Sometimes you need to vacate the situation

The doctor has had a few long weeks and rough shifts recently. It's a hazard of the job-- long hours and difficult cases.
The kids had a long weekend that coincided with three days off for him- so we hit the road!
It was a surprise mini-vacation to the exotic destination of Phoenix. A land of cacti and palm trees and weather 20 degrees warmer than where we live.
 We got a hotel room complete with transformer bed/couch. Pencil was positively giddy. He said about 100 times as he got ready for bed, "This is my life!"

  We drove down Thursday night, and slept our long drive off with a luxurious sleep-in (6:15 am) My kids are morning people to a fault--- and they get it from me. It's tragic.
 We spent Friday doing some of the things we love. First- spending money at Target. (Like you didn't see that coming) and second, exploring all things science-y at the Arizona Science Center.
It was SO fun.

 Water games

 Learning about the body- There was a very realistic model of the stomach you could climb through-- sound effects included.

Balance

 blending two faces into one

wheelchair races

 trying out a bed of nails

 interactive video play

bending light to make funny faces

We ate at Red Robin for lunch and then Paradise Bakery for dinner. (You have to hit the places that don't exist where we live!) and then we headed back to our hotel to play board games and drink Root Beer like the awesome family that we are.

Saturday was a day for "Castles and Coasters" the amusement park. My kids were beside themselves with all the amazing things to do. Even Feta was busy taking it all in. (she even napped for a bit of our time there... isn't she a gem?!)

 Mini golf

 Bumper boats (Pencil's favorite)

race cars (ours ran out of gas half-way through)

 The Desert Storm!! Loop-de-loop awesomeness. Pencil did NOT like it.

 Personal Ferris Wheel

Merry-Go-Round

The mouse flyer (drop ride) Sock's favorite

Also, NOT Pencil's favorite

After hours of fun we loaded up and drove the long hours home. We ate at Famous Dave's on our way out of town. Feta was not a fan of the time in her car-seat, but in all, this trip was totally worth it. It was a delight of a time, and the monkeys are already asking about when we'll go back. 

I am so thankful for a husband who makes fun things like this happen. I'm so grateful for his job that makes fun things like this possible. I'm so glad we enjoy spending time together and we want to do it again. It's the memories like these that I hope we remember forever.