We decided to take family pictures right away while we were all dressed and dry. It was kind of a bust. The kids wanted to swim, the room was too dark, the grown ups were getting cranky...
Here is one of Papa and Gram and the grandkids.
Grandma Karen had mailed Birthday cards to Grandma Willie's house in Washington. The kids were excited to open such a special surprise!
There was so much to do and see in the water park. Our kids were so excited to be able to do so many fun things, like the wave pool. They LOVED the huge waves and I think Jori swallowed half the pool because she had her mouth open smiling and laughing the whole time. There was one "incident" in the wave pool. Gram was in charge of the kids so Darin and I could go on some of the big water slides with the rest of the adults and cousins. We are almost to the front of the line, way up the stairs, when we see the kids leading my mom to the wave pool. Now, my mom is not a huge swimmer, so she just sends the kids in (with their floaties) and she is standing in the very shallow part. We are up high watching as Tyson and Jori head out for the deep end and Gram just stands there watching. I said to Darin "I don't think she knows it's a wave pool". Nope, she didn't. You should have seen her when the waves started up. She was on the side lines pointing our her precious grandkids to a life guard. I am way up at the top of this water slide telling Darin "Our kids could be drowning out there, just swallowing water and no one would know". It was like a little bit funny, but I also was getting that feeling like "GET ME TO MY KIDS!", but we were about to get in the tube and fighting my way through the others in line didn't seem like the best plan, so I took the tube down. As soon as we got to the bottom, I booked it to the wave pool. My kids were standing there with a staff person. I got a little lecture about needing to watch my kids and I was like "See that lady right there? She WAS watching my kids, but didn't know this was a wave pool". Oh Gram!!
Where Jori spent most of her time
There was so much to do and see in the water park. Our kids were so excited to be able to do so many fun things, like the wave pool. They LOVED the huge waves and I think Jori swallowed half the pool because she had her mouth open smiling and laughing the whole time. There was one "incident" in the wave pool. Gram was in charge of the kids so Darin and I could go on some of the big water slides with the rest of the adults and cousins. We are almost to the front of the line, way up the stairs, when we see the kids leading my mom to the wave pool. Now, my mom is not a huge swimmer, so she just sends the kids in (with their floaties) and she is standing in the very shallow part. We are up high watching as Tyson and Jori head out for the deep end and Gram just stands there watching. I said to Darin "I don't think she knows it's a wave pool". Nope, she didn't. You should have seen her when the waves started up. She was on the side lines pointing our her precious grandkids to a life guard. I am way up at the top of this water slide telling Darin "Our kids could be drowning out there, just swallowing water and no one would know". It was like a little bit funny, but I also was getting that feeling like "GET ME TO MY KIDS!", but we were about to get in the tube and fighting my way through the others in line didn't seem like the best plan, so I took the tube down. As soon as we got to the bottom, I booked it to the wave pool. My kids were standing there with a staff person. I got a little lecture about needing to watch my kids and I was like "See that lady right there? She WAS watching my kids, but didn't know this was a wave pool". Oh Gram!!
Our swimmers in the BEST floaties ever!
My very persuasive sister in law, SooHee managed to get my mom to go on one of the big slides. There was a 5 person tube, so me, SooHee, Laurie, Kristi and my mom made the long climb up the stairs. Oh my, even getting my mom up there was funny. Then we are sitting in the tube and she is like "I don't want to do this!!" and then we take off. I almost peed my pants. It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen and I mean that with all the love and respect I have for my sweet mama, but it was just the best! I think it might have been my favorite vacation moment-just the girls, seeing everyone laughing so hard, and the look on my mom's face! Priceless.
We let the kids swim til almost 7. They were loving the hot tub that had a tunnel that led from inside to the outdoors. Tyson was able to go on all but one of the water slides, so he had a great time with that. We finally decided to go up and get pizza, and after we got our kids to bed we spent some time telling family stories in my sisters room. It was just such a great day.
3 of my handsome nephews-Caden, Gage and CameronWe let the kids swim til almost 7. They were loving the hot tub that had a tunnel that led from inside to the outdoors. Tyson was able to go on all but one of the water slides, so he had a great time with that. We finally decided to go up and get pizza, and after we got our kids to bed we spent some time telling family stories in my sisters room. It was just such a great day.
My mom and my beautiful sister in law
Uncle Josh
The 2 princesses, Kelsey and Jori
Tyson on the lilypads
The next day Darin drove off to a grocery store and got donuts and fruit for breakfast. Then it was back into the water for a few hours. We left the kids with my sisters and headed up to clean up and pack around 11. Then it was time to say good-bye to everyone. That is my least favorite part of vacation. The only thing that made it a little less painful is that we are planning to go out that way this Christmas!!
At 1 we finally drove off. My parents took us to a car rental place, where we found out that instead of a compact car, we would be taking a 12 passenger van on the 6 hour drive to Spokane (long story and a change of plans). The drive was actually not that bad, and with so much space we could easily split our kids up and keep them from fighting with each other!
After we arrived in Spokane we had dinner, found our hotel, then Darin left to meet up with a friend he hasn't seen since college. The next morning we flew out of the super friendly Spokane airport. We had over a 4 hour layover in Minneapolis, so we took the train to the Mall of America. Our kids had a great time playing at the Lego store. We finally made it home around 1:30 and the kids and I slept til 10 the next morning.
It was a fantastic vacation and I am so glad we could spend so much time with my family and that the kids got to know their cousins and Aunties and Uncles better. We miss them all!!
1 comment:
Looks like you guys had so much fun with your family! What a fun waterpark hotel! I would've loved to have seen your moms face going down that slide with you and your sisters! :) Tami
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