What Vacation?

I have been home from our mini vacation without children in California for three days and I really am asking myself, “What vacation?” I have to say that the vacation experience is probably one of the biggest changes that we’ve experienced from life before children to life after children. Whether you vacation with the children or leave them at home to be royally spoiled by their grandparents, vacation life changes. If you travel with them, you are doing all the same things that you do at home except you’re in a hotel room without all the conveniences and comforts of home. As noted in my post about our trip to San Antonio with the girls, we had a great time, but it was exhausting. Gone are the vacations of sleeping late, lounging by the pool, lingering over a cocktail and going where (and when) our spirits move us. Now you might think that our long weekend in Northern California would have more relaxing and reminiscent of the vacations that we took before adding our darling daughters to our family…and it was! However, the tough part comes when you get home from this type of vacation. I was away from my girls for five days. They both did well with Grandma and Grandpa, which I expected. However, as soon as I became visible in their world again, they wanted my undivided attention and they wanted it now. This was the first time that I’ve ever left Mia with anyone overnight and only the second time that I’ve left Emily (and the first time I left her, I came home from China with another baby!). So, I am trying to give them as much attention as I can physically muster while I also try to get us back on our routine, complete six loads of laundry (finished that up this morning), catch up on my favorite blogs, and update my blog for the three or four people who actually read it. I really don’t want to be a whiner and I’m certainly not complaining, but vacationing sure can tucker out a mommy! We really did have a wonderful family vacation in Sea World and my hubby and I had a great time on our first “just the two of us” vacation since 2002! Indulge me as I post a few photos from our vacation in Northern California…

Chuck and me at our favorite winery in Sonoma...Viansa! We just finished our private tasting that we were able to arrange for ourselves and the couple who we were traveling with. This is the only winery where we purchased wine...I didn't say that this was the only winery where we tasted wine though!













Up to my neck in vines!













No comment needed...













Chuck with the Pacific Ocean in the background.













We spent Sunday in San Francisco. Chuck and I love this city and we probably have several hundred photos of the Golden Gate Bridge...here's one from last Sunday. It was an absolutely beautiful day in SFO!













We also spent a few hours in Saulsalito doing a little shopping as well as a bit more eating and drinking.














To summarize: We ate and drank our way through Northern California...from Sonoma to Napa to Cotati to San Francisco to Saulsalito! It was wonderful! Ah...I'm feeling relaxed and rejuvinated again after looking through the 297 (NOT an exaggeration, but the true number of) photos that Chuck took over our five days together in Northern California.