It Takes A Village!

Spring Break In Seaside Oregon!

(First of all.....that sentence cracks me up and takes me back! About 20 years ago, I spent many a spring break in Seaside with my girlfriends: lookin' for hot babes....cruisin' the boardwalk, flipping my hair, staying up late and sleeping in til noon! Ha..makes me laugh that I return years later with 4 kids and a mini van! Awesome!.... I digress.......)

Ok.....I love vacationing with friends! I've only done it a few times as a grown-up with kids, but I'm hooked!

We went to the beach with our friends Jay & Allison McKenney, and Brian & Jenni Clayville...So, including our family we had: 6 grown ups and 7 kids! Yes....we were totally outnumbered!

First reason this vacation rocked:

1. All my friends are amazing cooks! (Opposites DO attract!) Meal-time meant we ate well! We all split up the food responsibilites between the three families (my husband took our shifts so I didn't poison anyone.) Every meal was GRUB! I, uh, pretty much ate like it was my job! I put in a lot of overtime.......

Another reason.....

2. I love my friend's children! Ava and Macy McKenney are scrumptious! My kids just couldn't get enough of them. I wanted to steal Ava and take her home with me. She has got to be the happiest baby I have ever known! She radiates joy! Oh....she made my womb tickle!

Chance Clayville probably has the cutest voice and funniest personality in the world. Everytime he spoke, I laughed. We currently say many "Chance-isms" at our house....but after this weekend, we added a few more. Here he is pushing Ava's "happy button".....Adorable!

This is an understatment: Jay has a way with kids. (Probably because he is still a kid himself!) He was like the Pied Piper....they all just swarmed him. I kept thinking I should shoo them away from him...."Give him some space, kids"....but he seemed to love it. There was no shortage of "fart humor" that is for certain.

I've always really believed the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child"...and after this week at the beach, I am convinced it's true! We had 12 parent eyeballs working at all times.... The kids didn't stand a chance! No child was unattended, un-observed, or unloved......

Last reason:

3. There is something really cool about seeing your friends love your kids.....It has a unique way of deepening the friendship.

My kids had a blast! Special thanks to my hubby, who braved the BIZARRE weather and took the kids out to play....so I could relaaaaaaaaax (uh....and eat.)

And to Alli, Jay, Jenni, Brian...... thanks for a great spring break!