(First) 2 Days In The Car...

It has been a long time since I have blogged...my short leave of absence really has no reasoning behind it besides being super busy this summer and being exhausted by the end of the day, too tired to stare at a computer screen. It became easier to stay away once I was so far behind, easier being easier to procrastinate I guess and harder to figure out where to start. I became so far behind I didn't know where to begin so I just didn't...I missed blogging don't get me wrong (blogging is what I consider "my" time, my relaxation). I thought about starting up again almost everyday...but that is neither here nor there now...I finally figured it out...I don't need to share everything, or in order, or right now...

So what better way to start blogging again but with our vacation!! Or I should say Car Trip since we spent 7 out of an 11 day vacation in the car but it was worth it to do and see everything/everyone! (I do also have many things to share from Aug/Sept so keep reading everyday for more and more backtracking...)

Henry had been counting down the weeks, days, minutes, and even seconds until we started our vacation (little did he understand the amount of time he would be spending in his car seat). The boys were amazingly good throughout the entire trip (not that there was any doubt). We only had one glitch and it happened before we even hit Hereford, Tx. Charlie decided to chug his juice on a relatively empty stomach early on day 1 and well I will spare you the details...didn't seem to bother him a bit...he was jumping around in the front seat (in his diaper) shortly after while I had the privilege of "cleaning up". Thankfully, he didn't have anymore issues...but every time he made a weird noise both Peter's and my head would spin around quick! 

10 hours+ each day gets a little long. Thank goodness for dvd players! The boys were pretty good about amusing themselves, Henry learned to love Daddy's DS and Charlie had fun with the bucket (the just in case bucket, which did us no good with the previous incident)...

Oh yes, he thought he was HILARIOUS!!!

And he was...

We arrived in Springfield, MO late and ordered Ruby Tuesdays (really because they delivered) and all of us hit the pillows pretty hard. The alarm (which I am not use to using...especially on vacation, however most of our days included an alarm in order to pack in as much as we could each day) woke us at 5am, or was it 430a (I can't remember) and we were out the door before 6am...worst part was losing 2hrs on the way to MI, an hour each day made getting up that much harder, knowing in order to get to our destination as planned we needed to start an hour earlier.  It was still quite dark and Henry, still half asleep, asked if we should be driving in the dark and then informed Peter that it was not safe...but we continued on...in search of a Starbucks as the sun came up but settled for McD's when we could wait no longer for another cup of coffee!

On the road almost an hour before the sun decided to make an appearance...

Both still in jammies and not thrilled to be out of bed...

Posing in his new Woody jammies, stretching our legs and getting a bite to eat...(Buzz in the background)

Buzz and Woody, best buddies.

The boys seemed to have impeccable timing...we hit the Mississippi River, Charlie was asleep...

By the time we could see the St. Louis Arch, both were out...

Both were too excited about their new jammies to get dressed along the way...(pick your battles, I say) but when Peter asked (talking only to me really) if the boys were just going to get dressed at The Bennett's (detour through Indy to see friends/family), Charlie decided right then and there that he was getting dressed...little to our knowledge until he started screaming "get dressed" "right now" and I turned around to this...he had pulled one arm out through the neck of his shirt and the other was stuck. All I could do to help was pull the second arm through the neck...he wasn't too happy...but got over it...

Again, with the timing...we were almost to Butler (planned to just drive through but wanted to show the boys campus)...

Henry did however wake up just as we were turning onto Sunset by the dorms and after Peter told him that we were driving through where Mommy and Daddy went to school, Henry says "I will go to school here too"! "Tomorrow"!!

While passing Hinkle, Peter reminded Henry of watching the basketball team play at Hinkle and Henry said "someday I will play basketball there too"! 

After touring campus, we headed to Carmel to visit with Karen and fam. We were driving through relatively thick tree cover (Spring Mill Rd & Kessler) and Henry asked if we were driving through the jungle...keep in mind at our house there isn't much greenery and hardly any trees even at the parks...he was worried about lions and monkeys. We had a great but quick visit with Karen and then headed across town to Greenfield for dinner with Sleemans. We got to see Liz's new house and Henry and Charlie were able to run and play. Both were very excited about Liz's pets but weren't too sure at the same time. Both really wanted to pet the dogs but this was the best picture I could get...Finley was very, very patient...

Henry did finally as we were leaving hug Finley and boy was he excited...(Henry, not Finley)! 

We had a nice visit and although we had planned to leave by 8p at the latest (since we were driving to Kzoo that night) we didn't get moving again until about 930p. With kids in clean jammies, we stopped at Starbucks (and of course they messed up my order...doesn't seem to end for me...but that is another blog at another time) and hit the road, making it to Kzoo shortly after 1am. Henry stayed awake until 11p saying he was going to stay awake the whole time...I don't think Charlie made it much passed Starbucks. 

Friday morning came early but we had plans so we were up and ready... 

Great End To A Great Weekend

What better way to spend our last night in Albuquerque but to have a little face painting done...we relaxed a little (and showered) after our day at the Zoo then we headed downstairs for the manager's reception and to get in line for face painting. As our number got closer, Henry was getting less and less excited so when we were called I pretty much had written it off...Charlie could get something since he was a little disappointed the night before that he didn't and then we could head to dinner...

But to my surprise, Henry decided to go first and without hesitation when Jingles the Clown asked what he wanted he said "Batman" and so...

Holding very still...

 

Getting pretty excited...

Super Cool, Super Hero!

Charlie was next and Jingles asked him if he liked Elmo...of course he does and he exclaimed "MO MO" pointing at his wrist...so she started to draw Elmo on his wrist...which he was fine with, but when she put the brush on his face he backed away...hence the red dot on his left cheek...

Charlie also received a balloon that looked like a turtle and Jingles showed him how to make it fly so of course he was trying to make it fly...although he was mostly pulling and stretching and pinching the balloon and it eventually popped!

Charlie's Elmo!

That night we ate a nice dinner at the hotel's restaurant and the boys made masterpieces while they waited...

Henry's...(he likes to color things the correct color and will ask if he doesn't know what color that might be, since he only had four colors and everything was becoming yellow I told him he could color the elephant blue because it was kind of like gray and the green tiger well he was camouflaging)...

Charlie...I think he had more fun throwing the crayons but he did color too...

Let Your Imagination Run...

After the aquarium, we were all getting a little tired and once back out in the blazing sun we were all getting very HOT (again)! But we still wanted to check out the Botanical Gardens even for a few minutes before catching the train back to the Zoo and eventually back to our cars.

We were in luck, the children's section was just inside the gardens so we took a few minutes to look around. At first the boys weren't very interested and seemed to be getting tired again and most likely hot.  

Posed for a quick photo by the dragon before entering the castle...

 

What kind of footprints are these?

Huge spider...even bigger than at our house...

Inside of a pumpkin...

And then we found a cool slide...

After watching big brother go down a few times, Charlie was ready to try...kind of...he walked the rest of the way down after I climbed up to get him...

Of course Charlie climbed back up to the top of the slide but this time went down with Henry...Henry wasn't going to let anything happen to his little brother...check out that grip...

Much Much More Fun

Is that a carrot on your head?

Back at the castle before leaving the gardens.

Momma and her boys...

Walking to the train.

Here comes the train...

Enjoying the ride!

Big Stuff, riding all by himself.

Henry and Daddy

Although we tried to cram too much in, our day was a blast! We will have to venture back to the gardens though...we didn't even touch on what they had to offer...saving it for another trip!!

Doesn't Get Much Better Than This

We ate lunch on Friday on top of a mountain and on Saturday we were practically swimming with the fishes...

By now both boys had had decent naps and were hungry so we decided to grab a bite to eat before going in the aquarium. We were lucky enough to be seated right next to the tank...the boys were in heaven. Charlie just kept saying and pointing "fis, fis" and Henry was in awe...

Look "fis"

See the finger moving a mile a minute?

Charlie was resting like the two sand sharks in the tank...Henry pointing out more fish...

Every time a sting ray went by Henry would call out "hello Mr. Ray"

Another shark came to rest while we were eating and pushed his way in...

Mean Looking Shark...

After lunch we toured the aquarium...

We got to see them feed the sting rays...

Charlie loved to go right up to the glass...

Tropical...

Charlie tried to chase the fish too...

A Clam

Henry was excited to find the jellyfish with Daddy then had to find the rest of the group to show us...

Turn around for a picture...no way, too busy!

Dinner anyone?

The aquarium was a little smaller than I thought it would be but I'm not sure what else they would have had...the boys really enjoyed it and probably would not have minded going through twice although there were a ton of people in there at once...