I can't believe we are already through the first full week of school. And no one is dead! So lets do a run down of why I'm thankful I don't have to deal with children during the day for 40 (or something like that) whole weeks!
August 31, 2015
August 26, 2015
{Road Trip Recap}
Since I wrote already about the Jurassic Quest BS and the stumbled upon Mahomet Park, it's time to recap the actual road trip and hotel! Woohoo!
To be honest, this was a fairly pleasant trip.
I started my day at 7:30am and did not stop moving until we picked up the kids at 3:00pm. I did all the packing for everyone after I dropped Owen at school. We took only two bags because we were only planning on one day, but I packed an extra outfit for everyone in case we got down there and found something fun to do for another day. We had thought that the Jurassic thing would take up at least part of our day.
To be honest, this was a fairly pleasant trip.
I started my day at 7:30am and did not stop moving until we picked up the kids at 3:00pm. I did all the packing for everyone after I dropped Owen at school. We took only two bags because we were only planning on one day, but I packed an extra outfit for everyone in case we got down there and found something fun to do for another day. We had thought that the Jurassic thing would take up at least part of our day.
August 24, 2015
{Museum of the Grand Prairie- Mahomet IL}
After the epic failure that was the Jurassic Quest event, D and I went on a hunt to find something else to take up some more of our day. We remembered seeing something about a park when we were going into Champaign so we headed back to that.
We drove around the park for a little while, saw a sign for a museum, of course we headed right for that. We are both fans of museums. The first trip we ever took with the kids we just stumbled upon a Children's Museum and the Putnam museum in Iowa. Both were great ways to spend time when we weren't into swimming or gambling (we went with D's grandma and aunt..they are gamblers). So finding this park with a museum was right up our alley :).
We drove around the park for a little while, saw a sign for a museum, of course we headed right for that. We are both fans of museums. The first trip we ever took with the kids we just stumbled upon a Children's Museum and the Putnam museum in Iowa. Both were great ways to spend time when we weren't into swimming or gambling (we went with D's grandma and aunt..they are gamblers). So finding this park with a museum was right up our alley :).
August 22, 2015
{Jurrasic Quest What a SCAM!}
In all the years I've been traveling to random events, both before and after I had kids, I don't think I've ever felt as completely ripped off as I do right now. Or as D said, I better check my wallet cause I just got robbed.
We got to the Fluid Event Center in Champaign IL at about 8:30am this morning for Jurassic Quest. The doors didn't open until 9am but people were already filling the parking lot and lining up to get tickets. We stood in line a while, no big deal. As we stood we started reading signs that read All Sales Final this should have been our cue to turn around and find something else to do. But all the reviews I'd read on Facebook were good (I'll get to why that is in a minute) and I'd been looking at pictures and video for weeks while waiting for the day to come to go. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a planner and a researcher. I want my kids to have a good time when we go on trips and I want to know I'm getting a good experience for the money I'm paying. So after doing that research, I decided it was probably safe to say this was a good time for all.
We got to the Fluid Event Center in Champaign IL at about 8:30am this morning for Jurassic Quest. The doors didn't open until 9am but people were already filling the parking lot and lining up to get tickets. We stood in line a while, no big deal. As we stood we started reading signs that read All Sales Final this should have been our cue to turn around and find something else to do. But all the reviews I'd read on Facebook were good (I'll get to why that is in a minute) and I'd been looking at pictures and video for weeks while waiting for the day to come to go. Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a planner and a researcher. I want my kids to have a good time when we go on trips and I want to know I'm getting a good experience for the money I'm paying. So after doing that research, I decided it was probably safe to say this was a good time for all.
August 20, 2015
{Going on a Road Trip!}
I can't believe it's the night before and I'm just now getting around doing any kind of post about it. What is happening to me? I'll tell you what's happening, school. We're taking our trip later than we did last year, going after school starts instead of right after the fourth of July. But we had some unforeseen complications this year (*cough*mystupidankle*cough*) and we just couldn't afford a big family vacation (I will get to Disney someday people. Someday!!).
When we got right down to it, we were also limited as far as what we could do. My ankle isn't 100% yet, and although I would have loved to venture back to St. Louis and Six Flags again (I am such an adrenaline junkie!), there is no way I could have climbed stairs and gone down them and everything with my ankle still being on the mend. So poo.
When we got right down to it, we were also limited as far as what we could do. My ankle isn't 100% yet, and although I would have loved to venture back to St. Louis and Six Flags again (I am such an adrenaline junkie!), there is no way I could have climbed stairs and gone down them and everything with my ankle still being on the mend. So poo.
August 19, 2015
{First Day of School!}
Oh there it is, that sigh of relief that everything went smoothly this morning. No blood was drawn while waking up Owen (though I'm pretty sure he would have cut me if he had the chance) and the older two got up and dressed on their own. In fact, I heard Dawn roaming around at 630 when my alarm went off.
Of course there are pictures ;) Not too many though because none of them want to take pictures anymore.
Of course there are pictures ;) Not too many though because none of them want to take pictures anymore.
August 10, 2015
{I Started a Trend!}
Is it a trend if just one other person does it? Lets go with yes, since I'd hate for it to be more than one other person.
My grandma called me the other day and said "Well I broke my ankle today." My first thought was "Oh sure you did!" The woman loves to yank my chain.
She said "No I really did." What?!
She goes on to tell me that she was calking the outside of the her garage door (a chore my grandpa would have been doing mind you..just throwing that out there..yet another thing we took for granted) and caught her foot in a dip in the yard.
My grandma called me the other day and said "Well I broke my ankle today." My first thought was "Oh sure you did!" The woman loves to yank my chain.
She said "No I really did." What?!
She goes on to tell me that she was calking the outside of the her garage door (a chore my grandpa would have been doing mind you..just throwing that out there..yet another thing we took for granted) and caught her foot in a dip in the yard.
August 7, 2015
{Upstairs Revamp- Decorating a Teen Girls Room}
I have been trying to envision what Dawns room was going to look like with walls for about..ooh..three years now? That's not how long it's been under construction, that's just how long we've been talking about turning their separated rooms into two actual rooms. It's not easy for me to see what D is talking about when he's been telling me what his plans are. Maybe because he doesn't always share his plans in the best way. I need to see what's going to change for me to be able to get an idea of what it's going to look like when it's done. I love the idea of separating their rooms but it gives me a headache trying to figure out how to decorate it all.
So I decided to go up and take some pictures and maybe get some help with this decorating.
So I decided to go up and take some pictures and maybe get some help with this decorating.
August 6, 2015
{Upstairs Revamp- Part 5}
For almost 10 years we have had the same huge TV. An RCA 52" box TV. It was massive but it worked and we got it cheap. D bought it when we lived in the first trailer I believe. It has been moved four times since then. From one trailer to the next, to this house where it was in our living room and then we finally pushed it up the stairs to give it to the kids.
Well the other day I blew a fuse in the toy room trying to blow dry Dawns hair. Stupid me.
Well the other day I blew a fuse in the toy room trying to blow dry Dawns hair. Stupid me.
August 5, 2015
{50 Questions You've Never Been Asked}
I just googled this "youtube tag questions" and this popped up. I don't know if it's actually from youtube or if Kat Bouska made them up. But here they are in all their nosy glory! I love doing surveys! Feel free to answer the questions yourself and send me the link so I can read your answers too!
1. What’s your favorite candle scent? I don't really like candles too much. I have 2 dogs, a cat, and 3 kids. That is just a recipe for disaster. I love those B&BW wallflowers though! My favorite scent right now (summer) is the watermelon lemonade. Heaven I tell you!
2. What female celebrity do you wish was your sister? This is a tough one. Maybe Taylor Swift. I think she's someone I could get along with.