Family Get-Away

Mike was off most of last week.  Since I am home everyday, it just isn't vacation to me to be at home when Mike is off, so we decided to take a little overnight to Williamsburg on NYE.  I think it was the first time we have been anywhere overnight just the 4 of us.  We have been blessed to always be with grandparents, which we love.  So we decided to live on the wild side and venture out on our own!  It was SO FUN!  Stress seems to disappear when someone else is cleaning and cooking.  We picked a place that had an indoor pool so we could all go swimming.  Sadly, my camera battery died after the first (blurry) picture at the pool.  

It was so nice... we just played and played and looked our kids in the eyes instead of just "managing" them.  It is nice to feel like you can live from a child's perspective when you're away and don't have the responsibilities of everyday life.  And I've been getting the feeling/glimpse lately of 2 kids (not babies) who can do some things on their own (like walk, not be strolled, communicate, don't need 600 bags for every outting, etc)... its won-der-ful!!  After the pool, we went out for yummy pizza.

  And don't my kids have the nicest Daddy!  I love him and like hanging out, co-parenting with him a lot!  I could do vacation more often!!  ;)

Mike and I stopped for our favorite drink at Food Lion ;), toasted in the bathroom (gross!) after the kids went to sleep, played iPhone games, then hit the hay at 10pm!  Midnight isn't so appealing anymore!  

Lily and Peter enjoyed some good hide-and-seek the next morning at the hotel...

aren't they just too cute!! 

 WHERE'S PETER?!

 loving some big brother hugs and play time!!

 The next morning we hoped to go to this museum... but then realized it was New Year's Day so CLOSED... :(  Oh well, it was vacation, no need to stress.

 But Peter got to run thru some snow so everything was OK in his book!

 Later in the day, we found these sweet gingerbread children and scooped them up to bring home with us!

Mike was so sweet to sit in the van with the kids while they napped so I could shop at the outlets!!  It was such a nice trip... it mostly centered around me and my need to not be at home.  Mike was so sweet to love me by taking us away so I could be away from everyday chores & responsibilities.  Thank you, Michael!  I heart you!

Oh, and on the way home, we stopped for a wonderful dinner with the Andrews!  Bonus!!