We are just back from a week of camping at Hocking Hills State Park in Ohio. Hopefully soon I will post some pictures. It was gorgeous & we had lots of fun. But as a preview let me tell you what packing for camping was like. I asked each of the kids to pack their own stuff. Here's what they packed for themselves:
Max: 20 Webkinz stuffed animals & 3 long sleeve pj shirts.
Nate: DSi, 2 pair of shorts, 1 swim suit & flip-flops.
Kaylee: a HUGE suitcase full of clothes & a cell phone & charger.
I also asked Derek to pack his clothes. He packed a swimsuit before getting a phone call then insisted that's all he really needed anyway.
Lucky for all of them, Momma took over the clothing detail. We all had a enough to wear and even a couple spare outfits. The weather was very warm so we didn't need any jeans or jackets that I packed just in case. I think Derek & Nate probably could have survived with what they packed. I do think that Nate spent 36 hours in a row in his swim suit at one point.
Showing posts with label Vacations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vacations. Show all posts
Monday, July 18, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Marathon Memories
I had an amazing time at the Boston Marathon. Going in, I didn't expect to enjoy it so much. Not being a runner myself, I didn't think I'd fully appreciate what a "big deal" it really is. I was happily surprised.
Since airfare from Detroit to Boston was never much less than $400, we decided to drive. Most of you know that driving isn't really my favorite thing to do. But having 24 hours of alone time in the car with my husband was pretty special. We talked about lots of stuff, joked around and also enjoyed some silence and the feeling of just being together.
We stopped at Niagara Falls on both legs of the trip just to get out and stretch our legs. No matter how many times I see the falls I'll still be in awe of God's nature.
We arrived in Boston around 7:30 on Friday night. We found a local Italian place and enjoyed some pasta. Our room at the Courtyard Marriott in Waltham was wonderful. On Saturday morning we slept in then set off to explore Boston.
We walked through the city stopping at some historic sites like the Granary Burying Grounds, where Paul Revere & Sam Adams are buried.
Then we walked through the Boston Commons & Boston Public Garden. We even got to see the first Swan Boats of the season.
One of my favorite things was seeing the "Make Way for Ducklings" Statutes.
Then we went to pick up Derek's number & marathon pack. We ended up spending a couple hours in the convention center. Lunch ended up being free samples of yogurt, power bars & Gatorade! It was fun to just soak in the excitement. Everyone was very friendly, asking if this was our first Boston Marathon, where Derek qualified, and complimenting him on his bib number.
We ended Saturday with dinner at the Union Oyster House. Its America's oldest restaurant. We sat in a room where many Presidents have eaten. (JFK even has a special booth). We looked out the window and could imagine George Washington, Ben Franklin and other heroes of the revolutionary war looking out the same window, seeing redcoats walking by and planning to fight for freedom.
On Sunday, we drove out to Hopkinton, where the race begins. The little town was positively buzzing with excitement. The people there seem to live for this day when all eyes are on them.
In the afternoon we drove out to Salem. We had seen advertisements for the Salem Witch Museum and thought it would be interesting. It turned out to be something less than a wax museum. The History of the Salem Witch Trials is very interesting but I don't recommend the museum. A good book or PBS special would suffice. However, there is an ice cream Parlor in Salem that made the drive worthwhile. If you are ever near there be sure to stop at Treadwell's. It was amazing!
On Monday, we woke up very early. I drove Derek out to Hopinkton State Park so he could get a bus to the starting line.
Then I drove into Boston and parked at a garage near the finish line. At that point I still wasn't sure whether I was going to try to take a train or bus to the half way point then try to get back to the finish or not. I started asking random people and the consensus was that if you wanted to see the finish you needed to stake out a spot ASAP.
So I bought a little folding camp chair from Walgreen's and took my spot at approx. mile 26. Even the two hours of watching an empty street wasn't boring. I got to know the people around me. Everyone has a special story about how they ended up in Boston and who they were watching.
Then the wheelchair racers started to finish. I can't really describe the emotion at seeing them at the finish. Some were exhausted, they'd stop and look around with this smile on their face that still leaves a lump in my throat when I think about it. Others zoomed by, only focused on the finish line.
Shortly after that the Elite Women finished. The woman's race was so close. Only two seconds separated 1st & 2nd place. Desiree Davila, from Rochester MI, finished in second as the top American Woman.
A little while after that, Geoffery Mutali flew by. The cheer when he came into sight was so loud. Then, after he whizzed past, everyone just looked around with their mouths hanging open. It was so fast. Turns out it was the fastest marathon ever recorded 2:02. (The Boston Course doesn't qualify for World Record Status because its not a loop course and due to the elevation levels over the course and the tailwind.) When Ryan Hall, the top American male finished in 4th and in US Record time, the crowd went wild.
I had to wait another hour and a half for Derek to finish but in that time I saw all sorts of runners. People that were so excited to be there, they didn't seem to want the race to end, running from sideline to sideline giving high-fives or kissing girlfriends.
There were People who didn't look like they'd finish the race. Several people collapsed and had to be helped back up by other runners. One runner had a friend on either side of him and he was doing all he could to just keep moving his feet forward. The crowd yelled support: "You can do it! You can make it!" I am still tearing up as I think back to the emotion I was feeling for complete strangers.
I had been following Derek's progress all along via the text updates. When I got the first text showing a pace of 7:16, I thought it sounded good. I knew that he didn't want to go out too fast. But with the second & third updates showing that his pace was getting even slower, I knew he wasn't having a good race.
He had high hopes. Everyone wants to come to Boston and run a PR. Derek trained over 800 miles at a sub seven-minute pace. He figured he had a chance to run a sub 3 hour marathon. But it wasn't his day. Around 1:45pm I was getting a little nervous, even at the slower pace, I was expecting to see him before then. I started praying for his health and safety. Then once of my new friends spotted him in the crowd. "Hey, is that your husband?!?" Yes, relief. He was moving pretty slow but he was still running. He didn't look about to collapse. Although, he didn't look to be enjoying the experience either. I couldn't get his attention. He was focused on the finish line.
When I got to him after the race, I could see the disappointment, and pain, on his face. This wasn't the race he came to run. But, I am so proud of him. The determination and guts it takes to run a marathon speaks so much more than the results of the race itself. Sometimes finishing is hard than winning.
I love him so much. I love the adventures he takes me on. I have experienced things I would never have done on my own. I am a better person because I am Derek's wife.
Since airfare from Detroit to Boston was never much less than $400, we decided to drive. Most of you know that driving isn't really my favorite thing to do. But having 24 hours of alone time in the car with my husband was pretty special. We talked about lots of stuff, joked around and also enjoyed some silence and the feeling of just being together.
We stopped at Niagara Falls on both legs of the trip just to get out and stretch our legs. No matter how many times I see the falls I'll still be in awe of God's nature.
We arrived in Boston around 7:30 on Friday night. We found a local Italian place and enjoyed some pasta. Our room at the Courtyard Marriott in Waltham was wonderful. On Saturday morning we slept in then set off to explore Boston.
We walked through the city stopping at some historic sites like the Granary Burying Grounds, where Paul Revere & Sam Adams are buried.
Then we walked through the Boston Commons & Boston Public Garden. We even got to see the first Swan Boats of the season.
One of my favorite things was seeing the "Make Way for Ducklings" Statutes.
Then we went to pick up Derek's number & marathon pack. We ended up spending a couple hours in the convention center. Lunch ended up being free samples of yogurt, power bars & Gatorade! It was fun to just soak in the excitement. Everyone was very friendly, asking if this was our first Boston Marathon, where Derek qualified, and complimenting him on his bib number.
We ended Saturday with dinner at the Union Oyster House. Its America's oldest restaurant. We sat in a room where many Presidents have eaten. (JFK even has a special booth). We looked out the window and could imagine George Washington, Ben Franklin and other heroes of the revolutionary war looking out the same window, seeing redcoats walking by and planning to fight for freedom.
On Sunday, we drove out to Hopkinton, where the race begins. The little town was positively buzzing with excitement. The people there seem to live for this day when all eyes are on them.
In the afternoon we drove out to Salem. We had seen advertisements for the Salem Witch Museum and thought it would be interesting. It turned out to be something less than a wax museum. The History of the Salem Witch Trials is very interesting but I don't recommend the museum. A good book or PBS special would suffice. However, there is an ice cream Parlor in Salem that made the drive worthwhile. If you are ever near there be sure to stop at Treadwell's. It was amazing!
On Monday, we woke up very early. I drove Derek out to Hopinkton State Park so he could get a bus to the starting line.
Then I drove into Boston and parked at a garage near the finish line. At that point I still wasn't sure whether I was going to try to take a train or bus to the half way point then try to get back to the finish or not. I started asking random people and the consensus was that if you wanted to see the finish you needed to stake out a spot ASAP.
So I bought a little folding camp chair from Walgreen's and took my spot at approx. mile 26. Even the two hours of watching an empty street wasn't boring. I got to know the people around me. Everyone has a special story about how they ended up in Boston and who they were watching.
Then the wheelchair racers started to finish. I can't really describe the emotion at seeing them at the finish. Some were exhausted, they'd stop and look around with this smile on their face that still leaves a lump in my throat when I think about it. Others zoomed by, only focused on the finish line.
Shortly after that the Elite Women finished. The woman's race was so close. Only two seconds separated 1st & 2nd place. Desiree Davila, from Rochester MI, finished in second as the top American Woman.
A little while after that, Geoffery Mutali flew by. The cheer when he came into sight was so loud. Then, after he whizzed past, everyone just looked around with their mouths hanging open. It was so fast. Turns out it was the fastest marathon ever recorded 2:02. (The Boston Course doesn't qualify for World Record Status because its not a loop course and due to the elevation levels over the course and the tailwind.) When Ryan Hall, the top American male finished in 4th and in US Record time, the crowd went wild.
I had to wait another hour and a half for Derek to finish but in that time I saw all sorts of runners. People that were so excited to be there, they didn't seem to want the race to end, running from sideline to sideline giving high-fives or kissing girlfriends.
There were People who didn't look like they'd finish the race. Several people collapsed and had to be helped back up by other runners. One runner had a friend on either side of him and he was doing all he could to just keep moving his feet forward. The crowd yelled support: "You can do it! You can make it!" I am still tearing up as I think back to the emotion I was feeling for complete strangers.
I had been following Derek's progress all along via the text updates. When I got the first text showing a pace of 7:16, I thought it sounded good. I knew that he didn't want to go out too fast. But with the second & third updates showing that his pace was getting even slower, I knew he wasn't having a good race.
He had high hopes. Everyone wants to come to Boston and run a PR. Derek trained over 800 miles at a sub seven-minute pace. He figured he had a chance to run a sub 3 hour marathon. But it wasn't his day. Around 1:45pm I was getting a little nervous, even at the slower pace, I was expecting to see him before then. I started praying for his health and safety. Then once of my new friends spotted him in the crowd. "Hey, is that your husband?!?" Yes, relief. He was moving pretty slow but he was still running. He didn't look about to collapse. Although, he didn't look to be enjoying the experience either. I couldn't get his attention. He was focused on the finish line.
When I got to him after the race, I could see the disappointment, and pain, on his face. This wasn't the race he came to run. But, I am so proud of him. The determination and guts it takes to run a marathon speaks so much more than the results of the race itself. Sometimes finishing is hard than winning.
I love him so much. I love the adventures he takes me on. I have experienced things I would never have done on my own. I am a better person because I am Derek's wife.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Camping 2010
Camping is not really my thing. I'm a 5 star hotel kinda girl. Unfortunately, a 5 star hotel with a family of 5 just isn't really in the budget. Last year some friends went camping and didn't invite us. I know exactly why they didn't invite us...I've been pretty vocal about the fact that camping isn't my thing. But after hearing about their fun, I was really disappointed that we hadn't participated. Because of my general bad attitude about camping, my family missed out on a fun time.
So I sucked up my pride, and mentioned that if the group camping trip happened this year that we'd be interested. When we were invited Derek & I had some serious conversations about whether to rent or borrow a camper. Derek really didn't want to do either. He didn't want the responsibility of using someone else's camper and they are pretty expensive to rent. So, we bought a tent.
The kids were pretty excited and I tried to let that excitement over come my concerns about camping. Then I looked at the weather forecast and saw 40% chances of thunderstorms 3 of the 4 days we were supposed to camp. Then I started praying. I prayed for good weather but mostly I prayed that our marriage would survive this vacation. (I'm only sort of joking about this).
We ended up with mostly good weather. It did rain. In fact, we had a pretty good thunderstorm one of the nights. The lightening would illuminate the whole tent. Derek thought it was pretty cool. I did a lot of praying that night. I prayed for safety. I prayed for peace. The kids pretty much slept through the whole thing.
The rest of the vacation was good. We spent a lot of time with some really good friends. We explored God's magnificent creation. The older kids & Derek went ziplining and had a really great time. The little kids & I enjoyed more time at the pool.
Camping still isn't my favorite thing but we'll keep the tent and probably do this again next year. This vacation was a good reminder to me that if I keep my attitude in check life is more enjoyable in general.
(Max doesn't look to happy in this photo but he did have a great time exploring.)
So I sucked up my pride, and mentioned that if the group camping trip happened this year that we'd be interested. When we were invited Derek & I had some serious conversations about whether to rent or borrow a camper. Derek really didn't want to do either. He didn't want the responsibility of using someone else's camper and they are pretty expensive to rent. So, we bought a tent.
The kids were pretty excited and I tried to let that excitement over come my concerns about camping. Then I looked at the weather forecast and saw 40% chances of thunderstorms 3 of the 4 days we were supposed to camp. Then I started praying. I prayed for good weather but mostly I prayed that our marriage would survive this vacation. (I'm only sort of joking about this).
We ended up with mostly good weather. It did rain. In fact, we had a pretty good thunderstorm one of the nights. The lightening would illuminate the whole tent. Derek thought it was pretty cool. I did a lot of praying that night. I prayed for safety. I prayed for peace. The kids pretty much slept through the whole thing.
The rest of the vacation was good. We spent a lot of time with some really good friends. We explored God's magnificent creation. The older kids & Derek went ziplining and had a really great time. The little kids & I enjoyed more time at the pool.
Camping still isn't my favorite thing but we'll keep the tent and probably do this again next year. This vacation was a good reminder to me that if I keep my attitude in check life is more enjoyable in general.
(Max doesn't look to happy in this photo but he did have a great time exploring.)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Caribbean
Since its my 100th post- I figured I'd tell you 100 things about our vacation but that got too long so here are some random things plus some pictures.
We had an awesome time! I highly recommend a caribbean vacation in December. Leave your kids with great friends and they'll have fun too. (Thanks Mandy & Edward & Becky!) It's worth missing the "Black Friday" sales to get up early to go to the airport. Getting a friend to drive you to the airport makes life a lot easier. (Thanks Mark!)
San Juan is a really neat place! I'm very glad we got to spend some extra time there before & after the cruise. El Younque Rainforest is beautiful. We discovered that when walking up the mountain its better to take the trail rather than the service drive. The trail looks longer but its much easier and much more scenic.
We really enjoyed visiting the historic sites in Old San Juan after the cruise.
Ox Head Point in Dorado, PR has some amazing waves crashing into the rocks.
In Dorado, if you meet Pee Wee in the grocery store & he invites you to his restaurant go- it was good food. Be sure to take the correct gate opener to the townhouse because that barbed wire is dangerous!
St. Thomas is touristy- but fun. We did the tourist thing of stopping at the jewlery stores for the free bracelets. Here are some tips for the rest of St. Thomas:
Save money by hiring the same taxi driver for the whole day and tip him with a turkey sandwich. Pick a taxi driver with a taxi that looks save and reliable- breaking down a mile from the ship can cause stress. Coki Beach is a great place to snorkle and play in the water- just avoid the questionable smoke near the locals.
Every night the food is good but formal nights are even better. You can order as many appetizers, entrees & desserts as you want- you already paid for them!
Celebrating birthdays, anniversaries & graduations on board the ship is a little silly. Getting Free cake is kind of redundant. But it's worth celebrating events just to hear the waiters sing.
Champagne Reef in Dominica is ranked #5 in the world for snorkling. The island is volcanic so bubbles arise from the bottom of the ocean making it look like swimming through champange bubbles. The reef had lots of amazing things to see- a coral snake, squid, octopus, lots of fish. Kelli did not see them due to an encounter with fire coral .
Grenada is a great place to get cheap spices. But it is the only island that didn't feel very safe. The locals were fairly agressive in soliciting and begging. We even saw a local brawl.
We saw dolphins from our balcony in Bonaire. Bonaire is flatter than the other islands, and is famous for flamingos & donkeys. (Go figure!) There was good snorkling at Donkey Beach. Sorobon Beach is great for swimming. It has a 3/4 mile sand bar to play on and at the end of the sand bar is a reef- its a long walk/swim out to it. Once you get to the reef- watch out for the "GreenPeace Police" they will chastise you for destroying the envirnoment by being there. If you aren't careful you could end up as "fish food." (No kidding that is what he said!) Next to Sorobon Beach is a nudist colony. The nudist colony shouldn't be allowed to rent kayaks. (But they do!). At Sorobon Beach the guys tried to learn to windsurf on their own.
There are lots of funny/silly things to do on a cruise. We tried to line dance and ended up on the ship's dvd (only $29.99 at the end of the cruise). Mark & Andy also ended up in comdey routines. Mark was volunteered and Andy was picked because the comedian liked Denise. (Word to the wise don't sit in the front row of the theatre unless you enjoy wearing a wig and swinging balls on a string.)
Several of us also test out the decorative saddle in front of the steakhouse.
Snorkling is rumored to be good in Aruba, but not this time. Paul rented a boat and several went to see a shipwreck and a lighthouse instead of snorkling.
Aruba is beautiful, but lots of the things they sell in the open markets are made in china. We did buy the boys flutes and maracas- yes we are a little bit crazy.
We have a lot more funny stories but some we can't share because "what happens on the ship stays on the ship." Next time you should come with us!
We had an awesome time! I highly recommend a caribbean vacation in December. Leave your kids with great friends and they'll have fun too. (Thanks Mandy & Edward & Becky!) It's worth missing the "Black Friday" sales to get up early to go to the airport. Getting a friend to drive you to the airport makes life a lot easier. (Thanks Mark!)
San Juan is a really neat place! I'm very glad we got to spend some extra time there before & after the cruise. El Younque Rainforest is beautiful. We discovered that when walking up the mountain its better to take the trail rather than the service drive. The trail looks longer but its much easier and much more scenic.
We really enjoyed visiting the historic sites in Old San Juan after the cruise.
Ox Head Point in Dorado, PR has some amazing waves crashing into the rocks.
In Dorado, if you meet Pee Wee in the grocery store & he invites you to his restaurant go- it was good food. Be sure to take the correct gate opener to the townhouse because that barbed wire is dangerous!
St. Thomas is touristy- but fun. We did the tourist thing of stopping at the jewlery stores for the free bracelets. Here are some tips for the rest of St. Thomas:
Save money by hiring the same taxi driver for the whole day and tip him with a turkey sandwich. Pick a taxi driver with a taxi that looks save and reliable- breaking down a mile from the ship can cause stress. Coki Beach is a great place to snorkle and play in the water- just avoid the questionable smoke near the locals.
Every night the food is good but formal nights are even better. You can order as many appetizers, entrees & desserts as you want- you already paid for them!
Celebrating birthdays, anniversaries & graduations on board the ship is a little silly. Getting Free cake is kind of redundant. But it's worth celebrating events just to hear the waiters sing.
Champagne Reef in Dominica is ranked #5 in the world for snorkling. The island is volcanic so bubbles arise from the bottom of the ocean making it look like swimming through champange bubbles. The reef had lots of amazing things to see- a coral snake, squid, octopus, lots of fish. Kelli did not see them due to an encounter with fire coral .
Grenada is a great place to get cheap spices. But it is the only island that didn't feel very safe. The locals were fairly agressive in soliciting and begging. We even saw a local brawl.
We saw dolphins from our balcony in Bonaire. Bonaire is flatter than the other islands, and is famous for flamingos & donkeys. (Go figure!) There was good snorkling at Donkey Beach. Sorobon Beach is great for swimming. It has a 3/4 mile sand bar to play on and at the end of the sand bar is a reef- its a long walk/swim out to it. Once you get to the reef- watch out for the "GreenPeace Police" they will chastise you for destroying the envirnoment by being there. If you aren't careful you could end up as "fish food." (No kidding that is what he said!) Next to Sorobon Beach is a nudist colony. The nudist colony shouldn't be allowed to rent kayaks. (But they do!). At Sorobon Beach the guys tried to learn to windsurf on their own.
There are lots of funny/silly things to do on a cruise. We tried to line dance and ended up on the ship's dvd (only $29.99 at the end of the cruise). Mark & Andy also ended up in comdey routines. Mark was volunteered and Andy was picked because the comedian liked Denise. (Word to the wise don't sit in the front row of the theatre unless you enjoy wearing a wig and swinging balls on a string.)
Several of us also test out the decorative saddle in front of the steakhouse.
Snorkling is rumored to be good in Aruba, but not this time. Paul rented a boat and several went to see a shipwreck and a lighthouse instead of snorkling.
Aruba is beautiful, but lots of the things they sell in the open markets are made in china. We did buy the boys flutes and maracas- yes we are a little bit crazy.
We have a lot more funny stories but some we can't share because "what happens on the ship stays on the ship." Next time you should come with us!
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