RaeAnna and kids left from their hotel this morning to go back home in Ohio. We moped around missing them! :( But, after breakfast it was back to playing with legos and climbed trees!! I had some good talks with my dad.
Later I think the kids did some yardwork or gardening with Grandpa...I was doing some house work with mom...probably laundry. After lunch, Grandpa took kids to Forest park, driving our big red van, which Ethan has called "The Marooner" (I guess because of its color). While at Forest Park, they saw the pools...Olympic size and Diving, played on the playground, watched a baseball game, got watermelon and popsicles.
Mom and I enjoyed some peace and quiet while they were gone...while we talked and cleaned at home. That night, the kids played the electronic football game with Grandpa yet again!
Ya know...it's really nice sometimes to just spend time together, with no place to go and with no activities to arrange...it's nice to just take it easy and spend time talking and....just "being" together.
Showing posts with label family vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family vacation. Show all posts
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Day 5 (Mon. Aug. 3, 2009) Road Trip
We slept in this morning, and even missed the continental breakfast! Geesh! But we did get everything packed up and ready to go by 11am! Ahahhah! Rebecca called and told us Grandpa and Grandma were going to head out early if we wanted to say goodbye, but it just wasn’t going to work with 11 children who hadn’t eaten yet!! Oops! We had said goodbyes the night before anyway, so I was okay with it.
We checked out of the hotel at 11am and then went down the road a bit to a Denny’s for breakfast at 11:30…hahahah! We ordered a bunch of food and some of us shared…it was yummy! Then on to Mom and Dad’s house we drove. We had a good time talking with Rebecca and Amber before they left in the afternoon….Rebecca had a flight out and Amber was driving back to St. Louis, so she drove Rebecca to the airport.
In the meantime, the kids played rugby, croquette , Frisbee, Legos, and climbed the tree in the back yard. The little ones had to be kept out of the gravel rocks that surrounded the deck…they kept wanting to play in it! It was also fun to see Alma Cooper, Scotty, and Alia play so well together. Scotty seemed to take charge and the other two followed close behind. If someone, got out of line they let each other know, but then went back to playing! It was cute!
Later, Larry and O’etta Dennis called and said they were in town and came over for a chat. The kids however were chomping at the bit to go swimming, so my dad and brother Dennis ended up walking over to the South Harbor Pool with them…Uncle Chris went too….Annie and I joined later. It was fun to see Chris do some awesome dives off the diving board during adult swim…Ethan really enjoyed that!
Dinner was yummy…a “Hot and Now” deal from Little Caesar’s Pizza!! Yum! I hadn’t had Little Caesar’s in soooo long! They just don’t have them in the East. Later in the evening, Chris brought the TV outside on the deck and we watched some of Scot’s Rugby video, and then the movie “Forever Strong”. It was a fun day! We stayed the night at my parent’s house, in a couple of beds and an air mattress. RaeAnna took her kids back to a hotel in town.
We checked out of the hotel at 11am and then went down the road a bit to a Denny’s for breakfast at 11:30…hahahah! We ordered a bunch of food and some of us shared…it was yummy! Then on to Mom and Dad’s house we drove. We had a good time talking with Rebecca and Amber before they left in the afternoon….Rebecca had a flight out and Amber was driving back to St. Louis, so she drove Rebecca to the airport.
In the meantime, the kids played rugby, croquette , Frisbee, Legos, and climbed the tree in the back yard. The little ones had to be kept out of the gravel rocks that surrounded the deck…they kept wanting to play in it! It was also fun to see Alma Cooper, Scotty, and Alia play so well together. Scotty seemed to take charge and the other two followed close behind. If someone, got out of line they let each other know, but then went back to playing! It was cute!
Later, Larry and O’etta Dennis called and said they were in town and came over for a chat. The kids however were chomping at the bit to go swimming, so my dad and brother Dennis ended up walking over to the South Harbor Pool with them…Uncle Chris went too….Annie and I joined later. It was fun to see Chris do some awesome dives off the diving board during adult swim…Ethan really enjoyed that!
Dinner was yummy…a “Hot and Now” deal from Little Caesar’s Pizza!! Yum! I hadn’t had Little Caesar’s in soooo long! They just don’t have them in the East. Later in the evening, Chris brought the TV outside on the deck and we watched some of Scot’s Rugby video, and then the movie “Forever Strong”. It was a fun day! We stayed the night at my parent’s house, in a couple of beds and an air mattress. RaeAnna took her kids back to a hotel in town.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Day 3 (Sat. Aug. 1, 2009) Road Trip
We slept in!! Yikes! Well, we took all morning long to get packed up to go on the road to Indiana. I don't know when we finally left...2 or 3pm? Anyway, it was later than we hoped. I drove the girls...well Karina really wanted to be with the boys, so minus her. But Lizzy was delighted to be riding in our van with ALL girls...no brothers!! That meant Annie had ALL the boys plus Karina.
We took route 77 north and then I-70 west to Indianapolis. I suppose this was a longer way when I think back at it, but it was all highway and we took turns passing each other on the road!!! We stopped a few times for bathroom breaks and running around, but really we pretty much drove straight thru. We were lucky to have some yummy cookies made for us by a co-worker of Jon's....yummo!!! We also saw a Frische's Big Boy along the way....my mom always talked about these when we were young and how she loved them, but ya couldn't find them anymore!!...hahaha...well there it was right outside of Dayton, Ohio!!!
We finally arrived at the Days Inn in Castleton, Indiana around 8:30pm....late! Wimmers went up to my parent's house anyway, while Roylances stayed at the Hotel and prepped for Sunday. We were able to see my grandparents, Alma Card and Elizabether Clark...Chris, Jessica, Alma, and Abrams, Rebecca, Craig and Amber, and Scot. We had some fun playing and eating and catching up! We got back down to the hotel at about midnight! It was going to be fun being around so much family!!
We took route 77 north and then I-70 west to Indianapolis. I suppose this was a longer way when I think back at it, but it was all highway and we took turns passing each other on the road!!! We stopped a few times for bathroom breaks and running around, but really we pretty much drove straight thru. We were lucky to have some yummy cookies made for us by a co-worker of Jon's....yummo!!! We also saw a Frische's Big Boy along the way....my mom always talked about these when we were young and how she loved them, but ya couldn't find them anymore!!...hahaha...well there it was right outside of Dayton, Ohio!!!
We finally arrived at the Days Inn in Castleton, Indiana around 8:30pm....late! Wimmers went up to my parent's house anyway, while Roylances stayed at the Hotel and prepped for Sunday. We were able to see my grandparents, Alma Card and Elizabether Clark...Chris, Jessica, Alma, and Abrams, Rebecca, Craig and Amber, and Scot. We had some fun playing and eating and catching up! We got back down to the hotel at about midnight! It was going to be fun being around so much family!!
Day 2 (Fri. July 31, 2009) Roadtrip
We rested well at the Roylance home in Vincent, Ohio!!! RaeAnna and I of course talked, looked at catalogs and clothing styles, cooked and cleaned together! And the kids played of course. It was kind of a rainy, glum day so they played inside mostly. They played with legos and gameboys and downstairs. They also lined the upstairs steps with pillows from around the house and then broke out the sleds!!! It was hilarious to see them come flying down and land in the pile of pillows at the bottom. hahahah!
We did some laundry too and just hung around and had fun. By the afternoon it was beginning to clear up, so they took us to the Marrietta Water Park. We were very excited until we got to the entrance and noticed they were holding everyone there. They were considering closing early since no one had come all day! NOOOOOOOOO! (silent prayers being said by 11 childern and 2 moms) They finally gave us the go ahead...YES, they would stay open another 2 hours! YAY!!! What a fun place!! It was like a mini water park complete with a few small waterslides, a pirate ship that spewed water here and there and had kiddie slides too, a "lazy river", a lap pool, and pools connecting all these fun things. They even had a sprinkler area or a play fountain I guess you would call it....basically sprays of water coming out of a concrete sidewalk area at different angles and heights. We had so much fun! They has some little contests too....hula hooping, cannonballing, etc.
As they were closing, Jon met us there because it was right next to the hospital where he works. He had some sad news of one of their friends passing away, but even still he ordered Papa Johns Pizza for us and we enjoyed it on the grassy hills next to the parking lot!! What FUN!!!
Later that night, we played and talked some more and talked about our plans for the next day....heading up to Indianapolis to go to G&G Clark's house!!! :) Good Times!
We did some laundry too and just hung around and had fun. By the afternoon it was beginning to clear up, so they took us to the Marrietta Water Park. We were very excited until we got to the entrance and noticed they were holding everyone there. They were considering closing early since no one had come all day! NOOOOOOOOO! (silent prayers being said by 11 childern and 2 moms) They finally gave us the go ahead...YES, they would stay open another 2 hours! YAY!!! What a fun place!! It was like a mini water park complete with a few small waterslides, a pirate ship that spewed water here and there and had kiddie slides too, a "lazy river", a lap pool, and pools connecting all these fun things. They even had a sprinkler area or a play fountain I guess you would call it....basically sprays of water coming out of a concrete sidewalk area at different angles and heights. We had so much fun! They has some little contests too....hula hooping, cannonballing, etc.
As they were closing, Jon met us there because it was right next to the hospital where he works. He had some sad news of one of their friends passing away, but even still he ordered Papa Johns Pizza for us and we enjoyed it on the grassy hills next to the parking lot!! What FUN!!!
Later that night, we played and talked some more and talked about our plans for the next day....heading up to Indianapolis to go to G&G Clark's house!!! :) Good Times!
Monday, August 31, 2009
DAY 1 (Thurs. July 30, 2009) Road Trip
I spent most of the week prior to this day packing...trying to only bring bare escentials and telling the kids they could only bring 1 stuffed animal, a few books and something to draw with!
Thursday morning was chaotic of course, not only because I was trying to pack the van up, but because we still had summer activities we were finishing up! Alia and Daria had to finish their swim lessons with a double lesson since we were missing the last one....and Ethan finished up his summer enrichment class at school. My nails were in bad shape and so I HAD to get those taken care of...heehee!..I know a petty thing, but still....and Karina was coming home from a great sleepover with a friend.
I think we finally left by 2pm! I decided to take the scenic route to Ohio towards Marrietta where my sister, RaeAnna, lives. We headed west into Pennsylvania and then near Carlisle, we headed southwest. This route took us down thru Pennsylvania to the northern border of Maryland and then into West Virginia. Marrietta, Ohio is just cross the river from West Virginia. It sure was scenic! ha! Very beautiful, rolling hills, some great rock cliffs and small mountains, lots of green.
But, oh boy was it a drive!! I don't think the road was ever straight or flat....so much up and down, over and around, twisting and turning!!! It definitely kept me awake!
As far as the kids....they kept me awake too! Remember, I was on my own...Ladd was still at home in New Jersey...he would join up with us later. And, the rule was that unless it was pouring rain or dark outside, they were NOT allowed to watch movies or play computer games! They actually didn't really complain about that and enjoyed the scenery, read their books, played cards....and of course picked and poked at each other! The last hour was the worst! I had to stop for gas and they were really ready to be there!! Tirsa was screaming and I was bookin' out down the highway wanting to get there soon too! Good thing there wasn't a car in sight...we basically had the road to ourselves.
We finally arrived at about 9 pm, had a light supper, played with our cousins and went to bed. I don't think I stayed up talking very late with RaeAnna like I usually do because I was just wiped out!!! :P So went the first day of our trip...mainly just travel with a smiling bunch of faces of family waiting for us on the other end!
Thursday morning was chaotic of course, not only because I was trying to pack the van up, but because we still had summer activities we were finishing up! Alia and Daria had to finish their swim lessons with a double lesson since we were missing the last one....and Ethan finished up his summer enrichment class at school. My nails were in bad shape and so I HAD to get those taken care of...heehee!..I know a petty thing, but still....and Karina was coming home from a great sleepover with a friend.
I think we finally left by 2pm! I decided to take the scenic route to Ohio towards Marrietta where my sister, RaeAnna, lives. We headed west into Pennsylvania and then near Carlisle, we headed southwest. This route took us down thru Pennsylvania to the northern border of Maryland and then into West Virginia. Marrietta, Ohio is just cross the river from West Virginia. It sure was scenic! ha! Very beautiful, rolling hills, some great rock cliffs and small mountains, lots of green.
But, oh boy was it a drive!! I don't think the road was ever straight or flat....so much up and down, over and around, twisting and turning!!! It definitely kept me awake!
As far as the kids....they kept me awake too! Remember, I was on my own...Ladd was still at home in New Jersey...he would join up with us later. And, the rule was that unless it was pouring rain or dark outside, they were NOT allowed to watch movies or play computer games! They actually didn't really complain about that and enjoyed the scenery, read their books, played cards....and of course picked and poked at each other! The last hour was the worst! I had to stop for gas and they were really ready to be there!! Tirsa was screaming and I was bookin' out down the highway wanting to get there soon too! Good thing there wasn't a car in sight...we basically had the road to ourselves.
We finally arrived at about 9 pm, had a light supper, played with our cousins and went to bed. I don't think I stayed up talking very late with RaeAnna like I usually do because I was just wiped out!!! :P So went the first day of our trip...mainly just travel with a smiling bunch of faces of family waiting for us on the other end!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Our 2009 Trek West
Well, I will attempt to write out details about our Family Trip we took out west during the month of August 2009...and yes, it took just about a month!! I think I will post each day or segment of the trip on separate postings, just so it's not too long and boring to read through all at once! hahah! I'll have to dig around and find all the pictures we took as well. I know Ladd has many of them on his laptop as mine is just so full of pictures I'm running out of space.
So, why did we "trek" west? It all started with Ladd's finding out about his 20 year class reunion, Weber High School in Pleasant View, Utah. I think he started getting info on that a year ago, however when I asked about it this past spring (was I going to go, how would we go, would the whole family go...ya know those sorts of questions) he surprised me by saying we should all drive out. We had just purchased a giant van as a family car in February and what better way could one get to make the long haul. Keep in mind, Ladd never went on road trips as a kid and has often dreaded the thought of being in a car with all the kids for majorly extended periods of time. Just keep that in mind....HIS idea!!! :)
I, on the other hand, was elated at the idea!!! I jumped at the chance for a huge family road trip because that is the story of my life! :) We did them ALL the time as a kid...we'd go west or east to see family, friends, church sites, historical sites, and strange/random sites!!! We'd camp, cookout, swim, play on playgrounds, visit waterparks, zoos, museums, lakes & waterfalls, hike mountains, etc. It was great fun and I have the BEST memories of doing such things. So, with the prospect of going west, I got on the internet and searched...talked with my dad and gleaned ideas...so much fun!
I decided (yes, it was purely ME that did the planning! heehee) that on our way out, we'd stop in Ohio first to see my sister for a few days, then head up and over to Indiana to stay with my parents for a week. Ladd would fly out from NJ to Indianapolis, where we would pick him up from the airport on our way to Nauvoo, IL. We would spend a few days in Nauvoo then follow the Mormon trail as we headed west, stopping at several sites along the way...including: Winterquarters (nebraska), Mormon Island/Grand Island, Nebraska, Chimney rock near Scott's Bluff, nebraska, Guernsey, WY oregon trail ruts, Independence rock, Devil's Gate & Martin's cove. When we got to Utah, we would go to Provo first showing the kids BYU campus and visit family. Then up to Salt Lake City to Temple Square, then up to Ogden to stay with the Wimmer Grandparents. On the way home we would high tail it back to Indiana and then to Dayton and Columbus, Ohio to visit friends.
So that was the plan! Let's see how it all fell into place!.....
So, why did we "trek" west? It all started with Ladd's finding out about his 20 year class reunion, Weber High School in Pleasant View, Utah. I think he started getting info on that a year ago, however when I asked about it this past spring (was I going to go, how would we go, would the whole family go...ya know those sorts of questions) he surprised me by saying we should all drive out. We had just purchased a giant van as a family car in February and what better way could one get to make the long haul. Keep in mind, Ladd never went on road trips as a kid and has often dreaded the thought of being in a car with all the kids for majorly extended periods of time. Just keep that in mind....HIS idea!!! :)
I, on the other hand, was elated at the idea!!! I jumped at the chance for a huge family road trip because that is the story of my life! :) We did them ALL the time as a kid...we'd go west or east to see family, friends, church sites, historical sites, and strange/random sites!!! We'd camp, cookout, swim, play on playgrounds, visit waterparks, zoos, museums, lakes & waterfalls, hike mountains, etc. It was great fun and I have the BEST memories of doing such things. So, with the prospect of going west, I got on the internet and searched...talked with my dad and gleaned ideas...so much fun!
I decided (yes, it was purely ME that did the planning! heehee) that on our way out, we'd stop in Ohio first to see my sister for a few days, then head up and over to Indiana to stay with my parents for a week. Ladd would fly out from NJ to Indianapolis, where we would pick him up from the airport on our way to Nauvoo, IL. We would spend a few days in Nauvoo then follow the Mormon trail as we headed west, stopping at several sites along the way...including: Winterquarters (nebraska), Mormon Island/Grand Island, Nebraska, Chimney rock near Scott's Bluff, nebraska, Guernsey, WY oregon trail ruts, Independence rock, Devil's Gate & Martin's cove. When we got to Utah, we would go to Provo first showing the kids BYU campus and visit family. Then up to Salt Lake City to Temple Square, then up to Ogden to stay with the Wimmer Grandparents. On the way home we would high tail it back to Indiana and then to Dayton and Columbus, Ohio to visit friends.
So that was the plan! Let's see how it all fell into place!.....
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