Some kind of Wonderful: Flora Vacation Attempt #1 ...

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Flora Vacation Attempt #1 ...

Every time we plan to camp, something happens. Something like, it pours rain, somebody gets sick, or like this weekend, the car has some totally random, unexpected repair. I won't go into details, but the whole ignition had to be replaced and the car had to be re-keyed. Lucky?!?! A very large expense for a very random and unpreventable problem, which just happened to occur about 3,000 miles and two weeks after the extended warranty expired! Oh, well -- this time we didn't let it keep us home and we all piled into the Corolla. Good times :) I think Master S was the biggest trooper, considering he had to sit squished between two car seats in the back, but he didn't complain ... well, I guess he could have complained a lot louder than he did!

We headed down to Santa Claus, IN - yes, it is a real town! Holiday World and Splashin' Safari is located there, apparently known for some of the best water slides and roller coasters in the world. There is also Camp Rudolph right next door - also known for one of the best R.V. campsites. You can get a tent site, or an R.V. site, or you can rent a permanent R.V. to stay in or a cabin. We choose to tent it and got this site right on the 'lake' that overlooks the 'Raven' roller coaster at the park. The kids loved it ...

Had s'mores ...

laughed at Miss Lilly ...

Cheesed for the camera ...

And found lots of fireflies ... Miss Lilly discovered, after a little coaching from Daddy, that she can hold them in her hands ... very cool!

Big D checking out the campsite. Our neighbors in the camp had a movie going - they brought a projector and strung a sheet between two trees and invited the kids to watch Toy Story 3. Oh, so fun when you are camping!

The next morning we headed to Holiday World.

The pics don't do it justice - mostly because we spent the greater portion of the day in the splash park and the camera was in the locker, safe from water and cement, but it really was awesome! As our neighbor who is Master S' age said, 'The water slides at Holiday World are off the hook!'. I totally agree!

Master S and I went on the 'Wildebeast' together. It has been a long time since I've been on a roller coaster - and this was a water coaster and it was AWESOME! Loved it -- even if we waited in line for almost an hour, it was worth it!

Big D loved the train and the wave pool and the splash park and even took a little nap in the wagon mid afternoon. Lovely! Miss Lilly loved the smaller kid sized water slides. Once I went down with her a couple of times she was a fish and spent all day sliding and running back up to slide again. It brought back fond memories of summer passes to Wild Waters in Boise - I'd forgotten how much fun that was!

Master S driving?!? Scary!

We headed home at the end of a very long day, but very good 36 hour vacation - here are the kids in the back seat showing off their souvenirs -- Big D's train isn't in the pic, and Miss Lilly's was a butterfly necklace in a butterfly box. Trying to decided if we should schedule the next 'planned' camping vacation for the summer on the calendar or not ... maybe we'll just keep the weekend open and be spontaneous :)

1 comment:

Kelsey Kamauu said...: so fun!! I want to go there someday when we visit :) - sounds like you all had a great time despite the cray start - car problems are lame. Love you!! :); June 27, 2011 at 12:27 AM

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Words to live by . . .

“I Really Lived”
By Sister Marjorie Hinckley
“I don’t want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenck’s lawn.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor’s children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone’s garden.
I want to be there with children’s sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really there and that I really lived.”

Funny things kids say . . .

Jan. 2012 - Big D, pointing to a sore in his mouth, "I have a kangaroo sore".
Dec. 2011 - I pulled out a book at church to keep Miss Lilly entertained that had a picture of the old LDS Tabernacle with the chior in it, and she exclaimed, "Mom! It's the Acle-Tabel Chior!" (Tabernacle Chior)
Feb. 2011 - Big D asked, "Can I be a dog for my whole life?"
Dec. 2010 - Funny things we've heard around the house regarding drinking ... Master S, as we were getting ready to leave for KY to visit counsins and discussing lunch options, "When is Happy Hour?" in hopes that Steak and Shake was on the list of places to go and Big D as we were getting into the car, 'I need my sippy cup for Drinking!'.
Dec. 2010 Miss Lilly had a candy cane in her hot chocolate - after drinking it she said, 'Now my stomach is striped inside
August 2010 Seen on a homework assignment that had quesitons to answer about his summer and his likes/dislikes ... Whom do you most admire? Why? Master S' response "I admire myself, because I'm really cool." Ah, the confidence of an 8 year old!
May 2010, Miss Lilly noticed I was emotional, she asked me why and I told her it was because I felt the spirit, that I heard Heavenly Father talking to me right here and pointed to my heart. She replied so sweetly, 'it's like a tickle in your heart mommy".
April 2010 As we left a department store Miss Lilly saw a man in his leathers getting onto his motorcycle, "Looks like he's all patched up and ready to go, Mom!" and "He looks like a guy so he might as well be a guy." She makes me laugh!
February 2010 Miss Lilly "Mom, when I'm 5 I'm going to listen to everything you say!"
February 2010 Miss Lilly "I didn't buckle my seatbelt because something crazy happened when I was born ...."
January 2009 Master S: "Do they just give you a car to drive when you get your license?" I wish!
December 2009 Big D in response to what does Santa say? "Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry, Merry!"
November 2009 I was talking to Miss Lilly about her snack day at preschool, what to bring etc. She insisted on cottage cheese (apparently they are trying new things, she said) and then said, "And we need lots of bowls" and I said, "Oh? How many?" Miss Lilly responded, after thinking for a moment, "thousands mom! we have so many kids in preschool!"
October 2009 Big D is saying this everytime he takes a bite at mealtime, "mmm good"! I love it! Wish my other kids would catch on!
Oct. 12th, 2009 Master S says a bedtime, "Mom, I want you to surprise me with something for breakfast" I responded, "How about oatmeal" to which I got glares and screams of no. He then clarified and said, "You have two choices, crepes or panackes!" Some surpise it's going to be ...
Oct. 12, 2009 Miss Lilly said, "I wish I could sleep with Mommy and Daddy" as we are putting her to bed. I said, "well, when you get older and get married you can share a room with your husband." Her response was, "My husband is going to be cranky". To which I was dying to ask, "Why? Because he has to live with you?"
Sapt. 13, 2009 Master S came out of the bathroom and very seriously said, "Mom, the toilet is paralyzed!" (apparently the toilet wasn't flushing ...)
Sept. 7, 2009 Extremely random and very serious thought by Miss Lilly, "Do your ears get bigger when you get bigger?"
May 21st, 2009 We are trying to keep the windows open and the AC off, or the windows closed and the AC on ... so when I went to bed I checked on the kids and noticed a window open. Miss Lilly was still awake and as I closed the windows she said, "Mom, I'm hot!" and I said, "well, the AC is on, we need to close them." To which she responded, "But my neck is hot and I can't feel it!" Wish I couldn't feel my neck when it was hot!
May 10th, 2009 J.D. was put in as the 2nd counselor in the Bishopric today, which meant that he also became a high priest. On the way home from church, Master S said, "Yeah, Daddy is a whole priest now!"
April 22nd, 2009 J.D. told Miss Lilly that it was Grandpa Flora's birthday. She asked how old he was. When J.D. told her she said, "Wow! That's a lot of miles!"
April 13th, 2009 We were discussing Family Home Evening and who was going to do what tonight (i.e. lesson, music, activity, treat) Master S had an activity ready, J.D. volunteered the lesson, Miss Lilly asked to do the music, then she said - "No, I don't want to lead the music, I'll just do the dancing!" It was fantastic dancing by the way!
April 10th, 2009 I was trying to get the kids to clean up the mess they had made (pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, rubermaid lids, etc. all over the floor) and Miss Lilly turned to me and said, "Guess what we made? We made a contraption!"
March 27, 2009 Miss Lilly begged to call her Daddy at work today, but I put her off, knowing that J.D. was really busy. As soon as he walked in the door tonight she ran up to him and said, "Daddy, we need to get on a plane tomorrow and go visit Grandma in Florida!" I guess our days at home aren't as exciting - or as liberating as Grandma's house!
March 27, 2009 In the car (is that where all our funny moments happen?) I actually saw a cardinal flying in the woods near our home and was so excited - I was telling the kids and Master S says, "Are they eternal?" There was a pause, as we tried to figure out what me meant ... then he said, "do they sleep when we sleep?" (nocturnal)
March 26, 2009 In the car, Miss Lilly asked if we were going to live here until she grew up. When I replied, "Probably." She said, "Will there be a concert to sing at?" Confused I said, "Concert?" She responded, "So when I'm grown up and a singer I can sing at it. Becuase I want to be a singer ..." then there was a pause and, "I want to be a singer, a ballerina and a mommy when I grow up!" Sounds like a full plate to me!
March 22, 2009 Master S and J.D. were playing a game (another creation of Master S' - this one was trac-go-golf) and he says to J.D, after a pretty good throw "standing observation"! J.D. and I kinda looked at each other -- then started laughing -- I said, "Do you mean, Standing Ovation?"
Feb. 9th, 2009 on the way to the library, Master S stated, "Food is an economic need." And I'm thinking, where did he learn that?! And then he says, "And a nintendo DS, that is red and black, that your mom says you can't have, is an economic want". The things they learn at school!
Jan.30, 2009 In the car I was joking with the kids about all the funny business going on. A few minutes later Miss Lilly piped up, as she and Master S weren't getting along and said, "He took all my funny business!"

Some kind of Wonderful

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Flora Vacation Attempt #1 ...

1 comment:

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