We had a GREAT day yesterday... although truth be told, it didn't start out that way!
Rick took the day off-- which is always a treat... and we drove up to Port Clinton and Lake Erie. But I'm getting ahead my self.
Our plan was to leave the house by 8:30 or 9am.
For those of you who have kids who don't get up at the crack of dawn, I realize that to be out of the house by 8:30 in the morning- especially during the summer- seems ridiculously early. But my kids are usually up by 6:30... Joe sometimes earlier.. so 8:30 is not an unreasonable departure time.
Well, Vladik picked yesterday to sleep in even later than his usual 8:00.
When he STILL wasn't up by 9:30, I went and woke him up.
Normally I would have let him sleep; but I'd been hearing... every 3 minutes... since the rest of us ate breakfast that morning... "is it time to go yet?"... "when are we leaving?"
So we finally left by about 10.
We got 15 miles up the road, and the tire pressure monitor in the car started going off. ARRRGH!
So Rick got out and looked at the tires-- nothing was OBVIOUSLY wrong, but you never know.
So, we turned around and drove home. Turns out 3 of the 4 tires were 15# low. So... an hour after starting out the 1st time, we were on our way again.
We ate lunch at McDonalds... which according to Vladik and my kids... is ALWAYS appropriate, and we headed over to the African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton.
I got a great deal on tickets through Groupon, so rather than paying $84 to get us all in, it was $25 for the 5 of us. The entry fee included a little pony ride and a camel ride for each kid, plus a large cup of food for the animals.
Driving through the park and feeding the animals as they stuck their heads in the car is quite possibly Vladik's favorite moment from his whole time here with us. He was SO animated!
He, Joe and Kyle laughed so hard, I really thought they were going to make themselves sick! I tried to get pictures of Vladik feeding the animals, but the angle
was too awkward.
He was all grins on the pony camel rides as well. He liked the idea that he was maybe the only host kid from Ukraine who got to ride a camel on his trip to America.
After our adventure at the African Safari, we went in search of a public beach. We found one just up the road and the boys spent a couple of hours swimming and splashing in the water.
Rick took the day off-- which is always a treat... and we drove up to Port Clinton and Lake Erie. But I'm getting ahead my self.
Our plan was to leave the house by 8:30 or 9am.
For those of you who have kids who don't get up at the crack of dawn, I realize that to be out of the house by 8:30 in the morning- especially during the summer- seems ridiculously early. But my kids are usually up by 6:30... Joe sometimes earlier.. so 8:30 is not an unreasonable departure time.
Well, Vladik picked yesterday to sleep in even later than his usual 8:00.
When he STILL wasn't up by 9:30, I went and woke him up.
Normally I would have let him sleep; but I'd been hearing... every 3 minutes... since the rest of us ate breakfast that morning... "is it time to go yet?"... "when are we leaving?"
So we finally left by about 10.
We got 15 miles up the road, and the tire pressure monitor in the car started going off. ARRRGH!
So Rick got out and looked at the tires-- nothing was OBVIOUSLY wrong, but you never know.
So, we turned around and drove home. Turns out 3 of the 4 tires were 15# low. So... an hour after starting out the 1st time, we were on our way again.
We ate lunch at McDonalds... which according to Vladik and my kids... is ALWAYS appropriate, and we headed over to the African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton. I got a great deal on tickets through Groupon, so rather than paying $84 to get us all in, it was $25 for the 5 of us. The entry fee included a little pony ride and a camel ride for each kid, plus a large cup of food for the animals.
Driving through the park and feeding the animals as they stuck their heads in the car is quite possibly Vladik's favorite moment from his whole time here with us. He was SO animated!
He, Joe and Kyle laughed so hard, I really thought they were going to make themselves sick! I tried to get pictures of Vladik feeding the animals, but the anglewas too awkward.
He was all grins on the pony camel rides as well. He liked the idea that he was maybe the only host kid from Ukraine who got to ride a camel on his trip to America.
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| Say "hello" to my little friend :-) |
I'm embarrassed to say that after living in Ohio for 12 years, it was my first actual trip to a Lake Erie beach. I wasn't quite as impressed as the kids were, but I supposed that has to do with the fact that many of my "growing-up years" were spent in Southern California where we frequented the "real" beach.
Regardless, they had a great time... despite the dead fish and the water snakes.
We cleaned up and headed over to Sandusky for supper, but on the way we stopped at Marblehead to see the lighthouse. It was starting to get cloudy and the waves were starting to pick up... the boys enjoyed sitting on the rocks watching people fish.
Joe and Vladik both feel asleep on the way home, and even though I KNOW he was tired, we stayed up and worked on his English after the boys went to bed.
Vladik's personality just exploded yesterday. I don't know if it was because Rick was with us, or if it was just timing; but it was a joy to see!
Regardless, they had a great time... despite the dead fish and the water snakes.
We cleaned up and headed over to Sandusky for supper, but on the way we stopped at Marblehead to see the lighthouse. It was starting to get cloudy and the waves were starting to pick up... the boys enjoyed sitting on the rocks watching people fish.
Vladik's personality just exploded yesterday. I don't know if it was because Rick was with us, or if it was just timing; but it was a joy to see!
Aw, those were some of my favorite things as a kid... trips to Sandusky, Marblehead, and the lake. I still laugh about the grossness of the beaches!
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