So I did something a little crazy. Well, crazy for me at least. I drove all three girls, by myself down to the LA area. That totaled about 6 hours of driving, which probably took us about 9 hours total. Now before you commit me, let me tell you why...
At the beginning of the summer, I was still in survival mode adjusting to life with 3, just coming out of newborn land. The thought of a summer vacation with 3 kids was the last thing I wanted to do. By the end of the summer I was feeling quite stir crazy, and the camping trip we had planned for September got cancelled due to the drought. So nearing the end of August, I decided I really needed a vacation, or as I now like to call family vacations, a business trip. We started brain storming ideas and we decided to go visit my grandma Diane. The last two trips to her house were for funerals, so we thought we'd go take the girls and do the fun things I remembered doing at grandma's house.
Enter Wes' work trip to China. The trip got scheduled at the last minute, right over the time we planned to go, and over my birthday, I might add. Then the trip slowly, but surely, got extended. Finally Wes had a return date fixed, which would put him arriving home the Friday night before Labor Day weekend. Labor Day weekend was the last hope of taking a vacation before our lives got really busy in September. Then Wes told me his flight was routed to LA and he joked that I could drive down and meet him there, so we'd have one more full day with grandma. I just laughed. He was gone for a week and a half, and then he wanted me to pack for our vacation and drive them for 6+ hours by myself?
We got off the phone, and then I began to think. If I wait for him to go, we will only have a couple days before we have to drive in the car again. And what will I be doing at home on that Friday if I stay? Taking care of the kids by myself. Maybe it was the loopy exahaistion talking, or the hope of seeing Wes on the other end, but strapping them all into the car, stuffing them full of snacks, watching a million movies started to seem like a fine idea. I asked my aunt and a friend if I was crazy and they both said no, and encouraged me to do it. So I did!
Heidi was gracious enough to watch the kids a few hours the day before so I could pack while Adele napped. So I packed and prepped. Bringing clothes for 5 and all the necessary baby gear is no joke.
Bright and early Friday morning, I packed the car while the girls ate breakfast and watched cartoons. They are gonna watch tv all day, why not start now right? Then I loaded up and off we went. Well, first the engine light showed up telling me the tires were low, so after I dealt with that, just a 40 min delay...then we were off.
I chronicled my trip on Facebook so I could get moral support, here's what I posted...
Pit stop #3. The girls are fading. So am I. Too many flies at this rest stop. Time for a diet coke...can't stop now!
Reunited! And mama is ready to collapse. Let the vacation begin!
Watching the ocean.
Riding some rides.
Kate walked the labyrinth.
Emeline sang with grandma.
Adele and I made funny faces in the mirror.
And she was as cute as ever in the bath.
One afternoon, Kate was so zonked after a day at the beach, she napped super long and I had to wake her up. But not before I took some sweet photos.
We did all sorts of fun things at Great Grandma's house....
Lots of cuddles. Here are Emeline and her great grandma in HER great grandmas rocking chair.
Fun at the pier, including ice cream..
Emetine and Kate wore their matching dresses to church that papa brought back from China.
We ate dinners outside and afterward, Adele enjoyed the grass.
Let's just say, driving all day is MUCH better with Wes. The big girls napped.
Well, I don't think I'd do the drive again solo if I had the choice, but it sure was worth it to have an extra day of vacation!
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