Favs

Some of my favorite photos of my kids from Michigan are of the backs of their heads.

South Haven The Story Part 2-The Beach

One of the main reasons we went to Michigan for vacation besides the distance and cooler weather was because fresh water.  Josh was so thrilled to not  have to deal with salt water, blazing heat, and sharks.  The beach was nice, a little rocky as you walked in the water, but still really fun.  The fresh water was easier to take the kids into because it didn't hurt their eyes or taste nasty in their mouths. There were some great waves the last day we were there.  Josh, Nate, Jeremy, and I played in the waves for and hour and a half we swan back and forth finding the best possible waves. 

Here is a few shots of the beach.

 One of the bummers of the house that we stayed in was the location of the beach in relation to the house.  We were technically only a .2 mile walk to the beach, but that .2 was a great big, giant, steep ass hill that got walked one time with all of the children and gear.  We drove from the rest of the week to and from the beach.  I think my kids had mixed emotions about the beach.  Teddy loved going in the water with Daddy, you can see them in the background of the picture above, but would let you know when he was done.  Sonya also loved the beach, but she definitely had a time limit down there.  She would just start taking off her swimming suit when she was ready to go.  This is wear babysitters came in handy with of all of the back and forth to the house because whiny kids and naps. 

Speaking of naps, once we got to the house Tedward slept like a champ...for the most part.  All of the babies slept in the closets of the parents rooms.  We were very lucky to score the master suite in the house.  Let me back up, the boys farkled for who would get first pick of the bedrooms.  The Woodards got first pick, they chose the mother in law suite, Martins got second pick and they chose the upstairs bedroom, and gifted us the master suite after the horrible week that we had.  THANKS Martins we owe you!!  Anyway with the master suite came an amazing closet, not for clothes, but for putting Teddy in.  There were some days I was convinced Teddy went to Narnia and Mr. Tumnus serenaded him with a pan flute and then cradled him until he fell into a deep slumber.  It was awesome. 

Ok, ok back to the beach.  The babies also ate sand like it was there favorite candy, and it was definitely in their diapers.  Gross.  
Here is the kid roll call.

Teddy

Wyatt

Claire

Sonya

Here are the mamas.

Katy

Gina

And here I am...

Oh wait not one picture of me from the entire week.  I think I showed my face on here once or twice, so I have hit my quota for 2010.

If you think I am done with Michigan, your wrong. 

 Just a few more posts and I will be done.

First family vacation, this is a big deal people.

South Haven The Story Part 1

This past week we took our first family vacation in South Haven, Michigan.  We went with two other families, the Woodards and the Martins.  They each have one kid the same age as Teddy.  We had a great trip!!  

So our trip began on Friday night we decided to drive about 2/3 of the way to South Haven.  We couldn't check into our house until 4pm Saturday, so we figured we would break up the trip for the kids and spend some time in down town South Haven before check in.  This was a good idea...in theory.  Let me back up and say Josh and I could have had one the worst weeks ever before we left, so we were desperate to get out of town.  We got on the road at about 7pm, and made it across the river and hit some slow moving traffic about an hour into the drive.  Not a big deal, just annoying.  So we started booking to make up some time and get to the hotel.  Lets say booking in IL is not a good idea, and it will get you a ticket.  That's right a speeding ticket.  I wish I could say that was the cherry on top of our already crappy week, but there are some nuts and whipped cream to be added.  So we keep on truckin', going the speed limit, to get to the hotel.  We check in at 12am and get to our room and the kids get a little wound up.  We let them jump on the bed and get their last bit of energy out before we settle in for the night.  We get Sonya settled about 1am, and try and lay Teddy down in his pack and play.  He was not having it, and I didn't want him screaming in a hotel in the middle of the night.  Josh and I then put him in bed with us.  He just flopped around, giggled, whined, and then bit Josh on the ankle.  I blocked off the room and just put him on the floor with all of the lights off and let him crawl around, but all he wanted to do was play in our bed.  I decided I would go drive him around to see if he would fall asleep.  It is about 2:15am, and this is the last thing I wanted to be doing.  I get in the car and drive around in the little town where we are staying.  I quickly realize that we are in a less then stellar area of town.  I was driving up the street and see some people getting a sobriety test, and then on my way back down I saw them getting arrested.  I then realized all of the 2 am bars are closing and driving around right now might not be safe.  Teddy is still wide awake as I am doing laps up and down the strip.  I drove around some more in the hotel complex, and he does not even give me a yawn.  I parked the car because I can not drive any more because I am so tired.  I decide to walk around the parking lot with all 29 lbs of him and see if I can bounce him to sleep.  Nada.  Then I went into the hotel lobby and tried to rock him a bit.  Nada.  I head back to the room around 3:15, and I put him in the bed with us.  Same old song and dance giggling, whining, flopping.  So Josh finally takes hold of him and holds him so tight that he can't move, and then lays him in his bed and shushed him to sleep.  Finally at 4am the boy went to sleep, only to have a 7am wake up call by the girl.  

We got up and met the Woodards at Cracker Barrel for breakfast.  Nothing can lift your spirits like a little country breakfast.

         

We hit the road after a little hotel swimming and a shower.  Baby TR was asleep before we even started the car, and Sonya followed shortly.  Josh and I listened to the Hobbit on CD while they slept, we always love to hear Bilbo be so persnickety about his life.  

We finally made it to South Haven and it was like we drove into a movie.  Tons of people walking around, boats in the water, ice cream shops, sunshine.  I wish I would have taken some more shots of the town because it was so colorful and cute.

All the families met up in South Haven and we had some lunch.  Jeremy was the first to get some ice cream for the week.  Baby Claire also had a taste.

 I had mentioned in a previous post how much ice cream we ate through out the week.  I was sad when I stepped on the scale this morning and the number was up, but I will say it was worth it!!  

We made it our house, and OH MY was it nice.  I kept imagining how I would decorate and set up the house if it were mine.  Click here to see it.  The house had the most beautiful hydrangeas out back, along with a cute little butt.

There will be lots of Michigan posts this week as I recount the highlights of our week up North.

The Girls

So this week in Michigan we had my two favorite babysitters, Kalie and Gracie, with us.  Well these girls are actually more than babysitters they are like family to us.  I used to babysit them when they were little bitty girls and have been on countless trip with them.  Their mom Terri is one of my closest friends who I have known for over 15 years.  Sonya also thinks K and G are the greatest things going.  I thought would try and get a nice picture of the girls for their mom for letting us have them for a week, and for Kalie since she is leaving for collage in a few weeks.  They were acting a little silly, but it is truly impossible to make these girls look bad.

Thanks girls for loving all the babies this week!!

Blue Ice Cream

If I would have photographed all of the ice cream we ate this week, I think you all would vomit.  

So here is a sampling of Sonya having her favorite flavor ice cream, blue.

It was from our favorite place Sherman's Ice Cream.

The Pool Incident

While Josh "worked," ( by work I mean talk to his boyfriends on the phone and watch all of the college sports drama on ESPN) in the afternoons, I went to the pool at our lovely hotel.

Here it is

Nice, right.

When I first arrived at the pool the gate was open I didn't have to worry about getting in the pool, while strategically carrying 

1. People Style Magazine
2. Dell All-Time Favorite Variety Puzzle Book
3. Pen
4. Two bottles of Aquafina
5. Apple
6. Sunscreen
7. Purse

I forgot pack some sort of pool bag for this trip, so I bumbled my way to the pool with all of my belongings.

When I arrived at the pool I looked for towels.  They were no where to be found, so I thought I would go into the gym and look there.  I couldn't figure out how to open the gate to get out of the pool.  I looked at both sides of the gate for hinges, and saw which side should open, but still I could not get it open.

Here is my view of the gate.

 So I decided to just sit in the sun and read my magazine.  After about a half hour sweat was dripping into my my eyes and butt has fallen asleep on the hard wood chair with no cushion, I decided to do what any good Orwig girl would do, I swam laps.  I figured since I was stuck in the pool area, I might as well make the best of it, and get my fat ass in gear.  I was also too embarrassed to call Josh and tell him I was stuck at the pool with no towel and no way out.    

Lets get back to lap swimming.  I swam when I was a kid year round and I come from a family who loves swimming (my cousin is one of the coaches for Clayton Shaw Park Masters).  I forgot what a work out swimming really is.  I could barely swim four laps without wanting to die.  I think a relay team of five year old girls who are afraid of the water would be faster than my 100m freestyle.  I did do flip turns, and bi-latteral breathing.  I also worked on my other strokes.  Breast Stroke came a little easier, that was my best stroke as a kid.  I worked on my two handed touch,  and my underwater pull.  I have know idea if any of those things are relevant in in swimming anymore.  Back stoke was a challenge because he sun was so bright, I didn't have any googles, and my hair was in my face.  I missed my swim cap.  I did not attempt a back flip turn.  Butterfly, oh butterfly I made it one lap, and that was it.  

As I was fluttering in the pool, one of the staff walked by and brought me cushion and towel.  I didn't have to make the embarrassing phone call to my husband, but there was still the gate to contend with.  I finally decided it was time to head up to the room, and wouldn't you know it a fancy couple sits down to have lunch right outside of the pool.  I walk over to the gate with all of my things listed above, and just start pulling at different hinges, locks, pulls, whatever looks like it would open this dumb gate.  I am trying to look like I know what I am doing so the fancy couple don't notice me, and think, "what an idiot."  I finally set my things down, after dropping multiple items, and got serious about this gate.  I finally notice a tall latch above the gate, that you pull up and that will open the gate.  Hallelujah, I am out!!  I am all for safety for kids at the pool, but maybe some type of sign or color coding on how to open the Fort Knox of gates would help a lady out.

I was at the pool the next day and two ladies were having the same trouble with the gate.  I thought I would would offer my extensive knowledge of the gate, and let them in.  They thought I was some type of genius for opening the gate with such ease.

Victory was mine.

Edit:

 You all might have noticed the pull latch in the picture above, if you did obviously my eyes are not as keen as yours, the reason for the puzzle book listed above.  Also, after I wrote this post I went to photograph the gate and saw this.
( excuse the haze my lens was foggy from the humidity)

Need a closer look...

So the gate is clearly marked, but it was open when I entered the pool.  

Remember my view of the gate when leaving the pool.

Victory was not mine.

H-Town

Josh had a business trip in Houston and I decided to tag along in honor of our nine year wedding anniverary for a little rest, relaxation, and romance.  We left on Tuesday right after the big storm, in STL.  We arrived in Houston and decided to get some dinner before we checked into our hotel because it was almost 7pm.  We ate at the Grand Lux Cafe, it is the same company the owns Cheesecake Factory.

The food was really good.  We split duck potstickers, and some fresh bread for an appetizer.  I got a house salad for dinner, and Josh got the Shaking Beef.  The Shaking Beef was delicious, highly recommend it!!

From there we checked into our hotel, 

The Hotel Granduca

Lets just say my husband knows how to pick a hotel.  He has stayed here before and really wanted to bring me back here, and I am glad he did.  It is a BEAUTIFUL hotel, and so fancy.

Here are some shots of our room, I mean suite...

We have turn down service at this hotel, what ever that means.

 Our living room area.  

Remember embrace the grain of some of these shots.

Our suite had a little kitchen with mini fridge, stove top, microwave, and sink.  Trust me I had zero plans of cooking on this trip, but nice to have in the room.

There was also a great four person table where we both set shop with our laptops.  It was nice to be able to work, by work I mean read blogs, check FB, and shop online, and not have two sets of little hands banging on the keyboard, and begging to watch Ke$ha, yes Sonya and Teddy both love her.
Don't ask.

Wednesday I got to sleep in until 8:30am!!
I do not know the last time I slept that late, so nice.  We had a leisurely morning and ate a late breakfast.  I had a english muffin, with peanut butter, and a ice cold glass of milk.  Josh had biscuits and gravy with a side of hash browns  from the Fountain View Cafe.  We came back to the hotel and went to the gym and worked out for about 45 minutes while Josh had a conference call.  Sidenote:  I did watch Paula Deen make Krispy Kreme bread pudding while doing the elliptical, talk about motivation.  From the gym I headed to the pool to get some sun.  I have a pool debacle story coming later, stay tuned.
After the pool I cleaned up and Josh and I headed to the shops across the street from our hotel.  When I unpacked my bag when we arrived in Houston I realized I packed like a blind person, none of my clothes really went together.  Which is hard to do because my wardrobe consists of plain t-shirts and plain bottoms.  Anywho, I needed to get a a new shirt so I wouldn't look ridiculous, so I ran into Ann Taylor Loft because it was the closest store around that sells T-shirts.  I worked at Ann Taylor Loft a few years back and HATED it.  Honestly, I felt like it sucked a little of my soul out of me, so I do not like to shop there, but beggars can't be choosers.  As a looked for a shirt, I stumbled on a sale rack of jeans, and decided to try a pair on because a pair of my jeans that I wear a lot recently got a whole in them.  Low and behold, I loved the jeans. They were actually some what cute on me, which is highly unusual, and they were only $20, sold.  Then I found a dress to wear to a  wedding, and then two t-shirts at the end of my shopping spree.  Thanks Josh for the clothes!!
We went to dinner at McCormick and Schmicks, Josh had an oyster sampler and wild salmon, and I had ribeye (cooked medium rare) with grilled asparagus and we split garlic mashed potatoes.  We had a great time discussing our life together, what we want for the future, talking through some decisions we need to make.  All stuff that is hard to do at home with all of the distractions.  I really miss my kids, but I LOVE being just us.
Just two.
We grabbed some cupcakes and milk for back at the hotel from Crave Cupcakes.

  
  Josh got chocolate with vanilla and I got vanilla with chocolate.

They were tasty, but not as good as Jilly's back home.  Since we were at a fancy hotel, I decided to drink my milk with my cupcake extra fancy.

That is day one and two in H-town.  Nothing too exciting, but exactly what we were looking for,
 to just be together.