Williams Weekend

We took our third adventure in the trailer over the weekend to Williams, and it was simply superb! We had a really, really good time. Let's be real..."vacation" with a toddler and a baby is the opposite of relaxing...and it's usually not very much fun either. But we had as much fun as you could possibly have in this situation. In our own space with all our own stuff and all our own food, we were super comfortable. Gavin is three for three on being a complete and utter stinker for the first day or so of camping. He just cannot adjust and get the proper rest, I guess. And actually, this time he broke out in a rash, so I suppose he actually had something going on that made him rightfully unhappy. The good news is that we bought a blackout cover for the bedroom window (i.e. "The Lizard Cave"), and he seems to be going to sleep and staying asleep with less and less trouble. The only problem is that that leaves Dylan and I on separate couch-beds while the Lizard King is snoring on a pillow top mattress. Whatever it takes for us all to get some shut-eye...

Anyway, we stayed at a KOA campground, which was so much different than setting up camp in the middle of nowhere. Each has its perks, but I really quite enjoyed having full hook-ups, a swimming pool, playground, dog park and a place to buy firewood. We had a great spot on the end of a row, so instead of being sandwiched between two RVs, we set up our outdoor area along the bushes.

As it turns out, Williams boasts a lot in the way of entertainment for young families. We did Bearizona, walked around the train terminal, strolled along historic Route 66 and stopped for ice cream. We did the Deer Farm and hung out at Kaibab Lake. Gavin rode his bike, and we even rented these silly 4-wheeler bikes at the campground that he referred to as bike-rhinos. When we weren't riding the bike-rhinos you can bet he was at the bike-rhino corral thoroughly inspecting each one over and over again. The dogs took advantage of the amenities, too, and G and D even took a dip in the pool. Graham was happy to go along for the ride and spent ample time in the front carrier. I have more photos from this 3-nighter than from most other trips we've taken, so I hope your mouse is ready to scroll fast. Here they come!

I should have known something was wrong with him when he actually fell asleep in the car on the way up. Also, I'm only noticing just now, after upwards of six hours in the car, that his seatbelt straps are way unsafe and need to be lowered. #momoftheyear

Graham just chilling in the trailer and being sweet and squishy and chewing on his foot.

A little sickness can't stop this fish from swimming for an hour.

Graham's first taste of ice cream. It was homemade coconut ice cream. #hippiemom

Checking out the wildlife at Bearizona. #safetythird

With a face like that, you can tell that Gavin does not feel like a million bucks. But he powered through and visited all the animals at the zoo and then said, "I want to go back to the car." We missed the raptor show, but it was well worth the trip anyway.

The bears got really close to the car!

Yeah I'll pose for a picture if I can bring my monster bus.

Otter in the water...otter in the water...otter in the water.

Gavin feels "eh" about petting goats. Take it or leave it.

"Look at the huge wheels," he said.

Hahahahaha

Only YOU can prevent forest fires.

Downtown Williams.

These two...I've never seen anything like it. Heart = full.

Milkshake + ice cream = best thing ever.

Our set-up.

Who is walking who?

Lots of time at the playground

Nom nom nom

We didn't forget the s'mores!

Brotherly love?

I have G2 on my hip 99% of the time, so I'm always so glad to sneak away with Gavin. Plus, he humors me with my selfie-taking.

Ramona not loving G's hugs. He affectionately refers to her as "Meronie Pepperoni" which is an extension of Merona, the dyslexic way he's always said her name.

Regal Ramona taking full advantage of the amenities offered at the dog park.

Deer farm! So much fun if you don't mind deer nibbling on your person.

Gracie the camel.

Rhino-bike

Sweet little guy.

Food food food!

Out for a spin with Daddy

Bike riding at the lake

Looking for fish

Hunting for bugs

Just doing a whole lot of nothing

Taking baby brother out for a stroll

My sweet boys

And now we're home and not quite ready to face the week. After fighting off a little cold, I then developed a cold sore (ick ick ick). And now, strep throat, the culmination of disgusting illnesses. I almost skipped the appointment that I made at the Walgreens' health clinic this morning, trying to convince myself that I was fine. But the stars aligned and made it too easy for me to not sneak out for a couple hours and get a quick health check. I figured, maybe they'll make me wait for an hour and I can just kick back and read my book in a quiet place with nobody demanding me to meet their needs. And then they'll tell me I'm fine and send me on my way. But alas, I didn't wait for a second and then received the diagnosis of Total Hot Mess, with fluid in my ears and a plugged nose and a positive rapid strep test. I walked out with a prescription for antibiotics, and I tried desperately to get someone to tell me that I don't actually have to take them. I very much am not looking forward to disrupting my gut microbiome, as I'm among the believers that it is crucial for overall good health. But, even my dad recommended that I should in fact take the pills to ward of rheumatic fever, and since I feel like crap, I suppose that's what's best.

I guess when you don't get more than a few hours of sleep at a time for half a year and you neglect most forms of self-care, your body does tend to fall apart. It's just what comes with the territory of having two small children. A consequence of lifestyle decisions, I suppose. Sometimes it leads me to think, What in the hell have I gotten myself into? As much as it tends to suck really bad on a lot of days, and let's not paint a rosy picture...it does seriously suck sometimes, I don't forget to remind myself that it's just this season of life. I won't forever have little goblins sucking every ounce of my energy while I race around meeting their needs every minute of the day. In fact, most people tell me I will miss this time once they're big and grown, and sometimes I believe what they say. When it comes down to it, as ragged as I've been run and exhausted as I am, I've never been more in love with life. All in all, it's a pretty cake life. People are out there with real, actual problems so it's pretty dumb of me to even complain. I might not get energized from caring for little ones, but the people who live in this house are everything to me. So, herpes lip, strep throat, fluid in my ears...bring it on. I'll power through. We have more fun ahead, and I couldn't be more grateful to claim this life as mine.