Water World!

(One of the worst movies EVER made....)

Our vacation was spent mostly in water. You had many vessels to choose from (speed boat, fishing boat, paddle boat, pontoon boat, kayak, wave runner)...activities ranged from talking on the dock, swimming (of course), tubing, skiing, jumping on the Rave (a big floating trampoline), playing King of the Rave, jumping from a crudely constructed rope swing, shooting water at the 'dry boat', playing with the kids in the shallow water, floating and chatting in the deep water, sand play, fishing....

Last family reunion I was extremely pregnant so swimming was all I did...but this year, water skiing was definitely on the agenda. Everyone else made it look soooo easy, a 5yo did it! Our 11yo had lots of trouble (so did I)...but after some nice face-plants...I did get up but it didn't last long (but the soreness in my hamstrings did).

I also really enjoyed kayaking (shhh, don't tell my hub, he's been wanted a kayak for many years). It was really relaxing and felt easy. I also liked being able to talk with my SIL while we tried to paddle straight.

It was really nice spending the days in our bathing suits playing around. We really had a hard time saying to was really time to leave (one more boat ride? one more swim?).

Family Talent Show

Yes, we love to do shows....ever since I can remember, our family has done shows at family gatherings (I used to carry a leotard and bandanna at all times). This was no exception.

Emceed by my Uncle Sean...we had several songs by the little ones (one in Italian, a couple self-composed songs about going to the bathroom, a teenage ballad of lost love ('our five months together'), an uncle-lead sing-a-long, ukulele accompanied duet)....a spy demonstration (and later spy school), superhero showcase complete with kitchen-towel capes, a hoedown by my chipped tooth uncle and costume-bringing uncle, and a dance number by a pregnant woman and her daughter.

The best part of the show were the introductions by my cousins' kids. "Please stay in your seats but if you have to use the bathroom, that's ok." "If you are sitting on the floor, you might want to move back because I will be moving around a lot." "I will be doing some spy moves that are dangerous. I'm warning you so you don't freak out."

It was a delight.

The next night we had a karaoke party and a special storytelling of the The Three Pigs and the Big Bad Walleye (complete with audience participation and actors).

Hotel Hoopla

**I will be posting about our lovely vacation throughout the next few days.

After a long drive, we stayed at a hotel, The Waters of Minocqua. The boys had never stayed in one and we quickly realized the concept was quite foreign to them. Think, here is this place that is not your home or most likely a place you have never been before...and you have to sleep there, probably share a bed with someone...

We dropped our things in the room and went to explore. First, the taxidermy-laden lodge-like lobby...giant stone fireplace...huge gumball machine...Mom, a bear! More deer! That's a lot of fish!

Next, the kids love elevators! Down to the arcade. Again, I don't think they had seen anything like it before. The look on the 2yo was priceless...especially as we found him there caressing a game mouthing "Wow!"

On to the 'water park'! 1 indoor/outdoor pool, 1 indoor/outdoor hot tub, 1 baby pool, and 2 water slides (big kids only). (note: we did play in these the next day (although my hub and bro went to the hot tub after the kids went to bed...and then shared a bed together all night), the water slide was TERRIFYING! it was pitch black, you felt like you were just falling into nothing)

We ate dinner at the restaurant in the lobby(where's the kitchen, Mom?)...well my hub and I did, the boys were busy watching the water park and trying to play pool and darts. Fresh fried fish....what else do you want in Wisconsin?!

After lots of chanting (stars! stars! pool! pool! can we live here?), we finally turned off all the lights and hid in the bathroom and talked while the boys finally crashed out. Add a couple more kids and a dog...and we were snug as bugs in our hotel room (complete with fart jokes after the lights were finally turned off).

We completed our stay with a nice Continental breakfast of sugary treats (and bad coffee), a quick dip, and a child-lead tour of the hotel for Grandma.