Babymoon ~ Phase 1

We are home, and trying to get back to the real world -- and eastern standard time -- after having a fabulous and relaxing time on the west coast.

I don't know where to start. I almost felt like I was on the bachelorette -- minus all the girls vying for my man. Our vacation was jam packed with beauty, glorious weather, unique experiences, luxurious food, relaxation.... oh, and a little stomach bug too.

We were treated to blue, sunny skies in California and a nice little rental car upgrade. Southern manners go a long way!

The first day was spent exploring the gorgeous coastal towns -- La Jolla, Del Mar, Laguna Beach, and our first destination of Newport Beach. These little towns were so cool, and it was such a treat to be able to pull over, grab a coffee, and pop into a little antique shop or boutique. We spent most of the week driving up and down the Pacific Coast Highway, and we logged over 900 miles on our rental car.

Bob was selecting some special rocks to bring home to the kids. They are easy to please!

Our accommodations were just perfect. We stayed in a bungalow at the Pelican Hill resort in Newport Coast. It was fantastic. Complete with a cozy fireplace, huge soaker tub, and gorgeous views of the ocean, it was our personal hideaway.

(the view from our porch)

We decided to keep the TV and computers off, and spend the time just reconnecting. Bob and I are truly best friends and really have lots of fun together, especially when work and home stress are removed.

Saturday night was our "celebration dinner" at an amazing five-star restaurant called Studio at the Montage hotel. We got glammed up and settled in for a 6-course Tasting Menu while overlooking the Pacific.

It began with the bread and 2 selections of butter (goat's or cow's milk butter). We were served the most amazing homemade brioche rolls I have ever eaten. I told our waiter that they almost made me cry!

Each course featured 2 preparations and included caviar, crab salads, foie gras, lobster pastas, coute de bouf and black truffle potatoes, and the dessert finale. The food was delicious and like nothing I had ever tasted before. I don't plan to add any of these recipes to my weekly meal plans, but it was a fun experience nonetheless.

The pastry chef made this extra dessert to help us celebrate!

We were still getting adjusted to the 3-hour time difference, so I woke up pretty early the next morning. And I wasn't feeling too good.

I'll spare you all the details, but let's just say I spent that day hugging the potty. At first, I was afraid it was food poisoning. Oh, the irony. But we soon realized that the stomach flu had invaded our vacation. On the bright side, I was able to totally relax and recover without all of the motherhood responsibilities. That was a blessing. On the down side, I had no appetite for several days. Total bummer!

On Tuesday, we began phase 2 of our babymoon and headed for Beverly Hills!

Giddy

I am just giddy! Bob and I are heading out for a second honeymoon (or babymoon) and we can hardly wait.

We had talked about the need to get away - sans kids - before the baby was born. When we found out it would be babIES coming, we accelerated the planning process.

I am quickly becoming enormous and didn't want to be too uncomfortable for the trip. And we knew that it would be a little risky to travel too close to the due date.

So, we are packing the suitcases ...

and dropping the kids off at my parents' house. I have been telling Caleb that he is going to rehab. (This is what I'm calling it, since he will be without the iPhone for an entire week. I'm depending on my mom to fully rehabilitate him!)

Bob and I are preparing for our first flight together since our Hawaiian honeymoon in 2003. (Can you believe that? We both have flown many times since then but never together.)

Bob is a vacation research fanatic, and this trip is planned to a T. Our motto is "Go big and then go home." We are facing the reality that this will likely be our last chance for some peaceful alone time for the next several years. We are holding nothing back!

We will be flying into San Diego.



I am totally excited about the flight! Five hours sitting next to my hubby. A button to signal someone when I need a beverage or a snack. The chance to watch two awesome movies that we have been dying to see. And an opportunity to even catch a cat nap. I can't wait.

We are staying here for the first part of the week.

And we are ending up here for the last part!

You will find me here.

We will also be visiting him.

Bob has already warned me not to stare. But I am an admitted people watcher. I love it! It's fascinating. And to be in Beverly Hills -- during Oscars week! -- I'm sure there will be much to see. So I am bringing a big pair of sunglasses and a book that I've already read (so I can pretend to be reading instead of gawking).

I am looking forward to:

dictating my own sleep schedule

enjoying an entire cup of coffee while it is hot

having someone make my bed

not cooking

not wiping any bottoms

eating a meal uninterrupted

wearing perfume

I know I will miss my monkeys terribly. But they will be having a blast and making great memories with the grandparents and cousins. I doubt they'll even miss us. =)

Some Answers

I have been laughing at the series of questions posed to me -- most by my crazy friends or family members. But I will take the time to answer a few of the legitimate inquiries.

Where did I get the dress I am wearing in this picture?



I already knew the answer to this question before even looking back at the picture. For me, there are really only a few possibilities. I buy most of my clothes from TJ Maxx, Marshalls, or Ann Taylor (or Loft). That's really it. I'm not stylish enough for most of the more popular stores, and I am way too frugal to drop $100 on anything other than a wedding dress. I would welcome a visit from Stacy and Clinton as long as they bring their $5000 card with them and promise me a week in New York. But, for now, I am content with my bland wardrobe.

To be specific, though, I got this dress at TJ Max for $19.99. It's black (so I have the right shoes to wear with it), it does not need to be dry cleaned or ironed, and it's comfortable. Perfect in my book.


How is the diet going?

Diet is going well. I must say that I have cheated a bit. The news of the twins gave me much cause to celebrate, and it's just not as fun celebrating with celery. So I did have some treats.

Then, my husband's birthday was a few weeks ago, and that necessitated some sort of cheating, right?

On his birthday, I thought it would be fun to surprise him for lunch. I took the kids to the grocery store and let them pick out balloons for daddy. Caleb selected Thomas the Train and Eveley chose a butterfly balloon.

Then the kids chose this "birthday cake."



I had 2.

We quietly told the receptionist that we were surprising Bob and she directed us to the conference room where he was in a meeting.

Eveley was so excited! She raced into the office proudly holding the baloons. They must have hit something sharp on the ceiling because they burst loudly! She was crushed and slumped to the floor. Now, I just had to make it to Bob's office so we could shut ourselves in.

As we walked down the hall, other attorneys and the staff were popping out of their offices to say hello and congratulate us on the "twin" news. Caleb desperately wanted to sprint around the office, so I was gripping him on my hip and trying to make it to Bob. Just then, he looked at me and slapped me in the face. I acted surprised and some of the older gents gave a look that said their kids had never done such.

"Caleb!" I said, "You don't hit mama."

What did he do?

He hit me again.

Happy Birthday, we cheered.

Q and A

In the blogging world, one thing I find difficult is responding to readers' questions or comments. Often times, I will get a question within a comment but, when it's not someone I know personally, I have a hard time knowing how to specifically respond. So, I thought I'd give you a chance to ask away. I definitely did not intend to ignore ya!

If there's something you've been itching to ask, here's your chance. Leave it in a comment or send me an email (if you have my personal email).

And if you're not familiar with the whole "commenting" process or if you don't have a profile set up, you are still able to leave a comment by selecting the "anonymous" button and signing your name at the end.

I did have a few recent questions inquiring about the type of stroller I was referring to in my previous posts. Here is the mac daddy of strollers -- the City Select found here

And it is now sitting in my garage, thanks to Ebay!

Now I am bunk-bed shopping!

Have a great week!