Spring Break 2011

We took a week off and went on our first REAL family vacation. I guess that means we didn’t just travel to go see family. We went to go have a great time away from the busy life with our own little family. And oh, did we have a great time! From the pictures you might be able to guess where we went.

We visited Mt. Rushmore and spent a few days in Rapid City, South Dakota. We were going to drive up and see Devil’s Tower, too. But right as we reached Mt. Rushmore, we realized there was something really wrong with our brakes. We were hearing metal grinding on metal. Thankfully we made it down to Rapid City and our hotel safely and the next day the repairs were done before ten o’clock in the morning. The only downside was that we went in the off-season when there are no tourists and a lot of the fun attractions, such as Bear Country, and Reptile Gardens, were not open. We had a lot of fun being together and just experiencing something new together. We went to Chuck E. Cheeses during the the day one day because that was what the kids wanted to do since we couldn’t go to the attractions that were closed. Lucy slept through most of it.

And so did Tommy.


We found an amazing and inexpensive hotel where we got two rooms with a door between them. That worked VERY nicely when it came to bedtime. The kids all loved the elevator. With kids, it is all about the simple things.

We all went to an indoor waterpark and had as much fun as we could since Daddy sat out with Tommy. Lucy loved the lazy river most, and although there were some fun slides, she was scared to death of them.

Tommy’s idea of a waterpark – blowing bubbles in his sleep.

Lucy also enjoyed running all around.

And cheesing for the camera.

Matthew and Jenny didn’t quite get the experience that they wanted because I stayed with Lucy pretty much the whole time and we couldn’t go down the really big (a.k.a. fun) water slides. Tom took them back the next day and I hear they had a blast. Lucy, Tommy and I chilled at the hotel and watched the Food channel.

The next day we also went to the Journey Museum. It was fun and pretty kid friendly for a museum.

The kids loved the teepee the most, especially Lucy. The whole time we were there, she was pushing an empty stroller around (the one we wanted her to sit in), pretending she was caring for a baby. Apparently “the baby’s” bed was in the teepee and when we went to leave, Lucy got really upset about leaving the baby in the teepee. She was REALLY tired and consequently VERY cranky/independent while we were at the museum.

You wouldn’t know it from this picture. Right after this, when we went to leave, she got her fingers pinched in the door and it was of course the end of the world and, thankfully, the end of the museum.

On our way home. Lucy finally gave in to the tired and went to sleep.

This is pretty much what Tommy did the whole vacation. Slept and blew bubbles in his sleep. What a little sweety!

We are DeFiNiTeLy doing something like this again. Can’t wait for Spring Break next year!