Unpaid Vacation # 5

June 19-21: Forest Lakes, AZ

This was a very successful, fun and challenging (4 kids under 3 years old) trip! Our friends Kyle, Ashley, Gage and Brigg came along.

After a hectic morning, we all finally arrived! It was perfect mountain weather in the 70s! We hadn't even unloaded the cars yet before I heard Anden yell "Mommy, my hands are dirty!". I hollered back "Hold on!" as I struggled to juggle Taylee, 2 suitcases, and a bag of groceries. We hadn't even been there 5 mins, how dirty could his hands really be?!

I guess it only takes 5 mins to play in the fire pit and then manage to rub it all over your face. After we cleaned him up, it was non stop running for Anden and Gage. Besides having to implement a constant toy referee, they had a great time together! Brigg and Taylee just had fun watching. Ok and Taylee also thoroughly enjoyed eating anything off the ground that she could quickly snag before we did.

Now since you're dying to know, the tree fort looks amazing! No sarcasm this time! :-) Here's the work in progress. The little boys were quite the helpers...or maybe the destroyers!

There was only one minor hiccup. Jeremy took the time to haul up the huge air compressor and the nail gun. However, he forgot one minor accessory...the AIR HOSE! I secretly laughed every time I heard him banging away with an old fashioned wood stick with a hard metal object fastened on the end called a 'hammer'. Such the life of a peasant. Luckily he survived the embarrassment of non air pressured tools.

Who knew what an outdated lousy hammer and some scrap lumber could build?! The finished product:

I'm sure it's just what they had planned for Father's Day. Scrambling to finish the tree fort in the precious one hour of child free time....aka nap time! They actually finished it right when the kids woke up! After receiving multiple accolades on their achievement, we let the kids give it the true test. Anden was on the top platform 3 seconds before he slipped halfway through a "hole"!! Jeremy: "Oh OOPS, that part wasn't finished yet!" Hhmm maybe the women should have been the quality inspectors instead of the innocent children.

Finally we loaded up and headed to the fish hatchery before heading back home. The kids loved feeding the fish! I personally think the fish were way too aggresive. Honestly, are they supposed to jump out the water and catch the fish food before you ever throw it??

During the Fish Farm visit, we also learned yet another one of Anden's hidden talents. He has the powers to be a superhuman flashlight.

Luckily he only reserves these powers for special occasions as they really wipe out his strength.

More cool shots! It was such beautiful scenery there!