Winter get-away 2018:

Every mid-winter we try to do a small family get away together, and the Edge water park in Duluth has always fit the bill for us so far.  The kids LOVE it.  They dream about it and plan for it and talk about it for months ahead of time.  I have wondered over the past two years when we might be close to outgrowing the place, but so far we show no signs of getting there yet!  Which, to be frank, I'm very grateful for:  it's cheap and close!  Thank you Jesus.  :)

So, this overnight with 2 days at a water park for 5 people cost us $95.  Guys.  Vacations do not have to be insane, extreme, or killer to your budget.  Mostly it just takes planning ahead to do a moderate, normal-person vacation...and if you are extremely wealthy and this doesn't apply to you, God speed and pass the blessing on down! ;) Sharing is caring!

We had a great time again this year, despite me being pretty tired from the drama of the day before.  The kids hit the pool HARD this time, Cora especially.  Mercy.  I'm not kidding.  I was exhausted from swimming with her on the first day, and on the second day from simply walking around the exterior of the pool and play things as she zoomed from one thing to the next.  She is FEARLESS in water.

Layla and Finn expanded their repertoire of things they enjoy this year as well.  Layla is your classic swimmer:  she loves swimming lessons and learning strokes and going back and forth in the lane.  Finn is your beach bum:  He just wants to float around and not have people splash him too much please.  Both of them branched out of this, and both of them made friends while swimming, so this was extra fun for them this year.

The view from our room down to one of the main pools.  The round part on the very left?  That's a whirlpool that pushes you around in a circle over and over unless you fight the current and exit.  This is where Finn LIVES when we are there.  He adores it.  If he could be alone in it, at peace with his thoughts, I think he might die of happiness.  

Looking down at the excitement before we started out day #2.
(Day #1 I was IN the pool the whole time so no pictures.  Day #2 I tried to take pictures first.)

The room had 2 queen beds and bunk beds.  Layla and Finn swear they have never slept better than in these bunk beds...haha.  This may be true, considering how hard they CRASHED after hours of intense swimming day #1.

Layla earned a prize of Lego Girls and saved it to bring and build ON the trip.
She was sure it would be made that much better by this activity.  

I hate selfies, but for two reasons I have taken this photo:

1) to document baby #4 being present also on this vacation.

2) to give a massive shout out to this swimming suit, which is NOT a maternity suit.  It has been through at least 3 or 4 of these vacations and 2 pregnancies, and has been abused beyond recognition, and it's still hanging on for me!  There is basically no way I could have fit into it even a few weeks later, at least that's my guess, so we're lucky we took the vacation when we did.  

*side note:  I can't believe this is me at only 30 weeks.  I am going to get bigger for NINE MORE WEEKS.  That belly, guys.  When I was in the hospital on Valentine's Day they said the baby was looking great, and much more like "a baby at 32 or 33 weeks would look."  Sigh.  Know what that means?  He's BIG.  And they already told me he has a big head.  Fiiiiiiine.  Bring on crazy big baby labor #4.  I'll see your big head and raise you my nerves of steel and drugs, thank you very much.

Finn doing his thing in the whirl pool.

Layla crossing the bridge.  She is almost too tall to do this easily anymore!  I can still remember her, the first year we were there, trying to barely reach the ropes with help from Jonas.  Sniff.  My tall, lanky girl is growing up!

Finn and his friend.  Not totally sure if this kid knew he was Finn's friend... :)

No one loves to float and look up while in a pool more than Finn.  For realzies. 

THIS one.  Running ALL OVER THE PLACE.  Doing ALL THE STUFF.  LIVING LIFE, man!!!

Anywhere there was a spout of water to be under, there you would find Cora.
For a girl who doesn't prefer showers at home, she sure took 10,000 showers while at the water park...

Hot tub.  Finn's favorite place #2.  I'm telling you, he's a total floater/soaker beach bum.  :) . Just give him a sandy beach, a nice ocean view, and a pool to relax in later and he'll be fine.  Cora will be out surfing with sharks the entire time.    Finn gets RIGHT into the hot tub, no acclimating needed.  Cora takes a while to slooooowly get used to the water.  Layla may or may not ever make it because it's almost always too hot for her.  I'm in between Cora and Layla...hot tubs drive me nuts after about 2 minutes.  

Layla standing next to her friend, waiting for the huge bucket of water to dump on them.

I just...
I mean...
This is the ACTUAL face I get when I say "Finn, give me a nice smile."
Phase????

Twenty seven million times.  

The water slides, that only Cora is not afraid of. 

 After we check out we go to my hell on earth, an arcade in the bottom of the building.  The kids love the lights and sounds and buttons you can PRESS VERY HARD.  Layla and Finn each got to play 2 real games.  Cora thought she was playing real games the whole time, so we saved d$2 on her.  :)

Our tradition is to check out and then go across the parking lot for lunch at Perkins before we head home.  Because we like to keep it cheap the ENTIRE time.  Haha.  It works, though.

Finn immediately set to work drawing a chemical reaction in beakers in his drawing book...

The ever-present tongue of concentration. 

Layla gets to order a treat when we go out to eat here...the other kids don't really care, but SHE does, and she remembers.  This time it was a cinnamon roll.  I'm pretty sure she gave herself a stomach ache from the sugar rush that came with it, but there is no way she would turn that one down.  She has Mama's sweet tooth for sure.  

I've got some cute video clips, but it's late and sleep is the most important thing in the world, so I'll post those later/edit this post later.  

Also, the ONE thing I forgot when packing for this trip?  My real camera.  Let's just take a moment of silence here and now for the massive drop in taking actual photos worth looking at that has happened in Lisa's life since she got a smart phone.  Sad day, guys.  Hopefully baby #4 will bring me back to my senses a bit.