I Saw a Bear and I Almost Threw Up...

Mike and I were blessed this last week with the an awesome gift. We received an overnight stay here.

So after church on Sunday Mike and I loaded up the kids, our suits and a ton of junk food and headed out of town. Grand Bear is in Starved Rock, not too far from our home. I quickly decided as we drove into town that this has got to be our next camping destination. It is really a pretty area.

Our family suite had two queen beds and a pull out couch, a mini fridge, and microwave. We didn't want to spend a fortune on food so we loaded up our fridge with drinks and snacks. After we settled in a bit we headed to the indoor amusement park. This is where Mike and I discovered that we are no long kids. I know that at some point I was able to ride rides that twirled you in circles. But apparently, I can't any more, so the boys were on their own. Mike was a trooper and hung with them as long as he could with out hurling but I could not ride any the first day. Pathetic!

We quickly decided that our focus here was going to be the indoor water park. So we changed into our suits and headed under ground. We had too much fun at the pool!! It was great. Not too crowded and lots of fun things to do. Both our boys are great swimmers so they just had fun swimming and playing.

Sunday evening we had a smorgasbord of microwave nuggets, chips and cheese dip, cookies, pudding, crackers and cheese, and the all important twizzlers. And the highlight, I let them eat in their bed. Hilarious! I wish I had a picture but unfortunately I forgot the camera.

On Monday we spent most of the day at the water park again having fun, splashing and playing. We decided to give the amusement park one more try. Before lunch. So we got cleaned up, dressed, and walked over to the Enchanted Forest. I rode one ride and was out for the rest of the time. I know I am so lame. But Mike hung on and rode three or four rides with the boys. We convinced them to go and have lunch seeing that it was almost three o'clock. I made some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at the car and we found a gorgeous spot for a pick nick right next to a canyon with a waterfall. Before we left I remembered Mike brought the Mac so we got one picture of the kids and I by a bear.

We drove home to a very grateful Jasmine who our neighbor very kindly had let outside twice while we were gone. She missed us though and stayed attached to the boys all night.

We finished up the weekend with a little shark week television viewing until bed time.

I feel so blessed for this gift. It is definitely something we wouldn't have been able to do for our selves. It was a much needed break. We missed the girls coming with us but loved the one on one time we never get with the boys.

Kristen