Spoiled!

I like to pretend that this is what my summer will look like...

Ahhhh....  :)

Reality: 

Here's MY reality:

 Okay, I will say they do look pretty cute & innocent in the above picture...and just look at that cute puppy in the back!  How can I even feel an ounce of stress looking at those sweet faces?   Ha!  We were out on a fast fast scooter and bike ride tonight because if I didn't get OUT of the HOUSE and RUN I would have gone INSANE!  I was seriously getting a tension headache from probably clenching my teeth.  It was a long afternoon, lets just put it that way.  Taking 4 kids to the library and constantly reminding them to use their "quiet voices" (which I don't think they even have!) while they argue over books, whose turn it is on the computer, who gets to carry the library card, who gets to carry what book, who gets to place our book returns in the book slot, etc... it can really start eating away at your soul.   However, for the most part, this is just a normal "day in the life of" for me.  I can usually handle it and roll with it with a calmness (or at least I like to believe I can and do...though Myke may tell you otherwise) but after awhile it just starts to be like nails on chalkboard.  Mainly, the whining or the bickering that happens when one of the kids is in a mood.  With four kids, someone is almost always "in a mood".  The seemingly rare times when everyone is playing nicely and the universe is in a peaceful motion are wonderful...and they do happen daily, so they aren't THAT rare, I guess.  Tonight was just constant.  Myke was out for the evening so I was on my own and the kids were just non-stop either arguing, getting hurt, taking each other's toys, etc.  So we went on a run to the neighborhood park.  Well, they scootered or biked and I ran behind them.  Running (or red wine...but usually on separate occassions) is my stress reliever.  It helped.  I felt immediately better.  Even when we got to our neighborhood park and Eli had to pee (no bathroom at this park) and cried because I told him to go in the bushes, then Ella peed her pants, then Eli cried again because he was thirsty and wanted a CUP of water and NOT water from the fountain, then Ella was walking Kyla and she got knocked over onto jagged rocks when Kyla started pulling fast, then it started drizzling on us.  I STILL felt overall better.  Gotta love running :)  I even stopped to take a photo (above) of my little rugrats.  They are a little neighborhood bike & scooter gang.  Don't mess with the Hines Crew!  

I'll add some pics from Myke and my 10th anniversary weekend below.  Was such a wonderful time.  I feel COMPLETELY spoiled because the weekend after that getaway I had a girls' trip planned with some friends.  We had planned it months in advance and when we finally came upon a date that worked for all of us and booked the resort/spa, I hadn't even noticed that it was the weekend right after our anniversary.  That said, Myke and I didn't have any anniversary plans until about a week or so before the actual date when his parents offered to watch the kids.  They didn't have to ask us twice, that's for sure!  

Starting the day out right: breakfast/coffee/tea at Olive Cafe in 

Mission Beach.  Near our old (pre-kid-days) stomping grounds.

All dressed up.  Let's go get married (again!)!

The handsome hubs

Same dress...

I wore this dress in 2010 for our 5 year vow renewal...

and also I know I had it back in 2005 and wore it to something or another..

can't recall.  Maybe even in Hawaii during my wedding week.

I can still zip it...wahoo!

selfie :)

Complimentary champagne sent to the room.

(too bad neither of us like champagne very much)

View out of the french doors to a private patio.

Compliments of The Grand Del Mar

Coffee by the pool

(don't look at the food in my teeth)

We had just had the most amazing breakfast brought to our room.

The staff wheeled in an entire table and set our food out on it.

Pancakes, toast, eggs, frittata, latte, tea, fruit...

All delicious and so much gluten free for Myke!

Peaceful & quiet Sunday morning

I didn't want to leave...

And a few from the girls' weekend.  We went to South Coast Resort Winery & Spa in Temecula, CA. It's about an hour's drive from where I live.  

Private table surrounded by grapevines right out

our patio door.

Wine tasting

MORE Wine tasting!

Spa time!

dinner

Iced coffee by the pool Sunday morning.

I didn't want to leave..again!

I've officially been spoiled for the past two weekends.  I'll admit it.  However, it was WONDERFUL and so needed!!  I got to have time with my husband with no kids and then time with girlfriends with no kids.  It was quite the stress-reliever.  I guess until I can get away again, I'll just have to keep running with my scooter & bike crew!