The Carlsons Rocked Carlsbad

We took a family vacation to California, one of our favorite vacations spots because it's so close and of course who doesn't love the beach?! Well, we do... everything about that deep blue is just pure mesmerizing and relaxing. When getting to cali approaching the waters, we love driving up and looking at the end of the street, which you can't see because it's endless ocean- then rolling down the windows and feeling the salty moist air in the cool sea-breeze, ahhhhhh. This year we tasted a different side of California, we went to Carlsbad. Our trip started out something like this: Out of my mouth goes, "You wanna act like a *bleep*, because I can be a real *bleep*". Gotta love those occasional chunks of marital bliss, especially right before vacation. Despite our bumps that we have (just like everyone else) it was a good break, a much needed one for all of us. We decided to fly, because the boys really wanted to experience an airplane ride and this would be there first trip on one that they would be old enough to remember. So flying we went. The looks on their faces during take-off were of course completely worth it. Stink goes, "Mom, what happens if the wing breaks off?" Trying not to scare him, but fear is in the air with an honest answer, "Well, we would crash." "Oh" he says while I could see his wheels spinning upstairs, then he's over it. And then there's Benny. Who just wanted to talk about farts and poop on the plane, which he did, and announced his brothers smelly gas every time he let one loose. Poor passengers amongst us, they didn't know what they were in for.

So, we stayed at a hotel right off the ocean, it was perfect. Our stay was 3 nights, 4 days. We hit the beach pronto when we got there. First though, most importantly we got our beach gear: chairs, sand toys, football, frisbee, paddle-ball, and boogie boards. Boogy boarding: my fav. The boys after this trip know that mommy goes out "real far" so that was what they said was one of there favorite things to do on the trip, go out real far with mama. Real far to them isn't really the real far in my book, it can get treacherous out there. I experienced a doozy. After diving into a wave out there (the true real far) I came up for one of those huge gulps of air. Little did I know there was a ginormous wave in front of my gulp of air so I not only got a salt-sinus wash, I coughed up sea-juice the next hour, bleh. Riding those waves though, totally worth it. Steve didn't really want to go way out. He hung with Stink who's concrete favorite was running routes on the beach with dad. I volunteered to do some and I got, "mom your not really a good quarterback." Benny and I made a sand-house, and played beach baseball. We buried each other in sand, laid out, ate greasy/fattening mexican food by the ocean, and just chillaxed. Our nights were filled with bowling, miniature golf, and more fattening foods and sweets. We did that for 3 days, then the last day before going home we took the boys to Lego Land. We have gone once before, but this Lego Land trip was by far more fun. The boys could go on everything, even the roller coasters. I am proud to say they rode them with style and even put their hands up on coaster descent.... coaster etiquette. It was sad to leave, we what if'ed about cancelling overtime and how many extra days we were going to stay, but home we are. We love our home, but by the ocean together is a great home-away-from-home.