CRAZY -- Day 3

We packed as much as possible into this day. Our theory was….keep ‘em busy.

The day started with an EARLY wakeup call thanks to this little person.


Apparently we forgot to teach him the value of a late start on vacation days. So, one by one the kids popped up. We munched on Oreo poptarts, Eggo waffles, and Cream Cheese Danish….all part of an extremely un-healthy breakfast. Especially when chased with Coke and Gatorade.

After we were all dressed with hair un-combed….it was off to our first stop. Talking Rocks Cavern. It was beautiful. So I hear. I unfortunately only ventured about 15 feet down, thanks to the panic attacks of my three little fellas. Guess they come by it honest….although I panic about things like laundry and Prom….my men panic at the thought of a thousand year old cave deciding to collapse in the exact 30 minutes that we’re in it.

I would have posted a picture for you….but I didn’t take pictures of the gift shop. Where we waited for the 45 minutes for Steph and her BRAVE kids to come out of the hole. Keaton did sucker me out of $5 to stuff a little teeny drawstring baggie full of a bunch of random rocks. Gotta love a bag of rocks.

Next up….Predator World. Oooohhhh….sounds spookarific. Yah. Little bit. There were some snakes in some of those cages that might just possibly chase me in the nightmare I’m going to have tonight. Like this one that the man was all too eager to shove in front of us. Ick. Go away weird snake man.
But we also saw alligators. And tigers. And a lion. And an odd man rolling around hugging wolves. That was...different. But the best part of the whole thing…..we fed some sharks, a sweet sea turtle named Savannah, and some gnarly sting rays. Yes. I held chopped up fish in my hand. Good news…no one fell in the tank….although at one point I was beginning to think it might not be half bad if one of mine did.

I guess all the chopped up fish made our animals hungry. So it was back to the condo for peanut butter sandwiches and sugar cookies. But not before a stop at Sonic for a Route 44 reward. After hanging out with snakes, a pineapple Diet Dr. Pepper was slurpalicious therapy.


After scarfing down a quick lunch, it was off to the Butterfly Palace. Talk about girly heaven. Oh my. Stephanie and I agreed that this was the best place by far. We watched a nifty 3D film on the life cycle of butterflies. Check out the fun glasses…



Then it was into the aviary. So beautiful. Thousands of butterflies just flutter around you. Loved it.
The kids were bound and determined to have one land on them. It took awhile, but eventually everyone was blessed with the company of a “flutterby”…..they really seemed to take to Sawyer’s red hair!
Out of the aviary and into the mirror maze. Argh! Dark. Mirrors. Lost. Good thing Steph and I had the kids to get us out….all 3 times we went in.



Then it was into another mini-critter exhibit. And we posed with a statue of a frog. Because no trip is complete without someone hugging a statue.




Back in the car. On to the Fish Hatchery. Loved this stop….it’s FREE! And free is good. Very good. We fed fish. We watched fish flip and flop. And we hoped no one would take a tumble into the tanks. I didn’t really feel like going for a swim to fish someone out (pardon the pun!).




Now...time for retail therapy (or so we thought). On to the Old Navy outlet...

...where we quickly realized why we are calling this little vacation "Crazy." Because when you take 5 kids who have been at it all day into a store that doesn't house toys or checker boards by the door....you realize that you have, in fact, lost your ever lovin' mind. We paid and left. But not before one mannequin was dismembered and a pile of shirts became throw rugs. I love me some Old Navy, but I'm thinkin' Old Navy wasn't feeling the love tonight.

Finished. A full day. Finished.

After a stop at Walgreens for milk and batteries, a stop at Walmart for more waffles, a stop by McFarlains (again!) to pick up 2 pieces of cheesecake because Steph and I deserved it, and a stop at Pizza Hut to pick up dinner….we are back at the condo. Wiped out and pooped.

As of this second, there is one kid out and 4 others doing everything in their power to not crash.

And 2 moms who are still trying to figure why Paula decided to wear a tutu on Idol tonight.


So…..Day 2 of Crazy….over and out.


Here’s to tomorrow.