l'hotel

Best Western Lamplighter Inn & Suites Features & Amenities
Complimentary Breakfast-(not just donuts)
Pets Allowed
Pool- (guy said 84 deg year round)
Best Western Business Plus SM
High Speed Internet

Address:
6474 El Cajon Boulevard, San Diego, California, 92115-2645, US
Phone: 619/582-3088 Fax: 619/582-6873
Toll Free Reservations: 800-545-0778

Dana booked 2 rooms this morning for us and Jeff and Carrie since they are the married ones and could probably use money saving more than mom. But the regular rate is only $78 I think so it'd be fun if anyone else wanted to stay there too :)

Also mom, we'll probably stay at your house on Thursday night still if it's okay.

Block-out Days

I just thought I'd throw this up for the benefit of all those going to Disneyland this year. It's always a good guide for avoiding the extra crowded days :) Turns out, we aren't going Thursday before Sally's wedding. The kids have class pictures that day so we'll be driving down Friday morning or possibly Thursday afternoon if Dana takes a half day.

Baptism

Just thought I'd officially invite you all to Eli's baptism next Saturday, March 13th at 1 pm. I know it's a really busy year for everyone so if you can't make it, it's okay. I just wanted you to know you are welcome!!!

The New Giles Family

Here are a couple of changes in honor of changes:

• I cleaned up the look of our blog a little bit. I thought since we are growing physically I would make us look a little sharper. Hope you feel more grown up too.

• I added a few cousins and Jeffy + the newest Mrs. Giles (weirdsies!) to the blog roll.

I decided to use bullets to tell you these things because they make things look official.

Also, thank you, Amy and Kate, for keeping your blogs uptodate with the really important family matters.
It was wonderful to see you all in Vegas, can't wait till San Diego!

Here is one of Mom's photos:
Randa

Plans

We're trying to plan when to take our Disney day and rather than call everyone back and forth, I thought I'd ask on here. We're a little bit thinking if going down to Sally wedding a day early and going the day before- Fri, or possibly Thurs. But I wanted to find out when everyone else is going to be going down and to make sure mom doesn't have anyone else at her house that night except us, and then we'll have a hotel somewhere Friday night and Saturday probably. So when is everyone planning on getting to SoCal for the wedding and where are you staying?

International Diplomacy - AKA - Meeting of the Moms

Mom came down on Friday and we went down to Tijuana to meet Eter and his "amá" for dinner at my favorite restaurant El Potrero. Don't let the fact that it's shaped like a gargantuan sombrero fool you. It is delicioso and not just some taco joint. Here waiters know how to be waiters and they bring out a miniature hat stand and hang your purse on it next to your table. (Don't you hate that there's never anywhere to put your purse when you go out to eat? But I digress...)

I think they were both a little nervous, while Eter and I were really looking forward to this long-awaiting cultural car wreck. No, really I think because we each know both of them we knew it would be fine, just full of short sentences, questioning looks directed at us, and lots of smiling and nodding. Mom studied her Spanish book the whole way down and actually did a bang-up job! Eter's mom, Ernestina, speaks no English, and mom actually was able to understand and even say a lot in Spanish. Eter titled this picture: "Dos ninas".

This is the two of them afterwards at Eter's house. We came back to pick up some of his moving bins full of clothes and books (also pretty exciting, as we're seeing an end to all this border crossing nonsense!) Anyway, they got on great, as you can imagine. Two proud mamas, so relieved that FINALLY their children who are way past due are getting hitched.

We couldn't help but make the comparison.... As we drove to Eter's, the two of them were sitting together in the backseat, communicating a little more on their own. At one point we heard them exchange the work for bread. "Pan" "Oh, bread! Pan!" It was pretty hilarious. And not too different from Sadie and Campbell's little exchanges... "Me, Ham?"


We love them both. We are so lucky to have had mothers who have loved us no matter what, taught us the value of education, and most importantly gave us a living example of faith and testimony. We feel very lucky, as well, that everyone in our families gets along well with each other. Very rare, I think. Love you all!

"Ant Sally..."

Eli often asks me who he'll marry and just questions about dating. Like what do people do on dates and what if he marries someone mean. I think it's funny and sweet that he thinks about that stuff. Anyway, he saw Sal's blog post and I could tell he really liked it. So then he went and drew this picture which I just love and thought I'd share :)

ferris wheel in case you can't tell. I also love the shirts.