Arizona 2017

Ear infection for Simon this trip so we didn't swim as much.

Family Visit to Boston August 2016

Another amazing trip to Boston at the end of this summer.

Emily and Simon visiting Gabe and Elisa at Martha's Vineyard

When we were in Boston, Simon and I took a day to travel down to Martha's Vineyard to see Gabe and Elisa and their now huge kids. Lorenzo is 11 (!) and Julian is 6. Simon and I woke at 6 and were on the road in short order. We took the first ferry across to the Vineyard and got picked up by Julian, Gabe and Elisa. Julian is such a joyful, outgoing kid that Simon immediately was hanging out with him like they'd known each other for ages.

First things first, the little boys hunted the yard for bugs while we adults talked. The boys got into the pool and swam a bit, we had an amazing lunch, walked through town and went to the beach. Simon saw moon jelly fish and spent quite a lot of time saving the ones that were washing up on shore. We swam in the salty water (which I made him taste and he was astonished by) and then Gabe went to get the car so we didn't have to walk home. We swam and cleaned up and then Simon and I caught the last ferry back to the mainland.  We had an uneventful ride home and were both tired but happy the next day. 

Simon (5) and Julian (6) caught a slug in the back yard.

First time at the Ocean

Finding Moon Jelly Fish on the beach and throwing them back in the water to save them.

Simon (5) and Lorenzo (11) playing Legos.
Building Lego ships and then sailing them in the back yard pool.

Swimming in the Ocean.

Ferry Ride Home

Spring Break Vacation to AZ 2016

We had an amazing spring break trip to Arizona to visit Grandpa Bart and Frankie Dog. The goal was to swim every day and we did!

The pool at Dad's club is amazing for the kiddos - Zero entry and a max depth of 1.5 feet so they could comfortably play while we sat in the shade and watched or played with them. Poor Lillian got a pretty terrible heat rash that turned into a sunburn but it didn't stop her for a second. She hated having sun screen or any lotion put on it (it stung!) but I'd tell her she couldn't go into the pool without sunscreen and she would tough it out. She is tougher than I am, that's for sure. She LOVED swimming and could not have been happier than when she was in the pool. She had lots of confidence going without a 'floaty' and generally loving the feel of the water. She'll be swimming in no time! Simon also enjoyed playing, but preferred to always have the floaty on, even in the shallow water.

Simon also played golf with Grandpa Bart almost every day for an hour - one day they were at the driving range for 2 hours! Both Simon and Grandpa Bart's swing improved after the week of practice.

Funny note: At one point Simon was complaining that his goggles were way too loose, that there was so much water coming in.... but upon closer inspection they were sunglasses.

Dancing down the path in her cool outfit from Auntie Colleen.

Family breakfast outside at MoJo's.

Early morning hike to go creature adventuring.

He looks so old in this picture!

Inside the club.

Golfing on our last day there.

Lots more pictures after the jump!

Great Wolf Hotel and Arcade

Some random pictures from the room at the waterpark hotel and of the arcade that we walked by on our way to our room.

The hotel also did a story time every evening at 8pm. The first night I tried to keep Lillian in the room to go to sleep while Alan and Simon went to the story time. Lillian was having none of it and she screamed pretty solid for the 30 minutes they were gone. Everyone went to bed at 9:30 that first night (the night of the funeral). The second night, after a day at the waterpark and Lillian's 3rd day with no nap we just let her go to story time and again everyone went to bed at 9:30. Such tired kids.

Story time with Lillian was great. They had a big clock area with animatronics that talked and sang - and a Native American girl came out to sing with a European boy named SIMON! Then Wiley Wolf came out and stood next to the person reading a story. Simon sat quietly mesmerized the whole time, both times. Lillian was amazed as well, but dealt with it differently... she got up and wanted to touch everything. There was a crowd of parents and kids sitting around the lobby and she was so much quicker than me - I had a few parents in front of me who would help snag her and return her to me. When Wily Wolf came in she screamed and jumped she was so happy - then she shouted HI, I'm LILLIAN! It was one of the sweetest things I've ever seen (even as tired as I was).

When we registered they asked if we were celebrating. I told them it was Lillian's birthday and they gave her a special bracelet (which she ADORED wearing) and it gave her free ice cream for the duration of the visit. What a nice girl I'm raising, she shared with her mother.

Lillian mirrored Simon's movements with her arms.
We were watching some TV while waiting for breakfast restaurant to open.

She liked to touch all the balls,
but couldn't throw it quite hard enough to get the lift at the end.

Riding like a pro!

Wily Wolf made and afternoon appearance!

Lillian loved him, but from a few steps away. 

Showing off her sticker that Wily gave her - of Wily Wolf himself!

TVs in the restaurant played cartoons - we couldn't get the kids to look at us during breakfasts.

Ice cream in front of a fireplace

Checking to see if it will come alive in the day time too.

Water Park Pictures and Video

On our way home from the funeral we stopped at Great Wolf Lodge Waterpark and the kids experienced a waterpark for the first time. Both kids have swum in a pool and loved the experience, but this was waterslides, wave pools, lazy river and pools. It was a great time for us all - a fun filled break from the very emotional past couple months. The kids absolutely loved it - especially Lillian. We didn't bring our phones/cameras into the water park (except for one quick moment at the end) so we only have a few pictures that give you just a glimpse of the hours of swimming and pool time.

Road trip! (From Chicago to Owatonna)

We all took a road trip from Chicago to Owatonna, Minnesota on Wednesday so we could go to KiKi's funeral (still feels unreal). I few home from Arizona on Monday, went shopping to get the kids outfits on Tuesday and we were all in the car and headed out at 6:30 on Wednesday morning. Google says it's a 6 and a half hour drive, but we expected to take a few stops and generally not rush it, so didn't have a time frame.

It was a great drive. Lots of construction on the way out of Chicago so what should probably have been an hour took almost two.  Funniest part of the drive... As we were leaving we told Simon and Lillian we were going to be driving a really long time and just to get comfortable. Before we even got to O'Hare (in the car less than 30 minutes), Simon said "You're right, Daddy! This is a really long drive."

The kids were awesome, though, no sleeping at all on the drive out there but no tears either! In general they were quite accepting of the long drive. We didn't stop as many times as we had expected to as a result. I had packed a picnic lunch so we didn't have to sit in a restaurant and it was raining so it cut short the break.

We were in Owatonna by 2ish and actually one of the first to arrive! It gave us some time to settle into the hotel room - the first that Lillian and Simon have ever stayed in. Lillian immediately asked if she could draw and Simon jumped onto the bed and bounced all over. 

That fist night we went out to dinner with family, then came home and the kids went to bed at 9. *sigh* Don't really know how that happened after no nap. Lillian originally was going to sleep on the queen bed with Simon. But the first thing she did at 8:30pm was roll right off the end. So instead we set up the little tent/travel crib.  With that wedged between the two beds, I could reach her when she stood up to scream which she did about every couple hours for the entirety of the night. I have had better nights of rest before. At least Alan and Simon seemed to sleep through her wake ups (for the most part). 

Helping us pack.

Night before we left!

Snuggled up and ready for no-nap.

Rest stop playing

She was so happy to see the slide and run around!

At the hotel, first thing each kid did. Simon on the bed, Lillian at the desk.