Branson Vacation - Day 2

Sleeping on a hide-a-bed gave us a rough start this morning. For some reason we thought it would be better to put all 4 kids in the bedroom so we could have some downtime sans kids. Of course, we never contiplated that the lack of sleep from the night before, a long drive, and a full afternoon of swimming would have made us too tired to reach for the flat screen tv remote. Instead, our quality time consisted of unfolding the bed.

A few hours of tossing, turning, and making room for a child or two that needed comforting in order to fall back to sleep in a strange place and I was bright as, well... an overcast day. For a man that can't stand the taste of beer, I began to wonder if this was what a hangover was like.

Surprised that I could stand fully upright, I agreed to work out the kinks by walking to breakfast, an all-you-can-eat smorgasboard breakfast foods, from eggs, bacon, sausage, diced potatoes, pancakes, biscuts and gravy, fruit, cereal, juice and milk.

After breakfast, we played a quick round of miniature golf while we waited for the pool to open. We swam until lunch and Sheri took the older two back for more adventure while I gave the younger ones a nap. It ended up being a win-win as I had the chance to catch the Portugual vs. Spain World Cup game and the mermaid got to hang in her habitat for a bit. It worked out well, because when I joined up with them after naps... er, the game, the older two were swimming across the shallow end without stopping to touch. And after showing off to me everything they learned with mom, the boys had to show off all their other tricks. Even the younger two joined in the fun!

We took a cue from the kids that snack time meant dinner time and afterwards we headed to the outlet mall. After hitting all of Sheri's favorites, Gymboree, Gap Kids, and the Disney Store, I forced her to duck into the Nike store so I could get my man-card back. Although disapointed in their selection, I had enough man-strength in reserve to last through one more store, which Sheri decided to spend it, and my money at the Coach store.

I was surprised it didn't take her long to find something she liked. And I was more surprised to find that my 2 year old girl knows the word, "buy". You'd think she'd get confused and start waving to someone. But NO... this girl turned about-face and started walking to the cashier! All she knew was there was some purchasing going on, and she was going to be a part of it!


I've resigned myself to the fact that this is not the last time I'll watch my little girl spend all my money. I just hope she doesn't need to stand on the counter to do it.

Giddy with their spoils of the day, the girls led us back to the van.

Us guys, however, were anxious for some man-tivities before bed.

Branson Vacation - Day 1

Technially, vacation started Friday @ 4pm when I walked out the door from work. Saturday, Sheri and I began our last minute preparations while Sunday had church and Cooper's last baseball game. Finally, it's bedtime, the night before departure on our first ever true family vacation and Sheri and I can't sleep a wink. Not because of the excitement and anticipation 3 of a 3 week countdown that began after receiving the e-receipt confirmation in my inbox, it was because Olivia was throwing up. Sheri worked on the bed, while I managed a slimy, smelly, screaming child in the tub. Countless "involuntary reflexes" over a garbage can and 4 hours later, Olivia had enough and passed out for the night, along with an exhausted mom and dad.


Doughnuts at home kept the kids occupied while the van was packed and 6 people were all buckled in an hour ahead of schedule! I was impressed, until Sheri discovered we forgot the stroller. Not quite a false-start, as we hadn't left the driveway yet, but the foreshadowing indicated this was shaping up to be an interesting vacation!

Irony proved it would not disappoint. Stroller in tow, and only 2 minutes down the road, we discovered we had no coffee... nor had we told any of the kids to go to the bathroom before we started on our 4 hour journey! So, to the gas station we went, my gauge reading a solid 'F' and irony not caring one bit that we made a special trip last night for the sole purpose of filling up!

Once inside the bathroom, the fun continued, for I quickly discovered that what one kid had coming up last night, another kid had coming out the other end this morning. So while Sheri worked on the coffee, I worked on a pair of underwear, and so spend the better part of our first 2 hours of vacation doing the same thing, all while trying to convince Maddox that we were not lost, that we had to take the backroads to get to the interstate, and find that magical speed where the kids could be entertained by the roller-coaster roads, while keeping Sheri from repeating Olivia's ordeal from the night before.

But soon enough, we made it to the interstate. I took I-44 west, and the steady speed and rythm of the interstate settled the bickering, the tummies, lulled some to sleep, and allowed others the peace of mind to just think.

Just then Sheri broke the silence with an alarmed, "Oh, no!"

My heart sank. "What is it," I asked?

"I forgot to say 'good-bye' to the dogs!"

She climbs...

Olivia is FAST!!! Lightening fast! In 45 seconds (the time it takes me and Travis to set up the 2o foot ladder and go into the garage to get a box of floodlight bulbs), Olivia made it over half-way up the ladder. Travis then had to find a way to climb carefully (didn't want to shake it!) and in such a way that didn't scare her. She was scared of NOTHING! She grinned and giggled! When I came with the camera she even tried to wave, we encouraged her to keep 2 hands on the ladder at all times.

Father's Day presents that keep giving!

Remember as a kid how much fun empty boxes were? They gave endless hours of entertainment! We are huge believers in "free fun", and although the items inside the boxes were not exactly free, they were, however, insanely on sale! :) While at the store Maddox lovinly refers to as, "The Orange Store", Travis informed that Home Depot was having a huge sale on patio sets. Knowing how badly I want a patio set, he mentioned it again Sunday night (after an amazing meal of marinated chicken breasts, baked potatoes, and scalloped veggies, if I may say so myself.) I asked him to go look up the store hours while I cleaned up and put leftovers away. I couldn't contain my excitement, so I changed my mind and left him with the table, dishes, and kids and ran upstairs to quickly find the store hours. If we hurried, we had just over an hour to go check things out.

We got to the store and found 2 sets we really liked! Both at 55% off. Travis made the final decision, it was Father's Day after all, and I'm getting a patio set like I've always wanted!! We found out since we had a store account we would get a free rental for the truck, which means we could get the new furniture home and the truck returned all before bedtime. So, we paid for everything and were in the process of giving insurance info and Travis' driver's license when he realized he had left it at home. Rather than having to wait to get the boxes home, I handed them my information. Yep, I drove "The Orange Store" F-350 flatbed truck home and back. It was kind of fun, and secretly, I wanted to run something over!

Now we have an amazing patio set (pictures coming after it gets assembled, it was dark and too hot to deal with last night) and the kids had a box to play with! They have been coloring and playing in that box for almost 2 hrs.

Everything is better from the countertop!

My kids love to climb, some more than others. But, none the less, they love to get as high as they can and just perch. Breakfast a couple days ago was no different. While I was digging yogurt out of the fridge, the monkeys were staking out their spots!
Olivia is getting quite good at getting the kitchen chair pushed up to the counter, getting on, and getting situated in the window above the sink, all in the time it takes me to get something out of the fridge, or put something back into the fridge.

Maddox's big night.

Maddox got to go to his first professional soccer game on Saturday night. He loved riding to the game in Uncle Tim's pick-up and having Daddy and Uncle Tim's undivided attention.


Maddox chanting, "Chi-ca-go FIRE"

Standing with Uncle Time outside the stadium.

Sitting with Daddy, clapping and taking in all the excitement.

The Fire lined up ready to go! (They won)

Happy Birthday Nelson!!!!

Seven years ago Nelson Chase came into our lives! He's taken us on a fantastic journey ever since. You never know which superhero, Star Wars character or G.I. Joe person is going to meet you every morning, but with Nelson, you know it's going to be fun!
We love you Nel-bomb!

Boys' Night Out

We had a friend offer us Cards tickets at 7:30 Wednesday morning! Travis and I talked about it and thought it would be a perfect activity to kick off the boys' Summer Break! He loaded up the boys and headed into the game. They. loved. it. Maddox is still talking about it 2 days later. I love summer.

Big day!

Cooper and Nelson are celebrating their last days of 1st and 2nd grade!!!!!
Olivia caught Tallie and is playing "Puppy Beauty Parlor". Her nose is out of the picture because she was in the process of making her get away when I snapped the picture. Both dogs are getting good at the game of "Keep Away" when Olivia is in the room with them.

Maddox thought his Dino needed a nap this morning. I agreed, Maddox and Dino woke up at 6:15 ready to eat breakfast and watch Playhouse Disney.

"Just what I always wanted!"

When we told our kids we were moving a year ago, all they asked for was a swing set. Seems like a very simple request. It was probably the simplest request we hear seeing that we sold our house without it ever going on the market, and Travis and I were asking God for a newer/bigger house than the one we had just sold. Back in August, I started combing http://www.craigslist.org/ for a wooden swing set. I found 3 or 4, contacted the sellers, heard back from 2, and only 1 still had the swing set available. We emailed him with a request to get directions to his house to pick it up, and he never emailed back.
We moved, got settled into the newer/bigger house that God helped us find, and enjoyed a nice winter! The yard was huge and empty, perfect for sledding, building forts, and having snowball fights.
Once spring came so did the requests for a swing set. I started looking again, nothing was available and I refused to sell a child, kidney, or dog to afford a brand new one. That's when the neighbors saved the day. They came over and asked if we would be interested in TAKING their swing set (as in, just come get it!) their daughters had outgrown it and they wanted to get rid of it to make room for a big trampoline. Travis spent a few nights taking the swing set apart. He moved it to the yard, and put it together on Memorial Day. Maddox and Olivia are loving it!!! I'm sure this afternoon Cooper and Nelson will start loving it as well (today is the last day of school).
In 2 days time Maddox has overcome his fear of slides, has learned to "pump" on the swings and has managed to knock Olivia off the rock wall once, push her down the slide once, and kick her in the chest twice while he has been swinging. I'm sure she's planning some sort or retaliation.