Parents In LA

     It's been months since I saw my parents in Vegas and they haven't visited LA since Thanksgiving November 2011 when we purchased my wedding dress. And we didn't go home for Christmas this year. So, it's been a while. And in that time, both my brother and sister relocated to southern California as well. This was the first visit with all three kids here.I think this trip set the bar for the next one. Until then, we'll talk about how they stayed with my sister and helped her fix apartment issues. How her landlord is finicky; they needed him to snake the kitchen sink, we couldn't cook, so we ate In&Out. Mom and Dad got milkshakes. We'll talk about how we drove up to Duke's in Malibu for lunch near the ocean, and could only get the table right off the patio in the bar. The pictures above are from our stop on PCH because traffic was backed up.They'll tell people how they visited Newport Beach where my brother lives, hung out on the beach, ate good food. How they had dinner with his boss, and my sister and I split a bottle of wine. How our hotel ended up being where the Yankees were staying and my mom got a photo with Mariano Rivera. (Highlight of the trip for them, I'm sure).We'll talk about meeting up at Malibu Wines after they got lost, and how it was relaxing but the flies landing on our picnic sucked. How they loved the aquarium by the Tanked guy the most. They may mention sitting in our apartment relaxing, walking Carter with me or how Mom and I got mani-pedis. They'll definitely mention the hike my sister took them on and seeing the sunset. And possibly the dinner of pizza and wine in my neighborhood.We'll talk about my sister's crazy dance moves to Blurred Lines, margaritas and mexican food. How they shopped at Home Deport and Bed, Bath and Beyond even though they were on vacation. And slept on air mattresses because of the layout of our apartments. They'll rave about my sister's job and company, about how nice of an apartment I live in, how my brother is doing really well. (They're very proud of us).And while all of this was nice, I will tell people about how it was so nice to finally spend time with my parents without them running around crazy. To talk to my dad while we walked the dog in my now-hometown, Los Angeles. That my mom was slightly choked up as I drove her home from our manicures, saying that we'd wasted so much time, and that our wedding was still the talk of people back home... and I told her it was OK - that everything's working out just as it should.And it has. And I think this trip was the best way to kick off our family now - with the three kids all grown up with jobs and apartments - and my parents settling into their empty-nest, saving money and building their business, so they can visit even more.I very much look forward to it.-------Here are a few other posts about my relationship with my parents:Father's DayHappy Birthday DadA Note For My MomThis post inspired by hula seventy's about paris.