Anyone who has read My Picture-Perfect Family –What Happens When One Twin Has Autism knows my family is far from perfect (in spite of all the lovely photos that might suggest otherwise).  I could easily write a sequel about our past eight years, but that story belongs to Matthew and Samantha, now 26 and pursuing their very separate (but oddly similar!) adult lives.  Similar professions have taken my twins to opposite coasts: Matt is a screenwriter in Los Angeles, and Samantha is an actress in New York. For the past few years, our family has rarely been together—except for special occasions and family holidays which require LOTS of advance planning.

This summer we decided to mix business with pleasure in a family vacation.  We flew to Los Angeles to meet with Samantha’s new agent and then drove down to San Diego to relax at the Del Coronado Resort.  For the first few days, Samantha, Howard and I lounged on the beach as a threesome. On Thursday, Matt and his long-time girlfriend joined us for Labor Day week end.   And, yes, it was a perfect reunion (not too long, not too short). We all had fun, catching up and hanging out—not to mention sleeping late and stuffing ourselves with the free buffet breakfasts available until 11 am.  Although the weather wasn’t perfect (Sunday was overcast and rainy), all of us enjoyed relaxing together and frolicking in the ocean. As you can see from the pictures—worth more than a thousand words—a truly wonderful time was had by all.

Check out the fabulous sunsets from our terrace in a “presidential suite” (which we received for less than half price two hours after we arrived). The first room we were offered—a so-called “ocean front” view—was on the ground floor, overlooking the hotel’s restaurant canopies with sauna-like temperatures and a broken air conditioner.  After Howard complained to the manager, we ended up with a bedroom, huge living room, dining room for six, and a spacious terrace!  Our new room also offered super-duper air-conditioning.  In addition, as requested (but originally denied), our son and his girlfriend were given a nice room a few doors down the hall.  Kudos to my husband. There are perks to being married to a lawyer!