Our 2nd Honeymoon

There is a book that our kids like to read, "The Berenstein Bears' Weekend at Grandma's." It talks about how Mama and Papa Bear go on a second honeymoon while the kids stay at Grandma's. We did that. But there were 3 cubs, and well, it was more like 2 weekends + the week in between.

Some highlights:

• Being with Mr. Mud for 11 days straight without the interruptions of work, kids, housework, tv, internet... It was pure heaven.
• Staying with Mark and Aimee and their fam (this definitely helped with me missing my kids. It was nice to play with their three)
• Boat ride on Lake Geneva
• Eating fondue for Aimee's b-day in Geneva
• Glacier in Chamonix, France, Mer du Glace
• Driving from Geneva-Barcelona
• Barcelona, Barcelona, Barcelona--this place was AMAZING!! I totally recommend it. The streets, plazas, architecture, tapas, beach...
• Mark and Aimee's Navigation system aka "Watson"--totally saved us!
• Tapas, different types of Orangina, Chocolate Croissants, pizza (in Spain!)
• Everyone thinking S was Spanish
• The Sagrada Familia, Park Guell--Goooo Gaudi!
• Las Ramblas
• A girl asking me for directions (to a bar because clearly I'm so hip!) in Spanish--What's up. That's right, I'm a native (or something).
• The Font Magica--the water dances to the music. I thought it was hilarious the modern music was in English.
• Montserrat--hiking around, tram up mountain, delicious goat cheese
• The cool beach in Callela de Palagrugell--the only Americans there!
• Pont du Gard
• European driving
• Gruyeres, Switzerland
• Riding the Maxximum w/ Aimee
• Le Relais de L'Entrecote

But, really I don't want to bore you, so I'll just show you the pictures to make you jealous.

Basically, I now owe my in-laws not only for raising such an incredible son that I am married to, but for watching my kids for 11 LONG days. I think the only way I can thank them (and Uncle Jacob) for watching them is to let them know that we will take care of them in their old age (which is far, far away), you too, Jacob if you want... THANK YOU MOM AND DAD MUD!

If you click on the slideshow you can make it bigger (click upper left after that for full screen).

Vacation

Last weekend S. and I took our first vacation ALONE since Boo was born--yes, that is four years! We had been planning on Spain, but S. needed a new passport and we knew it wouldn't arrive in time. The next idea was Puerto Rico or the D.R., but with hurricane season in full force we decided not to risk it. In the end we decided to go to Chincoteague, VA and use the money we would have used to go to Spain or P.R. to go to Disney World in a couple of weeks with the kids.

It was so fun to get away with S. and not think about who was watching the kids! Why have we not done this before? Oh, we were poor students.

Some highlights:

• Breakfast at our Bed and Breakfast, The Watson House
• Riding the waves (we went to the beach 4 separate times in two days!! Oh the speed without kids!)
• Hairspray Movie (okay, maybe not a highlight for S.)
• Biking to the beach (first time I've gotten on a bike in 15 years--no joke. I was a little chicken riding on the road. Besides, it was a HUGE bike. I felt like Kermit in the Muppet Movie)
• Shopping--me getting a really pretty necklace on shells
• Dinner (okay, the food STUNK--who gives you instant mashed potatoes for a $22 meal?!?!?, but it was fun to be with Sam. We actually had lunch at Central before we headed out of town on Friday--it made up for it--soooooo good)
• Putt Putting (S. BARELY beat me. But, I got a hole in one, and he didn't).
• Going up the Lighthouse (I have a fear of heights which S. finds extremely humorous. He doesn't get how I can picture myself falling out of the lighthouse with no opening ).

The kids did great while we were away, except for the fact that Boo woke up a couple times the first night due to the chiming of the Grandfather clock at my parents' house. We did get a warm greeting from the munchkins when we picked them up.

I'd be up for another get-away soon!