20 Jul

Big Kid Outing

Today’s big planned adventure was to Atomic City. (Because Ben wouldn’t be able to participate in most of the activities, Gram planned her special outing with him at the same time. They went to pick out a new toy and he never knew he missed out on anything!). Chris and I took all of the others for goKarts, bumper cars, laser tag, and mini golf. We had called ahead to find the wrist band times and planned our schedule accordingly. We were a little worried it would be busy, but just like in April, it was pretty quiet. Alex rode a few times and then seemed content to sit with us. I told him he had to ride enough for me to get my money’s worth and he agreed. Otherwise the kids loved it. They spent a lot longer than they did in April and I think finally left due to dinner plans.

20 Jul

July 20, 2022

This kids rode go-karts, bumper cars, played laser tag, and putt. It was quite a night and we definitely got our money’s worth (well – maybe not with Alex)…

20 Jul

July 20, 2022

I was trying to think back how long this toy has been around and did some digging. It evidently appearing Thanksgiving of 2015 (as a hand-me-down from friends). Ben, and some of the bigger kids, still love it.

19 Jul

Lazy Day

We didn’t have any “big” activities planned today. The kids love getting up early and then watching TV in their pajamas. My only rule is at some point they have to watch a show Ben actually enjoys, which gets quite a few groans, but nobody leaves the room.

Then we picked up Starnes BBQ and headed to the CSI park to enjoy a “picnic” lunch.

18 Jul

Beating The Heat

We knew this week was going to be insanely hot and that would rule out most of our non-water related activities. My kids love the water so I also knew multiple trips to the pool would not be a problem. We had a lazy morning at Gram’s and then met the cousins at the pool. What has surprised me is that how few people have been at the pool. I expected it to be fairly crowded but only a few families have been there each time with us – which is probably a good thing. We are a fairly crazy crew!

17 Jul

Gram Always Says Yes

Kaitlyn asked Gram if they could bake a cake. Of course Gram says yes. Even better was Gram had a cake mix in the pantry and decorating supplies. They made the cake (of course they added m&ms to the batter) and then Kaitlyn shooed Gram away. She evidently really just wanted to decorate a cake. Then decorating was entirely executed by Kaitlyn.

16 Jul

Pool And Bingo

We made it to Gram’s yesterday and spent the evening just relaxing. She had Chick-fil-a nuggets waiting (because she always does), and then my kids proceeded to fight over playing with her. I actually pulled out my book and got some alone time.

Today we woke up early and had some Red’s donuts (another first day in KY tradition). Then we met up with the cousins at the pool. Kaitlyn was a little tentative to venture into the deep end with her new swimming skills but she quickly figured it all out. Ben jumped right off the diving board because he has no fear.

One of Kaitlyn’s favorite activities at Gram’s house is Bingo. Gram has a random assortment of prizes – stuffed animals, $5 bills, gift cards, and dollar store items. The other kids will play, but Kaitlyn loves it. She is always trying to get enough people interested in to get a game going. Alex agreed to one game tonight and Teague played two.

15 Jul

The Ark Encounter

I decided to throw my kids for a loop and add an adventure on to our drive to Kentucky. Normally we drive 12-13 hours on the first day and then have a 5 hour drive the second day. They are used to this and handle it incredibly well. This time I was debating between the Ark Encounter and Kangaroos in KY (obviously not the official name). I chose the Ark Encounter and proceeded to plan with a lot of grumbling from the cheap seats.

We got to Florence, KY last night and then spent a few hours at the Ark today. The kids were in a generally good mood. We were there right when it opened and that was definitely a good idea. The only thing I would have done differently is bought tickets in advance. That would have saved standing in line for 15 minutes or so. There was an entire petting zoo my kids refused to see based on “it’s hot” and “we want to see Gram”, but they did love the playground. Win some. Lose some.

13 Jul

A New Old One

When I finally heard back from Canon, it was not good news. Their quote was off by several hundred dollars. That meant it was no longer feasible to fix my old camera. I had them send it back to me with the hopes of selling it for parts and then began the search for a new camera.

There is a lot going on in the camera world, so Wade and I were debating between replacing my current model (with a used one) or looking for an updated one with the new mirrorless technology. The problem being the huge price difference.

The decision was made for me a few days ago when Wade appeared with a replacement for my old camera. He had found a deal too good to pass up. I can’t tell you how much I missed my camera!

11 Jul

Delayed Celebrations

Kaitlyn had been a little upset about celebrating her birthday while on vacation. I think a downside in her eyes was not getting to plan the entire day (picking the restaurants and all the activities). I assured her that she could still pick a fun activity for the family when we got back home. Of course she chose Chuck E. Cheese and we headed there today. Alex opted to stay home. It seems he has officially outgrown the big mouse. The rest of us played games, ate pizza, and won prizes.

Teague won an insane amount of tickets but really only wanted candy (which was located in the minimum ticket category). He happily bought Kaitlyn and Ben big ticket prizes. The lady behind the counter was so impressed that she kept trying to give him bigger prizes to compensate the ticket loss and he just wanted more candy.