San Diego. Instagramed

Patrick and I went on our first vacation without the boys a few weeks ago.

It. was. delightful.

We affectionately called it our "San Diego Freedom Fling".

We left early Saturday and came home late Tuesday.

Kent and Sarah watched the boys while we frolicked around San Diego.

Thank you just doesn't seem to be enough to express our gratitude to them.

We stayed on Coronado Island -- 

just a short ferry ride or bridge crossing from San Diego.

It was beautiful and so quaint and very easy to walk around.

We talked so much.  And laughed even more.

We rode bikes and ate great food.

We walked on the beach and felt the {icy} cold Pacific Ocean.

We toured the USS Midway.

We ate more good food.

We hiked around Torrey Pines and made our way to the beach.

We drove to La Jolla {La Hoy-a} and saw the sea lions.

We drove around Point Loma and learned a little San Diego history.

We laid in bed until we wanted to get up.

We took a nap.

We read a book.

We watched a little bit of the Olympics.

We got breakfast delivered to our room each morning.

And milk and cookies each night.

It was a lovely trip.

It was refreshing and relaxing.

It renewed us in so many ways.

And it was so sweet to just be with Patrick --

to realize just how incredible he is and how much I love him.

How much I cherish and treasure him.

We know each other, like no one else knows us.

We can just be together.

And it feels perfectly wonderful and satisfying.

The Lord has done a great work on and in our marriage the last few years.

It's been so hard and so good and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

And to be with Patrick, to see where we've come from, to see where we are going, to see just how united we've become -- oh friends, that fills my heart in ways I didn't know possible! 

Eight years with this man has been glorious.

I can't wait for so many, many more.

I love him.

On the plane!

View from our balcony. 

Just an afternoon snack -- lemonade for P, coffee for me :)

Precious.  And freezing.  Glad you can't see my face here!

Lunch at Prep Kitchen <3 td="td">

Torrey Pines

More hiking.

Sea lions at La Jolla

I am the luckiest woman, ever!!!

Dinner in La Jolla.

Milk and cookies every night.

USS Midway recap.

Playing in the brig.

Marina just down the road from our hotel.

Boating should be in our future.

Driving down the coast on Point Loma.

Just us. Always.

So you know --

Where we stayed: Glorietta Bay Inn on Coronado Island.  In the Mansion.

Where we ate: Nicky Rotten's, Gaslamp District (good burgers); Rhinoceros Cafe and Grill, Coronado(Italian-ish, good fish selections); Prep Kitchen, Little Italy (brunchy, so incredible); Chez Loma, Coronado (French food with Mexican twist); Piatti's, La Jolla (Italian); Crown Bistro, Coronado (upscale diner-ish)

Places we went: Gaslamp District, walked around the Hotel del Coronado, USS Midway, Little Italy, Torrey Pines, La Jolla, Point Loma and we rode the ferry from Coronado to San Diego.

*We really enjoyed every place we ate and did a fair amount of "research" to know where we wanted to eat :) Maybe you're not surprised.