Gute Freunde

Liam and I were lucky to be able to spend some time with some old friends while we were in California. I first met the Spears family when I was a high school freshman living in Stuttgart, Germany.  So, naturally we met up at a little Euro bistro in Lafeyette called La Boulange (new favorite place.)  Liam made friends with a fountain.

Chad and I were in the same grade at Patch American HS and also the same tiny ward, and we've stayed good friends over the past thirteen years.  We have met up all over the world; from Germany to Virginia, and Utah to California.  His mom was my Young Women's advisor and his older sister, Kim and I got to be close friends while living in D.C. years later.  Kim has an almost-two-year-old named Sam, and I wanted to eat his cheeks.   

Liam and Sam didn't hit it off at first.  Sam gave Liam some harsh words to which Liam responded by crying and putting his head down on his arm on the table.  Very dramatic.  Toughen up, Liam!  

Mr. Chad was an instant hit with my munchkin.  Of course, it didn't hurt that Chad had an iphone...

We also got to hang out with Chad at our host's son's basketball game, where Chad works as a trainer.  I wasn't expecting him to be there, so when I heard someone shouting "RACHAEL!!!" across the stadium, I saw no reason to respond as Wes was walking in front of me and I was a thousand miles from home.  Small world.  We also stopped by Kim's amazingly cute New England style home in Oakland on the way to the airport.  I could totally live next door.  I'm sure Sam and Liam would learn to get along...