My family owns a time share condo in St. George, and we are able to go down about once a year. So when the opportunity came up months ago for a short vacation last month, we were definitely in. The closer it got, I wondered if we should go as money is tight (thanks to poor sick Madalyn and the hospital bills this summer) but we decided we really needed a vacation and this was pretty much the cheapest one to go on. Also, it would be just us and my parents, which yes it would have been fun with the whole family there, but we got the whole basement of the condo to ourselves, which was really nice, especially considering we all already had a hard enough time sleeping down there.
So on Wednesday the 21st after Sam got home from work, we loaded the car and headed down. The trip down was terrible at first. Abby is terrified of the dark lately and started crying that she wanted to go home as we were right outside Provo, even being distracted with a movie. She did this on and off for a while, and seeing as Madalyn loves to copy Abby, she started it up too. Finally I remembered about some glow sticks Grandma Nonie gave us that I was saving specifically for the dark trip, and that calmed them down both immediately. The rest of the drive down went pretty smoothly, only having to stop in Beaver for a potty/run break. We got to the condo about 10:30 or 11, but our wired kids were up sooo late. Abby and I fell asleep about 1, but Sam and Madalyn were up til about 2.
The next day, we decided to keep it pretty chill, seeing as our kids were exhausted. We had breakfast at Blackbear Diner. After blackbear, we went back to the condo and put the girls down for a nap. Madalyn wouldn't go nicely so I rocked her, and it was the best!! After some resting, my mom and I ran to get some groceries (that was the worst. 2 hours gone!) After shopping we had some dinner, and then went to our own parts of the condo for the night (except the times abby and maddie were up bugging my mom and dad!)
Friday morning we decided to head to Zion National Park; my favorite place! We all drove in our car so my dad could use his perks of being old and get us in for free. We drove through the tunnels, had a fun picnic lunch, and then took the shuttle up to the River Walk for our hike of the day. My girls were troopers on the way up...slow troopers who just wanted to explore, but hey, that is being a kid right?? It took us 45 minutes to walk the mile to the Narrows. Once there, the girls threw rocks in the water for a bit and we headed down. Sam had Madalyn on his back and my dad carried a very gabby Abby on his shoulders who told him all about the water cycle. According to her, the water goes into the mud at night to sleep, and then wakes up in the morning to keep flowing. It only took us about 20-25 minutes to hike down. After that we were all exhausted so we decided to head back to St. George, grabbing some pizza on the way there. That night we watched movies. It was another later night, and we didn't sleep well once again.
Because of our lack of sleep, we decided to forgo our plans to go to Snow Canyon and just hang around St. George. After a very late start to our morning, we ate our lunch and headed to the park. Abby was acting kind of blah, but I chalked it up to her being exhausted...until about 45 minutes into playing she ran up to where I was sitting and the poor thing threw up. So, we ended our day out and went back for naps and my sweet parents went and got her some sprite and saltines. After her nap she seemed to be doing a lot better, but threw up at the dinner table again that night. We then cuddled the rest of the night and went to bed early...ish. (compared to the other days anyway.)
The next morning, Sunday, it was time to pack up and go home. That was the best nights sleep we all got, and Abby was thrilled she didn't throw up in the middle of the night. We slowly packed up our things and left about 2 to head home. The trip home wasn't terrible. We stopped in Fillmore to get our wiggles out at the Maverick park and then drove the rest of the way home, Madalyn was super unhappy and just wanted out. But we made it home by about 6:30 and the girls were so happy to get out of their seats. Abby was so happy to be home that she hugged the house. I am not really sure what was up with her the trip (besides not feeling well, which is never fun to be sick outside the home) but she weirdly was anxious to get home the whole time. At one point she was saying how much she missed our basement and her bed (and my bed.) Sunday night she threw up one more time, but thankfully we were home and we all slept amazing in our own beds.
It was a very nice get away though, despite the few hangups. I'm so glad we were able to have a cheap get away that we all needed to have very much!! Thanks mom and dad for having us tagalongs!!
So on Wednesday the 21st after Sam got home from work, we loaded the car and headed down. The trip down was terrible at first. Abby is terrified of the dark lately and started crying that she wanted to go home as we were right outside Provo, even being distracted with a movie. She did this on and off for a while, and seeing as Madalyn loves to copy Abby, she started it up too. Finally I remembered about some glow sticks Grandma Nonie gave us that I was saving specifically for the dark trip, and that calmed them down both immediately. The rest of the drive down went pretty smoothly, only having to stop in Beaver for a potty/run break. We got to the condo about 10:30 or 11, but our wired kids were up sooo late. Abby and I fell asleep about 1, but Sam and Madalyn were up til about 2.
The next day, we decided to keep it pretty chill, seeing as our kids were exhausted. We had breakfast at Blackbear Diner. After blackbear, we went back to the condo and put the girls down for a nap. Madalyn wouldn't go nicely so I rocked her, and it was the best!! After some resting, my mom and I ran to get some groceries (that was the worst. 2 hours gone!) After shopping we had some dinner, and then went to our own parts of the condo for the night (except the times abby and maddie were up bugging my mom and dad!)
Friday morning we decided to head to Zion National Park; my favorite place! We all drove in our car so my dad could use his perks of being old and get us in for free. We drove through the tunnels, had a fun picnic lunch, and then took the shuttle up to the River Walk for our hike of the day. My girls were troopers on the way up...slow troopers who just wanted to explore, but hey, that is being a kid right?? It took us 45 minutes to walk the mile to the Narrows. Once there, the girls threw rocks in the water for a bit and we headed down. Sam had Madalyn on his back and my dad carried a very gabby Abby on his shoulders who told him all about the water cycle. According to her, the water goes into the mud at night to sleep, and then wakes up in the morning to keep flowing. It only took us about 20-25 minutes to hike down. After that we were all exhausted so we decided to head back to St. George, grabbing some pizza on the way there. That night we watched movies. It was another later night, and we didn't sleep well once again.
Because of our lack of sleep, we decided to forgo our plans to go to Snow Canyon and just hang around St. George. After a very late start to our morning, we ate our lunch and headed to the park. Abby was acting kind of blah, but I chalked it up to her being exhausted...until about 45 minutes into playing she ran up to where I was sitting and the poor thing threw up. So, we ended our day out and went back for naps and my sweet parents went and got her some sprite and saltines. After her nap she seemed to be doing a lot better, but threw up at the dinner table again that night. We then cuddled the rest of the night and went to bed early...ish. (compared to the other days anyway.)
The next morning, Sunday, it was time to pack up and go home. That was the best nights sleep we all got, and Abby was thrilled she didn't throw up in the middle of the night. We slowly packed up our things and left about 2 to head home. The trip home wasn't terrible. We stopped in Fillmore to get our wiggles out at the Maverick park and then drove the rest of the way home, Madalyn was super unhappy and just wanted out. But we made it home by about 6:30 and the girls were so happy to get out of their seats. Abby was so happy to be home that she hugged the house. I am not really sure what was up with her the trip (besides not feeling well, which is never fun to be sick outside the home) but she weirdly was anxious to get home the whole time. At one point she was saying how much she missed our basement and her bed (and my bed.) Sunday night she threw up one more time, but thankfully we were home and we all slept amazing in our own beds.
It was a very nice get away though, despite the few hangups. I'm so glad we were able to have a cheap get away that we all needed to have very much!! Thanks mom and dad for having us tagalongs!!
