I guess it's been a couple weeks since I updated the blog, though I have no idea how that's possible. Nor do I recall what we did in those last two weeks...so...let's just fast-forward to this past weekend! Much like we ushered summer in with a fun trip to Ozark, we marked its end with another long, fun weekend there.
Bob took Thursday and Friday off so, after we registered Bailey for First Grade on Thursday, we ate lunch and then hit the road for Ozark. It worked out really well because we got there at a decent hour with plenty of time for visiting and playing. We ate dinner and visited with Grandma Bilyeu.
FYI: With the exception of this ONE picture of Bailey with Bowen, all pictures are from my cell phone because apparently I was too lazy to use the camera this weekend!
Then we went to Granny and Grandpa Buck's house and set up sleeping bags, etc, for our stay there. The kids were so excited to be there - and to get to have a "sleepover"! Since Brooks is still a very poor sleeper, Bob and I were anxious about how he'd do overnight. Bailey and Bentley did great sharing a bedroom - just like at home, they talked and giggled a bit and then slept well through the night. Brooks, on the other hand, was awake - crying and fussing and asking if it was "time to get up" (at 4am!) - much of the night. He was in our room, along with Bowen in the pack-n-play, so he woke us all up several times. Usually, when we travel, the first night is the worst so at least it was out of the way.
Friday, we headed to Silver Dollar City. It's a great park, and so much fun for the kids now that they're old enough to really participate and enjoy it.
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| The only time I've ever told them to "color on the wall"! |
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| Selfie on the elephant ride! |
Unfortunately, it started to storm so the rides were stopped. We tried to find shelter and wait it out but it was a lengthy weather event so we called it quits and headed home. Another great thing about SDC, though, is that they give you passes to come back another time when the weather interferes like that. It actually worked out really well because the kids were thrilled to be back at Granny and Pepaws. They had all kinds of fun there, and even got to spend time with their cousin Garrin.
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| Digging for treasures in ice |
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| Crazy hair, don't care! |
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| Garrin "preaching" to Bailey |
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| Cousins |
Friday night (overnight) turned out to be worse than the night before! Brooks was awake and hysterical, thus disturbing everyone in the neighborhood (my exaggeration is only minimal). Yikes.
Saturday we went to visit Bob's Grandma Mary. She will be turning 101 next week so we went to help celebrate.
We cautioned the kids greatly about our expectations for appropriate behavior when we went to visit Grandma Mary but, as it turned out, they were as close to angels as they could get. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was being shown but none of the residents were watching it so the kids parked on the couch and enjoyed the movie.
We had a short drive to visit Grandma Bilyeu, but Brooks managed to fall asleep in the car.
We knew that, after two busy days and (mostly) sleepless nights (for Brooks), the kids needed dinner and an early bedtime. Back at Granny and Pepaw's, they ate and played. Again, I was lazy with the picture-taking this weekend, but I did take this one picture of Bentley coloring.
They couldn't get enough of this desk/craft-table. They loved using that desk lamp and playing "Principle".
Saturday night, we modified our sleeping arrangements and put Bowen in the hall outside our room so that we could shut the door if/when Brooks started crying. As it turned out, Brooks did fuss a few times but it was his best night yet. Here he is asleep half-under the bed!
Sunday morning, Granny treated us to another homemade breakfast and Brooks, who of course was the first up, was able to help her make it!
Yum!
We were leisurely in our pace to get on the road. When we did, we encountered significant rain for a good chunk of the drive. We also had trouble with Brooks' bladder. He peed his pants TWICE before we stopped for lunch - and we even pulled over once for him to pee on the side of the road. Lesson learned: put Brooks in a pull-up for road trips! The other lesson we learned was about avoiding lake/lunch traffic, as we experienced a considerably long wait for food ("fast food" even). Bowen didn't complain too much about waiting, but the rest of the crew was pretty grumpy.
