Summer at Stinson

The boys and I made a quick overnight trip out to Stinson beach to see my bestest buddy AM and her twin 1.5 year olds yesterday/this morning. We left after I worked until 1 PM yesterday, got there around 3, played on the foggy beach (where we found a deeply dug hole for face-planting into) for a couple of hours, retired to our oceanfront retreat and made dinner (whatever was in the freezer) and drank scrumptious wine (made by said best friend's husband) while being spritzed by summer mist through the screen door. After the twins were in bed, AM and I talked loosely (knowing we didn't have as much time as we'd need to go through everything we wanted to discuss) about work, upcoming vacations and kid milestones while the older kids (mine) watched a movie. Then we went to bed.

I slept in-between my two boys on two twin beds pushed together. Of course they each wanted to flank me so I got to sleep in the crack. W wet his pants but was too tired to be roused by wetness so I slept half the night in a damp circle of his urine. B wanted to sleep cheek to cheek with me so I found myself forced to breath out of only one side of my mouth. I was pretty much as uncomfortable as possible, but so wrapped in love and warmth that I didn't mind. Every time this happens I face a choice between annoyance and remembering how urgently I'll crave it when the boys are too old to beg to be pressed to me all night long (or at least one hopes they'll grow out of that). For now, it's a heart warming thing.

We got up at 6:30 this morning, ate some frozen blueberry waffles and downed a cup of coffee and we were off by 7:30 and home by 9 AM, just in time to get the kids to the next day of "summer camp". I realize that to some mommies this might sound like a hellish trip of rushed travel and cramped (and wet) sleeping conditions. But I thought it was perfect. Nothing fills my soul like a visit with AM and her kiddos, and when you combine that with the ocean air, all night snuggles from my boys, and a good glass of wine you've got a mini vacation that's nearly as good as for me as a trip to Hawaii. Thank goodness for quick beach getaways!