Vacation 2010, Part Nine

We're baaack.

And as it turns out, it's much easier to write about your vacation when you're actually ON vacation.

We got home late Saturday night and had to hit the ground running. Unloading, unpacking, cleaning, organizing, shopping... we're not even close to being ready.

I went back to work today, but I wanted to write one last post about our time away.

I wanted to write about how the kids fought for two weeks straight about who was going to push the elevator buttons.

I wanted to write about how Will kneeled in a puddle of pink dye when we were tie-dying. And how I convinced him that it was a jellyfish sting and that he had some sort of super-human immunity-- thus relaxing him about swimming in the ocean. He then proceeded to tell EVERYONE, even complete strangers, about his 'superpower'.

I wanted to write about how Liam has become so attached to his swimming tube that he carried it everywhere-- and even insisted on sleeping with it.

I wanted to write about how the kids would ring the doorbell of our vacant condo every time we arrived home so that the toys (who were alive a la Toy Story) would know to go back to their spots and "freeze".

I wanted to write about how Will had a meltdown on the floor of a Virginia Wawa. Freaking out because someone touched his flip-flop and now he's got germs. Did I mention that he was flipping out about germs while lying on the floor of a freaking Wawa?

Like I said, I wanted to write about these things. But now that the time constraints and pressures of work are upon me, I just don't have it in me. Instead, I'll just wrap things up with a few of our favorite final photos.

If you've been reading over these past few weeks, thanks for coming along for the ride.

Will takes the plunge.

Will and Anthony.

They're so far out and the water is still calm and shallow.

Cousins.

"To Infinity and Beyond!"

Also, one of my favorite photos... ever.

Liam.

Technically, not a great photo... but I still love it.

Clearly, Liam has a way with women.

Family shot.

The looong ride home.

Vacation 2010, Part Eight

Being five has its privileges.

The resort that we're staying at offers various activities during the day. And being that Will just turned five, he was finally old enough to take part.

We made tie dye shirts earlier in the week.

Wearing plastic gloves + sitting on a plastic tarp in the sun + 100 degree heat = FUN!

Before.

After.

We played Bingo...

He attributes his success to The Force.

He won a gourmet cupcake and

gift certificates to a breakfast buffet and Art Cafe.

At breakfast.

At the Art Cafe.

He picked out a treasure chest and three little fish to go inside.

Three little fish.

He painted the bottom.

I painted the top.

Once he saw the table sitting by the pool, Will has been begging to play "Pong Pong". We didn't correct him because we found this incredibly hilarious.

Playing pong pong.

Diaper wearing, trash talking two year old.

As you might have guessed, there wasn't much of a volley.

Still talking trash. What?!

And lastly, turtle races. The organizers drew two concentric circles and the racers placed their turtles in the inner ring. Whichever turtle made it out of the outer ring was declared the winner.

Picking his turtle.

Getting ready.

The race begins.

The turtle jockey at work.

Will was eliminated in the second round. His prize was a single Silly Band and 2 pieces of candy. But after the haul he took in Bingo, he wasn't complaining.

Vacation 2010, Part Seven

With a few exceptions, it's basically all about the beach, the pool and the ice cream around here.

Last Wednesday, the local theater was offering a change of pace. A free family movie-- "Furry Vengeance"-- with Brendan Fraser. Liam has been to three or four movies in the last couple months-- all animated, so this was a long shot. We went to theater and as we got settled, we prepared ourselves with an exit plan and meeting arrangments should Liam not make it through.

We were sitting there for all of five minutes when I texed this photo to the internets...

... bragging that all I needed was a car seat and a big bag of popcorn to get my barely-two-year-old through a movie. Surely, I jinxed myself.

About thirty minutes into the movie, Liam started chanting, "I want Buzz. I want Buzz. I WANT BUZZ." He's seen the Toy Story movies roughly six-thousand times, so clearly it's his movie of choice. I'm no movie critic, but I assure you that Furry Vengence is no Toy Story.

So within about a half hour, we went from this...

to this...

I spent awhile chasing Liam around the shopping mall that houses the local theater. Then I remembered the toy store that's just around the corner. And it occurred to me that it's way easier to chase a two-year-old in air conditioning than outside with the 110 degree heat index. So into the toy store we went.

I'm not sure why, but both of my boys have always had a thing for doll houses.

And strollers.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In order to allow Will to partake in some 'big kid' activities, we had planned to split up a few times during the trip. Will has been begging to go play mini-golf all summer and there are a bunch of courses here.

So one night, Will and I headed off to mini golf and Bill and Liam went off on the bike to do some shopping.

On our way to mini golf.

About fifteen minutes later, Bill texted me this photo along with the message, "I'm at a McDonald's drive-thru with Liam on my bike!!!"

Oh boy. Look at Liam. He's two and even he knows this is just wrong.

Meanwhile, Will and I pulled into the mini golf parking lot. Will had a minor meltdown when he learned that we would be eating dinner first at a nearby restaurant. However he quickly recovered when he learned that there would be coloring, ravioli and ice cream.

Another guy too distracted to talk at dinner.

Getting schooled in tic-tac-toe.

I totally asked the waitress to take this picture.

After dinner, we headed over to golf.

Going for a birdie.

The course we were at had lots of water features and traps. The object, of course, is to keep your ball out of the water. However when your five, I suppose that it's much more fun to hit your ball into the water.

"Whoops!" he says, as he hits his ball into the water for the 78th time.

"I'll get it, Mom!"

"Got it!"

And as is customary in first-time mini golf outings, the winner shall receive a glorious trophy.

Meet Crabby, our six thousandth stuffed animal.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Later in the week, it was Bill's turn to spend some 1-on-1 time with Will. So they went on their annual waverunner trip.

Last year.

Bill not looking at the camera.

This year.

Again with Bill not looking at the camera.

Upon pulling up to the marina, I realized that I had made a critical mistake. I forgot the stroller. This was almost a dealbreaker. But ultimately, I spent quite a bit of time juggling Liam and the camera-- trying to take pictures while trying not to lose my 2-year-old off the dock.

Some more "waverunner pictures".

And here is a "chasing Liam" picture.

Once the big boys were headed to the bay, we headed to breakfast.

Harassing the waitresses again.

"To infinity and beyond..."

Whoa. They don't make pancakes like this in Jersey.

Take note. If ever visiting South Carolina, the pancakes are bigger than your head.

Your welcome.