The Anatomy of our Summer Vacation

Every summer, my in-laws rent a beach house on Green Bay in Wisconsin. We love to get up there for at least a week or two. This is the third summer and it just gets better every year. My MIL was born and raised  in the area so Husband grew up making the same road trip every summer. The drive is long but we are hoping to instill a sense of adventure in our children with these long days on the road. We try to see at least one "thing" on the way; last year it was the St. Louis Arch. This year, we just decided to just push through. L didn't like that so much. We discovered very quickly that though he is fine with the short jaunts around town, he was absolutely miserable on this long ride. I'm guessing the number one problem he had with the car ride was that his legs were always bent because he's so dang tall. I guess that would put a kink in my trip fun, too. But man!! Once we get there, it's amazing.

And there's always something to do, like...

pack like a pro.

pack the car like a pro, too.

be nice to the locals.

let your parents know that you don't enjoy riding. The entire 20 hour, 3300 mile trip. Both ways.

stalk a duck sitting on her nest of eleven eggs right by the front porch. (Watched eggs never hatch.)

play.

watch your sisters kayak. Fuss about not getting to kayak yourself.

wade in the cold water of Green Bay for the first time.

get your hands sandy for the first time. And not like it much.

ride your bike.

ride your bike with help.

ride your bike without help...

for the very first time!!!

relax.

do a little work in the yard.

teach your dad to blow bubbles.

eat. But not the plates.

eat. But again with the plate!

Ride a carousel horse.

Ride a carousel bunny.

ride a real horse.

ride a real horse, but not a real bunny.

go down a ginormous slide on a burlap sack. (P and I on the far left; Husband and E on the far right.)

join a parade.

watch a parade.

take a family picture with almost everyone looking at the right camera.

eat candy.

skip rocks.

sink the Bismark. Girls called it sink the gizmo. :)

drink the pool water. :P

eat with your cousins.

learn to share.

learn to share some more.

swim in the bay.

play in the sand.

bury someone in said sand.

play with anything with wheels.

eat good 'ole American food.

play in more sand.

play with a ball.

play with everything all at once.

eat a piece Cousin's ice cream cake. Or two. (Amazing.)

read. In your underwear.

make homemade smores.

eat smores...

as messily as possible.

read.

blow bubbles.

play Ladder Toss, and win the first time you have ever played. (Called "Testicle Toss" in WI)

relax.

get thrown around like sack of potatoes.

point out the "fire boat" we see every year.

find a bracelet at the beach.

enjoy yourself in the coldest water ever.

go bowling for the first time.

get a strike.

try to avoid the paparazzi.

Hope this finds you happy and healthy.