Picture says it all! After 5 hours on the plane, we landed in San Diego – 75 degrees and ZERO humidity 😳  Mike and I laughed at the Hertz lady who asked if we could believe how hot it was here?!?! Um yeah, I think we can handle this.

Made it to the hotel (Holiday Inn Express San Diego Downtown).  Just like I read online – it’s dated but clean.  And the staff is great especially with loud boys!! After bouncing off the walls while Mike parked the car, we went straight to the pool. The boys swam…

And Mike and I found what may be the funniest sign I have ever read:

Now I wouldn’t think people need this pointed out to them, but it’s a good reminder for us all! We may need to get this for our house too 😂😄😂😄. As an added bonus, Michael and Leo laughed for  at least an hour because “the sign at the pool says diarrhea!”  Oh, life with boys!

After the pool, we headed out for dinner and stumbled on this local place called the Taco Stand 🌮 – it was delicious! Boys were amazed watching them make their tortilla shells fresh (and that we got to eat at the bar and watch the guys cook. I told them they were welcome to watch me cook any night of the week, and all I heard was crickets)  After dinner, the boys went to their first bar – The Donut Bar 🍩.  According to USA Today, it is one of the Top 10 Donuts Shops in the United States . Instead of alcohol, they had HUGE donuts and coffee drinks!! Perfect for the Browns! Now if they could just mix in some ice cream…

It’s perfect start to vacation! 

Tomorrow we are so excited to go to the San Diego Zoo.  Hope the zookeepers are ready for these two!

Packed and in the car for the airport (on time I might add!) – no worries for safety since Captain American is traveling with us – shocking, right?  Thanks Brian for being airport shuttle for us  😀

The escalator was big hit for boys so we wasted 10 minutes going down and up, and down and up, and down and up.

So now enjoying the Hot-Lanta airport and waiting for the plane to San Diego ✈️

Oh. My. Word! After years of talking about this trip, and months of planning, tomorrow is the day! I’ve spent most of today packing, and packing, and packing…

I am taking the advice of a friend (thanks Sally) and packed each day of the boy’s clothes in gallon ziploc  bags. Each bag has their shorts, shirt, socks and underwear for the day.  I’m hoping this will avoid the “mom! Where are my clothes?” routine (that usually leads to me screaming) and then the suitcase explosion that develops as the trip unfolds. 

If it works, I am going to end up owing an apology to my future daughter-in-laws because my boys will have no idea how to pack for themselves.  But seriously, who am I kidding? I’ll probably end up with a suitcase full of clothes and empty ziplocs. But I tried. 

One last swim (to try to wear them out), and we are off to bed! Hope we can sleep- Because I am SO EXCITED!!!!

I’ve never thought of writing a blog. I couldn’t imagine having the time to write a blog, or that any one would want to read it – because seriously, what am I going to say that you can”t figure out for yourself.  However, in planning our family’s vacation this year, I relied a great deal on the blogs of other mothers.  Let’s be honest, when you are going to a new city, it’s fine for a hotel to tell me that their hotel is “family-friendly” but it means a whole lot more coming from another mom – especially if it comes from the mother of boys – like me.  So, to repay all those moms whose blogs I used and enjoyed, and at the recommendation of a friend who uses wordpress to blog (thanks for the encouragement Amy)… Here it is… The Brown Family Adventures… It’s not always pretty, but it sure is fun!