memories and stories, and there were a lot of hugs and kisses to go around.

And let me tell you, the crabs were delicious.  I think I ate about a dozen by myself.

Believe me, Karey would have had a great time that night turning 27.

So as I stayed up through the night into Friday for my 6:00 AM flight back to Los Angeles in the morning, I watched the Women’s Gymnastics All-Around – twice – and hung out with Chloe cat on the couch.

I fell asleep as soon as soon as I hit seat 34F on my United flight yesterday morning.  And when I woke up vacation was over and we were already back on the west coast.

Back to working hard to fulfill dreams, careers, wine glasses & stomachs, and the whole exciting lifetime ahead of us.  I know that right now this is the place Brad and I need to be in order to create the life we want for ourselves, and as hard as it is to be 3000 miles away from your biggest support system, we are going to make it work no matter how hard it gets.

But as I’m trying not to scratch my itchy legs, all I can think is thank goodness there aren’t mosquitos in Santa Monica.

xoxo