The first of many.

We took our first official family vacation as a family of 6. Steven usually rolls his eyes when I use the terms "this is the first time...." or "but this is the last time we'll do this!" usually because there's emotion associated with those statements. However, this time, he was the one to use the infamous words. As I stressed about packing and getting ready for our trip, amidst my first shift back to work, he said "you're stressed about going on vacation? Baby, this is the first of many little family vacations we're going to take, it will be fun!" Well, after this one I hope he still plans on taking more...vacation with 4 kids 5 and under needs another word. The definition of 'vacation' implies relaxation, sleeping in, long leisurely walks on the beach. While we had none of that, we did have a great time!  A few days before we left Steven was asked to speak in Richmond, VA, so we changed plans a little and left on Saturday to go with him, the church is always a blessing for us to visit and has a little "apartment" in the church that the kids love to stay in. Here's a pic of my boys Sunday eating lunch between services. 

 And here's my girls! Matching dresses thanks to my sister-in-law!

 After 5 hours in the car we finally made it to Myrtle Beach! Mary Jo is not a great traveler but she did pretty well, we actually had some time where all 4  were asleep! Poor Daddy had to unload the car all by himself so the kids decided they needed to try on their nametags. I should have made them wear them all the time...I actually lost D a couple times (once he didn't make it off the elevator, and another time he darted into the room across the hall while it was being cleaned). Thankfully neither time lasted too long so I didn't have time to panic. It has caused a couple nightmares, though! 

 The weather wasn't great so we spent most of the time in the indoor pool, which the kids loved. I tried my best to get them to swim in the outdoor pool while Mary Jo was napping with Steven and the sun was out (I really could use some sun, as Mama always says "tan fat looks better than white fat"), but they had already been in the indoor pool and knew it was warmer. I put up with whining for the sun for about 15 minutes then finally gave in and gave up on my dreams of a tan. Here's a pic of a little beach time in the rain.

D wasn't quite sure about the sand. 

 Or maybe he was just tired. 

 Mary Jo is such a trooper! 

 Luggage cart? No, to my kids it's a mobile gymnasium. 

 That afternoon we went to Broadway at the Beach and ate at Johnny Rockets, the kids loved watching them dance. Afterwards we got ice cream then let the kids throw darts at balloons - $10 for 3 stuffed animals worth no more than a dollar or two, but the kids really thought they did something. 

 Eli's hands are really big! :)

 The pack -n -play didn't fit in the bathroom so we had a portable crib on each side of the room. Since David hasn't ever slept in the same room with anyone we draped a curtain over his bed, but he's 1, not stupid, so he knew we were right there. He was so cute peeking his head out every morning. 

 The last afternoon we went to the boardwalk, "official Myrtle Beach" as Steven says. There was a few too many loud bikes for my liking but we held on tight to the kids, found a pizza joint and an arcade, and had a good time. We decided to try this newish thing called the Skywheel, pictured below.

 We sat in glass-enclosed seats and went really high, Eli LOVED it.

 We put on a brave face but we were pretty happy when the ride was over. 

 Mary Jo finally gave up on a nap in her bed and zonked out in the baby carrier. 

 The last night I finally grabbed a hotel employee to take a family picture - you gotta have at least one on vacation! Here we are, "fancied up" as Sadie likes to call it, going out to dinner. Notice Eli's sleeveless shirt, he doesn't get quite as excited as Sadie with dressing up. 

 We decided to splurge a little and took the kids to a Japanese Steakhouse. We had never taken our kids there and I thought it would be fun for them to watch the "show". They had fun and ate better than I had expected, especially D. Sadie enjoyed the chef so much that when he was finished she asked if we could take him home. D was working on his 3rd bowl of sherbert and I told him he ate "like a king!" which he kept repeating after that with big inflection. He really is becoming the ham of the family, he keeps us laughing. 

It was a great week, the kids got a lot of swimming in, and we made some sweet memories. It was also exhausting. There was a couple mornings I was by myself with all 4 and people I didn't know were offering to help me. I guess we don't have it together very well, and it shows, but we're doing our best! As for the next couple trips we have planned we thankfully have grandparent back-up, which will be soooooo nice. And safer. Our kids are wild but happy, energetic, and I wouldn't trade them for anything. Most of the time. In a few short years our vacations will go back to sleeping in, lounging at the pool, and hotel rooms without candy trash (no, actually Steven produces most of that)....and while we'll enjoy that time together we'll probably talk about our crazy family ones, hopefully many more to come!