San Diego Snapshots

We spent the last week in the San Diego area on vacation, just the four of us. Mark has been super busy these past months with both his chaplain and fiduciary work, which is wonderful on many fronts, but it also means a six day work week, making this time away all the more special. Also, these growth spurt upon growth spurt kids remind us of how quickly these days are flying, spurring us to make these memories, as often as possible. 

I'm more aware now of the gift that it is to live in California (and yes, that we have our big VW van, even though I complain about it). To be able to pack up and hit the road to travel to such a wide variety of places was something I didn’t fully grasp until we moved out of state. It's been fun mapping out new adventures.

Here’s a rundown on some of the small moments from the trip I don’t want to forget:

This is the small army of comfort items that travel with us:

Finding notes written on hotel stationery from the kids saying, ‘Thank you for making this trip possible” and lots of XOXOXOs.

Watching the kids excitement exploring Legoland with total gusto and the bittersweet knowledge that this is probably their last trip as they're soon outgrowing the “awesome.”

Floating down the lazy river with Ben in the next inner tube holding my hand as we made our way down, watching Mark and Clara do the same thing behind us.

Our pirate room at the Legoland Hotel that was cheesy and fantastic for one night and hitting the dance floor at the nightly Disco Dance party. Clara was shy at first holding back. I leaned into her and said, “Clara, you’ll never see any of these people again. Just let go and have fun.” She let go and we all danced for over two hours to pop hit after pop hit amidst the strobe lights and smiles.

That time Clara went to hug Vader and grabbed his crotch.

Floppy McFloppenstuff Floppson, the seagull/s that visited our window at the hotel, hanging out with us throughout our stay.

Ben taking full advantage of the huge breakfast buffet at our SD hotel, loading up pancakes or waffles with whipped cream, syrup, sprinkles and the rest every morning.

Hitting the wall on day 4 of eating-out-all-the-time. The kids ask if we can stop at Von’s and get snap peas, carrots and fresh pineapple.

When overstimulation and change of schedule caught up with us and everything fell apart for about 15 minutes on the streets of Coronado. Finding that stone bench under the shade of trees, talking it out, giving and receiving grace and starting fresh. 

The feeling of total contentment with the kids tucked in one bed and Mark and I huddled around the laptop on the other bed, headphones on, watching a show while drinking wine out of plastic cups.

The boy bonding of Mark and Ben going in the flight simulator together at the USS Midway. Watching the pods whirl and twirl, Clara gets so worried about Ben she starts to cry. Ben emerges from his pod feeling like an aviator hero, and then holds his sister comforting her, reassuring her that he’s fine and that it was FUN.

Being on the USS Midway when a massive thunder and lighting storm hit, then the drenching downpour (the biggest since July, 1902 the paper told us the next day). Ben’s terrified heart thumping against my stomach as I hold him close. Mark holding Clara, looking out at the deluge and then at me wondering how we were getting back to the hotel (we had walked there). Christopher, our Uber hero, saved the day on that one.

Making the effort to give the kids more freedom. Letting them take a walk to the harbor on their own as long as we could see them. Playtime in the pool with us watching from the deck. Sending Clara to the omelet station to order on her own. Using their spending money any way they wanted. The scary and gratifying work of taking those small letting go steps that lead to the big ones.

Surprising the kids with an end stop at Medieval Times on our way home. Total enthusiasm as we cheered for our knight (yellow, of course), ate dinner with our hands and felt like kids in a royal fantasy for a couple of hours.

Exiting #93, San Ysidro Road, the same exit of our newlywed days and suddenly smelling the most intoxicating, sweet fresh scent of rain mixed with blossoms and well, Montecito. Wherever our travels take us we never stop pinching ourselves that our favorite place is home. 

And now, the laundry. So much laundry.