My Weekend

Last Friday I flew with just Beckett back to California for my very own weekend at home.  Before I went I was kind of second guessing my choice to go back so quickly after our last CA trip, but after the first day I realized how much I really needed that more relaxed time with my family.  It was such a blast!

My happy little traveling buddy

Friday my mom picked me up from the airport and we went to visit all of my grandparents.  Beckett was perfect on the airplane and was pretty happy and just played while we visited grandparents even though he only got about a 15 minute nap in the stroller while we got our luggage at the airport.  I was impressed.  He is just such a good little man.

We made it home in the late afternoon and just played with toys and hung out until dinner time.  Jules and Rick picked up Joy from the train station and they came over.  We all went to dinner at this little Italian place.  The garlic cheese bread was amazing.  We had a ton of fun chatting and teasing each other at dinner.  Beckett chowed down on cinnamon bread and played with Grandpa's watch while we had adult time.  Later that night us girls made a grocery store/Golden Spoon run and we watched some Studio C together. Mom, Joy and I stayed up way too late talking, but it was the best.

Saturday morning we were slow movers.  Mom made us a beautiful breakfast of Amish baked oatmeal with berries and sausage.  Beckett took a morning nap while we showered and then finally we were ready to head out around noon.  We went to the traveling Vietnam Memorial wall first.  It was neat to see and talk with some of the vets there.  I especially liked the trailers with letters and memorabilia from that time and the map/chronology of the war.  I didn't know a whole lot about it.

After the wall Dad went home and us girls took Beckett and did a little shopping.  I was kind of unsuccessful with the shopping (although Ian would call it successful since I didn't buy anything). :)  We got Beckett home for a nap that afternoon and then while he was sleeping Mom, Joy and I went and got pedicures.

That night we had my favorite dinner, carnitas tacos with fried tortillas and homemade guacamole.  Oh it was delish.  Jules and Rick came for dinner and stayed and hung out that night.  Mom took Joy to the train station.  Later when Mom came home we played a new conversation game.  It was fun.  I discovered that my Dad wishes he had kept his old Mustang and that Jules' favorite book is a weird young adult book called Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging.  What?!? (love you Jules!!!)  Good times.

Sunday we went to church and even managed to stay for the whole block.  That afternoon we all napped and read our books.  Jules and Rick came over again for dinner and Dad made salmon, brown rice, broccoli and fruit.  Jules and I baked cookies that night and we played some cards.  It was super fun.  I just loved that I didn't have to constantly cater to all of my kids and got to do all the fun grown up things with my parents.  It was also SO fun to get to spend so much time with Jules and Rick and that I got to see Joy!

Monday morning Mom and I (and Beckett of course) drove up to LA to go to the Grammy Museum.  It was awesome.  So much stuff to do and see.  We didn't even get to half of it.  One of my favorite things though was this touch screen counter where you could click on any genre of music and hear examples of it and read about it and see all of the related genres.  I could have explored that for a couple of hours.  I also loved some of the memorabilia from old artists like Louis Armstrong and Johnny Cash.

Several of the exhibits had headphones so you could listen to the music that was being displayed and Beckett really liked wearing the headphones and hearing music.  It was cute.  He fell asleep in the stroller for a little while, which was nice.  They also had a Ringo Starr exhibit while was really fun to see all of the Beatles' costumes and a concise timeline of what the Beatles were doing during their career.  Anyway, we loved it and I definitely want to take Ian there the next time we are in California.  He would love it.

After the museum we had lunch at the Lawry's Carving restaurant.  I had an amazing prime rib sandwich with bleu cheese spread, arugula and onion.  Yummy.  It was such a fun outing!  We didn't even hit much traffic, so that was a bonus.  Monday evening we were on our own, so we took Beckett in the spa for a little bit and then watched While You Were Sleeping before bed.  Definitely a wonderful weekend.

Tuesday morning Beckett and I headed home.  I missed Ian and the big kids, so it was fun to see them again.  Talia has been really adamant about me staying home with her every day since then.  She was quite upset about me going on a date with Ian for his birthday last night.  Luckily when the babysitter actually came she was fine.  Anyway, I am so glad that I was able to go visit my parents and relax and be taken care of for a few days.  I so appreciate my friends (Thanks Natalie and Carrie!!!) who watched the kids and Ian for making it possible for me to have that time away.  It was very much needed and appreciated.  :)

Talia wearing the cute shirt Grandma B made for her.