A leave of absence #1

**Warning** very long post ahead

While I have been contemplating the title of this post for a couple of days now and am not so creative and clever in that department, I have neglected to post our trip to California. Mainly because I don't think the post would do it justice. So it's not one I've necessarily been looking forward to as much as I know I need to document it before too much time passes. Let me preface this with it was such a great trip, filled with fun activities for the kids, laughter, great food, and family. How could you go wrong? You can't. And so you see the problem I have with trying to convey this to all of you. Now on with the show.

It all started with Dave's dad wanting to plan a "man-cation" where he got all his boys and their sons (the older ones that were allowed to come) together for a camping trip over a long weekend. Apparently this is something he would do in the summer with his 5 sons and Dave looked forward to this each year as a young boy.

So in March, they figured out a weekend that would work for everyone and set a date. It wasn't until the 3rd weekend in August. Who can wait that long? Anywho, going along with this, all us girls decided that if the guys were getting together, we would too. A sort of female bonding, back in college experience, except with kids tagging along. I must admit, I was a tiny bit skeptical about the whole thing since we haven't all been around each other for any extended amount of time. I mean, with Dave's family of 5 boys and 3 girls, and only 1 sister not married yet, it can get, for lack of a better word, overwhelming. The girls that ended up getting together were none of Dave's actual sisters, just the in-laws because one sister went camping for their last family vacation before school started, one is in Iowa, and the other isn't married and didn't want to hang out with us and all our kids.

I invited Kimber to ride down with me to sound more appealing for her to go and she agreed. So we had the girls in the far back of the car and Vance in the middle seat, with the other seat folded down so everyone could watch movies and get back to them. The ride down was pretty uneventful and we made great time with only 1 bathroom break. We stopped at Fo Fo Figgily's to let the kids run around for a couple hours and then it was the last 1/2 hour in the car to grandma's house for swimming and pizza. Five minutes into it, Elise broke her foot so she was out for the rest of the planned trip, but made the best of it.

A huge undertaking, but she decided to take all 9 kids to Target to pick out a toy. With 15 people in the toy section it can get a little hectic, but everyone came out with something to play with for the weekend. Kelsey picked a little piano and Katelyn picked yet another tea set. I'm questioning Kelsey's choice because I didn't take into account the drive home. But with her all the way in the back it wasn't too bad!!

After that we went to Heather's house where we were all staying and the kids all played outside again while we figured out the sleeping arrangements.

They all thought it would be fun to pile in the power wheels while Kelsey chauffeured them around.

Katelyn and Vance getting in the action. And although they never went anywhere, they didn't care!!

The next day it was off to the beach. We went to Paradise Cove where they have a few umbrellas out on the sand and pretty close to the water so we could watch the kids play in the water while we were in the shade.

Katelyn was not sure about the whole water thing at first, but eventually "warmed up" to the idea. The water was freezing but that didn't stop them for long.

This is about much of her body that got in the water, once the waves receded.

Kelsey kept calling the ocean a "river" or that "pool" when she asked to go back in. She liked it a little bit better, at least until she walked out of the ocean and had dry sand sticking to her wet legs. She did not think that was fun at all. I don't blame her, I'm not a lover of the beach either, the whole sand thing is just gross. I prefer the pool too.

After the beach, we went home and it was off to the salon where Dave's mom set up appointments for all of us to have pedicures and manicures done while she watched the kids. Thanks so much, Val, it was so nice to be pampered for an afternoon.

The next day we were off to the Santa Barbara Zoo and then over to the pier for lunch and a boat ride to see the sea lions. That was the highlight of the trip for everyone.

The boat ride over to see the sea lions.

I love the look on Katelyn's face, still not sure about this new adventure.

Kelsey and Chanel checking out the ocean.
It was pretty cool to be that close to them and by the time we left the kids were all "barking" like the sea lions.
Just relaxing on the buoy and swimming in the water.

The pelicans and they all thought of Nemo.

In one straight stretch of the trip, the captain let each of the kids who wanted to, drive the boat. Kelsey jumped at that opportunity first and thought it was great. And for a treat, she got a sucker.

Katelyn was next, but her look is not one of joy. Of course she could not be outdone by her big sister. I think the sucker was more what she was wanting out of the experience.

Amazing what a sucker can motivate the kids to do.

After the zoo and boat, it was back home. Heather got 3 girls to come over and watch the kids while we all went out to dinner. It was such great food and a wonderful time had by all. Val ended up picking up the tab and paid for the babysitters as well. Way too generous, but thank you again. Each night after the kids went to bed, we stayed up way too late, watching the Olympics, talking and enjoying each other's company and laughing way too hard. We all had a great time and all the kids played and got along together. Other than Elise breaking her foot, there was no other drama the whole weekend. The next day it was time to drive back. We all had to say good-bye and the kids did not want to leave. With the promise of doing this again next year in a different location, they got in the car and we headed for home.

The guys seemed to all enjoy their trip as well and it was a huge success all the way around. Thanks to Heather for planning all the festivities, getting the babysitters lined up and hosting all of the craziness that 9 kids can bring into one house. To Kimber for driving down with me and continually throwing snacks back to them and keeping the peace. A huge shout out to Valerie for pampering us more than we needed while we were all together and to everyone else for coming and making this possible!! We had a blast. Anyone up to coming to Las Vegas next year? No painting party necessary!!

Stay tuned for the next leave of absence.