Beach Vacation

We have learned from experience that travelling with kids is a "trip" and travelling without kids is a "vacation." Usually, a "trip" is memorable, but often requires a "vacation" afterwards to recover fully from the exhaustion of caring for off-schedule, sleep-deprived, junk-food-fed kids. I am pleased to report, that we achieved the best of both worlds when we took Hank and Max with us on a vacation to California--we made memories together that I'll cherish for a lifetime and actually felt like the travel with just two was a total breeze!

The way our arrangements worked out, Aaron and Hank got a head start, leaving two days ahead of Max and I. I made sure Max didn't feel cheated by filling our two days at home with a trip to the farm and the trampoline place and a sleepover with me in my bed. When it was time for Max and I to join Aaron and Hank, Max was super excited. It just made me smile to get to see Max's excitement with the whole experience--from parking in the long term lot and riding the shuttle to the airport, to watching the airplanes take-off and land on the run way, to picking out snacks for the plane ride, to finally watching out the window as we took flight. I just soaked up the one-on-one time with Max and couldn't get enough of his enthusiasm.

We could get used to the high life vacationing at the Ritz Carlton with views like these:

Since I got to have Max all to myself before our vacation, I took Hank on a special one on one date while Aaron took Max on a dinner cruise. Max ate enough steak to make himself sick (but still had a great time!), while Hank and I visited Aunt Amy and cousin Jasper as a festival. Hank's favorite part was getting to throw his own cup on the pottery wheel. 

Hank was a great date!

With all the swimming we've done this summer, Hank and Max are pretty comfortable paddling around a pool, but this was their first chance to play in the ocean....and they LOVED it! So fun. Hank was pretty fearless about playing in the little waves crashing on the shore and riding his boogie board in the surf while Max was more interested in digging holes in the sand and racing the waves on the beach.

I feel a little guilty about leaving our little guys at home with Nana and Papa Grover, but I know they'll get their turn to make some special memories with Mom and Dad on a vacation, too. In the meantime, I just treasure my special time with Hank and Max.