Galownias Go West

In what is going down as the Best Summer Ever, California got a visit from the Galownias! No easy undertaking loading up three kids and going across two time zones and coordinating a work schedule so that Brother Dave could join in, but Leiah made it happen.

It took two cars to get these people and their things transported from the airport to my mom's house. Luckily Betsy has been in Cali for a long stay and was able to play chauffeur with me while Mom worked. Once we got the transport done, the delightful chaos took over. Chunks played in the sink, Ben ate all the red raspberries, and all was as it should be.

It didn't take too many trips to the roof to look at the ocean before the kids were ready to go swim. We headed down to the beach with about an hour of sunlight left and enjoyed the magic.

Since mom's house is a touch far from mine, I conned Leiah into meeting me for lunch in a town in the middle one day. We went for Ramen, noodles Leiah's children call Momma Noodles. Because it's what Momma cooks them a lot. California's Ramen is a touch different than Momma Noodles, but they didn't seem to mind.

Getting them cultured.

Once David made it to town, we decided to do some tourist things that Leiah, Ben and I had done during a visit 10 years ago. He was about the size of Chunks then, and one of his favorite things was riding bikes on the beach in Venice. We had waaayyy more people than we did then, but we hopped on bikes and dodged scooters and bikes and raced each other to the Santa Monica Pier.

The kids faces tell exactly how much fun they were having. 

We stopped in Santa Monica and the kids ate some food while the adults had some libations. The ride back was much more chill somehow, and Lilly and I kicked everyone's asses!

We also wandered Venice Beach for a bit, strolling the canals and taking in the public art. Lilly stopped at Muscle Beach and put the boys to shame. David climbed a street sign, which was crazy and totally normal at the same time. 

Touring LA with three kids in two cars ain't easy, so we spent the next day at my house in Long Beach. Chunks got to play in a kiddie pool and meet her "Chicken Cousins" as Leiah named them. She was so cute with them. We'd say, "Touch em!" and she'd stretch her hand out really far without moving her bottom half any closer and groan like she was trying so hard to touch them. That kid is something else.

Ben showing Chunks around Mack's piano, something he's been playing with since he was her age.

We also walked up the street to get some legit donuts, one of which was called a margarita donut and had actual tequila in it. It took about 8 hours but nearly every morsel was eventually eaten.

Somehow we managed to squeeze in a trip downtown. We grabbed a bite at Grand Central Market, which was about 1000 degrees inside. Afterward, Mom took the kids to explore and we met Cousin Shannon for a cocktail at Perch, a cool rooftop bar that Betsy discovered with Isaac. 

One thing I really wanted to do was take them to this awesome spot I camped at last month called La Jolla Indian Reservation Campground. The logistics of camping -- tents, air mattresses, transporting all of us and kids -- became a bit much so Leiah and I decided to make a day trip of it instead. Ben was feeling sick and Betsy had to cancel, so we left them at home and took the car-sick prone caravan on some windy roads to the woods. I showed Lilly how to tube the little river there, which was pretty low but still fun to wade in and explore, and Leiah taught her how to slide down rocks. We roasted hot dogs and S'mores before deflating our tubes and heading for home. I really wished we were camping there after we got there, so Leiah and I put it on the list of things to do next time.

Leiah had really wanted to go sailing, but it's not all that relaxing with kids on board. Betsy said she'd stay with them for a couple hours so Mack could take us out, and it was such a treat. The kids got to craft with their aunt Bebe, Leiah was a riot finding her sea legs, and she and David were something out of a book about lovers with their little poses. 

After the sail, we relieved Betsy of the hot house (we desperately needed an air conditioner this summer) and took the kids to the boardwalk to play games. Lilly won enough tickets for a ring. Ben won enough to go to college. Chunks learned how to use her small stature to assist so we didn't have to use tokens to play the basketball game.

After a busy couple days of adventuring, Ben taught Chunks how to relax, just like Uncle Mack taught him a decade ago. Chunks got the hang of it real quick.

Since Mom's house is closer to the airport than mine, the Galownia finished up their westward voyage back on the beach. Betsy and I took the kids down early, and they did all the awesome things kids do. They buried each other in sand. They gave up on the boogie board and called it dumb until their awesome Auntie Am showed them how it works. They ate popsicles from the beach vendor in the sloppiest way possible. They somehow elevated the beauty of a place beyond comprehension with their very presence.

I love these things so much. And it's not even about all the wonderful things we did together. It just about the being together. All this joy happens on accident, without planning, often when we're just doing the stupidest waste of time things. Like Snapchat. Lilly was Snapchatting her cousins or friend or something and we did a face swap. For two hours we all face swapped, which caused us to laugh our faces right off. This is why when they leave me, my heart starts to drain. Thank god I've already got my next trip home planned.