2-Week Staycation

Chase has officially embarked on his last year as a student.  And actually, he won't be doing much "student-like" studying anymore.  His schedule has become more of  a real-life, non-student situation: 8am-5pm, a commute involved, no lunch breaks at home anymore, and no studying for tests!  He just started rotating with an ophthalmology/optometry office 20 miles away and will continue to be there for the next few months.  Last year he worked in the campus' eye institute a couple times a week, which involved an average of 3-5 patients a week.  The reason for the low number is because they are monitored and their work is checked over by a teaching physician, which takes up a lot of time.  So, now that he is helping out at this other particular office, he is seeing upwards to 30 patients per day!  This is satisfying to him.

Before Chase started this new and last year of school, he had two weeks off.  We stayed home and filled our schedule!  We wanted to take advantage of this time, which turned out to be a blast.

We started off spending some time with my uncle and aunt and their family who just recently moved to the state from New York.  They have a set of triplets who were turning 7, so we went to their fun pool party.  It was so great to see them since it had been a few years.  Sailor and Seryn made themselves right at home as they ran among all the big kids.  The picture below is taken of my girls and my little cousins.  This was not the whole attendance, the house was filled with young kids, friends, neighbors, relatives, etc.  My uncle and aunt were great hosts!

Later in the week, Chase and I dropped the kids off and went out to -the very much anticipated- "Star Trek" movie, which by the way, we enjoyed very much.  Previously, I had gotten a Groupon for the "Studio Movie Grill" which is a theater that includes a restaurant atmosphere.  You choose to either sit at an office chair type desk or a regular theater chair with a fold out desk.  Before the movie starts you are given a menu of food and drink and as you watch the show you are able to push a light on your chair that signals a waiter who comes in and takes your order.  These waiters are in and out bringing you stuff as you order.  It was a great experience!  So fun and different.  Chase and I would love to go again.

The next morning we went to a nearby splash pad and "Cabela's."  This is something we've done a few times in the past, because the kids love to get wet and look at all the many taxidermy.  Seryn found every stuffed animal in the store and had to give them all cuddles.....my sweet, sweet Ser.  At the splash pad, Chase took lots of video of us feeding some begging birds.  They would walk around our feet without hesitation.  I tried to get low and feed them from my palm, which spooked me out more then them because they'd quickly swoop down as food was released.  They never walked into my hands- "like Belle" Sailor would comment- but that's ok, I secretly hoped they wouldn't.

Next on the agenda was the PHX Zoo.  After driving to the library on 3 separate occasions, I finally was able to get the two zoo passes that we needed to get in without cost.  This was also a lot of fun and Chase had lots of the fun with the camera so I didn't get many photos there or much of our break really.  When we saw the first few animals Sailor said, "Mom, these are real!"  I am sure coming right after our trip from looking at taxidermy she was very impressed that they actually moved!

Being on the brink of summer, it was already hot at 9am but we did enjoy the few hours there with our bottled waters in hand.  The kids loved the petting zoo and play area best!

Once we got home I started cleaning out the house and prepared our floors to be cleaned!  This is one of my favorite things....newly cleaned carpets.  We rented a cleaner and went to work!

Tuesday was a temple trip for our little family.  The girls went to my cousins' house which is conveniently down the street from the temple.  They love going there and playing with my cousin's girls.  Chase and I were able to go in the temple and actually do work together. It was refreshing.  We went back and had an enjoyable visit with Jessica (my cousin)--I adore her and wish we saw them more often!

The next morning we spent a few hours out at the pool with friends-  this is always cheap, easy fun!  But once nap time rolled around the girls were pooped and Chase and I wanted to watch something on netflix.  At the time, some friends had recently brought up "Revenge" so we thought we'd try one episode.  Well, good and bad idea!  Netflix is evil this way: allowing us the opportunity to watch EVERY episode of a whole season........we've gotten into this trap before with "Prison Break,"  so when we both wanted to watch another episode we knew we were in for it.  Long story short we finished the first season and then the second in LESS than a week.....it was totally worth it.

Since we had gotten through a few 43 min episodes, we needed to get out of the house again, so we took the girls to "Dillion's," the same place we went to for our anniversary.  The kids loved it! 

....and then there's Sailor...and her sword she had to bring along....

Since moving here we have wanted to try out the "Wet N' Wild" just a few miles down from us, so we knew this had to be put on the agenda for this break.  We enjoyed it, but decided it would be EXTRA fun without the little ones.  The park has splash pads and a few little slides for Sailor's height, but other than that my kids didn't love it as mush as I thought.  They didn't even like the wave pool which I thought they'd have a party in.   We ended up buying season passes though because we knew we'd go a handful more times, especially for a couple date nights.


We swam a few more times- morning and night, tried  "Rita's Custard" out, and then the last day came around.  The Saturday before Chase had to start up his rotation, we let Sailor pick what she wanted to do with the family.  Of all things she said 'the mall.'   The girls love the mall because there's a playplace, a "Ring-Around-the-Rosy" carousel, the Disney Store, and a Puppy Store right within the same vicinity.  This is my girls' heaven!! We visited each of those locations, grabbed lunch at Chick-Fil-A where the girls enjoyed some good chicken and a balloon.  And to top it all off the girls got to share an ice cream cone. Did you know, you can trade your kid's meal toy for either a book, a different toy, or an ice cream cone at Chick-Fil-A? It's true, we didn't know until that trip.  We very rarely go out to eat together as a family so this was extra special.  We all enjoyed ourselves!  And then, to top it ALL the way off, Chase had a coupon for Jamba Juice, so we stopped by on the way home and enjoyed a little of that!  Nap time came, the girls were pooped, and Chase and I indulged in another episode....and another....and probably another. OK, THAT topped the day off great! :)  No, take that back....the pool that evening TRUMPS it all!  Complete Relaxation!  Now, reality hits and it's back to the grind!