Lessons learned

Have you ever planned something for your kids thinking it would be so fun and you have all these thoughts about the fun you are going to have...and then you get there and it is a total melt down? The kids cry and cling? It's hot. Your sweating. You get crabby. Kids are crabby. Hubby crabby and you go home and think to yourself. What the heck just happened? That was suppose to be "fun?"

I think there was a piece of my mind that was prepping me before we left for vacation. That little voice in my head saying...yes this could be fun, but it could be a disaster too, so don't get your hopes to high! 

We were just playing the sad, mad, happy face game! There was no pouting on this trip

Sometimes that voice helps soften the blow when the experience doesn't match up to the expectations!

BUT this time......the experience exceeded my expectations so HUSH up little voice!

The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live. ~Mortimer Adler

Lessons learned:

It's official!

The Calahan's packed up and left the big 'ole town of Rising.  A rare event!

There was much debate previously into the where and who and what's...where will we go?  Where determines who (Kadence or no Kadence that is the question!), What can we afford? Where can we afford, get to, AND enjoy with a 5 year old and 2 yr old?

...and the answer is:

Omaha.

I must confess here when the decision was made I had a little piece in me that was like Omaha, we're taking a family vacation to Omaha...really?  That's it??  That's all we got?? We are so NOT exciting! Who vacations to Omaha?! We're not even leaving the state. I mean it's not really a vacation unless you cross state lines right? That's like a family vacation law somewhere I think!

Lesson Learned:  You don't have to go very far to feel like you are in some dreamy vacation land

On our way home Cohen said "It's like we've been gone for like a 100 days!

Thursday morning we packed up and headed to the zoo!

Lesson learned: The zoo is much more enjoyable during the week and with temperatures under 90 degrees!

This was by far the best trip we have made to the zoo and we stayed all day!

Both kids did GREAT! I do not remember any crying!  This includes Kadence deciding to potty train six days before! We managed the entire trip with no accidents! That alone is spectacular!

After the zoo we made our way to the room at CoCo Keys and did some swimming and splashing the rest of the evening!

This is when I learned

lesson learned:

Potty training would have been easier done in a 2 pc swimsuit not a 1 piece.

(for obvious reasons that I didn't think about previously!)

Friday we all slept in until almost 9! I know isn't that great!

We got ready and ate breakfast at Perkins (I believe this is Mark's highlight from the trip!)

We went to the Children's Museum in Omaha to see the Clifford exhibit (so not worth the $40 it cost to get in the door!) The kids had fun, but it wasn't very exciting and not worth the money it cost for admission! Bummer!

We went straight from there to the Amazing Pizza Machine! That was WAY fun and cost us $60, which was crazy when you compared that to what we did and paid at the Children's museum!

Cohen and Mark lived on the go karts and bumper cars. Kadence and I even gave the boys a run for their money on the go karts, but they beat us! Cohen thought it was SO funny! I had the pedal to the floor the whole time so I am so sure they beat us because our yellow car {sucked!} ~wink

I thought Mark on the frog hopper ride was pretty funny myself! Unfortunately I forgot my camera in the stroller!

After that we headed back to CoCo keys and again swam away the evening

Lesson learned:  Somewhere along the line I missed the lesson that mom's don't do water slides

As I stood in line with Cohen at the big water slides I looked around and there was a dad and his son, a few other kids, another dad, kid, another dad......umm okay where are the mom's? Oh they are all standing on the side, dry, hair still fixed, opps! I missed society's lesson that when you take on "mom" title you quit water slides! I started watching at that point and the rest of the evening I only saw one other mom on the big slides! Cohen and I jumped under the water falls and sprayed each other with the water shooters and zipped down the slides.....screw society! It was FUN! I bet I had more fun than those stuffy mom's on the side! (Mark and I did have to trade off because Mark is a big kid around water, so we almost had to arm wrestle over who got to go with Cohen on the big stuff!) I do believe I looked pretty silly & not so attractive as I was dripping wet from head to toe and then standing at the 2 ft deep baby/toddler slide/pool with Kadence and all the "dry" mommies! ~smile~

Other important Lessons learned:

Don't bother packing snacks and drinks, we'll buy them anyways.

We did some school supply shopping and Build a Bear on Saturday and made our way back home! We welcomed Sargent and MONKEY to our house! Monkey is now the new best favorite thing!

Getting away is not just good for the family but good for the spirit

Now it's monday and back to the crying and the MOM's! and the daily to do lists! The laundry and the dishes and well I guess reality. Oh well this is my life and I love it!