Come What May: Vacation

Monday morning we set out for Orange County to my grandparents house. These are my dad's parents and they have lived in the same house since I was about 3. I have so many fond memories of staying overnight on Saturdays and going to church with my grandma on Sundays. I adore my grandpa, and I grew up knowing the feeling was mutual. Our relationship was very strained when I came out to my family, but our relationship was mended over time and I am very grateful for that. So we all showed up and ordered pizza, which turned out to be perfect for everyone. We were there for about 4 hours or so and right before we left my uncle showed up with my cousins, who I haven't seen since before I moved to CO. About 14 years or so. So that was nice.

1.) My grandparents with their granddaughters & grandkids. 2.) My kids with my grandpa

Then we headed for my grandma (my mom's mom) and aunt's house. My grandma has lived in this house since my mom was a teenager, again lots of great memories of family get-togethers. We unloaded both cars, ate dinner and coordinated the sleeping arrangements. My mom slept with my grandma in her room, my aunt took the guest bedroom (since she still had to get up for work every morning) and MOSis & I slept in my aunt's room with MONiece in her portacrib. So that left both of my kids, MONephew, CASis and both of her girls in the living room. Luckily we had 5 air mattresses. Or so we thought. My girl took the loveseat and the rest took the mattresses. By the next morning, 2 of the air mattresses were deflated and considered useless.

The set up in the living room- on the first night

Tuesday was a very relaxed day. CASis & I went to Costco to get lots of fruit, breakfast stuff, and the makings of Taco Salad for Wednesday's dinner. My kids & I prepared for our big evening (of which they only knew we were going to dinner with Uncle Eric). We headed for Eric's in L.A. and made it without getting lost, and making good time! Had dinner at Doughboy's which was so good I am still thinking about it, and then headed to the Pantages Theater. Eric drove which was so fantastic. I hate driving when I don't know where I'm going. The kids were trying to guess where we were going and it was making them a little crazy not knowing. When they saw the theater, they knew and hid their excitement until it was time to go in. I think my boy couldn't get inside fast enough. They really loved the show, and I was so glad we were able to take them. We went back to Eric's briefly so he could take his dog out one more time and then we all headed back to Orange County. Once there, we had to rearrange the sleeping arrangements once again as we were now up a person and down 2 mattresses. So CASis moved into the room with MOSis. Eric, CANiece1 & I took air mattresses, my girl stayed on the loveseat and the other 3 kids put blankets down and slept on the floor.

1.) My girl & Uncle Eric at Doughboys 2.)At the theater

Wednesday was nice, but the hot weather was really getting to me in terms of my feet & ankles swelling - a lot. My grandma doesn't have air conditioning, so we decided to find some. MONephew went to see his grandparents (on his dad's side) so CASis, Eric & I took the rest of the kids to see Kung Fu Panda. MOSis & the baby didn't go. We went to Round Table for pizza before the movie. I haven't been to a Round Table in a really long time, it was pretty good. The movie was really cute, we all enjoyed it. When we got back, my older cousin and her daughter were there, so we visited shortly before our other visitors showed up. Two very good friends of my mom's came by with their kids, it was a great time. We ate taco salad and caught up with everyone. The kids had a lot of fun playing together. MONephew ended up staying at his grandparents that night, so he missed it. After everyone left, we played Shanghai. Unfortunately, CASis found out that night that a good friend of hers, that we all knew, had lost his battle with leukemia. We were very sad, which put a bit of a damper on the next day, but she was a trooper and didn't let her sadness affect things too much.

1.) My aunt, mom & cousin 2.) MONiece eating chili beans & avocado-yum! 3.) CANiece2 & my cousin's daughter

Thursday was my last day in Orange County. We had lunch from a hamburger place that is right up the street from where Shell & I used to live. It was very greasy but so yummy! Eric & I picked up our rental car and met everyone else at the street where we lived. My parents bought that house when I was 4 years old, and lived there until they moved to CO. Some of the same people who we grew up knowing still live there. One of my very best friends, V, met us there at her parents house with her new baby, who I proceeded to love on a lot. We visited with former neighbors for a couple of hours before heading back to my grandma's.

1.) V with her baby, MOSis & hers 2.) V's beautiful baby boy 3.) My boy with his Uncle Eric

It was a little bittersweet, as I was leaving to spend the next two days with Eric before flying home. MOSis and her kids were staying until they flew home on Saturday and CASis, her girls and my kids were driving back to Indio on Friday. So Eric & I were the first to leave. My nieces and nephew were sad, which made me sad too. We took a bunch of pictures and then we left for Los Angeles to my next vacation adventures.