Thursday, November 29, 2012

Resort, family style

We recently spent the weekend at a resort, complete with indoor waterpark, arcade, cool rooms and Magic games with magic wands.

We spent two nights and three days there, and we had a great time. The room was nice, the boys loved the magic game...who doesn’t love walking around with a magic wand that, when pointed at certain objects, unleashes magical powers and treasures?


But the main attraction...the waterpark.

As someone who is not a fan of indoor pools (give me an outdoor pool + a 100 degree sunny day and I could spend all day there), I have a few suggestions for the management of such resorts:

Temperature.
I’m talking air and water temperature. Warm it up. Enough said.

Towels.
Is it a washcloth or towel? The free towels don’t cover my nine year old. How about forking out a few extra bucks for nice, big fluffy towels?

Adult only lazy river.
The adult only hot tub rocked. It was quiet, warm and you could bring drinks in there. A big sign read “no children allowed.” The lazy river was a different story. My idea of a lazy river is relaxing while I gently sway in the water. The sun is warm, a light misting of water here and there, and I just float along.

This lazy river had none of that. Children swam recklessly. They screamed. They tried to go “up” the lazy river. Cannonballs of water drenched me. And I was cold.


OK, OK...the water on the slides was bearable. And I did have fun going down them with the boys. And they had fun...and that's all that matters, right?

Friday, November 23, 2012

Thanksgiving 2012

Thanksgiving at Grammy's house in Bates City, with Aunt Hazel, Oma and Papa.

In 2012, we are thankful for:
  • Mobie (Mah-bee) Doodles and Daddy Doodles. I'm thankful for Legos. I'm thankful for my family and friends. I'm thankful for my fish and my skis.
  • I'm thankful for our most precious resource: the refreshing, renewing resource-water.
  • For good health.
  • I'm thankful for weasels, bears and cats! But I'm most thankful for the people around this table.
  • Cameras to record our everyday activities; boys who use their eyes; laughter in the house.
  • I'm thankful for sausage, pepperoni and hot pineapple on my pizza.
  • I am very thankful for all the support of friends and family this past year.

A few photos...

Besides a picture of us skiing...this is the only family picture we have.
With the moms-in-charge.
We haven't changed a bit in 15 years!
 In the woods.
 Aunt Hazel.
 Adam's in charge of the turkey.
Zach is supervising.
A Thanksgiving bonfire is always fun. And look...no jackets!




Friday, October 19, 2012

Soccer: 2007 & 2012

(This is similar to an entry I posted before, but somehow the pictures got corrupted and wouldn't display, so I'm reposting.)

We've been playing soccer for about five years. I ran across a few pictures from the early years. It's fun to compare them to now.

2007
Adam, 2012
 Adam, 2007
Zach and Scott, 2012
 Zach (in blue), 2007
Halftime talk. 2012
Halftime talk, 2007


Oak Park 2007 and now...

October 7, 2007...Oak Park.

Same place...October 14, 2012. Looks to me like they haven't had a haircut since 2007. Or combed their hair. (Oh, and I had the wrong setting on my camera...so my pictures didn't turn out all that great.)

What a sweet picture of mom with her little boys...five years ago.

Hmmm...not so sweet anymore.

Walking the trails...2007.

 Mom...can we just go? 2012.

Seriously....
 And we're done...
Our visit to Oak Park has become an annual tradition. See more:
Oak Park 2011
Oak Park 2010