Day 2 Grandview slave week

This morning, I awoke to a beautiful sunny day, and everyone was ready by 7:30 AM. While Shelley prepared bacon and fruit, I cooked cinnamon bread French toast. Afterward, we headed to the beach. We arrived around 9:30 AM and found it surprisingly empty. However, by 11:00 AM, more people had arrived. The children were thrilled about riding the banana boat, but the reservation list was already full from noon to 3:00 PM. Despite this setback, we managed to secure reservations.

Shelley and Leslie rented two kayaks and spent a delightful time on the lake. However, the children found the water too cold and expressed a desire to visit the indoor water park. After enduring Maeve’s persistent requests for about 10 firm refusals, they eventually relented. It’s no surprise that she keeps asking repeatedly, as they often comply with her wishes. This situation was quite frustrating.

As we headed to the waterpark, I took photos and played with Leighton at the playground. Eventually, Jack became interested in the sand toys! It seems he doesn't enjoy the water.

 

At 12:30 PM, everyone went to TANQUE VERDE CANTINA for lunch. I wasn’t hungry, so I packed most of the items into the car and headed back after eating. By 1:30 PM, the younger kids and adults returned to rest. I processed images and took a nap. Shelley and I are exhausted and sore! The older children stayed for the banana boat ride.

  

Hey, everyone got back around 2:15 p.m. as a storm was rolling in! After all that waiting, they didn’t get to ride the banana boat, which was a bummer. Leslie and Allison thought it would be fun to head back to the brewery they visited the day before, since Allison had left her mug behind. The rest of us just relaxed and chilled out.

By 3:45 p.m., the storm, which had initially brought only a bit of rain, had passed, and we thought it would be fun to take the whole family to play pickleball. Most of us had a blast, but the little ones got a bit frustrated and started crying and showing some anger. So, I took a few of the younger kids aside, sat in a chair, and gently tossed them balls to help them get the hang of the swing.

At 5:30 PM, I realized it was late and hadn’t started preparing dinner. I was making bacon-wrapped, breaded chicken nuggets, which take at least an hour to prepare and cook. Consequently, dinner was served at 6:40 PM.

After dinner, the group visited Chocolate Ox to indulge in ice cream or candies. Each child could select one, but not both. This sugar reserve was intended for two Grammy Games.

Okay, so we started with a blindfold challenge! We had to tape an X on a tree without using our hands. I used my face to find the center and nailed it! Then, we built boats, and the judges first examined them; then, we tested them to see whose boat sank first. We continued until 9:15 p.m., and everyone was utterly exhausted. Even the younger dads were done by 10:15 p.m.!

Let’s see what tomorrow brings. This week seems more like busywork than a vacation, but it’s meaningful to have the whole Peterson family together. As I mentioned earlier, that only happens once a year!

Carry on my friends, carry on!