Like Royalty

One last vacation post, folks!  If you couldn't tell from the 9 recaps you've already read, we were S.P.O.I.L.E.D on this trip by every single family member!  They took time off work, planned fun outings, made amazing food, hosted our children for sleepovers, gave up their beds, wrangled tickets to cool places, and treated us to a level of luxury we are not accustomed to.  It was fun to live like royalty for a week!  Here are a few last peeks...

Chris and Karen took us out to several amazingly delicious and super fun restaurants.  Below, you see just the adult siblings...because our children are now old enough to stay home alone together!!!

When we weren't dining at classy restaurants, we were eating insane things at home, like Bananas Foster for breakfast, flambeed by our own nephews!

Or we were being taught by our cousins how to make pico de gallo from scratch.  Don't you love the onion-chopping protective eye wear? ;)

Or we were finding the pantry and fridge stocked with fun treats our hosts knew we'd get a kick out of!

Dave's grandma, who turned 90 this summer!, graciously met up with us two different times so we could catch up with her.  She is a mighty woman of faith and we loved fancy lunching with her at Neiman Marcus while hearing about her vigilant scripture reading one day, and gathering around Chis and Karen's kitchen table to hear about the two husbands she's loved and lost another day.  I'm so thankful the kids know and love this great-grandma!

On a fun ladies shopping trip, Kris bought us all Lush bath bombs for "Farewell Baths" in the newly-remodeled, swimming pool sized bathtub at Chris and Karen's that we'd been enjoying all week!

Our last night was spent feasting on amazing Italian food and taking funny family pictures at Brio.

On that fun ladies shopping day, Kris and I were delighted to find this matching dress looked good on both of us, so now we're twinsies!

And once again we were sent off to the airport in style!  Those tears always start pricking at our eyes as we hug goodbye to everyone...and then the limo rolls up!  Excitement trumps sadness and my girls are just fine!  Such a gift.

We had to be back in CA for a wedding rehearsal that night, so this trip to O'Hare was an early morning one.  I remember leaning back in the limo, watching the sun rise and just thanking God that we have THE BEST family!  I love that a long vacation like this with them is not one we just endure, but one we desperately anticipate and find exceeding our expectations every time.  And not because our family treats us to so many worldly spoils either, but because they are the people in our lives whom we can laugh AND pray with; have deep conversations AND a crazy good time with; learn from AND teach.  I pray my girls always know this kind of family closeness!