The Beach on Coronado

Awhile back, we made plans for a family vacation to San Diego. Well, the Army had other plans. Edward got a slot in a course for three weeks in Mississippi, so we had to cancel our trip. To salvage a couple of days, Edward was able to get his flight out of San Diego. Wednesday after work, we took off for a couple of days in sunny Southern California.

We spent all day Thursday at the beach...our favorite beach again on the North Island Naval Base at Coronado. After watching the evening news, we discovered that this day broke the records for heat. It got up to 98 (sadly, around 20 degrees cooler than Yuma!).

Alex was very excited to eat, I mean, play in the sand.

I try to get a picture of all three of them everywhere, but I just can't get them all to look!

Okay, so they are all looking, but Alex looks like he's been screeching (probably was). He is part baby/part Velociraptor with his screeching these days. It's VERY annoying, and if people don't think I notice it, I do...problem is, what can I do right now?? It's not like he understands it when you say, "Alex don't scream."

You probably can't see it, but Alex is COVERED in sand.

One of the best parts of the beach, for the kids, is the constant air traffic overhead. Planes and helicopters land and take-off constantly. Each time, it's like the first time they've ever seen an object in the sky.

Luke loved the water. He kept "swimming" in ankle deep water.

View of the Coronado Bay Bridge and the mountains of Tijuana, Mexico in the background.

Okay, so this was hilarious. Luke was eating a snack of cheese puffed popcorn (like a cheeto). We told him not to take it back by the seagulls, but he wanted to "run them off." So, he paid the seagulls a visit.

And, the seagulls "thanked" Luke for coming. Seagulls-1, Luke-0...I think they enjoyed his snack.

We were able to get a picture of the seagull walking off with his snack. It was really funny, even though he started crying saying, "The bad seagulls stole my snack."

Back at the sandcastle display...

See what I mean?

Seriously, the runway is across the street from the beach.

Alex was obsessed with the kids' beach chairs. He thought he was big stuff by stealing an empty drink box and trying to drink it.

Boche ball

Alex is really concentrating.

I had to help out with the sandcastles for a bit.

In addition to airplanes and helicopters, Coronado entertains us with the battleships, a.ka. to Luke as "soldier boats" coming and going. This one was coming into port.

Riding the waves

The kids are actually starting to get daring enough to go in the water! Next time, we'll have to bring their life jackets. They are finally going in past their ankles!

Beach bum baby...tired after a full day!

School Supplies

School supplies...check!

No, these are not all for Madison. The pink folders in the back are definitely hers, haha! We're taking some of the supplies to church for their preschool. We will also give some to Madison's elementary school. I even got a few things to put in my Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. I like to buy the crayons and such now when they are .20 cents as opposed to their normal price of 2.99 or so. I got some really great deals on all of this stuff. Some of the items were one penny, thanks to the great sales at Staples.

Promotion List!

Yea! Yea! Edward made the promotion list for Major!!! He should actually pin on his new rank in about ten months, but he's on the list. I'm very proud of him, and we're both excited that it means we'll get a larger weight allowance when we move next summer, and if we move somewhere we live on post, we'll move up to Field Grade housing, which means a bigger house. Where we live now, they don't do housing at all on rank, just the number of kids, which is nice, but the rest of the bases do it by rank.

He's already planning on the promotion taking place in mid-free-fall as they jump :)

**I just thought of another benefit of having his promotion here before we move. In addition to it just being here with all of our friends, we'll get to get our new ID cards before we move. If you have ever been to a military ID card office, it can be a painfully slow process (much like the DMV), but here, since post is so small, there's never anyone there, and if there happens to be someone else getting a card, we probably know them :)

It's Like a Business Trip

To finish up the postings from our Tennessee/North Carolina trip, I should have had pictures from our return trip. I don't. Why? Try flying with three kids by yourself, haha.

People ask me if I'm crazy for flying alone with a one, three, and five year old like I have much choice. We're in the Army; that's what you have to do! Edward reminded me of a comment made on one of our favorite shows, Modern Family, where Claire talks of vacationing with all the kids and says something to the effect of 'I'm the Mom...this is no vacation; it's a business trip. Kids are my business.' I know that's not the exact wording, but you get the gist.

Thankfully, our flights went smoothly with no delays or issues. My biggest headache was changing concourses in Atlanta with the kids. I've flown through ATL many, many times, so I know the airport, but navigating with the three, a double stroller, a carseat, two kids' backpacks, a purse, diaper bag, and small extra carry on...fun, fun. Let's not forget that I can't just hop on an escalator...elevators only for my stroller and load. Plus, it seemed like there was literally one elevator in the whole place with a line to match. The kids loved the train at ATL, but surprise surprise, when I had to go from Concourse A to Concourse E (furthest one), and then I was at Gate 32 (furthest gate). I was literally at the end of the airport.

My biggest complaint is that even after I asked, the Delta flight attendants wouldn't help me. I was told, "It's not my section," as I tried to lug my kids and all that other stuff (carseat included) on the plane. The only offer of help all day was from a sweet old lady who probably needed more help getting on and off than we did. I'm not one to ask for help, but sadly when I did that day, it didn't happen. We made it home anyways.

Best idea of the trip=buying Alex a seat on the plane. While the cost wasn't the "PRICELESS" like on the tv commercials, it was priceless for my sanity. I'd like to say he slept in his carseat the whole way back, but in the six hours of air travel, he slept about 20 minutes. I think he ate the rest of the time :) I loved it when, at check-in, I was told my seats weren't together. I told the lady I needed four seats together, at least in the same row. She said she didn't know if she could make it happen, so I told her that was no problem as long as the other passengers didn't mind taking care of my one, three, and five year olds...she said, "Give me a minute." Less than a minute later, the miracle worker informed me we were all seated together...well, for our first flight. The second flight, I was told to work it out myself by the same "lovely" flight attendants.

So, we're back safe and sound...1 Mom, 3 kids, 1 double stroller, 3 carseats, 2 bags weighing in at 50 lbs and 49 lbs (thanks to the sale I found at Children's Place), 2 kids' backpacks, 1 diaper bag, 1 purse, and 1 small carry-on (food stuff-because the sip of drink and small pack of peanuts just wouldn't hold my crew for six hours).

Edward picked us up curbside in Phoenix (yea!!), and after a "late" dinner (it was at 6:30, but to the kids and me, it felt like 9:30), we drove the three hours home.

This week, Edward is getting ready to go to a course for three weeks in Mississippi (I should work on teaching Madison how to spell that while he's gone), so let the fun continue!

Another One Bites the Dust...

So long, old friend. You've been a GREAT highchair. You have survived two major moves (Florida to North Carolina and then North Carolina to Arizona), despite crazy movers. You've taken good care of my babies at mealtime. Despite hiding food on occassions, I've enjoyed you very much. While there are so many more compact options out nowadays, you were the best thing around five years ago. We looked long and hard to find you at a great little Cuban boutique store in Ft. Lauderdale. Thanks, Graco, for this great chair. We're giving you to new family here on post, and hopefully, they will enjoy you too.

Ice Cream Cones

Yes, our aerobics instructor enjoyed her ice cream :)

Luke, who is in the preschool-hunger-strike mode, finally finished a dinner for this dessert.

We're really enjoying Alex's new "straight-jacket" looking bib. It totally covers him so food doesn't!

Back-to-School

So, is it really back-to-school shopping if you are just starting school?

Well, with kindergarten a month away, Madison is starting to get her back-to-school wardrobe and supplies.

Shoes, check.