What a Week[end]

I'll admit that I have a hard time when Gary leaves for his 2 week business trips- my personality was not meant for single parent-dom!  I try to fill up our calender while he's gone with playdates and dinners at friends houses to make my life easier and busier.  So you will not believe my week and weekend. 

First of all, our dinner plans Wednesday night; our dinner plans Friday night; our playdate Saturday afternoon; and our playdate Sunday morning ALL canceled!  We rarely have to reschedule things so what are the odds that the week Gary is gone, we have that many cancellations (all for good reasons- totally understandable)?!  At least we were able to reschedule most for next week so we'll have a lot to do for the harder second week alone. ;)

So we also a birthday party in San Diego at the beach on Saturday morning.  I hesitated going in the first place because (a) I'm too scared to watch both kids at the beach or pool when Gary isn't there, and (b) I try to keep the 2 weeks Gary is gone completely stress and anxiety free to keep me sane so I don't do usual things like take both kids out to eat, do playdates at locations where they run in different directions, pool dates, etc. 

But we all really wanted to go to the party so we head down there and sat in 2 hours of traffic...by the time we get there Everett is screaming because he's tired and hungry, and it is PACKED.  We drive through the parking lot, and there is not one spot available so we start driving through every.single.street. in the area- not ONE spot.  Not to mention, I drove Gary's car because my a/c isn't working so I literally *almost* sideswiped at least 4 cars because his car won't fit down the streets when another car is coming down.  We are just driving...and driving...and driving...meanwhile, Everett is SCREAMING in the back.  I am now completely sweating and feel panicked.  My mom and I start talking about how we might just have to leave, and now Ella is hysterical because (understandably) she thought she was going to a birthday party.  We just keep driving in circles- we're so far away at this point that it would be like a hike to get down to the party, but we're willing to park anywhere at this point.  Even that far away, there is not ONE spot!  So we try the lot again- that was a mistake.  There are now 500 more cars trying for spots so we are just sitting in the lot.  Stuck.  Everett is screaming.  Ella is crying.  We all have to go to the bathroom.  I'm about to cry- we've been in the car for over 2 hours.  My mom and I finally decide we have no other choice but to give up because in that entire time, we have yet to see one open parking spot anywhere.  We keep looking on our way back up towards the freeway, and still nothing.  So we turn around and sit in ANOTHER 2 hours of traffic all the way back home- Everett screamed almost the entire way minus the 30 minute nap he took.  So we literally drove to SD and drove back...can you believe that story?!  When we got home my mom said, "did that really happen?" 

I felt SO bad for the kids!!!  My mom was kind (smart?) enough to take the kids to the park when we got home because I was about to lose it.  Then when she got home, I took them outside to play since they had been cramped in carseats for 5 hours!

First, we "hiked" in grandma's backyard...

Then we went on more of real hike up the hill in front of grandma's house.  Bottom of the hill...

Top of the hill (notice Everett not in the photo- he gave up in the middle and booked it down the hill so I had to chase him and carry him back up!)...

Needless to say, mama needs a massage next weekend!!!!! :)