Family Vacation for Spring Break 2011 Part 1

Finally! We're on vacation! DAY ONE: At last, it was the day to go to the airport and fly away for a vacation! Our lives were chaotic and we weren't sure we were actually going for a few days. At the airport, everyone was excited and did very well. The flight was long and challenged us all, but we made it to San Diego and got our car to travel to the "island" where our hotel was. The kids were understandably antsy and hungry. They had what I termed, "excessive kid energy". As parents, our thought was get them dinner and find a playground. As we walked along the water, we noticed seals in the water which was fun. We picked up cupcakes at a shop we passed by. We listened to the concierge and ended up at a fancy restaurant, but we made the best of it and their fish tanks. After dinner and some wrong turns, we finally found a playground. Upon seeing the park, Sam yelled, "PARK!" with a measure of relief that gave me some insight into how hard travelling was on the kids. We played until dark and the kids went to bed late!

DAY TWO: We began our day with a trip to the beach even though it was very windy and cold. I was insistent that the kids be able to put their feet in the ocean. The video shows the simple joy that I was hoping for.

After putting our feet in the water (BRRRR!), the girls resumed their running back a forth. We were preparing to leave when Sofia fell and was hit by a wave. She stumbled and was hit by the next wave. By this time, Sofia was soaked. She commented that her feet were so sandy that she couldn't even check her toes! (I'm sure that someday this phase will pass!) That was priceless! After a quick change at the hotel, we were on to our next adventure at Balboa Park. There was a carousel that was irresistible to us, so we took a ride on that before going to the zoo. The San Diego Zoo was wonderful! One of Daddy's fraternity brothers and his son Andrew were able to meet us and it was awesome! The weather was cold (for San Diego at least) so the animals were more active and the zoo wasn't too crowded. It worked out perfectly! Check out the face paint the girls waited patiently for!

DAY THREE: It was raining, so we headed to the local Science/Children's Museum to prevent "kid energy buildup". The weather improved so we got some outside play too and found a park near the hotel. We finally were able to go swimming! All the pools were outdoor so we were at the mercy of the weather. We had ribs for dinner (not as good as Papa's), bought some cheesy souvenirs and visited the park on Orange and 7th again after seeing a rainbow. That was a nice moment filled with wonder and the peace that comes from being wholly present and not distracted.

This video is of the girls working together at the museum. They got on well for most of the entire trip!