Obviously, we've taken vacations as a family vacation before-- but somehow, our recent trip to LA seemed like an official Family Vacation. Maybe it was that it was in the middle of July, which in Los Angeles is the height of tourist season. Maybe it was that we stayed in a hotel for part of the trip, which we rarely ever do. Maybe it was the day we spent at Disneyland, where we were surrounded by thousands of other people on Family Vacations. Or maybe it was that it was our first attempt at traveling as a family of four, which felt a whole lot like a circus act. Whatever it was, it was somehow different. It was also an exhausting mix of wonderful, frustrating, exhilarating, infuriating, relaxing, and crazy.
And that, I'm pretty sure, is the definition of a Family Vacation.
It began when we left the house at 5am on Tuesday, drove to Omaha, unloaded two carseats, two giant suitcases, and two carry-ons jammed with toddler and baby gear, and flew to Denver, where we faced a 3 hour layover with an already cranky toddler. Thankfully, I discovered that the mezzanine level in the Southwest concourse is completely empty... and so we spent a good hour running up and down the long, empty hallways.
By the time we got on the plane for LA, Brady was passing out, and he slept for the first half of the flight (and whined for the second half, but I'm choosing not to remember that part). If you're ever trapped in the Denver airport with a toddler, take the train over to Concourse C and head up to the second level. I can not recommend this highly enough. I also have a new appreciation for the endless entertainment that are the moving sidewalks.
By the time we reached Pasadena, we were tired, hot, and cranky. Thankfully, my dad lives in a complex with a pool. Serious water fights ensued.
Zachary preferred to lounge in the poolside shade.
The first few days consisted of lots of pool time, a trip to the Arboretum that only lasted about an hour thanks to the intense heat, and frequent trips to the various restaurants we don't have in Nebraska. There was also park time with Grandma Margot.
And then we got all touristy. People said we were crazy, but we braved Disneyland in July. Yes, it was crowded, but we didn't wait longer than 20 minutes for any ride. Yes, it was hot, but we bought a ($18!!) spray fan that made it bearable. Yes, two of us had infants strapped to us, but you'd be shocked how many rides (Pirates, Jungle Cruise, Small World, Pinocchio, Snow White, the Carousel, the Little Train, etc) you are allowed to ride with a baby. Yes, the kids got tired, but our little troupers hung on for a full 10-hour day of fun.
So yes, it was totally worth it.
Besides, where else could you subject your 2-year-old to a scene like this one?
Once Brady realized Pluto wasn't actually going to grab him, he was ok. He even squeezed his nose a few times.
My brother came down from Santa Barbara to spend the day with us, which was awesome. Brady does love him some Crazy Uncle Andy.
My BFF Heather and her sister Holly (and Holly's adorable baby Annabelle) came too, which was amazing. We figured out that Andy, Heather, Holly and I haven't been to an amusement park together in literally about 20 years... and here we were, having to take breaks in the shade because we had our own children in tow. Crazy.
Satisfied customer.
Because apparently one tourist destination wasn't enough (Family Vacation, remember?), we also spent a day at the LA Zoo with Grandma Margot. Again, it was hot (sense a theme here?), but we decided not to let it slow us down. It was a good call, because my mom had a good day with her boys.
We followed up the zoo with more time in the hotel pool. Zack did some more lounging. He's lazy like that.
We capped the day with a late-night run to In-N-Out. Brady ate an entire grilled cheese, which made Paul very proud. If Brady didn't like In-N-Out, I'm pretty sure Paul would have demanded an immediate paternity test.
The main event and reason for the trip, however, was Paul's parents' 50th wedding anniversary.
50 years. Seriously. That, friends, is a really long time. And a really good excuse for a really big party. So on Saturday night we joined 100 or so other friends and family to celebrate.
There were, of course, the obligatory family pictures. You don't get the kids and grandkids all in one spot very often, after all.
But more importantly, there was a whole lot of dancing and laughing and hugging. Family talked about days gone by, old friends caught up, and everybody marveled at all the good that can come out of 50 years together. It was pretty amazing.
In all, it was good. Yes, there were moments when one or both kids pushed us to the brink of insanity (it turns out that having two kids in a hotel room is kinda hard). Yes, Paul did declare on the plane on the way home that "We are never flying anywhere ever again until our children are old enough to be rational". But between those moments were a lot of laughs, some great memories, and a lot of time with the people who matter most.
And THAT is a Family Vacation.
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