On the Road Again...

During the third week in July the kids hit the road again and headed home on a Sunday to spend time with family and friends for a few days before we headed to French Lick to meet up with Derek for his annual consultant's meeting.  We took off in the morning and headed straight through to Derek's mom's house in Evansville.  The kids were great in the car and we didn't even have to stop once.  Thank goodness for the portable DVD player and morning nap time that enabled us to make awesome time--4 hours and 15 minutes!  Sunday evening we headed to the mall to do a little shopping.  Addy and her grandma also rode the train.  On Monday we headed to the inflatable play place, Pump it Up.  Addy loves this place and I was so amazed at her ability to climb on and scale the things on her own.  We last visited the place over Christmas and what a difference seven months makes.  Since she was so independent and didn't need my help I was able to take Carter on a few of the slides, which he loved. 

Playing with the big kids.  Seconds after taking this picture the kids started pummeling me with balls!

On Tuesday morning we headed to Ferdinand to see my Grandma and spend the day with her.  We took her lunch for her recent birthday and had fun catching up with her.  The kids love going to see great-grandma and Addy always has a ton of stories to tell her.  Wednesday morning we headed to my cousin's house to take pictures of her new little guy and his two siblings.  I have been wanting to practice my photography skills on other kids.  My kiddos get a little tired of me asking to their pictures all of the time.  So, when Gwen had her third baby about a month ago I asked if I could take her kids' pictures.  We headed over in the morning and I set up my backdrop in her basement near her patio doors.  Gwen's sister, Emily, also brought her kids over, so I had a ton of new guinea pics to photograph.  The kids were all really cooperative, all except for my son.  Carter has become a bit of a Mommy's boy lately and wouldn't allow me to put him down at all.  I took pictures holding him the entire time, which didn't allow me to be as mobile as I would have liked.  I got a few good shots, but I promised Emily and Gwen that if I take their kids' pictures again I will have plans for Carter.  Addy had a great time playing with her second cousins and didn't want to leave.  We don't get to see each other very often, so it was great catching up with them!

On Thursday morning the kids and I headed to French Lick to meet Derek for his consultant's meeting.  We got away pretty early in the morning and met Derek for breakfast in the hotel's restaurant.     After eating  the kids and I headed to the indoor water park at the water park resort  in town.  Even though we weren't staying at their hotel, they offer a daily rate for non-guests.  I had heard good things about the water park and was eager to check it out.  I must say that it exceeded my expectations.  Addy and Carter loved it!  We took many trips around the lazy river.  They had awesome inner tubes that were solid in the middle, so Addy and Carter could each sit on their own without falling through.  Carter was so relaxed that he actually took about a twenty minute nap in his tube as we went round and round.  He drew many looks and "ahhs" from onlookers and a few people whipped out their Iphones to snap a picture.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to snap any pictures of our water park adventure.  Believe it or not, taking two young kiddos to an indoor water park can be quite the adventure.  I didn't have the extra hands to keep track of a camera.  We stayed at the water park for about 4 hours and then headed back to the hotel to nap.  Needless to say, after such a fun day, all three of us took a good nap! 

While we were enjoying the controlled climate of the indoor water park, Derek was baking in record temperature on the golf course.  It just so happens that Derek's firm had booked a gold outing on the day in which the temperatures of the heat wave peaked.  Derek doesn't usually mind playing the occasional golf game, but with the heat index at 110, he was a bit grumpy about the thought of baking on the course.  Of course tee time was scheduled during the hottest part of the day, which made all the more enjoyable.  They did make it through all 18 holes--slowly but surely and by drinking lots and lots of fluids!  That evening we ate dinner with the firm at the French Lick Winery, which was very nice.  The kids were very well behaved which made it much more enjoyable.

On Friday morning Derek headed to his all day meeting while the kids and I headed to the stables so the kids could ride ponies.  At first Carter wasn't so sure about being on a pony, but slowly warmed up to her.  Once he felt more comfortable, he sat up straight and kept saying "woof, woof" which is what he says when he sees any furry animal.  Addy loved the pony ride and kept calling herself a cowgirl.  After the ride, the kids got to feed the goats.  At first Addy was cautious of the starving goats, while Carter went right up to them and wanted to pet them.  Then we headed back to the hotel for lunch and nap time.  After a great nap my parents came to pick up the kids and take them back to their house to stay overnight.  The firm had scheduled a nice dinner at the 1875 Steakhouse and I wasn't brave enough to take Addy and Carter to the 5 course dinner.  It also gave us the opportunity to check out the casino, which I was super excited about in the beginning, but not as excited about at the end when I had lost money. 

Giddy up!

Ride em' cowgirl!

One cute cowboy!

On Saturday morning Derek wrapped up his meeting while I hit spa for a pedicure courtesy of the firm.  It was great to get some "me time" and enjoyed the morning on my own.  After Derek's meeting we headed to a restaurant uptown called 33 Brick Street, which has tons of Larry Bird and other sports memorabilia.  My favorite thing there was the Larry Bird Sycamores jersey.  The food was also very tasty!



Proud to be a TREE!

Saturday afternoon we headed back to Ferdinand to pick up the kids and headed to the Fireman's Ball with my family.  We were so happy that we got to see many of our extended family members there and talking to them for a bit.  Addy loved climbing on the fire trucks and playing the kids' games.  It was a great way to wrap up a week long visit to southern Indiana.  We headed home Sunday morning and even though it's always bittersweet saying goodbye to our loved ones, we were all ready to go home and sleep in our own beds and return to our "normal" routines.