California 2017

I don't know how it happened. I swore I wouldn't fly internationally again with Doren after the infamous flight of 2016 until he was at least four years old. But last month we found ourselves at the airport, with a very three year old three year old. Marc needed to go to Portland for a work thing so we thought, hell, lets just make it a whole-family thing, except the kids and I would just stay in San Diego. It feels like ages ago by now, but it was only last month! A few days after the school year ended we boarded a plane in Stuttgart for a short flight to Paris (fancy!) and from there an eleven and a half hour flight to Los Angeles.

Another thirty minutes before boarding the second flight and we're already done with Doren. Send help!

Doren actually did really well compared to all the other times. No major melt downs or ear-piercing screaming. Of course he fussed a few times and at one point I heard something that sounded like shushing, but I immediately thought, nah...someone just blew their nose. He continued to fuss and I heard the noise again. I kid you not, a woman two rows behind us wearing an eye mask was violently shushing my three year old every time he made a noise. I looked back at her, still with her mask on, and she yelled something in half French - half English to be quiet because she wanted to sleep. I can't even imagine what she would have done on all the other flights when he was REALLY loud. She probably would have been escorted off the plane by police for assault and battery. This was nothing, lady! After the flight another lady came up to me and said she couldn't believe someone would shush a little kid. Like there's anything I can do about it. Huh.

When we finally arrived in Los Angeles, exhausted and bleary, we were welcomed the old fashioned way - into the open arms of immigration control. I don't know who came up with this system of waiting in line to get to the rows of computers with cameras and then figure out how to take their own picture and scan their passport. Its the most ridiculous hot mess of a situation. No one knows when its their turn to go because you can't see the free stations on the other side of the row. Once at the station its like everyone becomes a great-grandma learning how to use the Internet. No one knows what they're doing and has to ask the already flustered attendant (because there's only one per forty stations) and then try to get every member of the family's head in exactly the right position the moment the camera flashes. Then you go stand in another line just so the officer can scan your passport and look at the picture that's already in it. Didn't we just do that ourselves?? This feels like a few extra steps for nothing. In Europe you just show them your passport, they scan it, they look at your face, stamp, done. The old-fashioned way.

After an hour of immigration control fun, we went to baggage claim. And what Holt trip would be complete with losing at least one freaking car seat!!!!? Sound familiar? This happened to us last year when I swore I would never travel again.

And like I said back then, you can leave the airport without your bag, but you can't leave the airport without a car seat! It's illegal! There was no lost baggage office in Baggage Claim (seriously?) so we hunted down someone in airport clothes. They didn't know what to do. Then someone else told us we have to go up to Departures to a ticket agent. But first we have the rental car situation. We rented a car from Turo which means the owner, who was waiting nearby for our call, was going to pull up to the curb any minute to get us. Finally, the car comes and we load our stuff in, except for Doren's car seat, go park the car in the parking garage and go back into the airport. We parked as close as we could to Departures. I explained the problem to the agent at the desk. We were at the wrong place, he said. Go two terminals over to the other desk. Are you kidding me right now?? After an transoceanic flight?! My eyes were starting to cross from sleep-deprivation. We walk two terminals over and by now I'm losing my patience so I march straight up to the First Class agent since there was no one in line and told them we need a car seat asap. A bunch of airport people seemed very confused about it for forty-five minutes and then finally their manager said they can get us a seat two terminals over (where we started!) so we follow him there and thankfully they had a really nice car seat lost by someone else. I don't know about you, but we enjoy hanging around in airports for a minimum of three hours after landing to get to know the staff.

At last we head north to our dear friends who we haven't seen all together in at least five years. It was a white-knuckle ride all the way there. German driving makes LA look like Sri Lanka. Cars are zooming past at high speeds on both sides, constantly changing lanes, motorcycles zigzagging through the cars. And at least half of the drivers I looked at were actively engaged on their cell phones. Haven't you guys seen the cautionary tale commercials?? Mercifully, we made it safely and it was marvelous to finally be with our old friends again.

These boys reconnected and hit it off right away, like long-lost pals.

It didn't take long for wrestling to ensue. Fortunately, everyone kept their clothes on.

Feed us.

The next morning Sarah whisked me away to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's! It's not like I've been living under a rock but when I go into these stores I feel a child seeing Disneyland, Toys R Us and a candy store simultaneously for the first time. I skip around, squealing at the selection of environmentally-friendly cleaning products and organic skin creams. I want ten of everything! The skin care aisle at Whole Foods alone might be enough to get me back to the US. And then we brought In-N-Out home for the rest of the gang. Squeeeee!!

Thank the god Poseidon for their community pool! We spent many an hour in these waters.

Sarah and I met Tina for a Ladies' Dinner Out. It was so great to reconnect. Tina and I used to hang out all the time when we lived in Pasadena. Then another night my family went to Tina's for dinner. 

Tobin and Sofia spent hours playing (and bathing) together as toddlers but have zero memory of each other. Its a good thing their moms took lots of pictures! 

It wasn't really possible to do anything besides hanging out inside or going in the pool because it was so hot outside. Yes, it was summer in LA but it was also record-breaking heat since 1955. We were in New York for the blizzard of 2003 like New York has never seen. We were in Korea for the most humid summer on record since who knows when. There are two things that always happen when we travel. We are there (wherever it is) for record-breaking weather...aaaaand I get a rash. I have the most sensitive, wimpy, bratty skin. Something (like air) touches me and it goes "MEH!" and then I immediately break out in an itchy rash. I'm thinking about starting a new blog called Amy's Daily Rash Update. Doesn't that sound nice?

"Well folks, its partly cloudy with a high of 72 degrees and Amy just developed a rash on her palms of all places. Heh, it's a mystery, that one. More at eleven."

I got another rash but I can't even remember where now because it happens so often. Another day, another rash! I must be allergic to record-breaking weather.

On our way out of LA we stopped at another much-missed burger establishment (after In-n-Out, of course).

Our five guys at Five Guys! Ho, ho ho!

These two. Its like they've been friends for sixty years.

And these two fuzzy lovebugs. 

Someday we'll recreate this photo...with Doren lurking in the back.

Only smiling to mask the heartache. Parting is just sorrow - nothing sweet about it! It better not be another five years before we meet again.

After hugging and more hugging and waving for three solid minutes, we hit the road south to San Diego to see my family.

I always love entering the familiarity of San Diego. Its the only place on earth where I really feel like I know where I am when I'm driving around. Anywhere else I feel like I'm just guessing and memorizing. When we got closer, Jonah said, "This looks like Africa!"

My mom knows some ladies who do a pony camp for kids. It usually lasts all week long but she was able to get them to do a special one-day camp just for her grand-kids! My sister brought her two kids and my mom and dad stayed. Marc and I left because they said the kids open up more when their own parents aren't around. We used that time to go on one of our old walks in Torrey Pines down to the beach. Then we went to Chipotle (I miss you) for an early lunch. Oh so good.

They brushed the ponies and cleaned out their hooves and got to ride bareback.

Jonah and Haley

Jonah loved the baby goats!

That night we went to the place I always think of when I crave Mexican food, which is most of the time. Fidel's! Sorry friends and family, the real reason we took this trip is to eat all the food we miss.

Plain margarita. Rocks. Salt.

Usually there are three of them, but he was a great mariachi man.

Captain Dimples and Papa Bob.

These cousins posed just like this at Fidel's six years ago when we moved to DC.

They get along so well! 

Marc only stayed in San Diego for two days and then left for Portland. On our way to the airport we had to stop at one of our old favorites.

The food tour continues. Spicy things at Saffron.

Marc left but Cousin Sarah came!

She flew all the way from Indiana and made a detour to San Diego before visiting her parents in Phoenix. There is never enough time to chat, but here we are making the most of our time with grapefruit bubbly and giggles.

He was asleep like this for quite a while!

We spent most days going to parks, the beach and eating at my favorite places, like Jorge's. Oh, the horchata! I kept wondering/hoping if I would see someone from high school. But would I recognize their almost forty-year old faces when the faces in my head are sixteen and seventeen? Maybe I did see old schoolmates but didn't even know it.

Smoothies and second breakfast at Ki's.

Handsome hairstyles

I put the word out that I was in town if anyone wanted to say hi and this gal stepped up! I haven't seen her since 1996! Either she hasn't changed at all or she's even more gorgeous twenty years later - I can't decide.

It was SO great meeting up with this gal, her husband and son. 

Sadly, I didn't get a picture with Y and her two boys, but it was great to see her, too. I feel like we really packed in as many people as we could. Every day had something going on and someone to meet. Whenever we were going to see another person, the boys would ask, "What language are they?" Because you never know.

Quail Gardens

Ohhh yippeeee!!! Breakfast at 101 Diner! Doren awaits his Aҫai bowl. #ulcerativecolitis

Jonah awaits his buttermilk pancakes. #waybetterthanaҫaibowls

Pancakes for him and Eggs Benedict, like always, for me. And coffeeeeee.

This is the beach five minutes from my parent's house, three if you get all green lights.

Its pretty glorious to be able to go to a place like San Diego when I visit my family. It's SO beautiful right along the ocean. And when you've got the beach, perfect weather, Trader Joe's and a bottomless supply of Mexican food, it's hard to beat. Cruising down the 101 along the coast with the wind in your hair, even if your ride happens to be a Dodge minivan rental...amazing.

Chores

He's too cute.

At my sister's house for dinner.

Balloons=fun

I took them to the beach as many times as I could but it was never enough. They loved splashing in the waves, which was kind of stressful for me, since neither is a good swimmer. But it was great to see how happy they were.

More fun could not be had!

He did not want to get near the water but he liked digging in the sand.

Bath time is always fun with Nonny.

Post-bath sticker application.

We spent one afternoon with my uncle and aunt and cousins making pizza in their huge backyard oven.

Our grown-up cousins were born when we were teenagers. We're just missing middle child Caroline who was in Oregon for the summer. The black and white wasn't even planned.

Uncle John. He's still got it! 

The boys think its so cool to have cousins who are kind of kids/kind of grown-ups (even though they're all actually adults!)

I'm so lucky to still be friends with my girls from high school. We got together a few times and it was like no time had passed. Everyone is the same - in a good way, but have blossomed into incredible, strong, kick-ass women who I am blessed to know.

Watching the sunset and surfers.

Between our engagements we did a lot of hanging around, playing games and watching old home movies. We saw everything from camp, sports events and graduations. It was crazy seeing so many people I know as children or teenagers who I am still in contact with today. 

Whole family dinner at the beach

Sand pits=fun

Feed us.

Who is this long, muscular child??

King of the beach!

We spent the night at my sister's house and had fun playing all day long.

Beauty Shop
My niece gave me a treatment involving a lot of water, cream and hairspray.

Omigosh!!! Its all my old Barbie stuff!! I haven't laid eyes on this stuff in at least thirty years and now it belongs to my niece. There are so many little pieces!

Playing who-knows-what in silly outfits.

Two weeks later, Marc is back!

Another dinner on the beach.

My parents took the kiddies to family night at Quail Gardens.

One last visit with the cousins.

Saying goodbyes. She's so sweet and its really nice to be around a little girl.

All the love!

Definitely some kind of connection going on here.

We'll remake this one again in another twenty years.

Two weeks after greeting my family in San Diego, we said goodbye and drove back to LA to drop off the car and fly back home through Amsterdam. Flying east is WAY more difficult on the body. If I was tired on the way there, I could barely function on the way back. Thank goodness we made the wise decision to sleep over in Stuttgart rather than making the two plus-hour drive home. We arrived early afternoon and I wanted to stay up but absolutely had to take a nap. Waking up from a too-short jet lag nap feels like waking from a coma!

In the kid zone at LAX. Any airport that doesn't have a kid zone is a lousy airport.

At the hotel in Stuttgart. Doren is normally a light sleeper, but jet lag is another story. Its only 5pm and we HAVE to get them up to get dinner and try to go to bed at a normal time.

Another trip for the books and the blog. I'm really glad it worked out to do this. I feel like I did the best I could to squeeze in as many visits with as many people as possible. Of course there is never enough time to see everyone and do everything. It was great seeing those of you who we got to see and I'm sorry I didn't get to see the rest of you. You can always come out here to visit us. The trip back west will be a breeze!