Piper Paradise: Family Staycation

I was thinking while showering a few minutes ago (the only time I have to think, it seems), I never did a play by play of our mini staycation so here it goes!

7/3/09: We woke up on this bright and sunny Friday ready to enjoy some family time. Our vacation "Up North" has been postponed due to finances, the hotel vacation we planned was scrapped as well due to the same concerns (damn Recession 2009!) and in their place, we have planned 2 days of fun! We headed to a local museum we have been wanting to explore. But first there was the trip to PeterBilt for truck stuff (not fun nor vacation like at all!). We didn't get the breakfast we had planned before we left so after the truck stuff detour, we were hungry. We ran through a fast food joint to grab something before the museum. Daddy ordered and I was flustered not knowing what I wanted and he was crabby about it so I got nothing and we left. It was not the most pleasant way to start this family staycation :-( It did get better though! We hit the museum and spent about 2 1/2 hours exploring the dinosaur bones, the desert exhibit and a supercool Mars exhibit. We witnessed a flashflood event which included thunder and lighting. We also got to pan for gold!! Daddy helped with this fun experience. After panning for gold, there was an old jailhouse and holy moly - the kids were TERRIFIED here! It was noisy when anyone opened or closed the jail doors and all 3 of my babies were crying by the time we left this part of the museum. (p.s. I recognized this museum as one I had been on a field trip too, when I was in 5 grade... 20 years ago!) During this whole time, Baby J was along for the ride in his new (piece of crap-I returned the next day) stroller. He did wonderful just hanging out. He is a very easy baby. Just wants to be a part of everything and right up in the middle of the action. After we left the museum, we got lunch from Quiznos and headed to a local waterpark. One quick stop for some sinus pills though since Daddy Piper and I were both getting a headache - where I almost hit a speedy black car... OOPS! The waterpark was super empty for some reason. We all got changed into our swim clothes and ate lunch under a tree on a grassy knoll. I got sick right away from taking the pill without eating (remember me not eating earlier?). I hurled and back to the festivies I went. J enjoyed his fresh baby food and everyone else devoured their yummy sandwiches. Off to swim and enjoy the afternoon we go. Daddy Piper was a huge bucket of fun for the kids. He took them in the deep water, where I can't touch, and they got some swim lessons for the day. Then L & S started going down the small slide, the very one S wouldn't even attempt 2 weeks ago. L and Daddy went down the big slides a ton of times. She gets braver & braver every trip to the water. She even went down the dark, fast slide this time!! She didn't like it so much but at least she tried it. Back to the little slide. J and I hung out in the water and my headache just got worse and worse. He was beyond ready for a nap by this time so he and I packed up our stuff and went to the van. I drove him around the block and he fell fast asleep. I curled up and took a nap as well. We slept for an hour in the air conditioned van!! When I woke up, I crawled in the back and he was still sleeping. He woke up a few minutes later and we went back in the waterpark in search for the rest of our family. I couldn't find them anywhere. Their stuff was no longer under the tree and they were no where to be found. I started wondering if they called a cab to go home. J and I headed back to the van to call Daddy Piper and there they were walking out of the park - what timing!! We headed home to get ready for the rest of the fun events of the evening. L, S and J fell asleep on the way home :-) We moved everyone to their bed for a late naptime. Even Daddy and I got a nap in!!! The evening didn't go as planned either. I had asked for no outside stuff nor computer time to make it still feel like a vacation and the outside stuff still happened - which royally t'd me off. I hate to be so negative about this time we spent together. I just set up such high expectations for things like this and nothing usually lives up to it. I should learn by now not try to organize fun times but to just let them happen, since that's when they usually do. Dinner was brats and chips and dip. It was supposed to be by the fire pit up front but it was too darn hot, so it was inside - nothing special again not like I had planned.

7/4/09: After a restless sleep and being superbly irritated at how things have gone so far, we went to breakfast at a local cafe. It's a new place near us. Breakfast went wonderfully, even with all 3 kids. It was delicious food and great service. Back home to plan the rest of the day. It was decided to skip the movie (again I get so irritated with the change of plans!!). Daddy Piper took L & S in the pool and J and I slept for 3 hours!!!!!!!! I woke up refreshed. The dinner plan was scrapped (we were supposed to go out and watch fireworks and decided to stay home - AGH!). I bought KFC for dinner since staycation agreement was no cooking for mom. We all laughed and joked during dinner which was a nice change of attitude from the earlier afternoon around here. I got J down for the night and L and I played games and watched fireworks on TV for a bit while Daddy Piper and S looked around outside to see if our local ones had started. We played round after round of Uno. The 2 of us played both the regular version and the kid version. Daddy Piper and S were heading up on the roof to watch the fireworks and L wanted to stay inside. She has a very cautious spirit and the dark was scaring her. I was happy to just hang out with her. Playing Uno and laughing together was so wonderful. I thank God for giving me a daughter. Oh how I hope I am saying this same thing in 10 years : -) Well after playing hand after hand of Uno, L wanted to join the boys up on the roof so we brought along the monitor for J and headed up. We enjoyed the fireworks together for about 30 minutes. The kids loved seeing them and it was nice not to have to shield their ears from the sound (both have such sensitive ears). Back inside for bedtime!!

7/5/09: The movie was rescheduled for today so off we went. We saw Ice Age 3. I didn't see the option online for the 3D show so we saw the regular one. I was disappointed at first but think it worked out. I am sure after 2 minutes of the 3D experience and my kids would have been ready to split!! About 30 minutes into the show, J was done and ready to be moving again. He and I walked around the mall and window shopped for awhile together. We got back in time to watch the last 15 minutes. He has done so well for movies before but it was not to be this time :-( When we walked back in the theater, I could hear L laughing so I know she enjoyed the show. Daddy said S was ready to go home shortly after I left the theater with L. He is my homebody. When we leave, he has started asking how long until we get back home. The rest of the day was naps, pool time again, this time the whole family, a yummy steak dinner, baths and bedtime.

Our staycation didn't live up to my expectations but thankfully it did live up to the kids'. They had tons of fun. It never felt like a vacation for me. I still had to clean, do laundry, stay up all night with J.... all the usual which doesn't make for much of a vacation. Ugh - such negativity. The time spent together was fun, just not vacation-y.

Checking out the space stuff (I can't really tell - sorry!)

J was wondering what the heck was this new stroller and why wasn't I holding him,
like I normally do. I almost always "wear" him in some fashion or another but
wanted a bit of freedom to take pictures for this trip.