Alive and Well...

My blogging efforts have declined lately. It's not that I don't want to sit down to blog, we've just been doing a lot of running around. I'm still feeling sorry for myself that we haven't been out on the boat yet and haven't gotten to spend much time at the lake house. Carpet in the basement should be laid early next week I think and then all should be back to normal again. I plan on spending LOTS of weekends there in July and August out in the water and sunshine and lots of weekend in Sept. and October watching the fall foliage and FOOTBALL! I am getting the annual "Only so and so many days left till football season" from Seth on a daily basis. :)

It has been so hot here. So we have been spending some time at the pool

and at the library


and Jump Zone...


And also a little bit here...


Today we spent the day at Jump Zone. Lydia, Zac and I invited all the Handshy cousins. Sam already had plans with a friend but the others joined us.

See...here we are about to go Jumping...


Then Grandpa met us there with the Kent cousins that they have been visiting here since their parents are vacay'ing in Vegas! We went from Jumping to McDonald's. Then the small kids came home for a nap. It was a fun day. Haley and Natalie are spending the night with us tonight.
Here are some pics from our fun day...

A few of the girls (and Bam) hanging out after a few hours of sliding and jumping

INNNN...
And OUT...Over and Over Again... That took up A LOt of HIS time!!
Sweet Cousins, Ryan and Nathan.
My awesome and darling niece Natalie!


We topped the day off with an evening swim and pizza and at the pool. AND... wouldn't you know, I forgot my camera. Damn. Oh well. It was a GREAT DAY!!!

Holiday World 2009

- Free Parking
- Free Soft Drinks, Water, Lemonade, and Gatorade
- Free Sunscreen
- Free Life Jacket Use

- Really GREAT, Scary Wooden Roller Coasters
- Great, Friendly Service
- Sparkling Clean Park
- The #2 Water Park in the Nation

- Wonderful Family and Friends
- Lots and Lots of FUN!

These are just a few of the GREAT things about Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN.

My sister and her family go religiously, every year. They started going when Natalie, now 8, was only 2. So six years straight they have been going and telling us how great it is.

This is really the first year we had a child old enough to enjoy it and since it is only a three hour drive we started considering it. I called my SIL, Jen who is one of my very best friends in the world, and asked her if she and her family would want to meet there this summer. They live in Indianapolis and it was only a 3 hour drive for them too. She thought it was a great idea, and soon, we were putting our calenders together and coordinated a date, June 18&19.

Our plan was to leave Zac at home with Grandma and Grandpa (he's still just too little) and to drive up first thing Thursday morning. We decided we would rent a room at Santa's Lodge, just a few feet away from the park. Jen and Gavin (Seth's brother) are going on a trip to the beach next month so they decided that they wouldn't spend the night. But we planned on going back to the park on Friday and driving home that evening. We were all very excited!

I talked to my sister the next day. We were chit chatting and I mentioned our dates. I knew she had already set her plans and reservations with her friends months ago.Then she said, "OMG, that's exactly the dates we will be there too!" Huh? I couldn't believe that... of all the days in the summer months, we had selected the very same days to travel to Santa Claus, IN! This was going to be FUN!

So, on Thursday morning, off we went. As usual, Lydia was perfect in the car. We didn't hear a peep from her except that she was cold. That was easily fixed. She sat happily and excited to see all of her cousins and friends. Words cannot describe the FUN we had! We all arrived within minutes of each other. It rained on the way there. In fact it POURED for both Jen and Jennifer driving in from Indy and St. Louis. But, the minute we stepped into the park, the skies turned blue and the sun came out. It was hot but not unbearable. It was perfect.

Their roller coasters completely took me by surprise. I really don't scare that easily, I have jumped out of a plane after all, but these wooden roller coasters flying at almost 65 miles per hour were just plain SCARY! My 12 year old nephew Sam was my roller coaster buddy. When we were on the way up the tallest hill this girl has climbed on a roller coaster called, The Voyage...

All I could say was "Sam, Sam, Sam..." over and over again. When we were standing in line he was so sweet. He was saying "Katie, the first hill is the worst, and it's not as rough and jerky as the Legend. You are going to be fine. You will love it! You went skydiving. This is just a roller coaster." It's no wonder that kid has gotten gobs of leadership awards and scholarships. I so love Sam!

Lydia and Abby had fun riding rides together. Haley and Mackenzie (both my nieces from both sides) became BFF's and wanted to know if they can call each other cousins. Seth got to spend some hard to come by time with his brother Gavin, and of course Jen and I just talked and laughed all day!

They had such GREAT rides and attractions for kids Lydia's age. She could almost ride everything she wanted to. The cut off was "36, and she is "37! Whew! I think she had the most fun at the water park. Her swim lessons have REALLY proven to build her skill and confidence in the water. It was just so much FUN watching her splash and swim and slide down BIG and small slides.

When the park closed at 7:30 (way to early) it was time to say good bye to The Taylor's. We were all so sad end the day together. I think both Haley and Mack cried and Jen and I cried too. We don't have the best of in law situations, so we are really all each other has. As she was leaving she hugged me one more time and tearfully said, "This is what family is supposed to be about." I couldn't agree more, and now THIS will be our new summer family tradition with them. What wonderful memories our children will have!

We left the park and headed to our accommodations, Santa's Lodge only about a mile from the park. They had a picnic pavilion and a playground. The kids played and ran around while the adults shared stories and enjoyed a few cold beers. Chad and a few of the kids went out and got a bunch of pizzas. It was the perfect end to the perfect day. By 11 O'clock, Lydia was finally asleep.

The next morning we packed up and got ready to head out for another full day in the park. Lydia did great, even after a pack filled couple of days. She always amazes us with her happy go lucky ways. I wish I had her personality sometimes. By late afternoon though, we could tell she was dragging.

We thought for sure she would be OUT within minutes of the car ride home. NOPE, she watched movies, sang songs, and ate skittles (a very rare and special road trip treat).
All in all, it was exactly what our souls needed. There is nothing better than friends, family, fun and lots of LOVE to re-energize you!! It was just what the doctor ordered.

ON THE WAY!!! Lydia was soooo EXCITED!!!

The very first people we saw were The Handshy's

Then, right away we found The Taylor's!!

And it was time to RIDE! "Are you ready Abby? Here we Go!"
Sweet Cousins, Abby and The Bug

Mack and Abby. Abby was sooo BRAVE! The Seahorse Ride

Bumper Boats

Nats and Lydi being silly!

ALL THE KIDS!!!

Lydi and "Her Girls"

All Set and Ready for Day #2!

Hi Everybody!!!

Oh Shit... Lydia is behind the wheel!!

Wooo Hooo, Sprinklers too cool off!!

Weeeee....

Thanks Holidog! See you NEXT year!

STOP THAT!

OK, FIRST, I want to talk about my blog-over... My NEW HEADER. I am very excited about it, although it looks quite armature-ish. I am after all an armature at this blogging thing. Anyhow, my friend E. taught me how to do this, even though she is tirelessly trying to plan her wedding. We all know how stressful and time consuming that is so I am very thankful. I am going to keep messing around with it and hopefully get it just right. THANKS E.!!! Go check her out...her blog is adorable!

You're probably wondering about the title huh? hahahaaa. My Baby Bam cracked me up today.


Baby Bam is a boy of few words and he is also ALL BOY! He climbs, he runs, he is into EVERYTHING and he throws EVERYTHING. As much to his daddy's dismay, I am thinking this boy will be a pitcher! ~Seth would rather him play soccer. :) Sorry Honey!


Anyhow, Zachy will throw anything he can get his hands on. He will pick up Lydia's little (toy) boom box and throw it on the hard woods. He will pick up his toy train and throw it across the room on to the tile kitchen floor. He will somehow sneak the remote control and the next thing you know, it's flying across the room. It stresses me out!


While some of you mommies to multiple boys may be used to this but THIS kind of rough house behavior, THIS mommy is not. The Bug was NOTHING like this. If there was a definition for an EASY baby and beginning toddler, you would see a picture of this...

But Zachy is ummmm, well, he's just a bit different. Hahhaa.

So, when he decides to hurl big plastic toys (or whatever else he can get his hands on)across the house it causes a couple problems.

-If you're not paying attention, you are likely to poop your pants. It often sounds like a truck driving through the front door.
-It ruins toys, and since he does not discriminate what should or should not be tossed like a discus, it can ruin one of the nicer toys, or maybe Lydia's toy (which DOES NOT go over well), or a household item, which also is not cool.

Being that Bam is only 15 months old and hardly talks I am always wondering and doubting whether he is understanding the scolding he gets when his arm gets the better of him. Nevertheless, I always look at him and say something like, NO, NO, or Stop That, or NO Throwing Zachy!

But my curiosity was cleared up today.

This morning after breakfast the kids were playing in the playroom...



I was cleaning the kitchen and straightening up the house. I finally sat down to check my email and all the sudden out of the playroom, onto the hardwoods, I hear BOOM! Then I hear Zachary say, "STOP DAT". HUH? Zachary doesn't talk much at all. He especially will not say anything on command - so much different than his sister. Anyway, I turn around and see him come towards me with, what else, Lydia's little boom box radio. He hurls it again in toward the front door on the foyer hardwoods, looks right at me with a smug look on his face and says, "STOP DAT!"

I BURST INTO LAUGHTER, and he did it several more times. Little Shit, I thought as he continued to mock me. Then I immediately called Seth, who is out of town and had him say it for him. Then I called my mom and he said it on cue. We all got a kick out of it.

On the way home from "Toddler Time" at the library this morning he kept saying it over and over. Lydia and I couldn't keep from laughing.

OH NO... I think we have created a MONSTER! :)

Baby Bam has a handful of words, UNLESS, he wants to SURPRISE us I guess.

All I Can Muster Up...

Pictures are about all I can muster up today. I am TIRED. We've done a lot of running around lately and haven't slept very well. Anyhow, here are just a few pics to share...

We did a lot of work at the lake last weekend. The Bug was a BIG help! :)


Seth and My Dad laying the tile in the bathroom. Thanks for the help Honey!!


Breakfast On The Deck


A Full Mouth.. Chew Zachy!


The Kids got new hats for the summer. GO CARDINALS!!!!




The Bug's hat is scratch and sniff...seriously...You scratch the strawberry's and they smell like strawberry...Kinda like Strawberry Shortcake's hair did back in OUR Days!


My Future St. Louis Cardinal...


Lydi INSISTED that we play with Play-doh today, Uggghhhh...so we did! :)




And with that, Have a HAPPY NEW WEEK!!!

Show Us Where You Live Friday

BATHROOMS - Mine is boring but my kids bathroom is pretty cute, just REALLY small and I hate that about it. Oh well...

Here's the Kids...

And here is ours...

Go see more at Kelly's Korner!! HAPPY WEEKEND!!!!