Family Love

 

Time for a little Labor Day weekend reflecting on our summer.
Because this blog is my diary to my kids, I get to gush a little sometimes.
This is one of those times.

When we travelled together this summer we learned a few things about ourselves:
1. We pack the biggest food bag of anyone on any of our four flights. One momma had a clever little bead box filled with various healthy snacks. I had my gym bag packed with 12 pounds of food. One man in his 70s asked me while we waited for a connecting flight, "Is that really a bag full of just food?" I thought he might be hungry so I offered some,  but turns out he didn't want teddy grahams, pretzels, fruit snacks, lollipops, Twizzlers, mini sammies, squeeze fruit, pb crackers, or M&Ms. Picky  man. I don't know, maybe I watched too much Lost.... I might have to run from polar bears if we get stranded on an island from hell, but I will NOT starve to death. Nope.
2. Speaking of food, Twizzlers cures any roadtrip meltdown.
3. Hotel rooms with bunk beds for the kids? Seemed genius, but it was a disaster from minute one.
4. I really missed my DVR, but I had Candy Crush and went up like 20 levels on each trip, so that started a new addiction.
5. I learned that the whole family would have appreciated an itinterary. This is HUGE. The next family vacay will def be spelled out on a color-coded Excel document. Careful whatcha wish for, fams!
6. Nick and I definitely bonded over time at the beach with the kids. Just us, the water, the sand, some magazines... It was awesome. Everyone got into their own groove and it was perfect to just relax and enjoy nature and each other.
7. Trying new things together and making memories. That's what family travel is all about, right? Going to Sea World and watching the kids see whales for the first time, such a beautiful moment. Riding a kid-size amusement rides was a first and so exciting to get a taste of future fun to come.
Taking Cade to his first baseball game and seeing him get into it and catch the Padres spirit was a blast. Seeing Nick watch Cade as we sang the National Anthem before the game started and tear up when we all yelled "Play ball!" was a highlight. Devyn's breathy "Oh, Mommy, loooook!" when she got her first glimpse of the ocean.... my number one moment. Love at first sight for the kids in California made us seriously consider how we could move our family out there.
8. Coming home. All that said, coming home.  Seeing each other in a new light made us appreciate our home and the life we've made here and the family we've created made us not take any of it for granted.

Mommy and Daddy always love you guys.
Every moment, little and big.