Ever year we go to CA for our annual visit. All the grandparents live in CA, where BigDaddy and I are from. We pack up the kids and fly out to Hell-A. From Second One, I start stressing out. LA does that to us now. The traffic freaks me out, the smog makes me start coughing immediately, and the frantic pace makes my heart beat a little, okay, a lot, faster. We then embark on the grandparent tour- going from one non-child proofed house to another. And there's that challenge of the 3 hour time difference. So when it's bedtime for us, everyone else is thinking about getting dinner started. Let's not even talk about a nap schedule. When we finally get comfy at one house (and have moved all choking hazards/breakables), it's time to pack up and move to the next. Go Team, Go!
It's exhausting. And this year I get to fly solo, literally, with the munchkins.
So when people say "What a fantastic vacation!" I have to chuckle. Vacation? Surely, you jest. This is not what I would choose to pick as a "vacation." Trip? Yes. It's a LOT of work. The planning, the packing, the flying (alone w/ 2 kids), the driving all over SoCal, the repacking, and the flying again. And almost always, I get sick by the time we get home. And we ALWAYS have the trip hangover for at least a week. Which ALWAYS happens around the time BigDaddy needs to start pre-season and is MIA again. So, why oh why, do we torment ourselves?
Because we get to lounge about at Nana & Grandpa's house, play in the pool, look for Mr. Lizard and pick veggies from the garden. And at Papa & Grandma's we get to go to the neighborhood lake, blow lots of bubbles and take a day trip to the beach in the RV. And we get to visit with extended family during the 50-some member family reunion with Memaw and Pepaw. (And btw, that last part is in San Diego-not too shabby.) And I love seeing the kids showing their grandparents their latest dance move/karate kick/interesting noise. And seeing how much fun they have playing with their cousins who are only a year apart from them. And how they reconnect with their older and cooler teenage cousins they got to play with last summer on the bay.
That's why we do it. So bring on the Opening Ceremonies, let The Games begin!
*Pictured is Papa and Sassy at Solana Beach, CA 7/08.
3 comments:
Well we can't wait to see you on one leg of your journey! Will you be updating FB?
I can't wait to see you. But I understand what you mean.
-->I hope you have a safe trip. It stresses me out to think about taking two kids on a airplane by myself.
www.WebSavyMom.com
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