Sweat, salsa, and an unhealthy amount of tacos

The next day (Friday) was packed from start to finish. 

First stop, the gym of course!

We found this blast from the past in the parking garage. I miss that old Cadillac! 

Darnell's cousin Trina made it into town and stopped by. We met her at the Great Wolf Lodge a couple years back. It was good to see her again!

Darnell is telling us the story of how he proposed.

Lunch time! We couldn't help but run back to the Mexican restaurant we visited the day before, except this time we took Amy, Stephen, and Jason.

We spent the rest of the afternoon getting ready for the party Chad and Darnell were throwing at their house that night for all the friends and family who were in town. 

Before it got too crazy, we got to facetime with the kiddos back home. 

They were having a great time with Grandmom and Pop Pop. Thanks, Mom and Dad, for taking such good care of them!

Amy being a huge help, as always.

This little baby was an angel.

Waiting for everyone to arrive:

Chad and Darnell know how to throw a party! There were amazing desserts, an open bar, and even a taco truck!

We decided to break into the taco truck before the crowds started appearing.

It was so, so good.

This guy was in heaven. If there's one thing he misses about Southern California, other than the weather, it's the food.

Mom, Glenn, Laura, and Tyler arrived that night!

Lexi getting attention from her uncles:

Maria and Valerie came too, along with Valerie's best friend. They had spent the first few days of their trip traveling around and seeing all the sights, so this was the first time we got to see them.

Sweet little baby.

Meeting all of the guys' friends was a neat experience. People are drawn to Chad and Darnell and it was really cool getting to know so many of them, many of whom came from across the country to be here. 

Our newest brother-in-law

Jason, Stephen, Amy, George and I were all staying at Chad and Darnell's house. The party went a little long for those of us from the east coast, so we slipped upstairs to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day!

California Dreamin'

Less than a week after we got home from Florida, George and I found ourselves at the airport on our way to California to see Chad and Darnell get married.

Traveling without kids is a breeze!

Well, we had one kid, but she was an angel the entire flight. It's amazing how much faster security is and how relaxed catching your flight can be when you're not constantly chasing kids around and doing head-counts to make sure everyone is here.

Lexi slept about 90% of our non-stop flight, waking up only to eat. It. Was. Awesome.

Since Chad and Darnell were not home from errands yet, our first stop once we landed was a hole-in-the-wall Mexican joint close to their house.

It did not disappoint.

We finally caught up with the guys at their nice home in San Diego. Lexi was loving all the attention from her uncles.

Tired from all the wedding prep...

Jason, Amy, and Stephen landed a couple hours later and we all went out to get our nails done.

George got his very first pedicure.

I think he may have converted.

Watching the shenanigans.

Afterwards, George and I took Stephen and Jason to get some dinner. While walking to our restaurant, we passed through Neiman Marcus. I couldn't believe the price tags on some of the clothes! Hundreds of dollars for a fabric vest...

Adjusting to California time...

Our job that night was putting name tags inside frames and helping Chad and Darnell get ready for the pre-wedding party happening tomorrow.

We were so, so tired by the time we went to bed! 

Florida Day 10--sand, chlorine, and dinner at the mall

Our  last day at the beach, we tried to cram in as much fun as possible.

Lance showing off his stacking skills:

Beach!

We even got a little pool-time in. 

Lexi got her first taste of the water and thought it was pretty okay.

Uncle Jason is so fun!

Our family:

That evening we ran to the mall to find me a dress for Chad's wedding and met up with Maria and her family, Uncle Tubby and Aunt Dawn, Grandma, and Jacob.

It was so good to see them, even if just for a minute. Lexi and Aunt Dawn were instant BFFs.

See this cart? The kids fought tooth and nail over who got to sit in the front. They ended up all taking turns, even the big kids.

Nice look, Lance.

Four generations!

Look at this man! Carrying a baby, pushing two kiddos in the cart, and laughing with the other two walking beside him. I have loved having us all together on vacation. George makes everything better and more bearable. I love you, George Glass.

Brayden really liked Lily.

He wanted me to put this picture on Facebook, but I guess this will have to do.

We spent the night at Grandma's house. George had to leave very early in the morning to catch his flight back (he had to work that evening) and Aunt Linda was kind enough to drive him so I could sleep since we were driving all the way back to Virginia that same day. 

Before we hit the road, the boys tried their hand one more time at catching lizards. I don't think Jude actually caught this one all by himself, but he sure enjoyed holding it.

Florida, you never disappoint. We will miss you!

The drive home was uneventful and fairly quick, thanks to Amy and all her help with the kids. We made it home almost the same time George got home from work and crashed right into bed. It had been a great vacation!

Now it's on to California for Chad's wedding!