The Disney Trip

Alright, guys.  I'll admit it.  I was kind of dreading our Disney trip.  I'm sure most of you think that's crazy.  What's not to love about the most magical place on Earth?

Well, for starters, our little family of five was joined by eight others.  Yes, there were thirteen of us.  My parents, J's parents, two sisters, a brother, a best friend, and a partridge in a pear tree.

The good news is that ours were the only kids, and we were all in agreement that they were the stars of the show.  We knew we wouldn't be able to stick together all the time, and that everyone should feel free to divide and conquer as they desired.  We'd meet up when we could, we'd separate as needed, and we'd all have a better time because of it.

Another worry was that my little family of five would all be sleeping in the same hotel room.  I don't have a great track record of actually sleeping when my kids are in the room.  Even as newborns, every tiny little noise they made woke me up.  Margot never even saw the inside of our bedroom- that tiny nugget went straight to her own crib in her own room, and we were all happier for it. 

But I came prepared to conquer sleep.  I brought a small table fan, a white noise machine, an eye mask, and a handful of foam ear plugs. 

Guys- it totally worked!  We were a big, happy group, everybody slept, and we had the BEST time.

Every day was a new park (including a mid-week sneak off to Universal Studios to see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter). We were up early to make breakfast reservations and catch Fast Passes, and we were up late for ice cream and after-dinner swims.  We rode all of the rides, saw all of the characters, ate ALL of the food, and had all of the fun.

Our kids are so lucky to have grandparents, aunts, uncles, and special friends that want to experience the magic with them.  I am feeling so thankful that not only were we able to give our kids this amazing trip, but that our big, giant, happily combined family was a part of it.

The Best Week of the Year

Vacation Week!

I'm pretty sure that I say this just about every year, but this year's vacation was the best one yet.

We had SUCH a great time, y'all.  We returned to our beloved house at Surfside Beach, SC.  This was our 5th time renting the same house there.  It feels familiar by now, the kids remember it, and it holds lots of fun memories.  We've started calling it "The 'Cation House," taking on the adorable kid wording that Gabe created.  He catches and corrects himself most of the time now, but every once in awhile he talks about going on "the cation."

Grammy and Grampy were there, of course, along with Aunt Laura and Uncle Scott.  This year, Grandma and Grandpa joined us for a few days, too!  (Have I mentioned before how amazing it is that both sides of the family get along so well?)  Gabe said it was the most special vacation ever because Grandma and Grandpa got to come, too.

My three little fishies barely got out of the pool.  The girls conquered some of their fear, and left the pool stairs (in their Puddle Jumpers, of course).  They kicked and splashed and jumped all around the pool.  Gabe could finally stand in the shallow end with his head above water this year.  He had a BLAST swimming, jumping in, doing flips and handstands, and having tea parties under water.  If they could have slept in the pool, I think they would have.

We ate at our favorite restaurants.  Gabe declared that Bubba's has the second best corn dogs of any restaurant, anywhere.  Margot discovered hush puppies, and sneaked more and more every time she thought no one was looking.  There were many popsicles consumed.  Also lots of beer. 

We played euchre and Cards Against Humanity.  We dug holes in the sand and splashed in the ocean.  We took the kids to play putt putt.  We flew a kite on the beach.  We took the kids to the playground up the street.  We walked to the ice cream parlor.  We spent so much quality time together as one big family.

I am so lucky to have all these wonderful people in my life.  Family that I enjoy spending time with.  So many people that adore on my children.  So much love.

My soul is rested, relaxed, and rejuvenated.  I can't wait until we can do it again next year.

PS- We pretty much sucked at taking pictures this year.  Obviously we think our kids swimming in the pool are adorable.I promise, our other beloved family were there.  There's just no photographic evidence.

    

Vacay Mode

I'm out of the office this week.  I meant to post a warning that you'd be missing my witty commentary, but I was incredibly busy momming.  Preparing a family of five to be away from home for a week is not a task for the faint of heart.  But we made it here, and are enjoying a truly glorious week at the beach with family.  We're all in our happy place.

Catch y'all next week.

Don't Worry About a Thing

Cause in Jamaica, every little thing's gonna be alright.

Seriously, guys.  BEST. TRIP. EVER.

The resort we stayed at was just beautiful.  Everywhere you looked, the scene was nothing less than picturesque.  The water was such a clear blue that it was hard to believe it was real.  The grounds were lush and well cared for.  The decor was stylish.  The place even smelled good, as they had incense burning discreetly throughout the buildings.  I mean, really.  They thought of everything.

J and I agree that this was the best four days we have ever spent together.  We relaxed.  We slept in.  We sat poolside or beachside every morning, and sipped on drinks all the livelong day, every day.  We took naps.  We ate.  A lot.  We played ping-pong.  We drank.  I know I already said that, but it bears repeating.  We laughed.  We enjoyed each other's company in a way that we didn't know existed before we had children.

While we there, we decided that from here on out, Jamaica is our place.  The people there are so wonderful.  They are kind and friendly and happy to be alive.  They sing.  All the time.  One woman told us that in Jamaica, even the people who can't sing, sing.  We didn't meet a question that wasn't answered with "no problem, mon."

And there were no problems, indeed.

This was the anniversary, perfected.

Return from Vacation

Oh, vacation.  How I love thee.  We spent last week at the beach with my family, and we had a wonderful time.  We swam, we played games, we ate fried food and drank lots of beer, we relaxed.  If it weren't for my kids being very ready for a return to normalcy, I would have been extremely hard pressed to leave.  But alas, the real world was waiting for us to come back to it.

So in order to feel better about the end of vacation, I thought I'd make a little list about the good that comes with vacation's end:

The shower.  I can't be the only one who is disappointed in nearly all showers that are not my own?  They either lack the acceptable water pressure, or the shower head disperses water too much or too little.  Perhaps there is not enough room to reach my arms out to the side as I shampoo my hair?  Or maybe there isn't a proper ledge on which to set the soap or prop my legs up to shave?

Soft-yet-strong multiple ply toilet paper.  Chuckle if you will, but you are a LIAR if you don't take issue with hotel toilet paper.  This is what was stocked in our vacation home.  Isn't it nice to return home to your brand of choice?

Familiarity with the remote.  Whenever I try to veg out in front of the boob tube when away from home, I always struggle to figure out how to work all of the electronics.  How do I turn the system on?  Switch from TV to DVD player?  I like to set the sleep timer at night- help!  And don't even get me started on trying to figure out which channels are which stations.  PBS Kids is of vital importance in the mornings.  WHERE IS IT?

The grocery store.  I am an admitted grocery store snob.  I just love my Harris Teeter.  I know where to find everything.  I am confident that the meats and produce are of high quality.  They carry the brands that I like to buy.  I feel like my fellow shoppers are my people.  I don't have these warm fuzzy feelings about my fellow beach-going Piggly Wiggly shoppers.

    

And the clear cut winner is sleeping in your own bed.  I love my bed.  I did not love my vacation bed.  It was pure bliss to crawl under my fluffy down comforter and lay upon my expensive, plush-yet-firm mattress, and sleep through the night (kindasortathankyouverymuchMargot) with proper lumbar support.  

In all seriousness, I didn't really want vacation to end.  But, you know, silver lining and everything.  Already looking forward to next year!

Vacation!

I'm here!  I'm here!

I know I just dropped the big baby bomb, and then disappeared.  But 'twas for good reason,  dear readers...vacation.

We so look forward to this time every year.  My parents always rent a nice house somewhere fun, and we all gather there for a week of rest.  This year we gathered on Lake Gaston, which was a departure from our usual oceanfront style, but fun nonetheless.

The nugget certainly enjoyed himself.

He tried his first powdered donuts.  Umm...I'd say he enjoyed them.

He took walks with Grammy.  He liked to sit on the steps and put his toes in the water.

He preferred to splash in a bucket.  All that lake was just a little too much for him!

He took some time to read a few magazines...

And catch up on his favorite shows.

He also learned how to climb backwards down the stairs.  Hooray!

And really, there was a  lot of splashing.

But at the end of the day, nothing beats a good book.

Our weather was mostly dreary, but we made the best of it.  It was a lovely week away from it all!

30 Day Challenge | Day 26: Places I've Been

My favorite place to be involves very few things: sand, water, and people I love.  I have been very fortunate in the past few years to visit some pretty incredible places that just so happen to fall into this category.

Negril, Jamaica

 Unlike the more partyriffic Montego Bay, Negril is quiet and serene.  Technically, there was no sand where we stayed.  Our resort was cliffside.  You could literally leap off of a cliff into the clear ocean water below.  I, of course, was too chicken to do this.  But J enjoyed!  The Catcha Falling Star resort was incredible.  We had a two bedroom bungalow, complete with outdoor shower and patio hammock.  Ahh, the beauty of this place.  It really was a hardship to be a bridesmaid in a wedding here.

Maui, Hawaii

The honeymoon destination of the masses!  Such a gorgeous island.  We rented a convertible and drove around with the top down.  We laid poolside, we sampled delicious food at local restaurants, we watched the ocean waves from a hammock on the hotel grounds.  Heavenly.

Surfside Beach, SC

My boy's first time in the ocean.

 Yes, not nearly as glamorous as the previous two destinations, but a wonderful time nonetheless.  This is the spot where my family vacations.  My parents rent a house right on the beach and we enjoy the sand and sun for a week.  It's so fun to be together for some summer relaxation each year.

Ahhhh....Vacation

A warning that I may be MIA for the next week.  It's not because I don't love you all, or that I've deserted the ole' blog...it's just that I'm on vacation.

Here is the view from my bedroom window this upcoming week:

Serenity.  Oh, vacation, how I adore thee.

Someone Has a Case of the Mondays

Not a fan of this Monday morning.

First, I didn't want to get out of bed.  I NEVER want to get out of bed, but it was particularly rough for me this morning.  (Note: this is not due to lack of sleep.  My baby now officially sleeps though the night like a boss.)

Then, while showering, the lid to my shave gel popped off, hit the wall of the shower, then ricocheted back to hit me in the face.

THEN, Gabe didn't wake up until 7:15, and I didn't get to spend any time with him before I had to leave for work.  Some mornings are just extra hard to leave him.  Today was one of those mornings. 

I'm making myself feel better about today by reminding myself that next Monday, I'll be waking up at the beach.  Bring on vacation.

Vacation, Vacation!

Sorry this post is so delayed!  Getting back into the swing of things is tough.  Ever feel like you need a vacation from your vacation? 

In any case, vacation was WONDERFUL!  J and I had a great time on our west coast adventure.

I've mentioned before how I'm not the greatest at remembering to take pictures.  Of course, this vacation was no exception.  I started off strong, but by the time we got to the latter half of the week, my photographic instincts petered out.

Our trip started in San Diego.  I LOVE this city!  There was so much to do and see there!  Another trip there is a necessity.  The weather was definitely not the sunny California I was expecting, but it turned out to suit our purposes really well.  The gray, overcast mornings were perfect for venturing out and about in the city, and the sunny afternoons were perfect for lounging by the pool.

Our hotel was SUH-WEET!

Our living room.

Office- you know, for all of the business needs we had in San Diego.

The bedroom.

View from our balcony.

I neglected to take a picture of the bathroom, but it was nothing terribly special.  Although, the water pressure in our shower was ah-mazing.  Like standing underneath Niagra Falls, I tell you.

Although we really enjoyed our whole San Diego experience, we had two favorite parts.  First was the world-famous San Diego Zoo.  The animals were SO active and fun to watch!  It was really the most memorable zoo experience I've ever had- and I love me some zoo!  I can see why this zoo is so famous.  We were lucky to be there on a good day!

This gorilla was awesome.  At one point she came up and pounded on the glass several times, King Kong style.

Not sure if she was playing, or telling us to back away from her cutie baby!

This monkey didn't want anyone to take any of his leaves and grass, that he oh-so-carefully wrapped around himself.

The baby didn't care.  He's moving in for the steal.  We spent a good half-hour watching the interactions of these guys.  They were great!

Hello, Mr. Hippo!

Sleepy bear.

I couldn't resist this cheesy pic.  If you look at the title on the lab coat, it says "Extraterrestrial Impact Theorist."  Sounds just like J, no?

I believe this is the only picture of the two of us from the entire trip.  I am definitely carrying a baby around with me these days!

Our other favorite part of San Diego was the food.  Yes, I took pictures of several of our meals- they were that pretty!  We used tripavisor.com to choose restaurants, and it didn't let us down.  We had some truly incredible meals!

It was a little dark in here, but check out the size of this kobe burger!  Yum.

Seared ahi tuna, mango salsa, black rice.  J loved.

Is that the prettiest eggs benedict you've ever seen?

Guess what was inside my omelet?  Mashed potatoes.  That's right. 

J's "everything beer" burger.  Tons of crap on top of this thing, all cooked, basted, or broiled in some different flavor of beer.  I could still smell it on his breath the next day.  This thing was no joke.

One more thing completely amazed me!  And that was the sea lions.  We could hear them in the bay each morning, and I was so excited to see them in the wild!  Unfortunately, we couldn't get terribly close.  But look out into the distance, and you can see tons of big lumps chilling on that dock!

A few other pics from the grounds of our resort:

Marina- big boats!  I was hoping one of them was my anniversary gift, but alas, no.

Water slides at the pool!  Loved all the lush foliage.

After we left San Diego, we met up with Frank and Linda, J's dad and step-mom.  We headed to Palm Springs for a night to visit with J's brother Josiah, his wife Rosa, and their baby Linda!

Our niece Linda.  Adorable!

Baby Linda with Frank and Linda.  These grandparents sure love their grandbaby!

Baby Linda with her mom and dad.  (Sorry for the crappy cellphone pic.  This is the point where I started sucking with the picture taking.)

After we left Palm Springs, we headed to Tecate, Mexico (yes, Tecate like the beer- this is where it's made), to stay with the in-laws for the last two nights of our trip.  Again, very few pictures here...but here's what I got!

Tecate town square.  Lots of booths to buy Mexican goods!

These old men were serious about their dominoes. 

A Mexican "garden." 

So that was the trip, in a picture-heavy nutshell!  We really had a great time.  It was hard to come home!  (And even harder to adjust from east coast time to west coast time back to east coast time!)

Already looking forward to our next vacation!