Vacation Wrap Up

We got back yesterday night from a week long vacation with my family down in San Diego. The weather obviously didn't get the memo that it's end of August. It was a bit chilly and overcast almost all week but it was fun in spite of the uncooperative weather.

Saturday we drove down to San Diego. We didn't realize that traffic would be as heavy as it was. But we got there safely. My parents and younger sisters were already at the condo. My oldest sister and her boyfriend had dinner in the oven but were scoping out Ikea so Tj, the boys and I decided to brave the ocean. Man, it was COLD! We got VERY spoiled in Florida with the warm water- especially on the gulf.

Sunday we got up and got ready to go to church. Tj was heading back home to try and avoid the terrible traffic we encountered on the way down. (So sad that Tj couldn't stay the entire week but somebody has to bring home the bacon. Just another reason I love him, he works so hard without complaint even when the boys and I are vacationing.) Sunday we enjoyed afternoon naps and a visit from my younger cousin who happened to be in the area for the summer selling pest control.

Monday morning we braved the ocean and the weather to go let the boys play on the beach. RiKenna, her old roommate from college Stephanie, and Stephanie's boyfriend helped watch the boys. The boys loved running away from the waves and building sand castles. Unfortunately I didn't get the gene from my dad to routinely check the weather channel or we would have known to wait until Monday AFTERNOON to hit the beach. By lunch time (just as the sun was burning off the cloud layer and warming up) the boys had had it and we headed inside for naps. Monday afternoon my oldest brother's wife, Sandy, and their kids came down. Their oldest is a boy who's 9 and Joel practically worships him. My brother couldn't come with them either (he too had to work) so it was a girls' week plus a dad. :) That evening we grilled and the kids played in the sand.

Tuesday we headed down to Old Town San Diego. I don't ever remember going down there although we've gone to San Diego for family vacation pretty much my entire life. It was really fun. We got to see a blacksmith making an ax, walk through the village, eat at a really YUMMY Mexican restaurant, stop at a candy store (and purchase some treats), get some ice cream and tour the recently remodeled Mormon Battalion visitor center. The visitor's center was the highlight of the day. The tour was an interactive tour and was so interesting. It ended in a court yard where you could pan for gold, pump water, build with bricks, clean clothes on a washboard and walk up to a tower where you could look over Old Town. It was SO fun. The boys (and all the kids) really had such a fun time! We went home and I put the boys down for naps. Then Tuesday night we went to the amusement park just up the board walk called Belmont Park for their family night. I think the boys rode the boats with their cousin about 105 times. They also got to ride on the carousel a few times. PaPa sure appeared to be having a good time spoiling those kids. It was so fun to see him ride the carousel the first time with Vance and Emma.

Wednesday the kids played in the sand in the morning. Then we decided once more to brave the weather. Bad idea! It was cold. Literally we had our sweatshirts on over our swimsuits and wrapped up in towels too. The kids played in the sand and the ocean for a little while before we called it. The rest of the day was spent in the condo playing.

Thursday PaPa and Monie treated us all to a movie. Most of us went and saw Despicable Me (cute show!) although Vance fell asleep. Joel seemed to enjoy it. We went back to the condo and headed out to the beach. Once again it was cold! The kids had fun playing though. Joel and Vance helped Matthew dig a hole which ended up being a really cool with a tunnel and everything! Thursday night the kids got to experience the joys of the ice cream truck treats followed by a bon fire courtesy of Monie and PaPa. Tj came down Thursday night after work.

Friday we hung out and packed everything up. Just before lunch we headed home.

It was a really eventful week. It was so fun seeing the kids play with their cousins and hanging out with my sisters and parents. You will notice that there is a lack of pictures. The first part of the week my camera battery was dead and the second half of the week I forgot my camera. I'm hoping to update this post once my sisters sends me pics from her camera.