Again this year, Heartland closed their doors for the week between Christmas and New Years. I see this becoming an opportunity for a family vacation. It really isn't the best time of the year with all the other traveling we do for the holidays, but it is the only week of the year we can get daddy away from work! I had heard about this indoor water park and amusement park only 1 hour away from home. I decided this might be fun. Let me just start off by saying the girls did have fun. I mean, when isn't spending time at a hotel fun for kids? Throw in a little water & carnival rides and their set. And daddy was there too. Even better. However, I must also say that we sort of did things a little backwards. Considering last year for Christmas my entire family spent the holiday at the Kalahari indoor water park at Wisconsin Dells. And then this summer I took the girls for their first trip to Six Flags with Nate's family. Sooooo, this place seemed a little lame on account of that. But as I said, it was good for the 4 of us to get away together, and the place did have good pizza! :)
So on Wednesday, December 29th, we loaded up and headed north (again) to Utica. We found this little spot of fun in the middle of corn fields! We got settled in to our cabin like hotel and prepared to hit the water park. Besides being small, it was freeeeezing in there! The water was chilly and the room itself was just cold. I heard the next morning at check out that they were having a problem with the heater. I have quite a few pictures but they aren't the best. I'm still trying to figure out some of the features of my new camera and action shots are a little blurry.
ready for the water park
Morgan playing with the little water fountains
Shelby by the waterfall
the closest Morgan would get to the waterfall
going together on a short, but pretty slick & fast slide
Morgan & daddy sliddin' fast!
they came flying out of this slide too
I had a hard time getting a pic in time!
After the water park, we headed back to the room to get cleaned up for supper. We ate at the restaurant located in the amusement park building across the parking lot. After eating, we looked around at the rides that we were going to try the next day. The girls took a ride on the carousel and then we returned to our room for the night. At 9:45 Nate and Morgan headed to see what time the ice cream stand closed. Since it was 10, we quickly got down there for a late evening snack. And then finally got them to bed! Who doesn't eat ice cream at 10 and let their kids stay up until 11:30? That's just what you do on vacation, right??
On Thursday morning we got ready and checked out of our room. After loading the car we drove over to the amusement park where we spent the next 5 hours or so. They did have several fun rides. They even had the best carnival ride ever- the Tilt A Whirl! I rode that with the girls but let me tell ya, I was 3 and out! I didn't have much for breakfast and all that spinning gave me a headache. So, once I ate that pizza for lunch, there were no more rides for me. 
this lovely creature greets you at the door
this ride the girls rode a lot
it quickly rises up that pole and then drops down
up, down, up, down
let's do it again!
Morgan & daddy on the speedy car ride
this thing went forward & backwards and the little car swung side to side
the dragon roller coaster
it was a pretty fast ride for kids
Shelby forcing a smile on a ride she thought was lame compared to her favorite
this was Shelby's favorite ride
it was impossible to get a picture of her on it
she had to ride with an adult. I rode once but lost
count the number of times Nate went on it.
oh there were tears after the "final ride"
We played some of those games that rob you of your quarters but I did win 2 stuffed animals with one of those claw machines. They won tickets in various games that purchased some of that plastic junk like at Chuckie Cheese. We drug them out of there and hit the road for home. Just miles down the road they were zonked. Home to prepare for the New Year and our next road trip. A post from that coming soon.
This pretty much wraps up 2010. I do have some posts to catch up on from summer. I hope to keep up a little better in 2011. Is that a resolution??
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