The Mission Inn

There is this hotel in Downtown Riverside called the Mission Inn, who decks out their interior and exterior with amazing lights and Christmas decorations every year. Plus, in the walkways around Mission Inn there are booths selling mini donuts, hot chocolate, and other delicious treats to snack on while admiring the lights. Yummmm. The last time I had been was in high school, so I was stoked about taking Ryan to check out all the gorgeous lights with some of my good friends on a group date!

When walking around we saw this Cinderella-like horse carriages taking visitors around the Mission Inn streets to look at the lights, and being the girls we are...we all really wanted to hitch a ride. My best friend Sam's stud of a boyfriend David took it upon himself to run to the Carriage Booth and claim the next ride for us. We were bummed to discover that they had closed up for the night, until this women randomly drove up with her horse & carriage saying "I'll take ya for 40 bucks." We couldn't hand her the cash fast enough!!

After scarfing down our mini glazed donuts, taking the princess carriage ride, and admiring all the gorgeous lights we slowly walked and caught up on each other's lives while making our way back to the car. Sam {the girl in the the second couple picture} and Taylor {the guy in the last pic} have been my friends since middle school, so it was pretty surreal to see them getting to know & hanging out with my husband. I sat there imagining what our lives would be like in another 5 or 10 years, and where would we all be? Though, seeing my Provo and Corona lives collide to create such memorable nights like this make me extremely grateful for the friends & family in my life :)