On Wednesday morning, we packed up the van and headed onto the second part of our adventure - Wisconsin Dells. Check-in time wasn't until 3pm and it's only just over a 4 hour drive from Cokato - so it was nice to enjoy a lazy morning and easy packing in order to get on the road.
Of course, with the kids, nothing is ever easy. Our two bigs were determined to find as many things as possible to bicker about. On this day, it was about who was sitting where. But you said! But you sat there last! But I can't hear mom if I'm back here! I don't like sitting next to Mark he pulls my hair. But if you sit there then all you're doing is passing passing passing things from the front to the back.
I decided that they'll split their time - one on the leg to the Dells and the other from the Dells to home. That settled that.
Of course, with the kids, nothing is ever easy. Our two bigs were determined to find as many things as possible to bicker about. On this day, it was about who was sitting where. But you said! But you sat there last! But I can't hear mom if I'm back here! I don't like sitting next to Mark he pulls my hair. But if you sit there then all you're doing is passing passing passing things from the front to the back.
I decided that they'll split their time - one on the leg to the Dells and the other from the Dells to home. That settled that.
We've stayed in the Dells before - when Wendy was nearly two - so six years ago. On that trip, we stayed for 12 days and really got to know the area and the attractions. Twelve days is a bit much to stay there - if anyone is wondering - but we did enjoy it.
I've mentioned before that we have a timeshare. I'll go into more detail about that in another post - as there are pros and cons - but for now, just know that that's where we stayed. It's one of those timeshares that allows you to stay wherever they have resorts - and any time of the year that fits our point balance (more on that later). It's something that we purchased before we were debt-proof living, and while I don't have any regrets and do enjoy it - I wonder if we still would have purchased had we been living our current lifestyle. More on that later.
I've mentioned before that we have a timeshare. I'll go into more detail about that in another post - as there are pros and cons - but for now, just know that that's where we stayed. It's one of those timeshares that allows you to stay wherever they have resorts - and any time of the year that fits our point balance (more on that later). It's something that we purchased before we were debt-proof living, and while I don't have any regrets and do enjoy it - I wonder if we still would have purchased had we been living our current lifestyle. More on that later.
One thing we did learn on this trip is that while our resort is a few miles out of town (which I love) we now have the option to stay right at Mount Olympus - the water park. This makes me a little bit queasy, but I know my kids would love it. We're considering it.
The reason I share some of this information in this post is because one of the routines in staying at our timeshare, is to go to an update (pressure sell) meeting. By going to this meeting, we are rewarded with a variety of things depending on the location - cash, free tickets, dinners - etc. For this meeting, we were to receive 4 free tickets to the waterpark and a $25 gift certificate to the restaurant of our choice (Applebees - because that one is good for 2 years at any location - all the other restaurants were local to the Dells)
The reason I share some of this information in this post is because one of the routines in staying at our timeshare, is to go to an update (pressure sell) meeting. By going to this meeting, we are rewarded with a variety of things depending on the location - cash, free tickets, dinners - etc. For this meeting, we were to receive 4 free tickets to the waterpark and a $25 gift certificate to the restaurant of our choice (Applebees - because that one is good for 2 years at any location - all the other restaurants were local to the Dells)
We usually like to get this meeting out of the way first thing - first thing in the morning on our first day. This allows us more options for ticket use and well, gets it out of the way.
We checked into the Dells Wednesday afternoon - and found out that because of current economy, they no longer had the office open on Wednesdays and Thursdays and because we were already out of town in Minnesota when they tried to preschedule our meeting - the earliest one we could get was at 1:00 (smack in the middle of the day - argh) on Friday. This meant we could only use our waterpark tickets on Saturday or Sunday on a holiday weekend.
This made me queasy. My imagination immediately saw crowds.
It also left us with Thursday open to do - what?
We checked into the Dells Wednesday afternoon - and found out that because of current economy, they no longer had the office open on Wednesdays and Thursdays and because we were already out of town in Minnesota when they tried to preschedule our meeting - the earliest one we could get was at 1:00 (smack in the middle of the day - argh) on Friday. This meant we could only use our waterpark tickets on Saturday or Sunday on a holiday weekend.
This made me queasy. My imagination immediately saw crowds.
It also left us with Thursday open to do - what?
Because it was still April - not a lot was open as far as boat tours and the sort of thing we really enjoy. So we chose the Tommy Bartlett Exploratory. We'd been here on our last trip and felt it was something that all four kids would enjoy. And they did
Mark's favorite was the Big Dig - he broke away from us constantly to get to it. Wendy and Allan both enjoyed the virtual games and Brian - he just absorbed and enjoyed it all.
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Thanks for all the comments - I occasionally like knowing someones reading all my rambling. LOL
Now - off to enjoy the sunshine - I just wish it didn't make my dust show up so much.
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Thanks for all the comments - I occasionally like knowing someones reading all my rambling. LOL
Now - off to enjoy the sunshine - I just wish it didn't make my dust show up so much.
I've been here all along, loving your vacation recap. I tried telling you so last night, but it takes my computer a long time to go onto your comments, so I don't always have the patience to wait. anyway, oh! I was going to say that I love how you wrote about Brian's personality, really a great story, and well written.
Posted by: Tina A. | April 16, 2009 at 11:53 AM
wow. emma goes and has an asthma attack this morning and it looks like i missed A LOT of morning reading. hubby is out of town all day and night, so i have some more reading to look forward to after i tuck them in!
i LOVE reading your blog. first stop on the net, every day. *smile*
Posted by: tania | April 17, 2009 at 04:26 PM