our vacation.

we had an amazing trip to new york with my family. 

it was a wonderful time of spiritual renewel and i walked away with a desire to know God deeper and to live a deeper life in Christ.  

but we also had a lot of fun!  

we went to the beach everyday and had the best weather we could have possibly asked for.  

we tried paddle boarding for the first time, which was awesome, and brenner and i were also able to go on a romantic kayak expedition (read: no kids!).  

we didn't have time to hike this year because of the babies, but i was able to get up each morning and enjoy my run in 50 degree weather while running through mountains and small towns.  

and on the day that we left, the high in our little corner of new york was 79 and low in waco was 81.

oh, back to reality.   

as always, the kids stepped up to the challenge while traveling and did amazing.  things were complicated, slow and slightly dramatic at times, but we made it there and back with no major drama.  although it is always interested to nurse not just one, but two babies on an airplane (which i had to do on every flight) since it involves shuffling babies back and forth and lots of looks.  brenner and i each agreed that it is easier at this age to change a diaper on our lap on the airplane than to actually go to the bathroom since it is so crowded and yucky.  we were never able to sit in the same row but on both of our flights coming home we were at least able to be behind one another, making it easier to pass babies over the seats, pass snacks back and forth and both discipline cole (who was trying to "fly" and go over the seats himself).  

but we truly are glad to be back home.  as great as the trip was, we were exhausted by the end of it.  all the changes in sleeping and routine and food and rushed mealtimes to accommodate the kids' schedules was a little more draining than i thought it would be.  

we are also going through sugar withdrawals since we ate our fair share of s'mores, chocolate milkshakes, coffee cake, and cinnamon rolls.  

we don't hold back on vacation.

anyway, here are some pictures of our trip.  i will post the rest tomorrow so as not to completely overwhelm you at once with my family!