Summer Vacation 2009

I really missed Hilton Head this year. The beach was awesome and quite relaxing. The kids used their boogie boards and mom and I just sat back and soaked up the clean air and the serenity while the kids were in the water. I did not have serenity this vacation. Great Wolf was non stop and now that Kennedy is out of the womb she is such a busy body it was really hard to keep up with her. Great Wolf has a spa but after you spend all that money on the themed room (which includes waterpark access) you are not trying to go get a $125 massage. They added a few new activities at the lodge that were awesome. Older kids can experience the game room which looks like a huge multimedia room equipped with computers, hugs flat screens and all the video gaming equipment you could think of. Needless to say, this is where Rashid spent the majority of the trip. The game room was not included in our stay but the price was relatively cheap for the all-access wristband. ($10)

Great Wolf is always a favorite for us because the rooms are great and it gives us a local “getaway” when we can’t hop on a plane. The kids spend just about all day in the water park and you know the water gets them good and tired. This year we actually ventured out to go see fireworks and eat outside of the restaurant. They offer a buffet but the only people that really enjoy the buffet are Rashid & Mr. Sowell. Mom and I eat once and M’khai and Kayden could share a plate. So it makes sense for us to eat at a restaurant where we can share plates. Here are some Great Wolf pics for you to get an idea of what the water park looks like. Please take note of my baby looking divaish in her bathing suit. She was a riot when she got in that water. I was too tired so Mom took her in for her to play in the wave pool.

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So after this leg of the trip we headed home to prepare for our drive to Charleston, South Carolina. I had it all planned out from since last year. We would go to Hilton Head for our annual 4th of July trip and shoot over to Charleston for the family reunion. I was so excited about Charleston being the host city this year because it would make that 11 hour drive to Hilton Head worthwhile. As you can see plans changed. Apparently there are not enough vices in Hilton Head to keep mom and Mr. Sowell entertained so Hilton Head was nixed and if I want to go it looks like I need to plan for next year.

So we picked up the RV for SC and the kids were really excited about the road-trip. I myself was grateful it had a generator and more space than the truck. When Mr. Sowell picked it up, Uncle Khalil and I went to check it out. M’khai joined us. He was giving himself a tour of the RV and over the dribbles of the basketball he had, the adults were discussing the logistics for the trip.  Here is where the foolishness starts. I don’t know if it is an age thing but do all little kids have to use the bathroom whenever they see one? I swear, just as soon as Mr. Sowell was telling us that we would stop along the way for bathroom runs due to the inflated charges related to dumping waste,  we heard the faint sound of the dribble coming to a halt. I looked over and the ball was losing momentum right outside of the RV bathroom door.  I called for M’khai hoping not to get an answer. Wishing that he forgot something outside and ran to get it. Negative. When he replied, I felt the frustration in the pit of my tummy.

M’khai: “Yes Auntie?”

Me: “What the france are you doing?”

M’khai: “Using the bachroom” ( I misspelled for emphasis)

Me: (yelling) “M’khai we have a bathroom inside!! Why are you using this one?”

M’khai: “I know but the one inside was too far, this one was right here and I had to go realllly bad”

And that pretty much set the tone for the trip. Mr. Sowell hit the nail right on the head. M’khai is like a puppy; he has to mark his territory wherever he goes. The ride altogether was fun. The RV is not designed to be slept in while it is moving. I discovered this after my whole left side was swollen from bouncing up and down in the rear bedroom. They describe it as a mattress and upon inspection it probably looks like one but it is a box. A box that really hurt when you are propelled into the air and gravity takes over. Kennedy slept like an angel by the way.  Other than that, it was an all around good time. It is definitely something I would do again.

I missed my immediate in-laws at this family reunion but Brandon more than made up for it. We found the wickedest wing spot Buffalo Wild Wings and they make a ridiculously, smack-your-mother good, mango lemonade. On the last night of the reunion we all went to get wings and due to a few of us being tired, the jokes were endless. We even got kicked out of the hotel lobby because I was cackling. What fun! Here are a few pics from the reunion for your perusal.

Oh, Kennedy got her ear pierced on this trip and I swear if she was not so darn cute, I would not be taking all these pics of her. Big-ups to Monique for showing M’khai how to FINALLY tie his shoe laces. If I had a little bit more patience….

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