Huntington Beach

Some of our best friends from NorCal, the Nelson's, were vacationing at The Hyatt Resort in Huntington Beach this past weekend.  To make it happen for us all we had to do was sign up for the Hyatt credit card and just like that, a free 2-night stay was ours.

There is nothing my kids love more than staying in a hotel.  They love the ice machines, running up and down the halls, room service (even if it's not utilized it's comforting to know it's there).................... (note the cooler, of course I brought food)

.....................maid service, sleeping close to us, general swankiness &.................................

.........................access to T.V.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is by far their favorite thing as we don't have T.V. at home.  They probably would have been content to stay in the room the whole time.  I could literally see their head melting in on their brain as the days went on.

As we're walking up to the front desk to check in Tyler (we're friends now)  asks about Glenn's surfboard.  Then Tyler says it was his.  Yup, Glenn bought the board last year off Craigslist from his mom!  Tyler starts saying how much his mom loved Glenn and that his board went to a great guy.

Before we know it Tyler's upgrading us and handing the kids free coupons for s'mores kits to roast at the pool side fire pits.  We were blown away that at this humongous resort we would find the one guy out of hundreds who would have a connection with us.  We were talking so much I guess we didn't really listen to the upgrades.

The first morning there Glenn headed out to surf and Emry got up way too early.  I asked her to head down and try and find a reasonable place to eat.  Being the snoop she is she worked her way up to the 4th floor and saw a club.  Being the fearless girl she is she tried our room card and whaddya know?  It worked!

Emry nonchalantly asked if she was allowed there.  The girl said if our card worked, we were in.  That meant free breakfast, free drinks & snacks all day, free appetizers and desserts.

You would have thought we won the lottery.  I was psyched!!!!!  Tyler had given us access to the Hyatt Regency club, oh it's good to know people in high places.

{there's a banana somewhere to go with that peanut butter}

Glenn & I felt so cool as we told the kids to have whatever they wanted, money was no object :)

The kids were as psyched as I was apparently as I found dozens of pictures of all the breakfast offerings.

Hot chocolate.  Always.

Did I mention there were waterslides?  Heaven on earth for the kids.  Did I also mention that the previous night our friends sprang for dinner.  So far our total bill is, um, ZERO.

Funny I think Glenn got serious about working out when I started this blog.  I am sure it's just a coincidence.

Emry is a curious one.  She loved just watching the bartenders make drinks.  After a while they gave her one..............on the house of course.

Glenn & I lounged the morning away giving thanks that our kids were all old enough to watch themselves.

Ethan reminded us we still had kids when he came screaming bloody murder.  Turns out it was just a bee sting.  I told him now that he knows what it feels like, when he gets another one he better shrug it off.  I CAUGHT bees when I was his age.  I got stung for sport.  Suck it up Ethan. (I really did, I loved bees)

Glenn never did end up surfing, the waves were too big and choppy.  And I never got a good group shot with my friends either dang it.  But that surfboard was still our lucky charm.  And it was wonderful to be near the ocean and relax with the kids for 2 days.