Spring Break San Diego

I put much emphasis on this spring break, I think. This is in part because I think I have felt a little "trapped" in this growing pregnant body of mine :), as well as I can't help but think that this is our last family-o'-three vaca...a thought that makes me sad (resistance to change, here I go again...:)), though happy for our "complete" family that will make up the memories of our next family getaway.

Hmm, where to begin? Let's start by saying that I hope to relive this very vacation again and hopefully again and again...maybe make it a "tradition" of sorts. We LOVED our hotel, The Catamaran, and found it to be perfect for us. Reed exclaimed, "Our hotel is a RAIN FOREST!" upon our arrival, and the amazement, impressiveness, and good times kept rolling thereafter.

Our hotel had a "bay side" complete with sand toys for the kids, cabanas and food and drink for the 'rents, and nightly cruises for the whole family. Two blocks away was the non-bay, 'real' beach, "the wave beach" as Steve and Reed called it, Mission Bay. Plenty of shops and restaurants and easy rinse off and whatnot for built-in fun plus convenience...a family's "must". Within our hotel we had lush palms, talking parrots that greeted/repeated the guests, refreshing pool and plush cabanas, and...Steve's favorite...a large room with built in full-but-mini kitchen :).

SEA WORLD was a highlight of our stay, Reed rocked the place and we stayed until almost 5:00, skipping his usual 2-5pm nap altogether (he slept for the night, 12 hours, from 6:30pm-6:30am after we left :). We rode rides, hit three shows, lunched and snacked, played on the play structures and (literally) soaked up the mini water park. Reed feeding the dolphin was picture-perfect and he's talked about it several times since. Luckily, we were the very last people to be able to do so before they cut the line off!

Steve surfed, I had some pool time, and we enjoyed the perfect weather and beach as much as we could fit in. We were also thankful to spend time with Reed's former nanny (2nd mom, actually!) and best bud (like a sister, actually!) who live there. Eric, Jessica, and Bella were kind enough to host us for an evening and Reed and Bell had a BLAST (to say the least) slipping right back into their old days of both reckless fun (contributed by wild Reed) and structured play (thanks to Bella :)). Bella cried when it was time for us to say goodbye and Reed has mentioned moving to San Diego, staying at Bella's, Bella visiting here, and talking about the fun had ever since. Peas in a pod!

The only flaw of our time had was that was it was too too short (aren't getaways always that way? :)). We didn't spend time with all the peeps we wanted to, but that just makes for another excuse to head back again...hopefully, as I said, a Havenar family tradition!

Spring has Spring...maybe

So much mixed up weather in these here parts, per usual! A few quick pics of Reed and his daily outside play, and one of him longing to be outside in the spring snow a mere week ago.

SB in SB

We recently spent Spring Break in Santa Barbara, a great but too-short (isn't that always the case?) vacation.

Our friend Troy was a very generous host, putting all of us up in his amazing renovated home that he should be very proud of putting so much work into. We stayed in most nights, grilling out in the lush backyard, sipping wine, and eating waaaaay too much food, but that's what vacations are for, right?

Steve spent his morning surfing, as he always does when we go to the beach, and Brooke joined the three of us which was fun for me as we were able to get in some shopping. Reed enjoyed her company as well and we appreciated her help with the wild man! She calls him "Bubby" from time to time and during the trip he adopted that as his nickname for her, so sweet and funny...looks like it just may stick as her 'aunty name' :).

My cousin, Kathy, and her husband Tim came up for a bit from nearby San Luis Obispo. They are expecting twin boys come summer...hooray!...so it was nice to relax with them before their boys make their debut!

Posting some pictures and a little video clip of Reed as well. Hoping to make every spring break a beach vaca, but that may be a little greedy to bank on :)!!!

p.s. he kept going over to the girls laying out, eventually laying down with them...whatta flirt ;)