A weekend of fun in Columbus Ohio

This last weekend we spent in Columbus Ohio. Of course we were half way there when I realized that I had forgot to pack the camera (at least that was all I forgot to pack - on a previous trip in May I forgot to pack all our toiletries...).

We stayed at the Cherry Valley Resort that has a CoCo Key Water Resort located there as well. We had a blast. The waterpark was wonderful fun and our kids were both daredevils when it came to the water slides. Jase was sad that he was not big enough for the adult slides. The lazy river was a fun place to relax and the bucket dumping gallons of water was a rush. There was playing of basketball and Meghan trying to sit down in the kiddy area where it was deeper than where she tried previously (almost 6 inches deeper) and she went completely under. At least she is ok with getting her face wet. My kids love making friends no matter where we go and Meghan found a little girl that was her buddy for playing basketball in the kiddy pool (the girl would lift her up and let Meghan dunk the ball in the basket). This same girl would also assist Meghan going down the one set of slides. Jase loved racing down slides with other kids and shooting kids with the water guns. After playing for 2 hours we had dinner in room (peanut and butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit, and pudding - we had already had a sitdown meal earlier that day). Then we went for a walk around the grounds in the courtyards and saw the fish and the ducks and ducklings. We also saw some people trying to fish something up through a grate alongside the pond with some golf clubs (at one point there were 3 people standing in the pond trying to get whatever it was out of the grate). It was a funny sight that was for sure. Then we went back to the water park and stayed until it closed at 9p. After getting our pjs on the kids watched a movie on the laptop and Joe and I watched a free movie - I Hate Valentine's Day - not the greatest, but cheaper than paying for a movie and not having to surf the channels for something better. We know that the kids were exhausted when they both slept in until 8:20a Saturday morning (that never happens with our kids - they are always up by 7a). After eating some donut holes and juice that we brought with us (because the breakfast at the resort was outrageously priced) we fed the ducks and fish some bread and then went back to the waterpark for some last minute fun before heading out for the day.

After everyone getting baths (the tub was huge - we all could have taken a bath together (but we didn't because that would have been strange), we loaded up the car and went to visit Ye Olde Mill. All the kids wanted to do was play on the playground and see the ducks, geese, swans, and fish. They didn't even want ice cream, just some rock candy on a stick. Joe and I had ice cream though and it creamy and yummy and worth the side trip. I mentioned that if I worked somewhere where I had to drive past a place that like (or Fair Oaks Farms) on a very regular basis, that my desire to have ice cream (or chocolate milk) would beat my will to diet/eat healthy. Thankfully I don't have a need to drive past places like that weekly or even monthly - my figure will be grateful for that one day.

Then we headed back to Columbus so I could attend the temple. But somewhere along the way I miscalculated how long it would take to get from the ice cream mill to the temple and we were 15 minutes late. Thankfully I was still able to participate in some temple work.

Then we started on our 4 hour drive home. About 10 minutes before we were planning to stop for dinner at a Cracker Barrel, I noticed that Meghan was playing with her diaper (she has this bad habit of playing with her diaper, whether wet or poopy). For this instance it was poopy and she had it all over her one hand. So, I got to sit twisted around holding her arm so she didn't get it all over until we found an exit and a parking lot to change her in. Thankfully it didn't get all over and we had water, soap, a nail kit, and hand sanitizer to clean her up. Then it was 10 minutes to dinner. When we arrived at the Cracker Barrel I said that the kids needed to leave everything in the car (blankets, etc), but somehow Jase still smuggled his blankie inside. Then there was a small wait and Joe and Jase played checkers. Then we ordered our food and while waiting for the food a full glass of ice water got spilt on Joe (still not sure if it was Joe's or Meghan's fault). We had breakfast and dinner foods and everyone shared. Finally it was time to hit the road for the rest of the 3+ hours drive home. About 20 minutes later Jase asked where his blankie was. It was nowhere to be found in the car, trunk, etc and it was determined that he sat it down when playing checkers while waiting for our table and it was left at the Cracker Barrel. So we turned around and backtracked for 15 miles to get the blankie (because an extra 40 minutes of driving was totally worth not listening to a whiny, mopey, screaming 4 year old that just lost his blankie and lovie of 4 years for the rest of the 3 hour ride home. And the sweet reunion of him and his blankie was precious: he snuggled it and held it and told it that he loved it. Jase was also warned that if and when the blanket was ever left anywhere again, it would be considered lost and gone and we would not go back for it. Hence it needed to stay at home or in the car, not be carried around into restaurants, stores, etc.

That ends our quick and fun filled trip to Ohio. Jase did well going potty and had no accidents and Meghan is quickly becoming a pro at potty training too (some days she goes almost all day dry (and going on the potty) and the next day she wants nothing to do with it. All in time I guess.

Fall Break, part 4

Monday we headed to Heather's Gramma's house for the day and night. Thankfully it was just 2.5 hours in the car and we didn't have to stop at all.

Meghan loves Great-Gramma's doggies, Molly and Muffin. Meghan also liked playing with Heather's cousin Logan (I think he's going for a Beatle's look).


Before our trip Jase said that he wanted to paint with Gramma, so she had everything all ready for Jase to paint a dinosaur. Boy did he have fun!

Now Jase's dinosaur is hanging in the his bedroom.

Jase, Gramma, and Jase's second-cousin Lucy.

Jase and Meghan riding the "pretty pony"

Heather's Gramma relaxing (and not liking me for taking her picture)...

Fall Break, part 3

On Sunday we had muffins for breakfast. Meghan just loved hers - see all the smiles:






We played outside and played with the Wii. We really had fun with the bowling, tennis, and boxing. Heather beat Joe 2x boxing. Jase even beat Pete.

Fall Break, part 2

On Saturday we went to a local cider and pumpkin farm/festival. The kids loved all the play things, including lots of bouncy houses and slides, a labrynith, a corn maze, a hayride, pedal tractors, sand area, and farm animals to pet. Meghan also loved the adopt a greyhound dog area.

Here is Meghan in one of the bouncy houses - this was her first time and she loved!

Jase going down one of the slides...

Meghan taking a walk with daddy - the stones look like something fun to play with...

All the kids loved the pedal tractors, but Meghan grew especially attached to them. I can already see that next summer we won't be able to get her off of the tricycle...

Jase loved feeding the goats (he really is fearless when it comes to animals). the goats even ate the ice cream cone!

Jase going down the big slide (he loved this one, but he got really exhausted climbing up to go back down).

Meghan having some fun with Bridgette in the play area...

Pete and Meghan playing in the sand...

Meghan and Mariah in a small bouncy house

Bridgette and Mariah

The whole gang (minus Heather) outside the corn maze. Meghan decided to zonk out while walking to the corn maze. In her defense, we had just eaten our picnic lunch and it was her usual naptime.

Bridgette, Mariah, and Jase on the hayride; Meghan was still asleep...


I was also able to go to an IKEA for the first time and loved it! Jase got a 5ft dragon, Meghan a hippo pillow, a matching dragon rug for Christmas, some kids plastic utensils, and some kitchen things I've been meaning to get for a while. And the best part is that it was only a couple minutes from their house! I think IKEA will be part of each visit now...

Fall Break, part 1

It is taking me forever to actually blog about our wonderful trip to Michigan over Purdue's Fall Break. We headed out early Friday afternoon to Westland, MI to stay with Heather's best friend from high school, Bridgette, and her husband, Pete. We love spending time with them and wish that we didn't live so far away. We got there around 8p, after Meghan fussing for 4 of the 5 hours on the road (the one hour she wasn't, was because we were feeding her food and snacks.) She had 3 poopy diapers (2 blow-outs) in the first 2 hours. We have come to the conclusion that she gets motion sickness, because when we stopped driving and got out of the car, the diarrhea and fussiness stopped). So, Jase and Meghan had a buddy to play with, Mariah, Bridgette's niece.

We started out with the kids eating dinner:

Meghan can really down the hotdogs - maybe she'll win an eating contest someday...

And being silly...

Here it looks like Meghan is telling Mariah something.

The kids loved the gorilla mask.

Pete with story time with the play food; the kids were really drawn in...



This night was when Meghan discovered her love of beads. Her life will never be the same again :)

Wedding trip, part 1

Friday was the start of our short visit to South Bend for Joseph's sister's wedding. To start the day out I had a Dr's appt and then when I turned on our street I noticed that our 2nd car was gone. I thought maybe Joseph needed to get something for our trip, and then when I pulled up and parked I noticed a note on the door that read "Love, We are at Urgent Care/ER. Jase hurt his lip (again), but it's not too bad. I have the cell and will call soon."

So, I called the cell and the Dr was just getting to them. I needed to get packing our things for the wedding and hotel stay, and finish laundry...

It ended up that Jase needed 5 stitches just below his bottom lip (we still don't know what happened, as he was playing in his room by himself and then started screaming, although it looks like his top teeth are what poked into his bottom lip).

Then we finally got on the road and both kids slept. We got to the hotel room and got everything unpacked and then headed to the church for the rehearsal and dinner (which was a luau theme). Jase loves his cousins, and had a terrific time. Meghan loves getting tons of attention too.

After the wedding festivities, we headed back to the hotel for some swimming! Jase has been looking forward to this for weeks (and now we really need to get him into some lessons).

This was Meghan's first time in a pool and she loved it. As soon as her legs touched the water she started kicking and laughing - and she loved being in her pool float (which Jase also liked to hijack).

Meghan got tired and decided that sitting and watching Jase and daddy was more fun.

We were exhausted and hoped that we would all sleep well, but when I told Jase it was time for bed, he said "No, I want MY bed" - and the sleepless night begins...