10th Anniversary Trip

Our Anniversary is on August 14. Since this year is our 10th anniversary, we decided to take a 4-day trip to celebrate. We ended up going in June instead of August for childcare reasons. God must have been orchestrating everything all along, because a few weeks before our trip we were matched with a baby girl for adoption. We will pick her up two days after we get home.

This trip wasn't about escaping from our kids, or having a wild time. It was about getting to know each other again and reminding ourselves why we fell in love in the first place. By the end of the trip, we had both decided that it was better than our honeymoon had been.

We stayed in Monterey at a hotel right on the water. That was pretty much my only request for this trip - I didn't care where it was so much as I wanted ocean right outside my window! 

We either walked or rode our bikes everywhere we went. We explored all over Monterey and Pacific Grove, found new (to us) coffee shops and book stores, farmers' markets. We went to a few movies, read books on the beach, had long conversations, and ate great food.  It was wonderful to spend such a long time alone together, with the love and familiarity that 10 years brings with it. We felt refreshed and ready to return home to be loving spouses and parents.

Weekend at Point Reyes

We so enjoyed our time at Point Reyes a few months ago that we made plans to come back again. We arrived Friday afternoon and headed straight to the beach. The next day, we hit the beach again and stayed all day long (and we have the sunburns to prove it!) The kids played by themselves. The parents read books and napped. We all played together. Then read our books and napped again. It was a pretty relaxing time.

But more than what we did, is what we didn't do. We didn't have a plan. We didn't have a schedule to keep. There weren't any chores, or nap times or quiet times. At home, life runs well when we have a plan and a schedule. But it's also nice to get away from it once in a while.

On the way home from Point Reyes on Sunday afternoon, we stopped by Berkeley. We had lunch in downtown (and had the most amazing mint chocolate chip ice cream I've ever tasted!). Then we went on to Adventure Playground, which is about an acre full of junk that kids can build with and make their own creations. The boys spent two hours there, and didn't want to leave. While the boys played, Lucy and I hung out at the Marina. 

It was really a wonderful weekend. :)