Family Vacation 2015: Getting to the Magic House

We are back from our trip and had so much fun I think I'll share the highlights in a few different blogs. First up, our eventful trip to St. Louis and Magic House fun.

The trip did not start off on a good foot. We got into the car only to realize that we did not have a splitter so both DVD players could be plugged in, a must have when you have to boys. So we started off with a trip to Wal-Mart. While Zach did the shopping the boys and I headed back home to pick up things we had forgotten at the house. On a normal day these set backs would be annoying, but not a big deal. On this day we were on a tight schedule, we had plans to make it to St. Louis before the Magic House closed at 5:30pm and our start put us a solid forty minutes behind.

The trip went downhill from there. In an attempt to make up time we decided to eat lunch in the car. We drove through Braums for burgers and shakes. Shakes, being a huge mistake. Rowan got his shake everywhere while Zane downed his in no time. Moments later I heard the worst sound possible on a road trip, the sounds of Zane throwing up everything he had eaten and ALL of the chocolate shake. Zane's body's response to anything is to throw up, so I knew he wasn't sick, just too much food, followed by way too much shake.

Luckily the nearest gas station had a hose hocked up outside, something I don't think I've ever seen and I'm pretty sure my guardian angel hooked up for us while we were on the way there. We took out the entire car seat, hosed it, Zane, and Mooly down in the parking lot. The entire time we were cleaning the car and Zane off Rowan was screaming bloody murder because he was still in the car, missing the vomit clean up fun!!! Once we were all clean I went inside to get water and towels only to find out this particular gas station only took cash. No time for another stop, so we powered on, hot and dehydrated. We were definitely behind schedule, but still determined to have Magic House Fun before we slept. We pulled into Kirkwood at 3:30pm, with two solid hours left before the Magic House closed! Success!

We hadn't been back to the Magic House since we left, which means the last time Zane was there he was probably three and a half and Rowan couldn't even walk. Zane and I use to go to the Magic House, just him and I, a lot before Rowan was born. Once I had Rowan the logistics of not loosing a three year old, while carrying a baby became much more difficult and we didn't go very many more time. So most of my memories there are of little toddler Zane and I on quite afternoons or when someone had come to visit.

This trip I came with a toddler, exploring all the two year old things, but I also came with a big kid. Zane remembered where things were and knew all the things he wanted to do. He towered over the car, which he use to stand on his tip toes to try to fix. He could fish by himself and wondered around without getting lost, as I stood in awe at how much he has grown since we were last there. It still feels like home, so it's hard to believe how long we have been gone.

 We saw all our favorite, sans the babies, who five year old Zane declared "for girls," much to mommy's dismay. Zane noticed everything that had changed and I noticed all the things he could do now that he couldn't before. He went down all the big slides, pulled a bubble up around him in the bubble room, made his hair stand on end upstairs, and the biggest things of all he climbed up and down the bean stalk numerous times. The bean stalk was always off limits before because I didn't want to have to go in after my lost three year old, Zane conquered it with ease and was oh so proud of himself. There was a new exhibit about China, complete with a Panda Hospital, straight from my childhood. The boys dug in the rocks and ended our day outside in the big play house with the garden. We had a wonderful time and I'm so glad we went through all the craziness to make it there.

 

 

 

  

  

 

Then we headed to the hotel to get ready for dinner with friends. It was great to catch up with some of my oldest friends from St. Louis at Deweys. Then we headed back to the hotel for a late night swim. Zane met a little boy who was five years old and had a stripe just like him. It was the first time he had seen another kid with a stripe and he thought it was pretty cool stuff.

Nothing more fun than a good hotel selfie!!

 

Jangle came along on our trip and was Zane's bed mate at the hotel.