Sun, sand, biking, running, playing, food, boardwalk, friends, family, safari, Disney, fried chicken, rolls, fire, music, laughter, warmth, boogy boarding, ribeyes, rollercoasters, sunsets with a margarita, Old Towne, Legoland, knots berry farm, airplanes, kites, football, chilling on the deck, and ending with nearly missing a flight.

What does all this have in common? The best family vacation I can ever remember! We did it all in a week and in the process grew closer as a family, relaxed, spent time with old friends, and completely disconnected. Words cannot describe the experience we shared this week.

As I often said before the trip “It’s not every day your wife overcomes cancer and your 19 and 16 year olds want to join you on a vacation”. But it was this day…and we made the most of it. When I asked everyone if they wanted to go home the answer was a resounding no.

The condo we stayed in was perfect. Right on Mission Bay with the sandy beach just across the boardwalk making it easy for the kids to get up and play in the sand. The Pacific Ocean with its boardwalk and all the shops and restaurants along it was just 2 blocks away. Monica and I took a walk after we arrived on Saturday listening to the waves crash in the background, and stopping by to enjoy a warm beach fire before we hit the hay.

The sun shined into our room on Sunday morning and we awoke to walk out onto our deck while Nathan and Noelle were across the boardwalk digging in the sand. The freedom of being able to arise and be outside watching the kids play in the sand was refreshing and incredibly relaxing. We found ourselves not wanting to leave but just enjoy the day so we did J. We had a great breakfast at a little restaurant and walked along the boardwalk on the beach back home. Old Towne is a favorite of the girls, so we jumped in the van and were there before sunset. We were serenaded while we enjoyed the freshly made tortillas.

Monday rolled around and I took a run along the boardwalk as Noelle rode her bike alongside of me. 4 miles with the sun shining, the waves crashing and the ocean breeze keeping me cool. This was so much fun that Noelle and I have decided we are going to do my Saturday runs on the trail at home with her riding beside me.

We headed to the San Diego Wild Animal Safari and had an incredible day together. What a place this is with baby lions, a mother gorilla and her baby, a soon to be extinct Northern White Rhino, some giraffes, and a cheetah that ran 65 miles per hour right in front of us! This was my favorite of all the attractions we saw during the week.

A barbecue was in order for the evening so we stopped by the store to get stuff for shishkabobs. The bbq ran out of propane so Debbie winged it and made a tasty stir fry instead. An evening by the fire listening to music and watching the moon over Mission Bay topped off a perfect day.

I wasn’t sure about Knotts Berry Farm but Debbie swayed me when she said we could have chicken dinner after we were done. We had enjoyed this restaurant the first time we went to Knott’s Berry Farm and it made quite an impact, so we decided to go again after a fun day of roller coasters. Monica wasn’t into the roller coasters, but she found herself a $5 black coffee instead J.

Nathan’s favorite ride of the whole week was the water ride and Noelle’s was the ride on the horse-drawn carriage. Amanda and I rode the Silver Bullet and loved it so much that we did it a second time. Later that evening Monica and I had a great walk on the beach listening to the surf in the background to end another perfect day in San Diego.

We decided Wednesday would be another relaxing day around the town. I took another run when I got up (I ran 22 miles during our vacation week), and convinced Monica to join me on the bike. She did but took off in front of me, only to be found sipping a coffee at a shop on the beach, deciding she found her perfect job of serving coffee at this spot one day J Debbie and Amanda did the same later on. We spent the day riding bikes, playing in the sand, and boogy boarding. Deb and I got to spend a few hours aloe at Joe’s Crab Shack drinking a Margarita and watching the sunset. We decided we like it here so much that we want to come back for our 10 year anniversary and spend a few days alone. Later we had a great dinner with our friends Rob and Jackie and their 2 kids. Jackie brought spaghetti and Rob brought my favorite beer (A.B.A. from Stone Brewery). We enjoyed dinner and roasted marshmallows afterwards in the fire pit. What a great way to end another perfect day in San Diego! The kids played in the sand until way too late so we decided to put off our trip to Disneyland until Friday.

Thursday came and Nathan and I decided to go to Legoland and leave the girls behind. We rode rides and walked through the park amazed at the structures. We were so busy we forgot to eat so we stopped by a strawberry stand and had strawberries for lunch J. We came home, played in the sand and watched another fantastic sunset from the beach. I barbecued rib eye steak and we enjoyed a pre-valentines dinner as a family followed by marshmallows, music, and great conversation around the fire to end yet another perfect day in San Diego. I enjoyed the gas fire pit so much this week that I committed to the family to put one in on our deck so we can easily enjoy fires together.

I arose with the sun and took a run around the bay. We were in the car and on our way to Disneyland before 8:30. We were hoping it wouldn’t be packed but were mistaken. It was jam-packed for Valentine’s Day, but it didn’t hinder our fun. I pulled up a picture of Monica, me, and Mickey from when she was 3 and sent it to her as a Valentine’s Day card. We enjoyed the day riding the rides but later discovered how beautiful it is in the evening. Amanda and Monica found a great restaurant and we enjoyed gumbo, corn chowder, and jambalaya while listening to a New Orleans Jazz band which we all loved. Later on we watched the fireworks over the castle and headed home, arriving at 11 in the evening. Disneyland was a long day but a great family day. When we go again we’ll be sure to go mid-week and get tickets to California Adventures so the kids can see Cars Land.

Saturday rolled around and our vacation was coming to an end. The day started like so many others…Nathan came into our room at 7:03 a.m. just like clockwork. Noelle went with me for my final run, but today we took a different path around the bay. Rob and Jackie came over to pick up their bikes, and we spent a few minutes playing football in the sand with the boys. Nathan had built a football field and Rob captured a picture that I think highlights the essence of our week together….Nathan and me on the field kicking an extra point through the uprights he’d outlined in the sand.

We barely made the flight home because we misjudged traffic. We returned to winds and rain in Seattle and a fallen tree in our neighborhood. I put on my work clothes, brought my chainsaw over and with the help of Chuck and the local fire department we cleared it out of the road! Welcome home!

As I sit here reflecting on the week I am convinced that God had his hand on our family and helped us all relax, refresh, and recharge while growing closer to one another. Our family is already dreaming of the next time we get to visit San Diego!

What did I learn?

• TIME together knits our family’s hearts together. Time together away from the responsibilities of home compounds this effect
• Freedom comes when you can just walk out your door and play. We’ve discovered this at Wapato, Keller Ferry, and San Diego. The extra $600 for our condo was well worth it
• It doesn’t take an amusement park to be amused. Playing in the sand, biking, and sitting around the fire were more invigorating than any of the parks we visited
• I didn’t realize how tired I was.
• I love my family and will forever cherish the times we spend together. I pray our kids will want to bring their kids to spend time with us in the future
• I can’t wait to do this again. Maybe next time I’ll try 2 weeks!