Didn't See Stepkids While in Town

The kids and I took a mini-vacation last weekend minus my husband for my family's reunion plus spent a few extra days visiting.  We stayed within 20 minutes of my stepkids' home with their mom.  We didn't see them.

Besides my family's reunion where I got to see family I hadn't seen in years, including my uncle with cancer who I really needed to see because it likely will be the last time I see him, my kids and I spent hours on the beach with my sister and sister-in-law for the remaining vacation.  I fried my lily-white skin something awful (and it's peeling beautifully right now...ugh).

Like I said, we stayed within 20 minutes of my stepkids' home with their mom but didn't see them.  We invited them so they could spend some time with their siblings. We didn't show up in their town and ignore their existence.  They ignored ours...not sure if that was the ex's doing or their own but the outcome was the same.  Try explaining that one to four little kids who don't understand why they can't see their teenaged siblings. It hurts them.  How does any mother feel when their child gets hurts?  Multiply that times four kids.

We made sure my kids had a great time though despite other people's behaivor - beach, visiting family, beach, and beach again!  My sister brought her Bose stereo system out to the beach and the kids danced in the water.  So cute. 

Favorite of the kids:  Riding the waves after a freighter or cruiser goes by!

We also came home with a Body by Jake Ab Scissors machine from my sister's place for free.  Just what I need to get some more core strength (and a few less inches around the middle would be nice too).  Also packed in the back of the truck - an expensive computer chair they weren't going to use anymore.  We go on vacation and come back with good stuff!  Now if only I could get them to part with their Sony VAIO (just kidding). Our laptop just died. With school starting in a couple weeks, having an extra computer around is going to be necessary but I'll worry about that in a couple weeks.  Right now, summer is winding down so I am going to enjoy the remaining weeks before my youngest starts school. THAT is going to be a really hard day.