Brent picked up the rent car Sunday morning and we were on the road that afternoon headed to New Braunfels. We stopped at McDonald's first to get Preston his first official road trip Happy Meal and boy did he LOVE it. He wolfed it down like a champ, it was soo cute. I was worried that Preston would get cranky having to stay in his car seat for a long period of time but to our surprise he did fabulous. He played for a good while after his Happy Meal then he took a short 45 minute nap. He returned to playing and jamming out to Daddy's loud radio music.
Preston's first road trip Happy Meal experience
Preston requesting more by signing it to us
Having his first chicken nugget from McD's
His tiny fry holder was soo cute. I didn't even know they made them that small
Eating like his Daddy
A little play time
A little down time
And back to play time
This was Preston in his car seat last year
Quick pic of us
We finally arrived to our hotel in New Braunfels and met up with mom, dad, bub, Michelle, Jerod, Vicki and Dave. Preston knew he was in a new place and took full advantage. He had so much fun running back and forth between all of our rooms and riding on the luggage cart up and down the hallway. But probably the best experience was watching Preston get soo excited and I mean very excited when the elevator doors would open and close. Not sure why he thought that was so amazing but he sure did and a huge smile would come on his face and he would jump in your arms everytime the "Magic" doors would open.
Having fun running back and forth between our rooms
Taking a quick iPad break with Mal
Luggage cart ride time
PawPaw isn't shy about showing his manly self
We all decided it was time for dinner so we searched online and saw they had a good bar-b-que place right down the road. They sell the meat by the pound and serve it up right on top of a fancy red plastic cafeteria tray. We all hoped they keep their trays very clean because we didn't have much choice about the meat being served straight on the tray or not because that is how they do it there apparently. Nevertheless, it was really good bar-b-que and we got to enjoy a nice father's day dinner.
After dinner we drove down to Schlitterbahn to make sure we knew where to go before the next morning so we didn't have to worry about trying to figure out where to park and all. It brought back soo many childhood memories to see the original entry way again. It was almost surreal because it had been such a long time since I had been there but that place held some of my most fond memories. I was so excited for the next day to arrive so I could share in creating new memories with my family and with Jerod!
Finally, the special day had arrived and off to Schlitterbahn we went to have a fantastic 2 days there. Brent and Dave made our experience even that much more special by renting out cabana's both days. The first day, our cabana was a really nice, exclusive tree house style cabana and it was the perfect spot for mom and dad to watch Preston in. Preston ran all around in it and kept himself occupied rolling plastic bottles around, walking up and down the ledge and venturing out to the sand area near by. The first ride we rode was The Falls ride and Jerod loved it. It was a long ride so we got to enjoy it for a while. Michelle ended up getting flipped out and lost her sunglasses and Brent flipped out as well and need a lifeguard to pull him out of 3 feet worth of water...geeez. After that ride, we waited in line to ride the water coaster ride and it was fun but not worth standing in line for it. After that Bub took Jerod to the original park while Brent, Vicki, Dave and I stayed at the new park and rode a few more things. We had lunch in the cabana and then met up with Bub and Jerod at the original park and road everything but 2 rides. Again, so many wonderful memories came back but the one I loved the most was riding the soda straws with my dad and landing in that chilli river water and reliving our tradition we started years and years ago. We returned to the cabana and I spent some quality time with Preston taking him for a joy ride in the lazy river. He absolutely loved it and loved riding in the tube with a bottom in it.
Group picture inside our tree house Cabana
Preston is excited!!
Dad's red velvet funnel cake. He didn't think it was sweet enough but I LOVED it!!
Preston experiencing his first sugar cookie. The good kind from Walmart
Vicki & Dave
Preston entertaining himself inside the Cabana
Bub & Michelle watching the people float by from our Cabana
Preston walking in sand for the first time
Preston loved chasing his plastic coke bottles around
Preston trying to wear my sunglasses
Watching Uncle Nate try his hand at the boogie bahn
What an AMAZING first day!!
For dinner that night, everyone seemed in the mood for Mexican so we went to Mama Sita's and it was really good. Dad got the flaming quesco and Preston and I shared the tamales. We all enjoyed sharing memories from our first day at Schlitterbahn and talked about which rides we liked the most. We were all very tired but ready to go again the next morning.
The next morning we tried renting the tree house cabana but they were already sold out so we got the next best thing and got a tiki hut style cabana next to the lazy river. On our second day, I spent most of my time with Preston because I had already rode pretty much everything the day before. Preston had a blast playing in the kiddy area but most of all he loved going down the waterslides over and over again. He eventually got to where he could climb up the stairs almost by himself but he still needed me to ride the slide down as he was still a little too small to go on his own. He found steering wheels to play with, crawled through water tunnels and kicked the water with his feet as he made his way from one play area to the next. Later that afternoon, me, dad, mom and Jerod took mom to the original park and went down memory lane with her. She didn't get to go the day before so we made sure to take her before the day ended. Dad and I went down the soda straws together again and we found a few smaller play areas for Preston to play in. He even went down a little waterslide all by himself. By the time 5pm rolled around, we were all pretty tired and ready to head back to the hotel to get ready for our dinner at the famous Gristmill Restaurant. Eating at the Gristmill was another fond memory that I was so excited to relive and experience for the first time with Preston. We all ordered something different and tried a little bit of what everyone got. After dinner we visited the General Store and the boys had a good time pretending to smoke cigarettes (the candy ones) and reliving toys from our childhood like the rubber-band gun and the whoppie cushion. I was sad that the first part of our vacation was coming to an end but I was thrilled that it went extremely well and we all had the time of our lives together.
In front of our Tiki Hut Cabana
Playing in the kiddy area with mommy and Mal
Lovin life
It was like a whole new world to him
Going up the stairs to go down the slide
Here we go...!!!
Who covers up with towels when its 98 degrees outside. my dad, that's who
Nap time
Nap time for PawPaw too
On the tram to go to the original park with mom
Let the memories begin
Going down the slide all by himself
Time for dinner
Poor guy was a little hot
Having fun at the General Store
Fake smoking. Teaching bad habits here
This is just sad now
The next morning we said goodbye to mom, dad, bub, Michelle, Vicki & Dave and jumped in the car to make our way to Port Aransas. I was so excited that Jerod was coming with us because I just knew he was going to have a great time at the beach. We did have a little hicup on our way to the Corpus Christie airport to drop off the rent car. 10 miles from the airport, we blew the left-rear tire and were stranded in the middle of the highway. I was a nevous wreck because we were stopped in the center median next to the concrete wall and everytime a car flew past us in the fast lane, it would rock our car. Luckily John was already on his way to the airport to pick us up so he drove the extra 10 miles to picked me, Jerod and Preston up and take us to a save spot off the highway while Brent changed the flat tire. Finally, Brent got it changed and we slowly drove the 10 miles to the airport to drop off the car. Not exactly how I wanted to start our beach portion of the trip but what can you do.
We finally made it and quickly unpacked our things, got in our bathing suits, ate a homemade snow-cone and met everyone at the beach. Shelton was in charge of dinner that night and he cooked up some yummy brocs and hotdogs on the beach served with a side of chips and soda. Jerod had a good time orchestrating his flock of seagulls by tempting them with food and Preston even got in the action when Daddy helped him hold food up in the air for the seagulls to grab. This made me a little nervous but oh well. Preston had no fear when it came to the ocean. He ran straight for the water and kept going. Again, this made me a little nervous but the few jellyfish I saw made me the most nervous. I didn't want Preston to get stung. Jerod captured one of the jellyfish and proudly showed it off. Despite the flat tire, our first day/evening at the beach was a big success!!
Trying out John's homemade snow-cones
He already loves the beach
No fear for this kid
Going hunting for jellyfish
Teaching Preston & Jerod how to feed the seagulls
Hey seagulls, you want a Cheetos
Jerod wrangling his flock
More ocean time with Nana
Time for dinner. Elli enjoying her hotdog
2 of the sweetest people in the world. Kathy's parents
The next day, we woke up and headed straight for the beach. Preston learned first hand from Nana how to muddy himself in the sand and Jerod taught him how to make himself even more muddy by putting the mud in his hair. I didn't know how dirty one little boy could get at the beach but boy Preston sure was one dirty and sandy little boy by the end of the day. Surprisingly, Preston didn't mind it when he got saltwater in his mouth or even a little sand. He just brushed it off and went on his way. He enjoyed playing in the blowup pool underneath the shade and had fun putting everything into his pool even a chair. Nana made a special drink container for each kid and Preston loved his. He couldn't get enough of Nana's red sugar water that she put in his special drink container. Good thing this was vacation. At the end of the day, we headed back to the house to indulge in the traditional shrimp fry put on by Kathy's father. They bought over 10 pounds worth of shrimp and it was delicious. I was so glad that I got to enjoy the shrimp fry this year because last year I was sick and didn't get to partake in the special dinner. I was totally bummed last year, so I'm glad I got to experience it this year. The kids had fun playing on the stairs and Preston entertained all the adults by hamming it up playing in a basket on the floor.
First full day at the beach
Preston working hard to get the orange chair in his pool
He did it thou
Nana's special red juice
Learning how to get muddy from Nana
Off he goes
Preston's buddy Mason
Taking a break for lunch to have a "sand"wich...heheh, inside joke
A little fun on the stairs
Hamming it up for the adults
The next day, we attempted to play in the condo pool but Preston wasn't really having it so we switched gears and went back out to the beach. Preston was much happier because he got to run all around and do what he wanted unlike at the pool where he had to do what we told him to do. Jerod and I caught some waves boogie boarding and that was a lot of fun. I have never done that before and we both caught some good waves. Preston got some daddy time in the ocean and we made sure to take our traditional picture of the 3 grand kids in their colored folding chairs that we started last year. So crazy how much they change in just a short time frame. That night dinner was on us to prepare and Jerod and I made a great Mexican fest with Chicken enchiladas, chicken roll ups and lime salted chips with hot sauce.
The 3 sisters
Its hard work having fun
Daddy time
Catching waves with Jerod
We have started a tradition of taking a picture of the 3 grand kids in the colorful chairs
This was the kids last year
Our family photo last year
3 generations
Bridget and Mason
Preston that evening being goofy
Moon and the ocean. Doesn't get much better than that
Not happy that he got his shorts wet
That's better
Almost time to start the bonfire
Great way to officially end our vacation by roasting true camp fire smores
Till next year!!
No comments:
Post a Comment