Labor Day in LA

We needed the beach. We needed the sunshine. But mostly, we needed our friends. (We also needed tacos and our church family, but that will have to wait for another visit!) Luckily the kids and I got the first three in spades on our Labor Day weekend trip to LA. We hopped in the car Thursday after homeschool, loved on our peeps for a few wild days, and then headed home on Monday feeling both happy to have friends so true, and sad to be leaving them. 

It's still hard for me to fully understand the last year of life for us little Wigs. On one hand, I'm so grateful for our home in Sacramento and especially the constant presence of loved ones--this has been a good move for our family as a whole and such a safe and soft place for us to land. On the other hand, I miss my pretty city and all she offered me. I mourn her like I do a lost friend and I long for my life raising babies on the beach. Luckily, LA is just a short car trip away and I happen to be an expert in making that drive, albeit usually in the opposite direction. I imagine I'll be spending a fair amount of time on I-5 in the next few years, and I'm totally OK with that!

We didn't waste even a single moment of time this last weekend. Parrrr-ttayyy! We spent 8 1/2 hours at the beach on Friday followed by pizza and an outdoor viewing of Mulan at the McKissick's home. After a couple wonderful nights at Michelle's, and a beach run on Saturday, we headed to Yorba Linda for swimming and tacos and ice cream and so much laughter. We stayed at the Burnett's for the next two nights and it was so good for all of us, but especially the boys who have been missing their besties so much it hurts. It was so nice seeing them together, it just felt right. There were lots of tears Monday morning when we had to leave, but also promises for future visits and plans for weekly zooms. I know I've said it before, but these people are as good as they come and are our friends for life. I'm so grateful for them!    

Cora learned to boogie board and couldn't have been prouder. I'm embarrassed to say that I was sore the next day from helping her catch wave after wave, but it was worth it to see her so pleased. She started coming to the beach when she was only five weeks old so this is her place!

After nearly nine hours at the beach I told him it was time to go and he answered, "Really? Already?!" He's got an adventurous, optimistic, up-for-anything spirit and I just love it so much!

She picked up right where she left off in this whole beach day thing. She was diving in waves, boogie boarding, laying in the hot sand and eating alllll the Cheetos. 

If you're looking to buy sand ball weapons to throw at, say, your brother or sister's sand castles, I know a guy who makes and sells them at the beach. He takes it very seriously and he's good, but it's not cheap!

On our drive down south Cora said, "Mama, I think I remember something about LA. We sat on the beach and ate tacos and watched the sunset, right Mama?" It caught me by surprise and touched me, because her memory was of New Years Eve this last year, and was a really special beach visit for me. I love that she remembers that family trip, and I hope she remembers this day as well. 

Some of my very favorite ladies in the whole wide freaking world.

I wish James could have joined us, it didn't work out this weekend, but I'm also grateful to be a confident and independent and adventurous women so I could give the kids this time with their people. Adventurous mothering is definitely one of my strengths.

 

I haven't seen Melissa since the very beginning of this year because she moved and then Covid hit and then we moved. After seeing her on the daily for much of four years, I can't even tell you how hard it's been to live without her. I'm so glad we were able to spend so much time together this weekend, and plan some more fun visits for the future. 

Before we left Coco proudly said, "I wrote my name on the sand, will you come look?" I one-upped her, I asked for a picture!

Running 8-miles in a mask was no joke, but worth it to be at the beach with these girls.

Our quaran-team in the Burnett's gorgeous pool!

I packed shorts and collared shirts for my boys to wear for church on Sunday, but Chase and Everett disappeared upstairs only to reappear in twinning suits. These boys are similar in almost every single way, so this was just too good!

Sunday church with the Burnett's was spirit-filled and beautiful.

I talked Melissa into giving me a haircut and it looks so good! She cut all the straggly split ends off the bottom and it is so much healthier now. If only she could color it we'd really be back in business!

Early morning walk-and-talk around Yorba Linda before heading home. Have I mentioned how desperately I've missed her? It was so nice to be together!

Until next time, LA!

Quinny's Eye Surgery

The worst part of Quinny's eye surgery was the Covid test she had to take three days before entering the O.R. She's the easiest patient, what with her mammoth-sized bravery and head full of brains. She's rational, thoughtful, patient and calm. She is always my first kid to get their flu shot, which she watches being administered without so much as a whimper or whine, and afterwards she always tells her crying siblings, "It wasn't that bad!" That's why her monster tears literally threatened to brake my heart after having a swab shoved up both nostrils to tickle her brain in search of the Coronavirus. It was negative, FYI. She's free of Covid, but not of the bad memories from the test. Oh my goodness it was sad. She didn't make a peep and sat squarely and bravely on my lap while the nurse administered the test, but immediately following she swung around towards me, wrapping those toned arms tightly around my neck, and silently sobbed into my shoulder. She wouldn't let go for what seemed like forever, and when she finally pulled back to look in my eyes there was blood dripping down from her nose. This time, she didn't pretend that the test wasn't that bad for her siblings or anyone. Nope, she told them that it was the worst! The icing on the cake for my little Quinny-Cat was when the kind nurse brought a Minnie Mouse sticker as a reward for being so good. I'm sure the nurse saw this adorable five-year-old girl and thought she'd love a girly sticker. Quinn wasn't amused. She faked a smile and said thank you and when the door closed on her way out she looked at me, the sadness in her face suddenly replaced by shock and said, "Why would she think I wanted a Minnie Mouse sticker? I'd rather have Donald." It gave us both a good laugh for the rest of the day--Quinny ain't no girly girl! 

As far as the surgery, easy peasy lemon squeezy. She's had a few infected bumps on her eyelid for four months now. At first I thought it was a stye, then the doctor thought it may be allergies, but after a few visits to a pediatric ophthalmologist we learned that the bumps were actually a viral infection, and in response the eyes were trying to fight it and were causing damage to the eyeball. We tried to wait it out, but when more bumps started showing up we knew it was time for surgery. Quinny, as always, was strong and brave and wonderful, and the surgery went off without a hitch. The doctor was able to remove all of the diseased eyelid and now, just two weeks later, her eye looks totally normal and beautifully back to normal. I'm so grateful for modern medicine and I'm especially grateful for my Quinny-Cat.

24 hours with a pirate patch and this girl was back to (almost) normal! No swimming in a pool for a week and administered medicine three times a day, but other than that it's been free sailing!