For Liz's graduation from Vet school, she wanted a trip to Disneyland with the whole family. Dad decided to turn the trip into a Family Reunion for his whole family. Plans were made before I even knew I was pregnant with Luke. I wasn't sure we would be up to the trip with a brand new baby, but I decided to try it. I am glad we went. The boys were very good travelers. We took Dave's new "Monster Truck" and were thankful for the extra leg room and cargo room. It is unbelievable how much baggage we took along. It seems that the smaller the person, the more gear they need.
We spent the first night at Mom and Dad's home in St. George, and then we headed to Cali in a caravan of 4 cars. I can't believe how well the boys traveled. Luke slept most of the time and really only needed one feeding stop. Sam was happy to watch DVD's and he persuaded his Aunt "Wiz" to sit by him most of the drive. What a lucky boy.
We stayed in a beautiful Marriott Condo in Newport Beach. We had two condos next to each other for the whole clan. The marriott had 3 great swimming pools and was set up so perfectly for families. We discovered a Trader Joe's not far away, so we found all the specialty ingredients for some wonderful gourmet meals, which was much easier than eating out with the kids. We spend a day at Disneyland, a day boogie boarding at the beach, and the rest of the days relaxing by the pool and hanging out.
One night we had an official family reunion BBQ. Uncle Bud, Steven, and Michael and all of the Marcussens were all there. After dinner we all sat around a beautiful fire pit overlooking the ocean and shared memories of Grandma and Grandpa Frampton. I loved my Grandma Frampton so much and at times I am sad that she never got to meet Dave or my Sam and Luke. I know she would have loved Dave and I wish that she could have taught my boys all the songs and games she taught me. When I first had Sam I was surprised at how many songs came back to me during those long nights as I tried to rock and sing Sam to sleep. At times I think I feel Grandma nearby as I sing and play with my boys the way she did with me. I never knew my Grandpa Frampton, but I felt I got a little glimpse of who he was as the Marcussens and Steven and Michael shared some of their memories of him.
Our little family drove home a day sooner than the rest of the family so that we could be home in time for Sam's birthday and have a day to relax before I had to go back to work. We missed Aunt Liz, but the boys still were great travelers. Maybe someday all the Esplin boys can drive a big rig across the country and live out Dave's life long dream of being a truck driver. We spent a night in St. George again and loved having one more day of swimming before our vacation ended. Traveling with kids definately is a whole different kind of vacation, but I am so glad we went.
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