Myrtle Beach ~ Day #7

Just another day at the pool and beach!

 WHAT? Are my kids actually interacting QUIETLY, engaged, and happy?

 This was BY FAR MY FAVORITE color combination to DATE! Just unique and fun.

 I'm also pretty obsessed with my Liley's hairstyle. She sorta looks like Princess Leia AND I LOVE IT.

Twice blessed.

This kid is getting BIG! I blinked and he went from a sixe 8/10 to a size 14/16.

Brothers.

I am also pretty addicted to Lilah's freckles.  You don't see them that often, anymore, and I think it makes her unique looking.

My trio.

 

I can't recall where we went to dinner, but Darren and I did take the kids putt-putt golf this night.  

Most families make this a beach tradition, but we do not.  I guess putt-putt is fun to kids, but Darren and I find golf beyond BORING.  I would truly rather watch the grass grow.    

 

Darren has been wanting a jeep, so we joked and said, "We finally took the plunge!" Haha.  What better place to cruise around in a Jeep Wrangler!

If I am NOT mistaken, Daren won the round of golf.  If we didn't hear it 100 times, we didn't hear it ONCE, "There's a whole lot of pizza left in that box!" AFTER EVERY SINGLE STROKE I TOOK. Darren hates to lose and he has all kinds of scare tactics and distraction techniques.  LOL! If he wins, I usually just say, "I let you win!" Oh man... that really gets him going.  LOL!

Myrtle Beach Day 3 ~ Spring Break 2017

On day three of our Myrtle Beach, Spring Break trip, our kiddos woke up and worked so nicely together on a pirate "dig" that they won, at the Ultimate California Pizza & Games, the night before.  Then, we laid out by the pool most of the day. 

I mean seriously... does it get ANY MORE Diva-like?

While I finished getting ready for dinner, I caught these two dancing!  LOL!  I love my sweet family.

Later that evening, we dressed up to go to one of top 3 restaurants in Myrtle Beach...Villa Romano's.

We always LOVE to go there because the FOOD, the service, AND the atmosphere/entertainment is so enjoyable!

After dinner, we tried out a NEW race track! It's three levels.  

The kids had a BLAST and won over 4,500 tickets at the arcade.  LOL!  

Mall OF America... HERE I COME!

It's been my dream or WISH since I was 37 years old.  I wanted to spend my 40th birthday at the Mall Of America, in Minnesota.  From all of my research, the majority of people say, "This is a DEFINITE bucketlist item!" I was never sure if I would really have the opportunity to go.  Anyone can dream, right? About two weeks ago, Darren came to me and said, "I have been trying to plan your birthday present, but I can't keep it a surprise anymore because there are too many details and questions I have?" "Huh?", I said? So he told me.  "I have been trying to plan your trip to the Mall Of America?" "HOLY COW!!!! NO WAY!" was my response.  Hehe. I was blessed with a new car in September.  When Darren handed over the keys he said, "Happy Thanksgiving.  Merry Christmas! Happy Birthday!!!!!! Happy Valentine's Day! Happy Anniversary!!"  So, getting a trip for my birthday, I thought, was not an option.  This man NEVER FAILS ME! 

So... on February 9th, my actual birthday, I am heading to the MOA, to spend Thursday - Sunday there. Darren wanted to come with me SOOOOOOO bad and he is actually sad that he can't go.  Our childcare, for out of town, is very limited and we just couldn't make it work this time.  So sad.  BUT, my sister Ashley, who I haven't seen in four years, is meeting me there.  At first, I really wanted to go alone, if I couldn't go with my hubby.  The only part that I was weirded out about was eating dinner, at a restaurant, by myself.  Otherwise, being alone meant doing whatever I want.  AND CATCHING UP on my sleep/blogging. I am so excited to have someone to go with though. We are going to have a blast.  

Enjoy a few funny, quirky, facts about the Mall Of America: 

1. You could fit seven Yankee Stadiums inside the Mall of America.

2. Or you could fit 32 Boeing 747s inside the Mall of America.

3. Or you could fit 258 Statues of Liberty inside the Mall of America.

4. The Mall of America has its own counterterrorism unit.

5. If you were to visit the mall and spend 10 minutes inside every store, it would take you 86   hours to complete your journey.

6. It took 13,300 tons of steel to build the Mall of America. That’s almost twice the amount it took to build that Tinkertoy the Eiffel Tower.

7. It boasts having a 1.2 million-gallon aquarium.

8. Feeding these aquatic creatures requires more than 100 pounds of food, daily.

9. It cost more than $650 million to build the Mall of America in 1992.

10. And they just confirmed a $325 million expansion of the mall. By the way, a trip to the moon costs roughly $100 million per person.

11. The Mall of America generates almost $2 billion in annual revenue for the state of Minnesota.

12. On Black Friday in 2013, 29-year-old Serge Vorobyov was “cited for disorderly conduct” for throwing $1,000 off the fourth story balcony at the Mall of America. He was inspired to do so by a GEICO commercial.

13. There is a light rail that will take you straight from the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport to the Mall of America. You barely have to step outside.

14. You can get married at the Chapel of Love in the Mall of America. In fact, more than 7,000 people have gotten married at the Mall of America since it opened.

15. The Mall of America used to have a high school in it! Talk about an All-American education.

16. Ever wanted to get lost? The Mall of America has one of the largest mirror mazes on the planet!

17. The Mall of America plans to install two zip lines in the very near future.

18. It has no central heating. Despite Minnesota’s hot summers and brutally cold winters, the only parts of the Mall of America that are heated are the entrances. The year-round 70 degree temperature that it averages is maintained by body heat, lighting fixtures, and solar heat from the skylights.

19. The Mall of America uses water-saving toilets. This saves 1.4 million gallons of water a year.

20. The Mall of America boasts 40 million visitors annually.

21. In lieu of pesticides, 72,000 lady bugs were released in the Mall of America to protect its tropical plant life from aphids.

22. Speaking of plant life, moving all of those trees into the Mall of America required the labor of 65 semi-trucks.

23. The Mall of America was built where Metropolitan Stadium once stood (former home of the Vikings and the Twins). There are plaques around marking where home plate was and where iconic home runs landed.

24. Allegedly, one in three visitors comes from at least 150 miles away, while 4 out of 10 visitors are tourists of some kind.

25. The Mall of America holds the world record for having the most Ninja Turtles amassed in one area. There were 836. Previous record: 786.

26. There are more than 520 stores in the Mall of America.

27. The Mall of America produces upward of 4,000 pounds of biodiesel fuel monthly from recycled fryer fat.

28. The Mall of America employs roughly 11,000 employees year round, and about 13,000 during the peak seasons.

29. Contained within two parking ramps, the Mall of America offers 12,550 on-site parking spots.

30. It’s the largest mall in the United States, 4.87 million square feet.

Ashley and I are staying at the Radisson Blu Mall Of America.  This hotel looks AH-mazing AND SOOOOOO contemporary. Just the way I like it. It's also conveniently attached to the mall, so we can drop off our bags if our arms are too full/tired and need to rest our feet for a few minutes, but not for long... haha.  I ain't wasting a moment of this opportunity.  

If we finish shopping before our time is up, after all it takes 86 hours to complete IF you spend 10 minutes in each store, then we plan to take their metro or a taxi to explore St. Paul or other parts of Minnesota.  We even have a "fancy night" planned.  Gosh... I have SOOOO much to do to prepare this home for my departure and myself for my trip! Lord Jesus give me EXTRA ENERGY!

I cannot tell you how excited I am.  Darren, I love you and I am so thankful for this opportunity.  Saying goodbye to my 30s will be just fine. 40 is just a number and truthfully, I feel like last year and this year have been my best year yet!!! It's time this BIG 40 year old girl, do BIG THINGS, like shop at the largest mall in America, until I drop!!! #SoFun #MyHusbandROCKS

A Surprise Trip To Kings Dominion!

When I realized that football was one week away from starting and our ability to travel would disappear, I began to panic.  I went to bed Sunday night a little sad, so I woke up Monday morning and decided, "The heck with responsibility...". I woke the kids up and I said, "Rise and Shine! It's time to get up.  Pack a bag with a snack and your ipods/chargers, we are going to KINGS DOMINION!!!" Darren couldn't go.  Work was swamped and we had almost just gotten back from Myrtle Beach, so I went alone with the kids.  He was soooooo sad and definitely felt like he was missing out.  The car ride was smooth and we arrived to Kings Dominion with ONLY the clothes on our back (no lie).

We began our FIRST.TIME.EVER experience, at Kings Dominion, by riding the Woodstock Roller Coaster.  YES... that is the one in the kiddie section and YES I was scared.  I am a tough cookie, but me and roller coasters DO NOT go way back! I don't really like them.

 
Here was our first experience on the coaster.  This was NOT acted out.  These are our TRUE reactions.

These photos are so hysterical to me.  I had to buy them.  I road this ride TWICE with the kids, but they road it over 15 times. It felt like we rented the entire park out to ourselves.  There were NO LINES on any rides, minus the Volcano coaster.

The below video is of Ty and Jax riding the "Back Stunt Roller Coaster".  Check it out in slow motion.  

I was super excited for the twins especially because they finally were old enough to drive their own bumper car.

When you are a drippy, sweaty MESS, you leave Kings Dominions park and waltz on over to Soak City Water Park. The price of the water park is included in with your ticket to Kings Dominion.  

I tried NOT to focus too much on capturing the moment on camera, but enjoying the moments instead, so I apologize for the poor image quality.

Every momma's worst nightmare... losing your child, but not only LOSING them, losing them at a water park.  This little boy was missing for a good 20 minutes and he refused to talk to security.  I think he must have spoken a different language.

I walked one million miles and was just ready to sit in air conditioning and cool off, so I decided to join Lilah as she ate a Sweet Frog. I looked like a over-used prostitute at this point.  LOL! Just a sweaty, dirty, make-up not right, hair frizzy mess.  

 Can you tell which one is mine and which one is her?

A pretty photo of the park from between the trees.

My trio!

We had an absolute blast.  It was definitely HOT, but I cannot tell you how awesome it was going on a Monday. NO.ONE.WAS.THERE.  We stayed from noon, when we arrived, until about 9 pm.  

So... it was too late to drive home.  I decided we would spend the night.  WHAT?!?! We had NO CLOTHES and NO TOOTH BRUSH.  I did have my make up bags, but that was about it.  So, off to Wal-mart we went to purchase our necessities.  We stay at a Holiday Inn.  Guess who showed up at 11 pm, knocking on our door?  "DADDDDDY!!!"

He couldn't stand being without us.  He even said, "I have NO idea how anyone enjoys being without their family!"  The next day, Darren took the boys back to the park and Liley and I went to Short Pump to shop until we drop!

We also got to enjoy a meal at the Cheesecake Factory!

I treated her to a few souvenirs and back-to-school outfits!

We really did shop until we dropped.  Check her out as she relaxes at the World Market.

We left the Short Pump area around 3:00 pm and told the boys we would get on the interstate and start heading back to Roanoke.  The funniest thing ever happened... I called to tell Darren and he said,  "Ha! I was just about to call you and tell you the same thing.  Where are you? I said, "Interstate 64!" And he said, "So are we! What exit?"  As soon as I told him, we spotted each other.  It was hysterical.  What are the odds.  We ended up eating a nice dinner in Botetourt and then rushed home to greet our fur babies.  Some times the most unplanned vacations turn out to be the most memorable.  I am so glad I decided to skip town!!! I am extra happy Darren joined us.  It was such an amazing time!!!