Smokin' hot vacation, part 2

As mentioned, Branson was hot. There was a pool, shuffleboard, mini-golf, and more at the resort where we were staying but with the temps soaring, even swimming was eventually deemed almost intolerable. The sidewalks around the pool were sizzling! We ended up discarding our idea to spend time on the lake and going to a theme park to spend the mornings and evenings out and basking in the a/c during the afternoons. Our condo had cable and three TVs so no one really complained about the extra time to watch cartoons or the Food Network.


Personal highlights
Tyler's highlight was playing laser tag. He said that it was the best form of exercise and that he wanted to finish our basement into a black-lighted laser tag arena. Then he was told that just one pack cost over 2K. I think we could find a gym membership cheaper than that!

E.'s highlight of the vacation was all the free mini-golf he could handle. So first thing every morning he asked to go play. His second favorite activity--and Tyler and I couldn't believe it--was riding a ferris wheel at a local race park. We had taken him there to drive the go-carts (he is crazy about Mario Kart) and to let the girls ride the little carnival rides, but he was too short to ride any of the carts of interest to him. On one course he passed all of the other drivers on the inside; talk about competitive!


S.'s highlight was the swings and then "swimming" with just an inner tube. (Sorry, no pool pics. It was too hot to not be in the water up to my neck!)
P.'s highlight? Mobility. Being out of her stroller and walking around with E. and S. made her giddy with glee.
So, what was my highlight? The jury is still out on that one.

On the way home
We were supposed to go to a drive-thru animal safari on the way home, but this was the view around the time we drove by the safari's exit:

Well, it isn't exactly the view because the photographer had her own head cranked over onto the headrest. Guess feeding the animals didn't end up being that alluring for any of us.

More to come
I would like to post a handful of vacation videos as well. So as soon as I have four free hours to upload them, you will get to see them! =)

Smokin' hot vacation, part 1

Whew! We are back from our 100-degree vacation and are now "enjoying" 100-degree weather here at home. If I have ever been thankful for central a/c, it has been this past week!

Due to a trying pregnancy and my inability to sit for too long, we had to forego our east coast vacation and we went to Branson, Missouri instead. However, before heading south to Branson we hit up a local attraction here at home--Circus Flora. I hadn't been to a circus since college, so I think I was more excited than the kids. It wasn't exactly what I expected--it seemed very European in style--but it was still fun.

The circus ring

The entire performance was a re-enactment of Don Quixote's quests across Spain. This act was of "the villian."

The big top only sat a few thousand people and the speaker system was pretty loud. An usher actually brought S. earplugs so that she could put her hands down!

Potentially one of the kids' favorite parts--intermission!



Branson bound
The trip to Branson took longer than we anticipated. We planned to eat lunch at a popular restaurant called Lambert's Cafe. (They are well-known for throwing fresh rolls throughout the restaurant to your table. And man, were they fresh! Pipin' hot is more like it. S. refused to eat one because she burnt her fingers catching it.) Unfortunately, we didn't arrive for lunch until after 2pm and by the time our food came the kids were beyond hungry, hot, and tired. It was a short-lived meal, but at least we can now say that we have been there! While we were waiting for our table, we waited outside; there are tons of benches and games under their covered porch ... think Cracker Barrel, just bigger. While Tyler and E. played a game of checkers on the sidewalk, the girls walked around in their new sunglasses making people smile. P. also practiced "jumping." I should have taken a video of that. Hi-lar-i-ous!

Vacation 2009

When Tyler and I got married, we both decided that taking an annual family vacation was almost considered a requirement for us. Not only to get away and relax, but also to reconnect as a family and to spend intentional time making memories together.

Well, we did it! Despite all of the changes that occurred during August in our lives, we planned a last minute vacation for our family before the summer ended. In the past we have been to places like Hot Springs, Wisconsin Dells, and Gatlinburg. This year we headed up north to Mackinaw City, MI. It was a blast and really relaxing. Besides knowing which hotel we were staying at, we didn't plan a thing. (Harrowing for me, but it was good practice to begin adding a little spontaneity to my life!)

We are now back home and preparing for impact with the addition of numerous things to our schedules starting next week. Meanwhile, the attempt to get settled into our new home continued to get a little closer today with the half-bath getting half cleaned and the visit of an electrician who wanted my right arm in exchange for a 220 outlet for our dryer. (I am desperate to do laundry, but not that desperate!) We are also all over the map on deciding when/if to get new carpet. Painting is looking farther and farther down the road as we try to address more immediate concerns (which we wanted to do before installing new carpet), and our children and dog are giving us new reasons almost daily to delay getting new carpet (pee, crayons, poop, markers, vomit ... moving into a new house didn't suspend these things like I had hoped it would). So what is stopping us from just waiting on the carpet? Just get a whiff! That and the three types of mismatching carpeting used throughout!

Photo highlights
We had so much fun on vacation and took so many good pictures that I had a hard time narrowing them down. So I posted a bunch of them for your enjoyment! (I figure that after not blogging for so long, posting a long blog with tons of photos is semi-required!)

This is what it looked like when we asked E. to put his arm around S.
This is what it looked like when we settled for him holding her hand!


Our hotelThe shopping village in Mackinaw City
Exhausted, S. fell asleep eating her ice cream cone.


E. had fun burying S. in the sand!


S. had fun returning the favor.

P.'s latest funny face—tucking her upper lip in her lower one.



The ferry ride to Mackinac Island was one of my favorite times of the week. It was sure a chilly ride, but beautiful.
Fort Mackinac on Mackinac Island

S. loved the horses on the island. For the first hour we were there, she pointed at every set of horses and said, "Mom! Mom! Horse! Horse!"





Our final days back in the city.







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Disregarding the marinara sauce all over their faces, don't they look so much older?!?