Spring Break 2009

This week was Spring Break for Zoe and Ty.  Just like every year, it falls on the same week as the end of the fiscal year at Shane's work.  So, it's pretty tough for him to take any time off.  Not to worry, we were happy just to have a week with no schedule.

Shane did manage to take Friday off!  And the kids couldn't have been more excited to have a "Stay at Home Day" with Dad.  But he had other plans.

We (Shane and I) sat on the couch Wednesday night trying to come up with a plan to "salvage" the big kids' Spring Break.  Honestly, I wasn't really excited about doing anything.

Option #1 was the Crayola Factory.  Even though it was a good chunk of a drive, I thought, "hmmmm...day trip...I can handle that!"  I thought it might be rough with the triplets, I mean, how long can I keep them in their wagon before they want to run around...in all different directions.  But it wasn't "not doable" in my book.  Plus, maybe we could get someone to watch the triplets for the day and NOT bring them.  Hmmmm.  There's a thought...

...a thought that gave Shane ANOTHER option...

Three words: Great. Wolf.  Lodge.  Last time we went, Lindsay stayed behind with the triplets and a good time was had by all!  But how could we pull this off?  The thought of bringing the three little ones didn't ever...ever...EVER cross my mind.  Honestly, Cole would love the little kid area.  He'd absolutely have a ball!  Eli?  Well...sometimes he likes the pool...but lately, he's been screaming bloody murder in the bathtub, so it'd be a risky move.  Then there's The Diva Ava.  There's no way she'd let Shane out of her reach.  There's no way she'd go down any slides.  There's no way she'd put a toe in the water.  And then there's the whole "they go in completely different directions and I'm only one person with two hands" issue.  So, I'm not sure how we could pull off GWL. 

Then Shane said the nine most beautiful sounding words in the english language: "I could take the big kids by myself overnight."  Did angels just start singing?  I think so!  (Sorry Mom H, is that sputtin?)  But then reality smacked me in the face with the next nine words: "...and you could meet us there in the morning."

Even though it sounded like a lot of driving and sudden packing and last minute babysitter finding, we got on the phone and tried to make it happen.  Sure enough, Nana Higby was able to come in the morning.  Followed by Miss Lois & Deborah for a few hours over lunch.  Nana came back after Uncle Dave got dropped off at home, and with that, the babies were covered.  My excuses for not putting on a bathing suit were gone.

All the pieces fell into place on Thursday.  As soon as Shane got home from work, he packed Zoe and Ty into the car and headed out.  They made it to the hotel with plenty of time to hit the rides.

(Shane took this with his phone...the kids were READY for some rides!)

I got there relatively early Friday morning.  I left as soon as Nana got here.  The three "lodgers" were already in the water park waiting for me!  This year, there was a new ride that was SO fun.  It was a big tube that all four of us could ride in...and face each other.  The kids thought it was hysterical that Shane ended up going backward and getting the most wet!

This year, Zoe was tall enough for the "roller coaster" ride.  HOLY COW!  Up and down!  There are belts that help you go up give you crazy speed as you head back down.  By the second or third time Zoe was on it (Ty wasn't tall enough) she was riding with her arms up...not holding on!  There was one point during the ride that she actually caught air and was lifted OFF the tube!  I was squealing like a little kid, myself.

Of course, we ran into people we knew.  Classmates of Zoe's.  She LOVED having another person to run around with.

When we finally left, it took Ty approximately 5 minutes to fall asleep in Shane's car...

Shane's already talking about bringing the triplets NEXT time!  Oh boy...