large hippos, slip-n-slides, and an american family

every year, my mom, sister, and myself take my boys up to kentucky to visit my brother and his family.

and we always have a blast.

the kids play.

we chat.

fun times are had by all.

we visited a place called "the cement lady" where they have every sort of cement yard ornament you could ever desire...or not desire. i don't know about you, but i always wanted a huge statue of a mermaid holding her womanhood in my back yard. 

doesn't everyone? i mean, isn't that the american dream, folks? 

mermaids and womanhood.

we also had fun playing games with the kids. and by "playing games" i mean that i made my sister do it while i sat down on a comfy couch and did absolutely nothing and pretended to be asleep if anyone came looking for me. 

i love you, sissy.

my brother and his family have THE most amazing driveway ever. in the history of the world.

i know you're thinking that driveways are pretty much created equal. and you couldn't be more wrong.

this one is the longest paved driveway i've ever seen. and the kids ride bikes on it all day long. and have races. and someone always cries because they lose the pretend race but we hug it out and move on.

every year the adults basically set up camp outside and just hang out while the kids ride. it's awesome. and very little work for me. and since i'm a bum, i'm a pretty big fan.

 and best of all: the huge, gigantor slip-n-slide made from a tarp.

kentucky is a hilly place. and we benefit greatly from it. here are my boys and their cousin awaiting the awesomeness that is the slip-n-slide. only minor injuries occurred. and unlike last year, my brother did not almost decapitate himself by flying through the air with the greatest of ease right between the playground fort and slide...which was a tiny window to glide through. 

i thought he did it with lots of finesse but he thought it'd be better not to attempt it again this year. 

bummer.

 and for those readers out there who are thinking, "this is all well and good, but what's in it for me? what do i get out of reading this," here's your cue.

my bro's family has this adorable metal stool and i'm in love with it. i saw one in kansas a few months back, but my mother in law said it was no longer at that shop. if anyone knows where i can find an adorable metal stool like this, i will pay you large sums of money.

to clarify, large sums of money may, in reality, be something like a thank you card or a free dairy queen blizzard. but if you ask me, that's a win-win.

ignoring children. just for fun.

so our adventure-telling begins, my friends.

don't worry. there were no karaoke horror stories to retell during this trip. 

shame, really.

we headed up to hang out with my parents and dear, old friends before we drove the long, arduous drive to kentucky.

up first: amanda jo.

we have been friends for-ev-er. 

back when her room was mint green and we listened to eve 6 and made jokes like, "your mom's a venereal disease." -true story. classy. don't judge.

but now we are accountability partners and hard-core pinterest fans (even though i'm not actually on pinterest. gasp! say it ain't so! --yep. true statement. don't cry.)

we've come a long way.

and now we have 5 kids between the two of us. she's contributing 1 to that mathematical equation. i feel like an overachiever.

hey, it's what i do.

anyway,  the kids and i stopped by her home to visit with each other and ignore our children while we discussed deep, philosophical issues such as, "oh my gosh where did you find that fabric it's adorable and i want it and can you make me a pillow like that?"

it was a refreshing and wonderful time. 

i love her and her family.

below are our beautiful children.

-not troublesome in the least. just sittin' there. minding their own business. chillin', if you will.

i'm pretty sure after this picture was taken, someone got poked in the eye or took something from someone or some such drama. but at this moment, peace reigned in the land.

and are you ready for this cuteness? can you handle it? 

amanda jo made the boys pillow-case-travel-bags. color-coded. with their initial on it.

bam.

cuteness.

 in the big pocket you put your pillow and in the smaller pocket you put your coloring books and loud, annoying devices to irritate others while riding in the car. 

may i suggest a whistle or rain stick. perhaps a shrill bird?

it was a lovely gift. and she pretty much rocks my face off with her awesomeness and craftiness and thriftiness and unicorn statues. yep. you read that right.

good times.

19 hours of driving...

sorry to have been away so long.

the boys, my mom, my sis, and i all drove up to kentucky to visit my brother and his family.

it's a long drive.

19 hours.

but worth it.

these lovely hydrangeas were just sittin' here waiting for me when i got home. 

--courtesy of the romantic hubs.

while i wash dishes i thought i'd remind myself of my new focus verse while gazing upon purple loveliness.

i'll be back soon to tell you all about our travels.

back when i was your age...

when i grew up, camping out meant hot dogs, s'mores, and being dirty.

but my kids will remember it as:

a time to play miniature golf with grandpa and daddy

 an opportunity to wrestle with people you just met

fun times where you can torture a dog and throw sticks at it um... what i meant to say was...

 play fetch with it

and eat homemade ice cream with chocolate on top

this is the life!

dodgeball tournaments in the foyer

do you like my shirtless boys? there's something about summertime and shirtless little guys that makes me happy. --like they're having an epic childhood of awesomeness climbing trees and eating honeysuckle. when in fact, they are really just sitting in our house making forts, eating snocones, and reading frog books. but hey, frog books could be epic, right?

 i got online like an hour ago to do this post and instead of writing, i've been reading about random 

otter attacks, couples who sleep in separate bedrooms, and free apron patterns.

now that's productivity, friends.

do not fret, though. i already had in mind what i wanted to discuss with you. ooh. i used the word "discuss." that sounds serious. don't worry, this isn't a DTR (define the relationship) chat or anything. i just think all day long, "oh my dang, i need to think of something cute or outstanding to put on the blog tonight after i watch crap tv and enjoy sitting on my bum for the greater part of the evening." 

anyone else do that? anyone? bueller? 

one of my new favorite parts of our day is after dinner. during the school year it's pretty chaotic around here. and bedtime is early. and i'm so tired. and i'm shoving kids in bed. "shhh. shhh. go to sleep and be quiet. now. now. do it. now. quiet. no questions. it's bedtime. shush." as i firmly stroke the side of their face in a creepy way.

not really. but kinda.

BUT in the summer, we are free. they stay up later, i clean up the kitchen, they put laundry away, the hubs plays games on his iPad with them reads to them. it's glorious. and it's usually calm. occasionally there's a dodgeball tournament going on in our front hallway (which i call a foyer to make it sound fancy), but usually it's low-key.

and i think to myself... what a wonderful world.

and when school starts, we will enjoy it. i love sharpened pencils and new backpacks. 

but for right now, with the slower pace, it's magnificently lovely around here.

"the beach...is that way..."

anybody remember the SNL skit where the big body-builders would say, 

"the beach," and then they'd flex, "is that way." 

nope? just me? k, moving on.

this is what we've been up to:

6 boys

plus the beach

 plus tons of energy

plus new goggles and sand toys

plus lots of muscles and testosterone

equals one tired momma.

 --and we did it all in this weather. do i get an award or something?

we had a great time, but i'm ready for a nap and then a dr. pepper.

and maybe some chocolate. mmm. chocolate.

*note to readers: i did, in fact, take the above picture while driving. it was dangerous. but if it makes you feel any better, i can take a picture without looking at my phone or buttons. i'm talented like that. 

**another note to readers: this blog does not condone taking pictures while driving. 

do as i say, not as i do.

vacay:my hubs wishes he was harry potter

now that we've covered the auditory horror discussed in yesterday's edition of our family vacation, we can move on to happier, lighter events that were enjoyed by all.

after legoland, the fam and i headed out to great wolf lodge. indoor waterpark, kid-friendly hotel, bunk  beds for the younguns...marvelous.

we only stayed one night because the hotel is so expensive, BUT they let you use the waterpark and hotel from 1pm the day of check-in until 9pm the night you check out. SO...we saved money AND enjoyed our time there.  

they had this game called MagicQuest where you can buy wands, activate them, and then go on a quest throughout the hotel. below, asher is using his wand to light up a crystal. for anyone out there who doesn't like the whole magic deal, ignore that part.

the kids had fun but the more important part is that the hubs looked and acted like an 8-year-old boy. he was so excited. it was dorky AND adorable. two things i love most.

i'm pretty sure if we weren't there, he would still have done the quest. yep. that's my husband. 

a grown man. living like harry potter. i mean, who doesn't have that dream?

here's me and my brood in a treehouse near the lobby.

here's the hubs with the wee ones before the bedtime story and night time show. the kids weren't super interested in it, but i always enjoy seeing animated moose heads talk with animated owls about mother nature, so it was a win for all of us. or was it?

besides fearing the death of our young children (who are not capable swimmers) in the awesome water park, and wishing i had brought different shoes to trail behind my quest-engaged hubs, oh, and children...right...the children...ahem... it was a wonderful family trip. 

we've already talked about going again next year. 

legoland and horror

as promised, vacay pics are here!

(the crowds cheer...."aaaahhhh")

we drove a loooong way to a wedding last weekend and while there, we went to legoland discovery center...where dreams come true.

wait, that's not...right...

anywho, who can resist showing off their adorable brood to a bunch of internet friends. i like to call them "friend-ternets." --no i don't. i made that up right this second. that one's free. you're welcome.

we had a great time. i'll mention the auditory horror later, but for the most part, it was fun and celebration for all. cars, racing, lego giraffes, a lego blimp. what more could any family want?

are you still thinking about the auditory horror? so am i. read on, dear one.

here's judah driving his wheels. pretty soon he'll be doing his own laundry and talking to girls. ah, my how time flies. 

here's gabe and elijah rockin' it out with lego race cars while lookin' good.

do you like how i randomly remove the "g" from the endin' of "ing" verbs? 

ok, now the auditory horror: during our brief but lovely stay here, we discovered what appeared to be a karaoke corner. children we did not know (and usually they're much less cute that way) were loudly yelling singing at the top of their lungs in shrill, horrifying tones that could make grown men cry. who the heck thinks "hey i'm creating a store for children who love legos. i think i might also put in loud audio sources that allow children of all ages to partake in the wonderful gift of music. and by music, i mean HORROR"? that person should be shot. but not before being forced to listen to the previously mentioned "gift of music." you could seriously hear it all over the entire store. and parents: i know your kids are cute, but auditory impairment is not. so take a picture and get that kid off the stage. holy cow. my ears were bleeding.

ok, maybe that was a bit dramatic, but only a little. i'm not sure if my ears will ever be the same. or my love for karaoke. that i may or may not have had. 

 moving on: 

in the photo below, asher looks sad. it's probably because we took the fruit snacks away. 

"please, sir, may i have some more?"

holding the bereft toddler is my sister. ain't she grand? any lady who would willingly come to legoland with 4 boys age 6 and under is a jewel. way to go, sis. you won the award of best auntie ever. 

and it was a tight race. the aunties who took videos of those kids who were screeching at the top of their lungs yelling unintelligible words and posted it on the web were in the running, too. 

but you beat 'em. 

you beat 'em good. 

so go to legoland. and enjoy. and bring ear plugs. or wire cutters. that'll show 'em. 

"oh you came for a joyful time of singing? TOO BAD! you're at LEGOLAND!"

lovely

days are lovely when:

1. they are spent by the pool

2. we go to the dr for a 3 year well-visit and the doc says, "he looks good!"

3. we eat out with friends AND have a coupon

4. when a certain healthy 3 year old poops outside. wait. that was NOT lovely. but his excited face WAS

5. i get to buy yummy scentsy stuff and burn notice all in the same night

life is lovely