A Numbers Game

Quick, how many people do you have to coordinate to get 2 people away for 27 hours to celebrate their 9th anniversary together?

"They're two, they're four, they're six, they're eight..." (a little Thomas reference for all our readers who must listen to that damn song incessantly)

Nope, keep going.  

Ten.

That's right, ten.

I started plotting months ago and I lined up Simon's aunties Joan, Dre, Abby and Bianca and my Mom and stepdad (that's 6) to take shifts so I could whisk Laura away to Santa Cruz for an overnight.  

Everything fell into place very smoothly, all systems were go. 

T-1 day and the first call came in. Abby and Bianca  had been battling a stomach bug all week and things were not looking much better by Thursday night.  We did not need a craptastic bug at our house, so they were off duty.  Enter our awesome babysitters Reagan and Pete (that's 2 more) who cheerfully volunteered to take shifts with him on Saturday.

They took Simon for Saturday morning, Joan and Dre took him that afternoon and everything was going swimmingly.  We were having a great time in Santa Cruz, purchasing hats, kitchen goodies, eating our way through the Greek Festival, watching a bizarre street performer and then went to the hotel to watch stupid TV in the middle of the afternoon.  Ahhhhh...this is what we had signed up for. 

Hitting the streets of Santa Cruz

 My new hat.  Laura insisted I buy it.  Within 15 minutes, I had gotten 4 compliments.  It was a good buy. 

The bizarre and beautiful street performer.  Gotta love Santa Cruz. 

Then... my Mom called.  

My stepdad had an awful sore throat, was starting to cough and she wasn't feeling very well.  It was time to call on our crew again.  A quick call to Pete (and a consult with his roommates/our friends Mel and Tanner- that's 2 more) resulted in coverage for Simon for Sunday until 1:30.

Relieved that everything was lined up, we went out to a lovely dinner...

In the garden of the restaurant. Gorgeous evening.  

 Farmer Laura, by the chicken coop

The view from our table

Our lovely meal (first course anyway)

We went to the Boardwalk after dinner, but almost everything was closed.  We did manage to watch some high school kids practically have heart attacks playing a dance video game.  Made me tired just watching them.  Also, took photos in the photo booth.  Who knew it costs $5 now?  Jeez, I feel old. 

After a good nights sleep (I did wake up at 5:45 a.m. out of habit, annoyingly), we went for a Brazilian  breakfast 

Then Laura  found what I like to call "Eden" aka Kiva Retreat House, a beautiful place with outdoor hot tubs, cold plunge, sauna, gardens, lawn,  sunshine and relaxation. 

Yeah, it's pretty much as awesome at it looks. 

The best part?  They allow kids!  We're so going back.

Overall Laura and I had a very sweet and romantic weekend and were acutely aware of how blessed we were to a) get away at all and b) have such an incredible network of people who were willing and able to make it happen and c) have each other.  Evidently, it showed. 

At one point, a woman said, while passing us on the sidewalk,  "you guys are such a cute couple!".  That actually  used to happen to us with some regularity in our early days, but we realized it hadn't happened since we had Simon.  I guess harried parents wrangling a child isn't as heart-warming as two relaxed ones on a get-away.  Or Simon is so dang cute he steals all the thunder and they don't even notice us when he's around.  Regardless, it was a great reminder of the spark we have together. 

So much gratitude, love and appreciation for our lives, our friends and family and each other...