England-Hong Kong...where do I begin?

Let me start out by telling you- All I ever wanted was to live in England and have a happy family and travel the world. I guess it's a lot to ask, but in a sense this vacation was like all of my wildest dreams coming true for 2 weeks. The trip was perfection to me- the girls did awesome and were so pleasant, Brad loved it- the musicals, the golf, the accents, the beauty of the land- he really seemed to take it all in which really pleased me, it was fun being with my parents, we had perfect weather and I couldn't have imagined it going any better.  Even though we were traveling with babies it felt like a vacation in the truest sense of the word- which was a pleasant surprise. I got full nights of sleep and had 3 extra sets of hands with the girls that I don't normally have everyday. I was imagining China, but forgot I'm not nursing the girls and they don't wake up every couple hours anymore, plus we had my parents this time- easy peasy.
We traveled through...

England

Wales

Scotland

and even took a day trip to Paris!

Don't hate me. ;)

I can't lie- I didn't want to leave. As we drove home from the airport late at night it felt so weird to be back. I couldn't stop thinking how weird it felt, we were just in all of these amazing places and now we were pulling in our driveway. After I got the girls changed and down for bed I just started sobbing and couldn't stop. I know I don't get any sympathy for those tears, but I just felt so sad it was over. I'd been planning and dreaming about this trip for so long, it exceeded all my expectations and suddenly it was just a memory and it was time to get back to real life. It really was a dream I didn't want to end. I'm normally at least partially relieved/happy when I return home from traveling, but for some reason I wasn't at all this time, I could have stayed there forever. I think my heart belongs in the UK.
I felt so sad for Brad leaving to work the next day. Then all of the sudden Brad had an opportunity come up to be in Hong Kong for a few months...like literally this started happening the day we got home, and leaving 2 weeks later. So...we're moving to Hong Kong next week. Um...I said I wanted to move to England Brad.

Just Kidding...this will be quite the adventure and may open some doors for us so I'll take it. I'm missing some of my favorite time of year, but we'll be home to catch the end of the Christmas season at least. I guess somewhere inside me knew we weren't supposed to be home yet, I was just hoping it was the other side of the earth we were supposed to be on. Till later England, hello Hong Kong! 

{photos taken last year}

It shouldn't be too hard to get around this town with two toddlers on my own...right?

Er...right? Should I worry? 

OKAY. FINE. I'll hire an assistant photographer I mean nanny. 

But only because you are worried.

Cabo

Let's talk about Cabo. When you become a parent, at some point it becomes necessary to take a vacation away from the kiddos. Everyone kept telling me how hard it would be leaving the girls for the first time, and how sad I'd be. Apparently almost a year of those sleepless nights, busy days, and lack of "me time" in my crazy twin world added up to the point that I truly NEEDED this vacation, if nothing else to get a couple worry-free, cry-free nights waking up after the sun comes up.

Here we are taking that big step, leaving the girls...just the 2 of us.

We dropped the girls off to Brad's mom and I wondered what we were doing, I'd never been away from them for more than a few hours, why would we leave them, would everything be okay...  I was sad, tears were shed, BUT as soon as we got to the airport and flew down to sunny Mexico I found myself easily distracted from the worries back home and we had a serious blast.

The Zinch founders wanted to celebrate the big sell last year by going on a fun trip with their wives, if it weren't for that I don't think me and Brad would have done it- it pushed us out the door and I'm so glad it did!

The Cabo crew

 The hotel was nice:

We visited Pelican beach & lover's beach, really cool scenery and this is where we snorkeled a little.

We had the most perfect dinner, we went 2 nights in a row- the food was amazing, the ambiance was out of this world, and it wasn't even that expensive!

Even though we were all tired parents we went out for a night on the town, there's lot of love in the clubs of Cabo.

 Not one, but 2 nights we woke up crazy early to go fishing.

 The famous arch

 

We didn't have lots of luck with fish. The boys were after a marlin,  but we only got a couple lil' ones. We fed most of our live bait to the seals.

Every night we skyped with the girls which was so fun. The one night we missed talking to them and that was a little hard, but it was fine, I knew they were fine and that I was awesome. I was laying on beaches, I was sleeping, I was taco eating.














Speaking of tacos...  I'm pretty sure every taxi driver will recommend you eat here, it's not a mistake. My mouth is watering just thinking about the tacos al pastor and the shrimp tacos.

Sure it was a touristy place, but I was surprised to find a little local feel and we had fun around the town. Good husband, good tres leches, good mexi-trinkets. We also had a spa day which was completely amazing, so amazing that I didn't even think to take one picture.

I think a part of me thought nothing like this would ever happen to me again. Soaking in the sun, listening to my music, not a care in the world... I also never thought I'd remind myself so much of Michael J.

The founder boys. Thank you for creating Zinch, selling it, and deciding to celebrate by taking your wives on an awesome vacation, you all rock.

Adios for now Mexico, we are good amigos now, see you again soon. :)

California

 These photos are in a really weird order, I'm still trying to figure out how to use a mac, at least the computer works even if I don't know how to use it! You may have noticed the girls have had a totally spoiled first year of traveling, and that just wouldn't be complete without a trip to Disneyland! (we really just went because it was my family's trip this year) :) 
The road trip down wasn't quite as easy as last time since the girls aren't nearly as fond of their carseats, but they still did pretty good!
The girls enjoyed a trip to the beach, where they ate sand, hated it, and tried to get it out of their mouth with sandy hands. It was one of those kinda sad, funny things that's a little hard to watch. 

 We had lovely weather and enjoyed walking down to the beach in the mornings.

 My dad would come home every morning from golf ball hunting with clothes full of pro-V1s and looking like he'd fought a war.

 We discovered that although the fashion island tree is "real" its a huge trunk with many trees limbs numbered and ordered to be placed on the trunk so that the tree is perfect, I had no idea!

 The girls begged me for new anthro bedding, it was weird. (I didn't cave to their pleadings though)

 It was fun seeing Christmas displays while we shopped.

 This is a random picture aboard the USS something, the most famous fleet ship? in San Diego.

 Nightmare before Christmas haunted mansion- babies can go on it!

 Disneyland all decorated for Christmas!
My favorite ride pics: I look like I'm part of a horror movie on tower of terror, and Brad's space mountain photo was deemed "inappropriate" because he was competing with my nephews for the best pic & took his shirt off during the ride. lol!

 Now we're back in San Diego, Lyla said "I don't always eat rice, but when I do, I choose Mexican."

 The Mormon battalion historic site had been redone since we were there last- it was awesome!

 And, we're back at disneyland!

 Back on that ship...we really hopped around! ;)

 San Diego babies

 It's a Small World. My favorite part of this trip with the girls!!! It was all decorated for Christmas and so darling. My favorite. Love love love.

 The family, minus the Franks who were busy with new little Autumn.

 It's a small world, I know you didn't get enough!