There is HOPE

Last year, we embarked on our first family vacation to Tahoe with both kids. It was fun, yes. But it was also extremely stressful. It involved 3 of the 4 of us being hit with the stomach flu, a whole lot of crying and whining (from everyone, but I'll be honest - Bodie started it) and a lot of stress. My exact description of it (from this blogpost, if you need a laugh) was "I don't know if parents of more than 1 child have been lying to us this whole time or if we just have bad luck, because this seriously has been the worst.vacation. ever. We're trying to find the humor in it (and remember that someday, we will look back and laugh at this vacation), but it's been tough."

Well, I am here to tell you parents of multiple little's that it does indeed get better. Because we're a little over halfway through this year's Tahoe trip and it has ROCKED. I mean, it has been so.much.fun! A few highlights of the trip (or, I don't know, "a few thousand pictures" - sorry, couldn't decide - that's how much fun we've had!!)

We got ready for the 4th in our best patriotic gear...

We watched lizards run around, in complete awe...

 We colored with Popo...a lot...

We ate at our favorite Mexican restaurant (our first night in Tahoe family tradition!)...

 ...where we spent most of dinner giving mommy "the look"...

 We hiked...

We dipped our feet in our favorite creek...

 ...and goofed off with mommy...

 ...and hiked with Gram Jan and Popo Alan

 ...We found a tennis racket and practiced playing...

...and then hit mom in the temple with it (at full force) - no pic of it since mom was running around crying in pain (funny story at least, right?!? Right???)

 We spent a lot of time at the beach...

 ...and shamelessly plugged Sisters by Heart...

 We played on the playground...

 ...and had a BBQ...

 We ate at our most favorite ice cream place on the planet!

On the 3rd, Gram Jan (as Bodie can coined her) came and picked the kiddos up and brought them back to spend the night with her and Popo Alan, while Daddy and I stayed up in Tahoe by ourselves. It was the first time we've ever left the kids overnight - so we were pretty nervous, but they did great! They had so much fun! And so did we - we got to go to a non kid-friendly restaurant and just relax! So nice to know the kids can make it without us for a night!  A huge thank-you to Gram Jan and Popo Alan!

Then, we joined up with them on the 4th to visit the Carson City Railroad museum - and we got to ride on real steam trains (one of which was brought out only for July 4th!). The kids had a blast...

And Sierra even got to go up to the front with Daddy and Popo to ride (no dice on allowing Bodie up there - something about him having to able to sit still. Yeah, right).

As you can see, this has been a stellar vacation - and we're not even done yet! So, all you parents struggling with that first family vacay, where kids are screaming and it's more of a "change in location" than a true vacation - take hope. Because it gets so.much.better!!!