Now Approaching... Sleepingbooty's Sept. PTR (We're BAAACK! 9/26)

[Sleepingbooty]

There's a small (and I mean, very small) part of me that misses the first days of school. I would be a little annoyed having to go to school during nice sunny days though.

You know what's funny? The girls were actually excited to go back to school! In fact, Jenna said to me several times over the last couple weeks that she wished the first day of school would here!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

The food is way overpriced and not that great! In fact, they've stopped letting people carry their own food and even DRINKS into the parks! I've seen so many families having to take out the drinks and snacks they brought for their kids and put them back into their cars. It didn't use to be this way

They don't let you bring food or drinks in at Six Flags either. I just don't understand why the food prices are so high. The same bacon cheeseburger meal I bought would have been 8.59 at Disney, and a bottled water would have been $2.50!

 

[Charlefours]

Wow! I forgot your girls were heading back to school. Schools here in Michigan have only been out for about a month now. The girls look so cute in their back to school picture.

 

[YukiPhnx]

You know what's funny? The girls were actually excited to go back to school! In fact, Jenna said to me several times over the last couple weeks that she wished the first day of school would here!

I used to be like that! 2 months of summer is too much for me. I get bored after the 1st month, even though I'm usually in summer school or some camp. I could never wait for school to start. I loved seeing all my friends again

 

[YukiPhnx]

They don't let you bring food or drinks in at Six Flags either. I just don't understand why the food prices are so high. The same bacon cheeseburger meal I bought would have been 8.59 at Disney, and a bottled water would have been $2.50!

It's ridiculous. Nay. RiDONCulous.

 

[MHTeacher]

First day of school? WHAT? Tell me no!

I've been mad everytime I go in Walmart, because they've got all that school supply stuff all over the place!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Wow! I forgot your girls were heading back to school. Schools here in Michigan have only been out for about a month now. The girls look so cute in their back to school picture.

Thank you! We've only been out since June 4th. The other schools in our area don't go back until mid-August. I remember as a kid going back after Labor Day - do they still do that anywhere besides California?

 

[Sleepingbooty]

I used to be like that! 2 months of summer is too much for me. I get bored after the 1st month, even though I'm usually in summer school or some camp. I could never wait for school to start. I loved seeing all my friends again

I guess that's why Jenna was ready. So many of her friends go to "Vacation Station" (the before/after school and cycle break program at school) or different camps because their parents both work. She really only had one good friend that was home.

It's ridiculous. Nay. RiDONCulous.

 

[Sleepingbooty]

First day of school? WHAT? Tell me no!

I've been mad everytime I go in Walmart, because they've got all that school supply stuff all over the place!

I'm mad at Walmart myself! They must have started putting the back-to-school stuff out when we were gone down at the lake, because when I went on Monday to get the girls stuff - they were wiped clean! The 25 cent crayons? Gone. The 89 cent crayola markers? Gone. I ended up paying $5 for a 10 pack of markers at Office Max.

 

[Dancegrl624]

Thank you! We've only been out since June 4th. The other schools in our area don't go back until mid-August. I remember as a kid going back after Labor Day - do they still do that anywhere besides California?

We always start on the Tuesday or Wednesday after Labor Day. Madison's last day of school was June 22nd this year.

 

[Sleepingbooty]

I miss not starting school until Labor Day. That always feels like the "official" end of summer to me. Although I guess it doesn't officially really end until September 21st.

 

[OhioDisneyLover]

Your girls look so cute in their back to school outfits. School is back in session late August here. I thought that was pretty early considering back in the "old days" when I was in school we didn't go back until after Labor Day.

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Thank you!

Yep, those were the good old days. Actually, I think mid August is the norm around here in Missouri. We're just the odd district out, with our year round schedule. As far as I know, we're the only district in the St.Louis area that does it (and apparently not for much longer). That's the reason only the elementaries are on this schedule: if the middle and high school did it to, they would have a heck of a time scheduling sports with other schools on traditional schedules.

 

[petals]

I'm going to be there same week as you

 

[omghidanielle]

Even though I haven't been able to read through your ENTIRE PTR, I it! I hope your girls had a good first day at school!

 

[klacey1]

Aww, the girls look adorable for their first day of school!!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

I'm going to be there same week as you

Cool! Where are you staying? Is it your first visit?

Oh, and to my PTR!

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Even though I haven't been able to read through your ENTIRE PTR, I it! I hope your girls had a good first day at school!

Thanks! to the fun! You have plenty of time to catch up - I've been pretty bad about posting updates lately. And thanks, they did have a good first day.

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Aww, the girls look adorable for their first day of school!!

Thanks Kylie! They just grow so fast

 

[Sleepingbooty]

Chapter 36. Mini TR - Lake Trip, part 1

On July 3rd, we woke up bright and early to leave for our week-long vacation at the lake. I thought we could feasibly be on the road by 9. After all, I'd packed everything the day before. What I didn't count on, was all the preparations Scott still needed to make as we were pulling the boat for the first time. We both grew up with boats, but this is the first we've owned ourselves. Scott's dad gave it to him about a year ago when he'd gotten to the point that he just didn't want to mess with it anymore. He's 82, and although he is in good health and still enjoys fishing, his buddies are all getting too old and infirm so he doesn't have anyone to go with (we live 2 1/2 hours away). Its just a little old fish 'n ski, but we've had a lot to learn as new boat owners. It's hard to back them puppies up! I swear, it was so embarrassing when we first brought it home and tried to back it in the garage. I think it took at least 30 minutes!

So by the time we got on the road it was about 11:30, and we were in for a 4+ hour drive. Turned out to be 5 hours pulling the boat. We'd barely gotten out the door before we made our first stop for gas and "healthy" snacks.

We've been going to Table Rock lake over the fourth of July for many years now. It was often a vacation spot of my family growing up, and about 20 years ago we started an annual tradition. My aunt and uncle bought some property there to retire to and invited everyone down over the 4th of July for a family reunion of sorts. It seems strange to call it a reunion since most of us (those that live in Stl) see each other all the time anyway, but my aunt and uncle had lived in California for many years.

At the time, the property was 13 acres with a 500 square foot cabin. The cabin was pretty shabby, but the property stetched almost the entire length of a very private cove on the lake so it was very nicely situated. We would all set up tents around the cabin, and use the tiny kitchen to prepare meals. Swimming or boating in the lake all day, and sitting around the campfire at night. We had such a good time in those early years.

Here's a pic of the cabin:

A few years after they purchased the property, my aunt and uncle retired from their jobs in California, sold their home, and moved into the cabin full time while they began work on a larger house. It took them about 2 years to build the house - my uncle did much of the work himself.

Here's a view of the back deck. It faces the lake and is where we spend most of our time:

Our extended family has continued to gather there every year over the 4th. Now that the house is built, there are many more indoor spots to sleep, but depending on how many come down, there might still be a couple tents. We brought our tent this year because we knew by the time we got there on Saturday, all the beds would be taken. There were about 25 of us this year! But there would be 8 people leaving on Monday so we'd move inside then.

We never seem to camp as much as we'd like to, and everytime we go to put up this tent we have to figure it out all over again. Scott was not looking forward to grappling with it:

Don't worry, I got it honey:

We managed to get it all set up and then found that both our old air mattress and the new one we'd bought would not both fit in the somewhat smallish tent. Hmmm. I'm not sure how all four of us slept in it before. So we decided that the girls would sleep on pallets on the floor in Nana & Papa's room in the cabin. Since we didn't need both air mattress (and couldn't fit them side by side anyway, I stacked them to give us a little more comfortable bed in the tent.

We got settled in and then joined the family in the big house for dinner. My aunt Linda had made spaghetti, salad, and garlic bread. We've sort of fallen into a pattern over the last few years of each night having a different family handle dinner. Our night was Tuesday, and I would be making Italian beef. It was nice not to have to worry about cooking until then.

I honestly don't remember what we did that night after dinner - by that time it was probably 8 or 9, but I'm sure it involved sitting out on the deck until pretty late. There may have been some adult beverages consumed.

Click here for Chapter 37. Transportation Fascination