On Tuesday morning my husband did not wake the kids up for school, instead he waited until I got home from work and we told them what we had planned for them. They were very excited. Actually, so excited I think they were all numb. We did not get the jumping up and down reaction we thought we would. We got the stare into space look or disbelief. It was as if they were waiting for us to say – just kidding!
It was only a 3 hour drive but it ended up taking us about 5 because we stopped off and had lunch and then went the wrong direction on the last 10 minutes of the trip which cost us about 30 minutes, because we didn’t figure it out until long after. The directions were wrong on the map we used, instead of south we were supposed to be going north on the highway near the lodge. We eventually made it.
We had paid a little extra for the birthday package for Gordon. He got lots of cool stuff, a t-shirt, blanket, stuffed wolf, game tokens and this great hat, which Pigges got to enjoy most of the trip.
They had an arcade:
And food. Gordon enjoyed the buffet, Alice enjoyed a six dollar bowl of Fruit Loops (egad!!!)
We made it in time to go swimming for a couple hours the first night.
They had a bunch of different slides, a wave pool, a regular pool, a playhouse type thing with water coming out of it everywhere. They had a blast.
Just a couple hours of swimming and then the arcade and they were pooped. Mommy and Daddy were also very pooped. Alice assumed the perfect vacation position when we came back to the room.
Natalie had her very own cove where she made herself at home:
The second day started off with a big breakfast:
And coffee for the adults – don’t you just love the expression on my husbands face – that is how we felt. We realized how out of shape we were trying to keep up. For all the slides you had to walk up endless stairs, we were exhausted.
There was water coming out of everything, water, water, water.
Natalie looked so grown. I almost had to break out the “ka-ra-tay” on some older boy who said to her “He-ey” you know like the “Whatcha Doin,” kind of thing.
This is a big bucket on top of the fort bell tower. Every now and then it fills up with hundreds of gallons of water and then dumps it out below.
This is what happens below the bucket when it releases the water:
By the end of the second day of swimming the kids were very exhausted:
We had dinner and cake:
Gordon received his quilt. He was so excited and loved it. His first response was “These are my pictures!” I was so happy he like it, he actually hung it on his wall our first night home, which is big, he is very particular about what is allowed in his room.
The last trip down the Howlin’ Tornado:
That slide was soooo scary the first time down. I think because it was dark outside the first time we rode it and the tubes go outside. It was dark and then it opened up into this huge funnel thing thats was bright red and yellow and you slid up and down the sides of it then you went down the tube at the bottom. I screamed like a baby the first time. I felt like I was on a ride in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, it was strange. After riding it once it was not as scary – just fast and fun.
This was the last day. They swam until they were tired out and then we headed home.
Natalie had to try just another snack before we left.
We had a great time. I think we are all sore from the twists and turns on the slides and walking up the stairs but it was worth it.
I broke out one of my Homespun magazines, it is not a very old one it is No. 79 (Vol10.12). I did the pattern by Melly & Me of Dee Dee the Dolphin. I had fun making her – she is very cute and Natalie loves her. She is a perfect size for a little kid to snuggle with. That issue was actually a special “Kids Issue” and has some really cute stuff in it. You can buy just the pattern from Melly & Me also.
Yesterday Gordon and I spent some time together just he and I, or him and me, or me and him. I sure wish I would have paid attention in school. Anyway, he was able to choose what we did. He chose a walk, with his birthday scooter, and hike through the woods exploring. That is what we did, we did that for a little over 2 hours – we were both quite tired in the end so he also added a foot massage to the list of things to do. I told him as long as he washed them!
