Getting Away

I'm not quite sure how we got to the 12th of August before I realized, but wow it's been over a month since the last post!  Typical for this time of year, things at our house have been busy with the pool and a trip to the beach.  All in all I was there for about 2 weeks with the kids.  Here are some highlights!

We are big fans of south Jersey and the beaches there.  In addition to days on the beach we made it to mini-golf, the zoo, out for ice cream and the boardwalk to ride some rides.
The best part of any vacation is coming back home feeling refreshed and, for us, refocused.  We're recharged and ready to rock and roll on the kitchen.  Look for updates soon!

Summer's End

What is it about the end of summer that makes me feel a little sentimental?  I think I've always felt this way about the end of summers, even going back to childhood.  I guess it's a bit of sadness at getting back to such  rigid structure that comes with the school year.  I say sadness, but I really am looking forward to the year, too.  Sarah is starting Kindergarten, Chris is starting a toddler preschool program.  Big adventures for both.

Overall, we had a great summer.  We did a ton and were still able to relax and enjoy as well.

Here's a few highlights of our summer:

June (ok, maybe that first one is may :)

July - we went to the shore

August - lots of work on Sarah's room - plus as much fun as we could pack in.  But apparently I took no photos.  Well, I did, but nothing awesome enough to share.  Mostly stuff inside the house.  I resolve to take more photos this fall of fun stuff like pumpkins, church fairs, Halloween costumes, birthdays, and turkey dinners.

Rental House Vacation Tips for Parents of Toddlers

When you are the parent of a small child, whether that child is a peaceful cooperative angel or whether that child is some sort of mischievous imp, your kid won't be any less destructive in someone else's house than they are in your house.

 1. Lockdown the bedroom. Pick a bedroom for the toddler carefully. We chose the smallest bedroom with one window. That means that worst case scenario, only one roman shade to pay for. I also took out the tv, both lamps, alarm clock, framed art over the bed, and turned the dresser so he couldn't open the drawers. It might also be a good choice to remove the dresser altogether as my kid tried his darndest to completely destroy it. Luckily I'm pretty sure it's not an antique handed down from French royalty or something.

 2. Bring toys, small quiet ones, new ones are best.  You leave your house and drive to your vacation spot and after you've unloaded the car and you're hot and sweaty and ready for your first umbrella drink on the deck, your kids are staring at you saying, "I'm bored".   Yeah, been there, done that.  Solution: "Hey, go check out this cool new thing!"  If you present your toddler (and/or older kids) with something they haven't seen before, you'll probably get enough time to suck down half of a cool beverage before they get tired again. Kids need stuff to do and although you may be happy to watch birds or boats go by, this just won't cut it for them.  Legos, rubber figurines, trucks, barbies, whatever floats your kids' boat, bring it.  But don't bring anything big or you'll be annoyed that you have to do just as much cleanup on vacation as you did at home.

3.  Don't forget that your kid has to eat!  I know your rental said that the house was fully stocked, but face it, the realtor and homeowner may not realize that your mind includes sippy cups and plastic plates.  It's no big deal to throw a few plates, bowls, cups and tiny silverware into a bag and bring it along.  I went to Ikea and picked up a fresh stock of this stuff on the supercheap.  I also grabbed a pack of Solo cups/tops/straws at Target for on-the-go beverages.  Not a green solution, but very convenient.

4.  Have food rules.  Now I have fond memories of my kinda-grandmom having firm rules about food in the tv room at their vacation house.  And when I was 12, I thought it was superstrict, but not having to vacuum goldfish out of the carpet and couches everyday is really nice.  I may need to institute this rule at home because it really was nice not having cups and bowls all over the house.

5.  If it's broken, then fix it.  Properly!  Face it, your kid might break something.  It happens, a lot.  If it happens on vacation, then you should consider whether you can fix it.  Last year Chris ripped the upper rack of the fancy dishwasher and broke some plastic part.  I ordered a new part and installed it myself for $36 (probably a lot cheaper than a local repair guy or reporting it to the realtor).  This year Chris tried to destroy a dresser and I attempted to do a repair and it turned out bad.  If you will be doing a repair, do some research on the internet or visit the hardware store to make sure you're using the right kind of glue, screws, etc.  And that you have the proper tools.  If something is broken and you aren't able to properly repair it, then be sure to tell the realtor.  This is what security deposits are for.

6.  Try to relax.  Vacation is supposed to be a fun and happy time for everyone, but it's easy for things to get stressful for parents.  If your kid seems to be living on donuts for breakfast and ketchup for dinner, just try to remember that this is but a week in their lives and that you can get back to normal when you're home.  And remember, next year your toddler won't be a toddler anymore.

Oh and as a safety reminder - bring along some childproofing equipment (gates, cabinet locks, outlet covers, etc).  When cleaning our place, my dad found that Chris had done this to a bunch of outlets behind the dining table:

Swingset time!

We didn't do much today, but saw this arcing over the back yard when we came back from our after dinner walk.

It was as if the rainbow was pointing down at what we should do next.  Yep, swingset time!

A little Superman action

Twist time

And slide action

Who has time for projects when there are swings that need swinging and slides that need sliding.

Summer Fun: Devon Horse Show

What better way to kick off a fun summer than to head over to the Devon Horse Show and Country Fair!  A tradition round these parts, the DHS has been going strong since 1896.  Over the years it has evolved into a world class equestrian event lasting over a week, plus shops, rides, and carnival games.

I remember coming as a kid and walking around the fair and standing at the railing at the big oval to watch the jumping classes.  I remember it being one of the first places I had a bit of independence - my parents would sit in the grandstands and send me and my cousin off with $10 and instructions to come back in an hour (I figure we were around 10 at the time).  It's a weird mix of super preppy horse people and weird no-teeth carnies.  And the air smells like funnel cake.

After stopping to pick up my mom, we headed over and since it wasn't crowded, we went with General Admission.  For evenings or crowded days, the grandstand seats are nice for watching the action in the big ring.  When it's not crowded it's easy to grab a seat at a bench for some spectating.  After sitting and watching some jumping for a bit we walked around.  We eyed the shops - clothes, hats, shoes, jewelry, gifts and decor.  Everything beautiful (and overpriced).  I generally don't buy, but I always like to look.

Then we went around and played some games and did some rides!  First ride was the carousel.  Chris' first time.  He loved it and kept saying "Whooooooaaaaaah!" as he went up and down.

Sarah's an old pro though and looked natural on her horse.  Maybe lessons in her future?

Soon after that the weather took a turn and we headed up toward the food for some lunch.  We ate in the "Garden Cafe" - a little pricier but the only place to eat under cover.  Mom knows how to smile perfectly in photos.  I wish I had inherited that talent.

The rain moved out quickly and we headed back to the rides.

I agreed to go on the Ferris wheel.  Oh lordy, I am not cut out for this.  Sarah was cool as a cucumber and I was clinging to the pole in the middle of our little bucket (basket? whatever).  Oh and then when it stopped and started to let people on and off it was rocking and I was TERRIFIED.  Sarah just laughed at me, apparently you're not allowed to be scared of anything if you're a grown up.

The view from the top was great though.  Here in this pic you can see the area where all the riders are trotting around awaiting their turn in the big oval.

A little more walking around and a few more games and then Chris started in with huge yawns and it was time to go.

Of course, you can't leave without stopping by the booth for some sweets and the famous Devon Horse Show fudge!!!

YUM :)