Our First Family Vacation...

So, this weekend Ray and I decided that it would be a great idea to take both kids to San Antonio for the weekend for our first "official" family vacation. I got a little bonus at work, and Ray has been working so hard with all of the hurricane work, we decided to treat ourselves and mostly the kids.


Oh, the visions of joy and greatness we had. This would be the best weekend vacation ever!!!! The kids would remember this for the rest of their lives! And more importantly, they would remember how hard their parents worked to afford this weekend at SeaWorld and The Riverwalk and therefore be reminded of how much they are loved.


Ha.


Double ha.


It started out on Saturday. This was the day we would spend doing "mama's thing". See, mama has gained a little weight now that his approaching 30 and needs new work clothes desperately. So daddy wanted to let her go shopping and she was soooo excited. (why am I talking in the 3rd person? Sorry, I will stop now.) Anyway, I really did have big plans about this shopping trip and also wanted to get started on the kids winters wardrobe.


Ha.


Chloe had bigger plans than shopping. Try running up and down every set of stairs she came across as we walked down the 55 miles of Riverwalk. And ya'll...that's ALOT of steps. And they are made of brick, and stone, and cement. I could just picture the ambulance ride in my head. She just wouldn't stop. Why wouldn't she stop??


Then, we decided to throw in the towel on that and bring them to the small Children's Museum.


I was impressed by this. It was much smaller than the one in Houston but much more age appropriate for Chloe and she had a blast!! But, low and behold the day couldn't begin to smooth out...oh no. We forgot the camera.


Luckily, the museum was almost directly across the street from our hotel. So, we would just run right over there, get the camera, let the kids rest their feet and then go and meet up with my sis in law and her family for a boat ride on the Riverwalk.


Ha.


Chloe somehow found an unprotected light bulb in the hotel room that had apparently been burning constantly for the last 55 days and TOUCHED it. The child screamed like someone was cutting her head off. I freaked! "What is wrong my sweet girl? WHAT IS WRONG?! Show momma what you did to your hand, please show momma. Did you smash your fingers? I swear you are not in trouble, JUST SHOW ME! Oh sweetie, you burned yourself. Oh honey, that is gonna HURT." And hurt it did. And scream she did, for at least an hour.


Ok, over the burn...


Missed the boat ride and visit with sis in law....do I even need to elaborate on the rest of Saturday? Didn't think so.


Sunday. SeaWorld. THE BIG DAY. It is evident as of early in the morning that Ray and I are much more excited about this day than Chloe is. And Hunter, well he's just along for the ride.


It did turn out to be a pretty awesome day though. Once we convinced Chloe that what she was seeing was, in fact, real...she was super stoked! We ran around that park like mad men. We rode everything she was big enough for (which was just enough), we say every show and ended up arriving at each arena at the perfect time (we laughed so hard we cried together at the sea lions), and she got to pet the dolphins (she is convinced she will never reach a higher point in her whole entire life!)!


I am very grateful that my husband and I were able to have this opportunity with the kids. We don't get to get away with them much more than the trips home to Louisiana so this was definitely an experience for us.


You know, I do feel way more exhausted now than I was before "vacation". I guess that goes along with the territory...right?


One more thing before I go, I would love to hear your thoughts...what is the best family vacation you ever had as a child? I love to hear every one's stories. My husband has lots because his parents took them on tons of vacations. My parents believed vacation was for adults so we never ever went on a family vacation...maybe this is why I am so fascinated by others' stories.


Hope you all enjoyed your weekend as much as we did.

Until next time...CNS