SPRING BREAK 2011

GETTING THERE

This is the first "real" spring break for Kaycee. Since this is her first "real" school year. Alan had 3 free nights at a hotel and 3 or 4 days of a free rental car. So we decided to take the kids to Phoenix for Baseball Spring Training. We left Monday around 10am. Didn't make it very far before we had to make a bathroom stop. Stopped at Dancing Eagle Casino Travel Center in Casa Blanca NM - which is less than 70 miles from home!! We got a soda and a snack - on a trip gotta have snacks! My friend's 18 year old son is housesitting and taking care of all the animals at home.

We rented a white 2011 Chevy Impala.
It's pretty roomy - bigger than our HHR. Which is not very comfortable to travel in.
Kaycee slept most of the way to Flagstaff. I tried to read. As long as we were on a straight roadway I am able to read a little, otherwise, I get really sick! I read some of Benjamin Franklins autobiography to Alan! whoo hooo - exciting. Actually, it's pretty interesting.


Made it to Flagstaff without another stop! Time for lunch and bathroom break. We decided to eat at Wendys. Some of us wanted to eat at bun huggers but Ty just couldn't get past the name. So we had Wendys, I am trying to stick to my Weight Watchers diet while we are gone. So I had a Chili and Salad. So far so good! Don't know how long I can keep to it. It will be very hard.

WHERE WE STAYED

We are staying at the Staybridge suites in Glendale, Az. We have a wheelchair accessable room. Which is not ideal but it's nice and clean. The couch makes into a bed but it is not a queen like it advertised. So the kids have been trying to make the most of the sleeping arrangements.

WHAT WE DID

SPRING TRAINING AT CAMELBACK RANCH.

We watched the Dodgers for awhile then went and stood in line to try and get some autographs.
We must have stood in line for close to 2 hours. Kaycee got a few autographs and then was able to get Tommy Lasorda's autograph.

WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING CHEAP TO DO SO WE WALKED OVER TO THE CABELAS STORE. THEY HAD A WILDLIFE WALK THRU AND SOME AQUARIUM TANKS WITH TROUT AND OTHER "LAKE" FISH. KAYCEE RAN AROUND HIDING IN TENTS AND BEHIND SOME SLEEPING BAGS THAT WERE HANGING UP. ACTING LIKE A FOUR YEAR OLD - BUT HAVING FUN!

TY BOUGHT A NEW BAT WHILE WE WERE HERE. THEY WANTED TO TRY IT OUT. WE WENT ON A WILD GOOSE CHASE AT FIRST AND THE BATTING CAGE WAS NO LONGER THERE. SO WE TRIED AGAIN AND FOUND ONE AT SOME WAREHOUSES, CALLED HEAVY HITTERS BATTING CAGE. THEY WERE JUST GETTING THEIR STORE GOING AND WERE BARELY OPEN. ALAN AND TY HIT FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND KAYCEE GOT TO HIT A FEW SOFTBALLS. THE SOFTBALL CAGE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE SET QUITE RIGHT, SO THEY DIDN'T CHARGE US FOR HERS.

Kaycee and I went to the Wildlife World Zoo and Aquarium on Wednesday

We were not too impressed with the landscaping but we enjoyed it. They had a lot of birds and then mostly small animals. The aquarium was nice but not as nice as Albuquerque's. We spent about 3 hours there. The temperature was not too hot. Started getting a little warm towards noon but then we went to the aquarium part. Something we don't have at Albuquerque was the giraffe feeding. We didn't have any quarters to get food but was able to watch others feed them and then picked up some pieces of food from the ground and kc got to feed them a little. She enjoyed watching the other little kids as much as the animals themselves. It's so hard to believe she is 15 and not a 6 year old anymore. I felt kind of old out there watching other moms who had all young kids. I don't know it was weird watching them (the younger moms) but feeling like I was still that age. But then I see a picture of me and I know I ain't that young anymore!!

Alan and Ty went to the ball park again to watch some more spring training. I had told Alan to buy himself a Tshirt. So he did. I think they enjoyed this time better than the previous day.

We went to one of the malls near where we were staying. Westgate Mall, I believe. Alan and the kids had gone here last night to go to Dicks Sporting Goods for Ty's bat. Kaycee saw a HUGE Forever 21 and wanted to go back. So we spent a couple of hours looking around. Kaycee got a pair of VAN shoes and Ty bought some JEANS. We had split up - Ty and Alan, Kaycee and I and then met up at the bathrooms unexpectantly. After we left, Ty realized he didn't have his IPHONE!!! He ran back to the chair he had been sitting in and was very relieved that the phone was still there! It had fell out of his pocket! He was quite panicky!!!

We went to see Unknown with Liam Neeson. This was a really nice Theater. I think it had 20+ screens. Anyway the movie was good. An edge of your seat kind of movie. I think Kaycee would have rather seen Beastly or something else but she was a good sport.

WHERE WE ATE

We certainly didn't stick to the Weight Watchers diet while we were gone. I tried but I just couldn't do it! When we went to In N Out Burger, I just lost it!! Oh well, back on track as soon as I get home. We also had a meal at the Salt River Casino. It was an all you can eat Buffet. I was very pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Mostly they had America Indian type food, Fry Bread, Tacos, Fajitas and great desserts. I may have just been really hungry!! Anyway we had In N Out Burger twice and then Chili dogs at the hotel - cause they were free. Pretty good too. Cracker Barrel is always good but I think I had my fill of Chicken tenderloin and greenbeans. Alan had Hamburger steak and hashbrown casserole. Ty had fried Pork Chops and Kaycee had chicken and dumplings with apples and fried okra. On the way home we stopped at KFC in Gallup and it was very lacking!!

Got home around 5:00 pm on Thursday. Ty had to be at church to play for WAKE. Kaycee ended up going over to Chloes to spend the night and go to a softball tournament on Friday... guess things are back to normal!!