the family vacation

My last post was all about the perfect scenario in your head not quite playing out the way you envisioned when you add in the unpredictability of kids.  A few months ago, I decided I wanted to take the kids to San Diego this summer for a few days.  In my head I envisioned a beautiful resort, lots of pools, lots of swimming and relaxing, and some beach time.  Amazingly, I think the vacation went even better than expected.   And this is the first trip we have done that was just our little family. 
I was just talking to some friends last week about the enjoyment of having just your little family together.  As our family has grown to four, and the kids have gotten a little older, I have realized how much I love doing things as our small family unit.  Don't get me wrong, we love spending time with extended family and friends, but I think sometimes you need some time to yourselves to really connect as a family and give the kids your undivided attention.  And it is amazing when you get that time together how well behaved and happy everyone is.  And at the risk of sounding annoying,  we could not have had a better time.  The kids were on their best behavior...minimal fighting, minimal complaining, maximum laughing, maximum enjoyment, and my personal fave...hardly asking for snacks the entire time we were gone (which any fellow mother of small children would agree is amazing) This led to every meal eaten being devoured and exhibiting great restaurant behavior (I even had a lady at a restaurant stop me as we were leaving to tell me what a great mom I was...I practically hugged her and had to choke back tears.  You just get used to people giving you the evil eye when you bring small children to eat).

Without further ado, some pics from our little getaway.

 Mia has come a long way this summer.  Began the summer not wanting anything to do with putting on a swimsuit, to now a little fish I can hardly get out of the water.

We were happy to meet up with Jason, Liz and the kids at Seaworld.  Chase loved spending time with his cousins.

My favorite memories from our vacation:

Chase and Matt pretending they were statues everywhere we went

Dancing over and over to Justin Bieber, Beyonce, and Black Eyed Peas

Mia asking Chase to do the robot dance with her

roasting marshmallows for s'mores

building sand castles at the beach

Mia jumping into the pool onto her kickboard "again" and "again" and "again"

devouring donuts in about 3.2 seconds

taking a long walk with just Chase down the beach