California: Day 1 and 2

Melanie received free airline tickets a year ago from allowing herself and her kids to be bumped to a later flight, but she never used them and originally thought they were non transferable until she checked as a last ditch effort before they expired. It turns out they were, and she called and offered them to me! Thank you Mel and Spencer! As a result, I was able to go to California with my two boys and attend a number of family events that happened this week.

The first day was mostly spent on the airplane literally wrestling with Clark while holding Andrew. I felt I earned the mommy of the year award when I found myself squeezing into the airplane lavatory holding Andrew in one arm while hoisting an unwilling Clark (my 35+ pound child) onto the ridiculously high itty bitty changing table. I changed his poopy diaper with one hand while he kicked and screamed. Don't know how I did it, but we practically fell out of the lavatory when it was all over with (NOTE: why do those stupid doors open inward...there isn't enough room as it is! And why do we call bathrooms lavatories only on airplanes?) Anyway, the good part was that people were really nice and no crusties were shot my way (that I saw anyway). We survived the trip and actually got to the San Diego airport at the same time as my parents and Bonna. We all met up with Mel curbside, and headed back to her house. The rest of the day was spent chilling (read: recovering), and my dad and I could hardly wait to get ourselves to IN-N-OUT for some Double Doubles, fries, and shakes. We almost didn't make it though because we got directions from Melanie, and while that may sound mean, she actually provided me with one of my first "I love being with my family" moments of the trip. It was just classic Melanie and for better or worse, classic our family to make fun of her for her bad sense of direction. We all had our 'moments' during this trip, and it just reminded me of the good, the bad, and the funny that IS family.
The next day, we hung out together as a family and later on, everyone met over at my aunt Rachel's house for a BBQ and swimming. I stayed at Rachel's the whole trip, and she is awesome. Her house is a party, and that's the way she likes it...and we all like it too!!

Great Grandma Barbara with Andrew

Rachel and Craig grilling up the burgers!

My dad getting in some boy time with my cousin Ethan

Clark swimming with Bonna

I just love this picture of my nephew Truman...there is no way that kid is drowning!