What I shouldn't be doing . . .

. . . is blogging.  I have approximately ONE MILLION projects on which I should be working, but this sad little blog has been neglected long enough.  It's hard to remember a time in which I wrote here daily.  It was a different life. 

Here's a hodgepodge summary of the last two weeks:

Jack's at VBS right now, so I've been working the last few nights from Panera.  Our church does a fantastic job and I'm so glad that it fell after camps were over so that we could bring Jack.  He asks every night if we'll be able to do it again next year!

Our summer youth camp season ended on August 3, which is the earliest it's ever ended.  The last week was rough, for so many reasons, including, but not limited to, the fact that all three kids had a mystery virus that caused alarmingly high temperatures for all of them.  That wasn't fun.  Summer is a crazy time and being forced to slow down and take care of them ended up being a good thing, but was still stressful.

The Sunday after camps were over, we left on vacation, but now we're back at it.  We have tons of cross country camps, soccer camps, rental groups, etc. and  we have adult and family retreats from the end of August through the beginning of October.  And then we start planning for winter camps, spring retreats and next summer.

Vacation . . . I don't really think "vacation" is the right word for a trip with three young children.  Don't get me wrong.  We had fun.  It was just a lot of work.

I didn't pack my usual bag of games, toys and snacks for the ride up.  I just bought a few new DVDs.  They love to watch movies in the car and I wasn't going to fight it.   All the way there.  All the way back.  Claire slept and played with the toys I handed her.  4 1/2 hours with no stops . . . easiest trip ever.

We rented a house near the campground where Kyle's entire family camped.  And while it was fun to go to the campground and beach, I was SO glad to be in a house and not in a tent or a trailer.

Claire is full out crawling and pulling herself up now, so I think a dusty campsite would have been rough.  And I'm convinced that my two-year-old ran out into the road every time we were there, simply to see the panicked look on my face.  The house was perfect for us and we enjoyed getting away. 

We hiked up to the overlook in Boyne City and it was beautiful.  Getting three kids up to the top (mostly the two youngest) was difficult though.

Ben and Claire started this way:

 And ended this way:

Yeah, that's Kyle carrying both of them.  Almost 500 steps.  Super fun for him.

But the view at the top of Lake Charlevoix was lovely.

We tried to get a "cousins" picture, but this was the best that we could get Ben to do.

I celebrated my 34th birthday while we were up there.  It was kind of a crappy day.  I just wasn't feeling well, and nothing really went as planned.  Kyle had scheduled a massage and facial for me that day, but I got a sunburn earlier in the week that would have made both of those things uncomfortable.

Oh, the sunburn.  I haven't had a bad sunburn in so many years.  I used to get them all the time.  I wear sunscreen constantly, but my back just wasn't used to that much direct sun for the 2 1/2 hours we were at the beach that day.  Even with SPF 50, I didn't stand a chance.  I had chills and felt sick almost all night and it made me uncomfortable for most of the trip.

Even though I got that sunburn, we did have some good beach time.  The boys played in the water with Kyle, I sat and dug a disturbing amount of sand out of Claire's mouth.  I sat at the edge of the water with Claire for a while and just let the waves of Lake Charlevoix splash over her legs and belly.  She was a little unsure at first, but seemed to really like it eventually.

We did get a chance to play miniature golf . . . which was pretty much the only thing Jack requested that we do while we were there.  Kyle beat us all.  I did get a hole in one . . . though I didn't even know it because as soon as I hit the ball, I saw Ben splashing in the bottom of the waterfall and ran after him.  I still kind of wonder if Kyle just hit it in the hole for me because it was my birthday.  At any point on the course where there was water, either Kyle or I had to be standing right with Ben to make sure he didn't . . . well . . . go for a swim.

I took family pictures for Kyle's sister and brother-in-law and nieces.  I worked on a few pictures while the kids were napping one day, but they're now sitting here as one of my unfinished projects.  It made me wish I had hired someone to come take our family pictures while we were there.  I have tons of great pictures of other people's families.  Very few of my own.

On our last day, we went to Petoskey and let the boys choose any toy (within reason).  Jack chose a puzzle and a license plate with his name on it.  I bought an educational toy for both of them to share.  And Ben?  Ben chose a push broom.

Seriously.  A toy broom.  And he had fun sweeping the streets wherever we went for the rest of the day.  I love that kid.

So, we're home.  We're getting ready to send Jack to Kindergarten and Ben to preschool . . . both of which I have anxiety about.  Our beloved babysitter of the last 3 1/2ish years let us know at the end of July that she was picking up more hours at her real job and wouldn't be available to watch the kids anymore.  I got the message in the dairy section of Walmart and tried to hold it together, but ultimately finished my shopping while ugly-crying.

It wasn't just that message. The message from the babysitter was just kind of the straw that broke the camel's back.  It has just been a rough summer.  We never really figured out a routine with babysitters and child care.  Logistically, camps were harder than they ever have been before.  I've been dealing with a neverending sinus infection and ear infections.  I just felt anxious and frustrated for a good portion of the summer.  And then three kids with mystery illnesses that last week?  It was just the icing on the cake. 

That said, I also think that this summer was the one that we saw more lives changed and more spiritual growth in our campers than we have in a while.  So, it was definitely all worth it.  I just need to keep that all in perspective.

Virginia Vacation

Remember that vacation we took?  To Williamsburg, Virginia?  Back in October?  I'm just now getting around to posting photos.

I'm awesome.

See more photos here.
 

Viriginia

Like I mentioned, we vacationed in Virginia last week. The drive down was stressful and the drive back was SUPER stressful. But it was nice to get away and I'm glad we endured the traveling just to be away for a while. We figured that with Jack starting kindergarten next year, this would be our last chance to take a fall vacation, and my parents had a condo in Williamsburg booked so it worked out perfectly.

On our way down to Virginia, we stayed in Pennsylvania and visited the Flight 93 Memorial. It was rainy and cold, so I ended up sitting in the car with the boys for most of our visit, and that was okay because it was really emotional and I was having a hard time keeping it together. As you might imagine, Jack had A LOT of questions and we did our best to answer them in the most age appropriate way possible.

The condo we stayed in was a really nice set up. There were two units. We were in the bottom unit with the boys, and my parents, aunt and uncle were in the upstairs unit. As early as the boys were up, and with as much noise as they make, I'm sure my parents and aunt and uncle were glad to have their own space.

We went to colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. THe boys behaved at those places about as well as you might expect a 2-year-old and 4-year-old to behave while learning about the colonial times and the revolutionary war. Honestly, though, I can't believe how much Jack retained. Both boys enjoyed the Jamestown settlement . . . including the ships that they got to board and walk around in.

When we were in Yorktown, I walked around outside with them while the adults took the museum tour. I thought they might enjoy seeing the turkeys and chickens. One of the chickens was so loud and the trip resulted in both boys screaming like maniacs, while I frantically pushed the stroller in the opposite direction. I had no idea they would react that way. It's humorous as I think back on it now. It didn't seem humorous at all then.

We took them to the pool one morning and they both acted as if they had never been in the water before. Jack, the child who had to be consistently told all summer not to go too far out into the water, flipped out any time we tried to take him past the steps in the pool. I think Ben would have been fine, but he normally follows Jack's lead. Eventually they warmed up to the idea, but I could tell they were both a little apprehensive the whole time. It was odd.

The boys loved hanging out at the condo, visiting the Living museum (kind of a cross between a hands on museum and a zoo), mini-golf and just spending time with us and their grandma and grandpa. Oh, and the fact that I let them watch Disney junior every morning while they ate breakfast. TV in the morning WHILE eating breakfast . . . and getting to watch more than one show in a row? It was like Christmas.

The hardest part of the trip was eating out so much. Typically, Ben's a challenge in a restaurant . . . but a manageable challenge. By the third or fourth day of eating out, he was spent. Maintaining restaurant etiquette was more than his 2-year-old mind could handle that many days in a row. On our trip home, we had dinner at a Pizza Hut. We were there for 5 minutes before I had to take him out to the car while Kyle got our food to go. I was down on myself all week for feeling like I couldn't control my child in a restaurant when it hit me . . . he's TWO YEARS OLD and he's been out to eat once or twice a day for more than a week. What did I expect?

Also, on the way home, baby girl decided that it was no longer time to hide behind the anterior placenta and make herself fully known. She had been fairly quiet all week and had me worried several times about her lack of movement . . . not uncommon for this pregnancy. But on Saturday morning she started kicking and didn't stop until Sunday afternoon. Not just kicking . . . the rolling and shoving herself into places she doesn't belong. Just enough to make the ride that much more uncomfortable!

With the exception of the first day, the weather was beautiful. It would have been sweeter had it not been warmer in Michigan than it was there! Who would have guessed that Michigan temperatures would be in the 80s in October? At least the warm weather was nice to come home to.

Our peeps.

We're in Virginia on vacation. The ride down was ROUGH. The boys were . . . well, exactly as you might expect a 2 year old and 4 year old would be. Full of snacks and movies and screaming and crankiness.

On our first night, right before we got to the hotel in Pennsylvania, we stopped at a service plaza. I took the boys to the bathroom while Kyle got gas. As we were coming out, Kyle was coming in and I asked, "Where did you park?" And he said, "Out next to my peeps."

"Huh?"

"You'll see what I mean."

And I couldn't help but laugh when we walked out and saw this:


When we were back in the car, Kyle told me that when he popped the hood to check the oil, he found the entire clipboard and paperwork that the oil change guy had left there earlier in the week. So bizarre.

It didn't make the trip easier, but I think that little stop was God's way of lightening the mood. For a few minutes, at least.

Hide and Seek

Bennett subscribes to the "If I can't see you, you can't see me" hide and seek strategy.

No fear

This is the only photo I have of the moment that Bennett scooted himself right into the water. He had no fear when it came to the pool.

Of course, Kyle was standing just to his left so he was only under for a second or two. He came up sputtering and chuckling with a huge smile on his face.

Although some may argue that it looks like Jack was pushing him in, he really was trying to hold him back.

Bennett's second favorite part of vacation . . .

He would have been happy doing nothing but riding the elevator and swimming all week long.

In 15 Minutes or Less, vacation edition

• We made the trip down in two days, which was good because we had to stop, literally, every hour or hour and a half for potty or diaper change or crankiness. We were going to try and get home in one day, but that's no longer the plan.
  
  
• We're in Tennessee and it was in the mid-80s yesterday and today. Unfortunately, there's a pretty bad storm rolling through and the high tomorrow is supposed to be 52 degrees. We're headed to the aquarium tomorrow.
  
  
• Bennett is NOT fun in restaurants right now. Having a fully equipped kitchen in our condo in which we can eat most of our meals helps preserve my sanity. Staying here over a hotel was a GOOD idea.
  
  
• Speaking of the condo, it's AMAZING. Everything's so new and updated. We ate lunch on the balcony and watched a couple of really bad golfers on the course behind us. Kyle and the boys had a movie night tonight while I just soaked in the jacuzzi tub. Glorious. Speaking of pampered . . . have I mentioned there's a spa here? I do have an appointment for Wednesday morning, thankyouverymuch.
  
  
• We packed a minimum of clothing for each of us and cut down on our luggage quite a bit by doing so. We have a washer and dryer here and doing a load of laundry a day is so worth it to me to keep things simple.
  
  
• Ben is a SWIMMER. This was the first time he had ever been in a pool (seriously . . . at 18 months) and he basically hit the water and was kicking and moving his arms like he'd been in swimming lessons for months. It's like he knew exactly what to do. Jack loves to swim, but is very uncertain in the water so this was new for us. We have to watch him closely though because he has no fear and I'm pretty sure if we weren't he'd try and jump in on his own.
  
  
• The boys love to ride the elevator and we have to make them take turns pressing the "down" button.
  

My time's up!

Slowing down

I tend to not post when we leave on vacation, because of the huge number of burglars that I'm sure make up my meager group of followers. Fortunately, our house is being adequately protected by armed guards and large ferocious animals while we're gone, so it's not really an issue.

We're headed to Tennessee for a few days . . . Gatlinburg to be exact. It was a last minute trip. We officially booked it less than a week ago. I'm looking forward to some badly needed rest and dedicated family time. One of our goals for the next few days is to SLOW DOWN. I've noticed over the last couple of weeks how often I tell my boys to "hurry up." I'm trying to be intentional about letting them move at their own pace.

Jack certainly tested me in that area tonight when we went out to dinner. Jack is a SLOW. EATER. Especially in restaurants. By the time Kyle, Bennett and I were finished our meals and the check was paid, he had consumed exactly 1/2 a chicken tender and two carrot sticks. He was just taking his time, looking around the restaurant, asking questions about everything he saw and practically sitting on my lap. Jack has a seemingly magnetic draw to whoever is sitting next to him at restaurants. Even if I pick him up and sit him down with his bottom planted firmly in his chair, I can just watch him start to lean into whoever is sitting next to him and just hang on his or her arm. He doesn't even realize he's doing it. He likes to cuddle and I'd guess that physical touch is his primary love language. I think this is how that desire manifests itself during meals.

Normally, I would have put a time limit on the meal and told him that we were leaving in 5 minutes and if he didn't finish, he'd just have to go hungry. Don't get me wrong . . . I think that's perfectly acceptable to do and when we're home and in a regular schedule, I'll probably continue to do that on occasion. Tonight, however, we just let him take his time. It started to get a little stressful because Ben was getting restless, but instead of stressing out, we just played. We tried to make things fun. Eventually, Jack finished and we all left happy and full.

With Ben, we're being intentional about letting him walk places himself. It's so much faster to pick him up and rush him to wherever we happen to be going. Instead, I'm putting him down, taking his hand and letting him set the pace.

I know that it can't always be this way when we get home. There are times we have to hurry and times that I'll still have to tell Jack "five more minutes." But this week, the focus is on relaxing and enjoying our time together.

Meijer Gardens

We took the boys to Meijer Gardens on Monday in an attempt to help them forget that the counselors were gone. First thing Friday morning, Jack came into our room crying because the counselors were leaving and he didn't want them to go home. Which, of course, made me want to cry.

It was a really good summer.

Anyway, we were trying to come up with something fun and new to do on Monday in an attempt to ease them into life without 70+ people to dote on them at all times. We have a zoo membership and have been there quite a few times already, so we opted for Frederik Meijer Gardens because we had never been there before.

We really enjoyed it! There was enough to do, without being overwhelming. We didn't get to everything, so we'd like to go back. It was a little pricey, so we'll likely wait until next summer for a return visit.

I wish I had more pictures of the flowers and sculptures, but I ended up with plenty of the boys!

You can see all of our pictures here.

Vacation?

We went on "vacation" over the weekend.

We left on Friday and came home on Monday. We went camping up north . . . a place that has become a family tradition for Kyle's family and extended family and has always been a lot of fun.

This time, it was not.

I will admit that for the month or so leading up to the trip I had a BAD attitude about it. What on earth was I going to do with a 9-month old who was not yet steady on his feet on a sandy camp site? And packing up to camp, and driving 5 hours each way was A LOT of work for only three nights. But we did it anyway . . . and you can be sure I protested.

I love Kyle's family. And normally, I really like camping. But I kind of felt like it was a recipe for disaster.

And I was right. The phrase "I told you so" was so blatantly obvious in about 90% of what we did over the weekend, that I didn't really even need to say it out loud.

On our way there, the "check engine" light that had been on for close to a year started blinking. And then the car started shaking. And shook every time we dropped below 30 mph for the rest of our trip.

We pulled into the campsite late, where our family already had our tent set up for us and we unloaded everything and went to bed. From about 11:30 until 3, I listened to a burping contest going on at the site next to us. I was not amused.

For the first day, I tried to embrace the dirt and just let Ben crawl through it. I figured I'd just clean him up later. Until that afternoon, when he was spitting up dirt. From then on out, I was either holding one of his hands so he could walk where he wanted to go, our had him in the stroller. It was equally frustrating for both of us.

Both Jack and Ben napped well the first full day we were there. Kyle and Jack went to the beach and out on the boat and I stayed at the site with Ben. Later, we went out to dinner and walked around Charlevoix. On the second day it was blazing hot outside and the tent was even hotter. We went to a parade in the morning and it was . . . well . . . a small town parade. In 92 degree weather. With no shade.

From there, we drove to Petoskey for lunch and a little shopping, but it was too hot to stay long, so we headed back to camp. Shortly after we were back and trying to get the boys to nap in the inferno, we decided to leave that night and stay in a hotel on our way home. Had we not been telling Jack all day that we were going to fireworks, we probably would have left earlier.

Thankfully, we made it home in our shaky car and Kyle and I are still on speaking terms. I know we'll go back up there and camp again . . . maybe when the boys are a little bit older.

This weekend will . . .

. . . be bittersweet. Summer camps are over and all of our staff is leaving after our meetings tomorrow. That makes life a little lonely and boring around camp. But at the same time, I have more traditional hours (at least until fall stuff starts) and the pace slows and allows for more family time, less rushing and a little more sleep. I have such mixed feelings. I usually crash for about a week after camp is over . . . emotionally and physically. I don't really have time for that this year.

. . . bring my first grocery shopping trip since early May. Starting next Monday, we don't have breakfast or dinner at camp. Usually, we have full meal service until Labor Day weekend, which meant that I've never had to cook meals from mid-May until mid-September. I've been spoiled. I'm not sure what it's like to cook a meal in the summer . . . maybe we'll do more grilling than usual.

. . . be my birthday. I'll be 31 on Sunday. I can almost hear you gasping audibly.

. . . be productive. Jack's going to stay at my parents' house for the weekend and Kyle and I are staying home and trying to complete all of the unfinished projects we have. We were going to work on replacing carpet and flooring in our house, but decided finishing what we've already started would be wise. Actually, Kyle will be doing most of the physical labor, while I'll be doing some design work, cleaning, crafting (um, we'll see about that one) and catching up on photo editing. Oh, and working on finishing touches for Jack's room. It's coming along slowly, but I'm really excited about it!

. . . be a mini-vacation. Like I said, Jack will be away for the weekend and while I suspect I'll miss him terribly, I will not miss the "in my face" wake up call at 5:30 AM. I feel mildly guilty saying this, but I can't even tell you how excited I am to have a weekend at home alone. And I'm sure I'll be super excited to bring him home on Sunday. Kyle and I are hoping at some point to get dinner and see a movie without having to worry about what time the babysitter needs to leave. Then again, we don't function well after 10 PM anymore. Like I said, I'll be 31 in a few days (and Kyle will be 30 at the end of the month).

. . . be a wake up call about how soon this baby will be here. Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I had this timeline in my head: Winter camps, vacation, baseball season, summer camp . . . get ready for baby. We're in the final stage and I've done virtually nothing to get ready for this little guy. I hope if he reads this someday he'll know that my lack of preparation for him is no reflection on my excitement to meet him, nor my love for him already. It is, however, more of a reflection on what it's like to live the "camp life."

Reunion Tour 2009, Part 2

So, where did I leave off? Oh, right. We spent our first evening in St. Louis with Aaron and Alisha.

We returned back to our hotel room and got a great night of sleep and headed to the zoo on Monday morning. We got there right at 8 AM and were able to park on the street, thus saving $11 on parking. Also, all of the exhibits which cost extra money are free from 8 - 9 AM. The zoo itself is free. It's such a nice zoo. I had been there a few times in college and appreciated it even more now.

Jack seemed excited about being able to pet the stingrays, so we did that first.



We walked around as long as I could handle it. Jack preferred Kyle's shoulders to his stroller.



With the money we saved on parking and exhibits, we let him pick out a toy (a stuffed turtle) which served as a pillow in the car.

We were done at the zoo by 11 AM and headed to the Galleria( so that I could buy a decent pair of maternity shorts) and then had lunch at the Spaghetti Factory (not to be confused with the Spaghetti Warehouse . . . the Spaghetti Factory is so, so, so much better).

We went back for a nap that afternoon and then met up with Jan and Dustin again for a Cardinals game at Busch Stadium. It was Jack's first MLB game, and even though the Cardinals lost it was perfect because it only lasted about 2 hours. Jack did really well and enjoyed it! He liked seeing Jan and Dustin again, too!




On Tuesday, we swam in the pool at the hotel and then checked out and met up with Heather and Nicole for lunch. I hadn't seen Heather since our wedding (almost 7 years ago)! We keep up with each other's blogs but it was so good to be in the same room and share a (delicious) meal! I had never met Nicole before, but it's so nice to feel like I know her in the real world rather than just the blog world. Kyle calls all of the people whose blogs I read but have never met, my "imaginary friends." Nicole no longer fits into that category.

Anyway, it was such a good time and my only regret is not pulling my camera out ONCE! Can you believe it?!

From there we went to Springfield to have dinner with Ben and Heather. Again, no pictures! But we had a chance to talk and just spend an hour or so catching up . . . which didn't seem like enough since we hadn't seen each other in two years! I'm hoping that it doesn't go that long again! Jack was a little bit, um, difficult at the restaurant. I think he had been in the car way to long because he was wound up and totally defiant.

We left Springfield and headed to Chicago and spent two nights with my sister. I hit the Land of Nod Outlet and got these two storage bins, among other things, for only $9 each! That's a $120 savings! Yay!

We ate at Giordano's, Ann Sather and Nookies . . . all of my favorite places to eat. We actually saw Jesse Jackson at Nookies. At least we're 99.99% sure it was him. We shopped a little and just wound down before heading home.

We had a great vacation and while sometimes it's nice to stay in one place for a while, it was nice to keep moving and to see lots of friends!

Reunion Tour 2009, Part 1

Our drive to Greenville was as close to heavenly as it can get when you're tired and traveling with a 2-year-old. After some unexpected setbacks, we left later than we had anticipated and Jack slept the first two hours. When he woke up, he ate and was pretty much content listening to his "Bible songs" and watching videos the rest of the way.

Kyle and I were struggling to stay awake, but agreed that the trip only seemed like it took 2 - 3 hours (instead of more than twice that).

Anyway, we made it in at about 10:30 CST, so it was pushing midnight before Jack was in bed. When we got there, I changed him and he was jabbering to Sarah and asking her questions. Suddenly, he got quiet, looked out the window and then looked back at me. His lip popped out and he just started bawling. I held him for a few seconds and was asking him what was wrong. I was completely puzzled. He pulled away, looked at me and said through his tears, "I'm sleeeeeepy!"

So, we got Jack to bed (he looks huge in his pack and play . . . HUGE) and Sarah and I stayed up for a while talking. When I went to bed, I looked at my phone and it said 3:26 (EST). WHAT?! We stayed up way too late, but it was good to catch up.

We slept in on Saturday morning (until 8 or so) and I got up before Kyle and Jack to shower, bake scones and put fruit on skewers for the shower. Kyle and Jack dropped me off at the shower and picked up AJ (Nicole, my college roommate's, son) and they played together while we, um, showered? Threw Sarah's baby shower? Had our party? However you'd say it.


We did my usual onesie applique activity at the shower and it was fun. Mainly, it was just good to catch up with these girls. There were only 6 of us, and it was nice just to chat and be with them. And of course, I keep forgetting to download a group picture from Sarah.



Meanwhile, AJ and Jack were wrestling, playing in the sprinkler and squirting each other with water guns. At dinner on Saturday night, Jack prayed and said, "Dear Jesus . . . thank you for day . . . . thank you for AJ . . . amen." I think he had fun. I'll post some video of them later.


We spent the rest of Saturday hanging out at Sarah's, followed by an evening photo shoot. Have I mentioned yet that the heat index was over 110 for that day? Even at 8:00 PM, we were dripping with sweat. But it was so worth it.

Later on Saturday, we met Jan and Dustin Fenton for ice cream. The sun had finally gone down and we were able to walk to Dairy Queen without passing out from heat exhaustion. Dustin works and lives on campus, so we walked around campus for a while after we ate. I was overwhelmed with nostalgia. I couldn't believe that Houge Hall was gone and even more, I couldn't believe that it didn't look odd. It just seemed natural. It's actually hard to believe that the building used to fit there. He also showed us the music center . . . I hadn't been in since it had been converted from the FM church. It was good to catch up with them and Jack LOVED hanging out with them. They have a nephew his age, so they were really good with him.


On Sunday, we slept in (again, until 8ish) and skipped church. Yep, you heard me. We skipped. We went to Lotawata Creek for lunch and then checked into our hotel. We had a great view from our room!


After naptime, we went to visit the Cobb family (Aaron, Alisha and Micah . . . Micah is a week older than Jack . . . Alisha and I had the same due date). We ate dinner with them, let the boys play at the park and caught up with them. They lived in Michigan for two years after they graduated from GC, and we miss having them only 1 1/2 hours away!

(this last photo courtesy of Aaron & Alisha)

Stay tuned for part 2 . . . .

Getting away . . .

We headed out on vacation today. Well, it's more of a reunion tour than a vacation.

Our first stop is Greenville, IL. We'll actually be there by the time this posts. Sarah's baby shower is Saturday and we're staying with she and Kevin until Sunday. I'd link to Sarah's blog, but it's private. Boo. It's supposed to be 100+ degrees there over the weekend. Two pregnant women + 100 degree heat = tons of fun . . . indoors. She's due with her baby boy next month and I'm so excited to see her and everyone else who will be there!

From there, we're headed to St. Louis for two nights at a hotel downtown. Jack is most excited about the pool at our hotel. We'll have some family time, but we're going to see more friends during the time we're in St. Louis and I'm so excited about this, too! Seriously, I'm smiling just typing this . . .

After St. Louis, we're headed to Springfield, IL for stop 3 of the reunion tour to see Heather and Ben.

From there, we head to Chicago for two nights with my sister. Maybe a little Taste of Chicago. Or maybe only things in air conditioned buildings . . . we'll see.

After Chicago, we head home to recover for a few days before the next camp starts on the 6th. I'm looking forward to it and I'm praying that Jack does well in the car and that we get some good quality time with him.

One more thing . . .

I've had lots of questions about our Disney trip and I hope that my previous post answered some of them. But when answering another question this morning, I realized there was one HUGE tip I forgot to add:

RELAX!

We saw so many crying kids and screaming parents at Disney World. We heard lectures being given on how much money was spent on tickets and on how ungrateful kids were. We heard spouses arguing about which ride the kids would enjoy the most. Moms yelled at kids for not walking fast enough to get in line. I even heard one mom say, "We would have been all the way up there in line if you had gone to the bathroom when I asked you the first time!" As we were trying to find our hotel room for the first time, there was one mom standing on a balcony screaming at her kids at the pool below . . . and using language that I was not excited for my ultra-repetitive toddler to be hearing.

I know you spend a LOT of money to take a vacation like this, but you really need to decide what you're paying for. Are you paying to do every last thing that the park has to offer? Or are you paying to have a fun as a family, or with friends? Leaving the park for naps might cost you a few rides, but if your kids are less cranky in the long run, it might be worth it. You need to decide what your ultimate goal is and direct all of your efforts toward that.

And don't yell at each other. After all, it is the happiest place on earth.

I waited too long . . .

. . . and I've started to forget some of the things I wanted to write down about Disney.


So, here's what I remember. Remember, this was just our experience . . . and while I hope it's helpful to you, it's mainly so I can look back and remember some of our thoughts the next time we plan a Disney vacation (and there will be a next time)! This is long (and there are lots of typos and grammatical errors . . . guaranteed) but I've thrown in some pictures to keep you entertained!

• We stayed at one of the Disney All Star Resorts. It was pretty basic . . . but perfect for a short stay. We weren't in the room much, so it wouldn't have made much sense to spend more on a hotel room. If we were to stay longer, we'd probably do shorter days at the parks and stay in a moderate level resort since we'd be there more.
  
  
• The two words that are most important to know for anyone visiting a Disney theme park: FAST PASS. They're free. They're convenient. If you don't get a fast pass, you're just wasting time standing in line. You can only get one at a time (or one every two hours, I guess), but it was so nice for the rides we had them for to just walk right on. We didn't get to the Magic Kingdom until Friday afternoon, but we grabbed a fast pass for Peter Pan right away. We hit a few other rides, and then grabbed a fast pass for Winnie the Pooh. We went to a few more rides, and were able to walk right on to Peter Pan and then Winnie the Pooh at the end of the day. It was so nice to end the day that way! There are quite a few sites that will help you plan a strategy for where to go first and which fast pass to get first. I'd recommend searching for those and developing a plan that works for you.
  
  
• Bring a stroller! The lines for stroller rental were outrageous and the lines to return them were just as bad. Luckily, Kristi clued us into this on the first night we were there. Quite often, you have to park the stroller and walk to rides in the area, so make sure yours is marked, in case someone else has the same one. If you're flying and don't want to bring a stroller on the plane, buy a cheap umbrella stroller in Florida (thanks for that tip, too, Kristi)! Getting on and off the bus with it was a little cumbersome though . . . and we only have one child, which made it a little eaiser.
  
  
• If we could do it all over again, we'd spend the extra $10 a night to have a refrigerator in the room. We would have kept milk, juice and fruit in there so that we wouldn't have to buy breakfast. Plus, Jack could have had his breakfast while we were getting ready, which would have kept him occupied and would have saved us some time and money.
  
  
• Meals in the park are expensive, but not as bad as I thought they'd be. Probably a little cheaper that buying meals at Comerica Park. We ate lunch at Epcot in Mexico on our first day. All three of us ordered a kids meal (chicken & cheese quesadilla, nachos and a small drink or milk) and it was less than $5 each. Along with the snacks we brought with us, it was plenty. OR, you can share a meal because some of the adult meals were HUGE. If we were going to be there for 3 or 4 days, we would probably take advantage of one of their dining plans because it allows you to eat whatever you want. But if no one in your family is that big of an eater, it might be cheaper to just eat kids' meals all day!
  
  We ate breakfast at our resort on the last morning, and it was only $4 more than our breakfast at McDonald's the day before. Plus, it was healthier and more filling.
  
  
• Epcot with a 20-month old
  
  • We went straight for the Finding Nemo ride. It was a little dark and I think Jack might have been clinging to us at times, but he seemed to enjoy it.
  • Turtle Talk with Crush would have been perfect if Jack were a little older, but he still enjoyed it. Kyle and I did too!
  • The Donald Duck ride in Mexico was, well, boring. But it was a great precursor to Jack's nap.
  • Jack fell asleep within seconds of getting in the stroller after the Donald Duck ride. So we walked around Epcot while he napped. Older children can get passports and have them stamped in each Epcot country. I would have liked this as a kid.
  
  
  
• The Magic Kingdom with a 20 month old
  
  • Jack freaked out at the nighttime parade and completely lost it during the Mickey's Philharmagic Orhestra. So, if you have a younger child . . . or one that scares easily, beware. Also, we were front and center for both of these things, so it might have been less traumatic had we been a little farther back.
  • We all LOVED the afternoon Block Party Parade. Jack was mesmerized. It's one that we definitely won't miss when we go back. Here were the most successful rides/attractions:
    
    Pooh's Park
    Dumbo
    Winnie the Pooh
    Jungle Safari
    Peter Pan
    It's a Small World (Jack kept saying "more, more" when this was over . . . which was the exact opposite of how Kyle and I were feeling)
    
    
  

• Hollywood Studios with a 20 month old
  
  • Jack loved the 3:00 parade at Hollywood Studios. There are so many characters in it and it was a lot of fun. It's a must-see.
    
  • If your child watches Playhouse Disney (or even if he doesn't) this is a neat show. It would be even better if we didn't have to sit on the floor!
  • Hollywood Studios is the place to go to get pictures taken with characters! They were everywhere! Even the most obscure characters from movies that had just been released!
  
  
  • 

• Animal Kingdom

• At the Animal Kingdom, we got Fast Passes for the Safari Tour right away so that we were able to just walk on later. It says you shouldn't ride if you're pregnant, but I didn't have a problem. Just to be clear . . . I'm not advising anyone to ride pregnant, but I didn't see any reason why I wouldn't be able to handle it. It was like a really bumpy car ride. We did get to see a lot of the animals and it was really cool.
• The Finding Nemo musical was fantastic. I was amazed and how well it was put together. Seriously amazing. Jack was mesmerized for the entire 30 minutes. And he was so excited to see all of the characters he knew from the movie.
• The petting farm wasn't that great, but Jack talked all day about the train ride to the petting farm, so maybe there's something to be said for that!
  

All good things come to an end

We're glad to be heading home. We had a great vacation and we're ready to get back to real life. We are not, however, excited about returning to below-freezing temperatures.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this, though . . . we get home tomorrow night and we leave Monday morning for a CCCA conference that we're attending next week. It's on Lake Michigan and the high temperature on Monday is expected to be 29 degrees. Fun. Jack's going with us, of course, and he's not going to know what hit him. After that, we'll REALLY be ready to be home for a while.

In other news, we went to Lakeland, FL yesterday for the camp "Snowbirds" dinner. The Southern Michigan Conference of the FM Church holds it each year for the seniors from our conference who go to Florida for the winter. Dave always goes to represent the camp, and since we're down here anyway, we went too.

We started to make our way back to Michigan today. We're staying in Lynchburg, Virgina tonight because my brother goes to school here at Liberty University. We'll have breakfast with him tomorrow morning and then head home. I like Lynchburg. I could be happy living here.

About two hours into today's drive, I made Kyle stop and we purchased a new DVD player. Let's just say that Jack is pushing me to my limit. And it's frustrating because we can't give him time outs in the car. And he knows it. And all of the books that I've read say that delayed punishment doesn't really work until a child's around 3 years old, so threatening things is pointless. I'm had some moments that I'm not proud of today . . . moments in which I lost my temper and yelled at my 20 month old. Ugh.

I'm dreading the remaining 10 hours in the car tomorrow.

Florida photos

Click here to see a few pictures from the beginning of our Florida trip! I don't have any from Disney posted yet because, well, my laptop is being a pest.

Two days at Disney

The first morning at Disney started out a little rough . . . simply because Kyle and I didn't read carefully enough.

We thought that the times sheet we received upon check-in said that the "Magic Hours" (extra hours only for people staying in Disney resorts) started at 8 AM. Which was perfect, because Kristi had a 9:15 meeting, so she wasn't going to be able to meet us at 9 to get us into the park. As we were boarding the bus, we double checked the times and realized that we had read incorrectly. The park didn't open until 9. In our defense, about 90% of the other people on the bus had also read that it opened at 8 AM. So I blame Disney. Because that's easier than admitting our mistake.

So, we waited until 10:15 to meet her and get into the park. Seriously, she went to so much trouble to get us into the parks THREE separate times. We owe her A LOT.

We started at Epcot because that was easier for her to get to from her office. We went straight to the Finding Nemo ride which was really great. The entire time we rode, Jack kept saying, "Nemo! Are you?" Even after the ride, throughout the day, we'd hear him saying that every so often. We went to Turtle Talk with Crush and The Mexico Donald Duck ride after that. We ate lunch in Mexico and Jack fell asleep within minutes after getting back into his stroller. Which allowed Kyle and I to stroll through all of the Epcot countries. He slept through the rest of Epcot and the monorail ride. He woke up on the Ferry to the Magic Kingdom.

At the MK, we went straight to Fantasyland and hit the rides there. We had fast passes for Peter Pan (and eventually Winnie the Pooh), but waited in line for Dumbo and It's a Small World. He loved Dumbo, so I guess he hasn't inherited his father's fear of heights. At the end of It's a Small World, Jack kept saying "more, more" which was ironic, because Kyle and I couldn't wait until the end. Jack did pretty well in the lines, but he wanted to be held the entire time so that he could see something other than other people's mid-sections. So it was pretty hard on our arms. Every time Jack would see a car (or boat, or jeep . . . or whatever it was for any given ride) he would clap his hands and say "YAY!" And he'd be so disappointed if it wasn't our turn to get on. It was a great chance for us to talk about waiting our turn.

Somewhere in there, we went on the Jungle Safari (with a hilarious tour guide) and caught the late afternoon Block Party Parade. Jack LOVED this parade and we were so glad he was able to see Mickey and some of the other characters he could identify.

We got back to the hotel late and he went right down to bed. That night, however, he cried out several times. I was patting his back when he was crying one of the times and he kept saying, "Mickey Mouse, Mickey Mouse." I was SURE that we had traumatized him in some way. Who knows what he was dreaming about?! At about 5 AM, he woke up (only half way) and cried inconsolably for about 45 minutes. We still have no idea why or what caused it. It was so strange.

On Saturday, we met Kristi at the Wild Animal Kingdom and, holy cow . . . having her there saved us so much time. She knew where to go and what we should do first. We saw the Nemo musical and it was SO good. Jack loved it and he was so excited to see "Mr. Ray." It's such an obscure character from the movie, but he was constantly looking for him and said his name over and over. He's such a random kid. We went on the Kilimanjaro Safari (which they say not to do if you're pregnant, and I'm not sure why) and ended at the petting zoo . . . which wasn't all that great. But Jack liked the train ride to get there.

Kristi told us that if Jack liked the Disney afternoon parade, we should check out the 3 PM parade at Hollywood Studios. So, after the Wild Animal Kingdom we headed there for lunch and the parade. Of course, Jack fell asleep about 20 minutes before the parade, but woke up about 5 minutes into it. It was awesome, and Jack even gave Sully and Boo (from Monsters, Inc.) a high five, without bursting into tears. That's progress.

After the parade, we went to the Playhouse Disney show. After that, we visited some of the characters (Mickey Mouse and the Little Einsteins characters) and called it a day.

We had so much fun and we'll definitely be taking a trip like this in the future. In fact, we've already been looking online and pricing future trips. While Jack won't remember this trip, he had so much fun and it was fun for us to watch him experience things for the first time.