Trip to SoCal

So many things, so little time :) That pretty much sums up our trip we recently took to Southern California this past weekend. Mike only had a couple days off and we knew if we were going to go, we just had to GO and make the fast trip to get to see some of my side of our family.  What a whirlwind! As if packing and trekking along as a family of four wasn't enough, we quickly realized that for our trips as a family have a different dynamic then the trips Mike and I used to take just the two of us. As it was, I thought we weren't too "plan'y" and had to forego seeing a lot of people and doing lots of things because there just wasn't enough time in the few days we were there, but our kids reminded us too that we are very much on their schedule and have to take time to just slow down and BE without all the chaos of always being on the go. A good reminder for Mommy and Daddy. We SO enjoyed time with Grandpa and Grandma Kraft (my dad and stepmom) and staying at their house. It's a beautiful thing to watch your parents be grandparents to your babies, to let them partake in your every day life like reading the newspaper with them, playing with the dogs, feeding the fish, eating meals, etc. and doing the extra things like sitting down to play and read with them. I always love seeing all our parents with our kids, and since it had been way too long since we had been able to see this side of my family, it was an extra treat to be able to have them not only meet Paytin, but be able to interact so much with an older Brayden :). It was also such a blessing and such a treat to spend time with my brother's family, him, my sister in law and their 3 boys (and one that should be here any day that didn't want to make his appearance while we were there, little stinker! :) ). To be able to watch our boys actually PLAY together and goof off together and just be boys together. It was so nice to just sit and talk with my sis in law, and Mike with my brother Brian, and watch the boys scampering from play room to outside playing pirates and cars and dinosaurs and eating a picnic dinner. And then you add in being able to stop quickly to go to church at our "first" church and the lesson that Brayden taught us that sometimes you just have to change plans, be flexible and pay attention to the signs. He got very grouchy and upset at the end of the service at the park, and then while we were eating the picnic lunch and trying to catch up with old friends, was just super emotional, crying and unhappy. Once he didn't want to play at all, we decided it was better to just leave, and because he was so unhappy, we literally just had to pick up, say goodbye to one friend we were talking too at the time, and head out. It was VERY hard for me to not see people I hadn't seen in years, to not get to go back and catch up with people I had just seen for a minute or two before the service, etc. But I didn't realize at the time just how tired Brayden was and neither did Mike. Before we even got to my parents house 5 minutes away, Bray was asleep in our backseat. He stayed asleep for 4.5 hours that afternoon, woke up after 5, and still went to sleep by 10 (late for a 3 year old, but not really considering that nap!) It was one of those moments where the frustration of having to leave our church picnic and not be able to "show of" our kids to people we loved and missed melted away because Brayden just needed to REST and I hadn't even realized it. That, coupled with my parents giving Mike and I a few hours of date time where we went to the mall and saw Rise of the Plant of the Apes and did some shopping, made for much happier and much more rested parents that evening. Then we grabbed some Jersey Mike's and came home and were able to hang out with my good friend Emily and her boyfriend that evening and play poker (well, they played, I attempted too and frankly, I stink at it!). The next day we hung out at the Ventura Mall, went to take the kids to the Smurfs movie, and then went to the beach. I was surprised at how much Brayden LOVED running in the water with Daddy and chasing the waves and the birds. Bray and I hunted for seashell pieces and he loved getting ALL messy in the sand...my van will never be clean again! Paytin stayed in her carseat and was happy to be turned away from the wind and listening to the waves. Then both kids fell asleep in the back seat and Mike and I were able to enjoy driving around Camarillo to places from when we were first dating and first married. A good trip down memory lane and seeing how much the city has changed! Tuesday we headed out to the Outlet Mall, said our goodbye to my parents :(, and then headed out to see my brother, his wife and their 3 boys ( soon to be 4!). They boys all played to their hearts content and Mike and I enjoyed catching up with my brother and sister in law! The time went by way too fast, just like it did the entire trip! It was just so much fun and such a blessing to be able to get away for some time for just our little family and I know we all came home having had such a great time!!