Heading to California for a week in the spring has become somewhat of a tradition for our family. Every spring Kermit has a week long work meeting overseas (that spouses are invited to, but this spouse hasn't been able to make it in a few years...next year? My fingers are crossed!). While he is gone we (the A team) head to California to hang out with my family and the warm sunshine. After Kermit's meetings are done, jet lagged he joins us for a couple days of fun. This year was a blast all the way around! Here are some highlights:
I flew SOLO with the three babies all the way from Chicago to Orange County!!! One twin in a car seat, Annaliese in the middle seat. Me in the aisle seat with a twin on my lap! We were quite the freak show! I packed tons of toys from the dollar store that I had hoped would entertain because they were new toys (backfired), DVD's (thank goodness for them!), and plenty of snacks. All was fine until the last 45 minutes of the flight. Avrie SCREAMED the entire time! Totally inconsolable, arching her back, wailing, tears streaming, everyone silent and staring. Nothing I did to console her worked. When we finally landed it literally took me 30 minutes to get us off the plane with a still screaming baby and all the toys, trash, bottles, etc. all over the floor to be repacked into a single backpack! Whew! But we survived and all the drama was worth the fun we had.
We SURPRISED my mom and dad! They had no idea we were coming! My sister, Erin and her husband Romney picked us up from the airport in a borrowed SUV, because DAD wouldn't let her borrow his new Yukon (ha ha dad, I know you'd have let her had you known where she was really going!) Luggage lost for 24 hours...what else can I say...except we really did have a great time! =) I love surprising my parents! The look on their faces was priceless! One of these days I'll remember to have a camera on hand to capture their expressions! Darn it!
The next day we headed to my brother Derek's house to visit him and his family! Oh...he and his wife Shannon have the sweetest little newborn that we got to meet for the first time. Cooper was just a couple of weeks old! This sweet baby actually made me baby hungry for a second or two! So sweet and ... chub, chub, chub, sweet, chub! Can someone please explain to me how adopted kids can end up looking so much like their parents! Cooper looks so much like my brother! It's amazing! Their other little boy, Corbin was adorable and was so sweet to my girls. Annaliese had a blast with her cousin as he showed off his pet dogs in their backyard.
The rest of the week we basically just hung out at home while everyone went to work during the day. Erin was able to take a couple of days off to hang out with us. Mom took off a day or two also. We went to the mall, visited my brother, played in the backyard, church (and the babies had their first experience in nursery, yeah!), the babies mastered climbing up and down stairs, (double yeah!) what could be better! Everyday was a complete blast for all!
Once Kermit arrived we were able to go to a cool train museum in Perris with my parents and Erin and Romney, and to Disneyland with just Annaliese...Whoohoo! Fun excursions! For Disneyland my mom took a day off work to stay home with the little babies while Kermit, Annaliese and I headed to the Happiest Place on Earth! A happy time we had! We met up with Derek and Corbin there for an hour or two before they had to leave for naps. It was a perfect perfect day. I love Disneyland. Always have. Always will.
It was a perfect vacation all in all....We flew back to Chicago from LAX....another crazy story....Early morning flight, three barfing babies in the backseat of a rental minivan....barely made our flight....but we did make it! The kids were great! We got to spread out over two rows because Kermit was with us....Nobody screamed for 45 minutes...just barfed a couple of times during landing (love you Avrie)! Love all my kids and my husband! Love all my family- wish we could see you more often! But the drama to get to you make great memories too! =)
You can click on any image to enlarge it. (Shannon, I need that cute picture of Corbin with my girls in the ball pool and a close up of Cooper. I'll try getting it from your snapfish if it will let me copy it.)
Relaxing and backyard fun...
At the train museum in Perris, CA
1 comment:
Oh my deepest apologies. I should of posted earlier. However I love these pictures. Avers has the cutest bubble blowing lips ever. It was so fun having you guys out. It makes me sooo sad when you leave. Im excited to come out there very soon. Maybe Romney will scream uncontrolablly on the plane and arch his back and throw up too. Cross your fingers for us.
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