Okay, we made it! GoodGrandma℠ survived a large family vacation! The preparation paid off, but we would like to also share suggestions of things we learned along the way. Here is the good, the bad, and things we would do differently:
Day 1 ~ Arriving: I learned we needed a plan in place for lunch as we got into town. Everyone was hungry, and with a large crowd you either need to have something prearranged or you divide and conquer. We ended up dividing up and meeting at the house. I also learned if you want to take pictures at bedtime it’s best to have it on the schedule and take them early enough before the babies go to bed. We missed pictures with Beau and Romi. It wasn’t planned to take pictures with Papa, but I am so glad we did! Papa Rich loves Santa Claus and he resembles him in so many ways. As I took the pictures I couldn’t help but think of Santa and how much Papa Rich is Santa! I love my “Jolly Old Man”!!!
Day2 ~ Beach Day: Unfortunately, the city didn’t bring in sand for the beaches as they had done in previous years. But, we made the best of it and loaded up the masses and went up the road to find sand. I didn’t plan out the “Beach Days.” Everyone did what worked best for their little families. Whether it was playing in the sand, hanging out and playing games, or taking naps at the house, everyone had a great first day at the beach.
Day3 ~ Beach Day: SUNSCREEN! GoodGrandma brought sunscreen and encouraged everyone to put it on and reapply often. The young adults (Andrew) should have had an adult supervising. Even with clouds and cooler temperatures you can still get burnt! We had plenty of snacks and beach toys. I was able to build a sand castle with Willow before the little boys and Cope bombed it.
Day 4 ~ Disneyland Day: Please read previous post.
Day 5 ~ Beach Day: Last day at the beach or if you’re sun burnt, a day at the house. I was able to take a cat nap on the beach and loved the sounds of the waves and the kids playing on the sand while I was able to rest my Disneyland tired eyes. Whatever everyone did that day, it was a glorious day with family.
Day 6 ~ Returning to Reality: Everyone has now traveled safely back to their own destinations. Papa Rich and I are very blessed and fortunate to be able to give this gift to our children. It took A LOT of work and planning to make it happen, our Christmas gift of 2017 was a great success!
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