We went to the Zoo

(saved post from over a year ago)

My sister and her family are moving back to Idaho... We got them here for such a short period of time and we got to enjoy them even less.

So I volunteered Micah's Marriott points for a sister/cousin overnighter!  Thanks Mic!

The boys were ecstatic; cousins, a pool, a hotel, Portland, and the zoo!  In their little minds we were 1 step down from Disneyland!  Is there anything better than staying in a hotel when your a kid?!

Here we are on the road!  I told the boys to pack a few things for the trip.  Mason decided that meant food and stuffed animals.  I found a huge bag full of crackers, cereal, gummi treats and 1 Capri sun (I have no idea why only one).

The boys had a major fight 5 miles from home, it was McDonalds vs Wendy's and I almost had to pull over, the fists were flying!  Sonic won by a landslide (mom's vote trumps all others)

We were so close to the outlet Mall I just had to stop!  It had been almost 2 years since my last outlet splurge!  I found a darling dress at Gap and then we headed to the Nike store.  

Mason is always low on shirts, he grows faster then I can shop.  So he picked out a couple of shirts and then we headed to check out where they have those mini swoosh basketballs.  The store only had 30 people in it and I was the only person in line so I let the boys pull out a ball each and entertain themselves.  Mason dribbles like me, awkward terribly, terribly awkward!  So Miles and he are dribbling away, bouncing the ball too high and aggressively hitting the ball with the palms of their hands.  All of a sudden Mase grabs his ball dramatically lifts it over his head and yells "I am the master of Basketball". The store freezes and every eye is on him, until the voice next to him yells "ya, I da masser too!"  Nobody dared laugh the boys were so determined, but I saw a lot of smiles.

Once we packed up our finds we headed to our Hotel to meet Cami and the cousins.  We ate pizza and the kids jumped on bed and ran around like crazy people!  It was the perfect room situation!

I asked for 2 queen rooms connecting but instead we got a king with a seperate living space that connected to a queen room.  It was seriously the perfect set up for the kids.  

We were on the 1st floor with a patio that connected with the courtyard and then straight to the pool.  We fed the kids Pizza and headed to pool.  The water was perfect and we all splashed around burning those pizza calories!

We headed back to the room thru the hotel, because of course the patio doors had an automatic lock when shut.  I swiped my card frantic to get in the room before my postage stamp of a towel dropped and I exposed some poor soul to my lush, post baby, swim suit covered bod... The door blinks green and I push it open only to be rudely stopped by a lock... You know those locks that let u open the door an inch.  Some helpful child (Mason) set the lock so strangers couldn't get us.  I ran too the front desk, still clutching my hand towel and begged for a key to my sisters room, I used my key as proof of my stay.  

The ever attentive staff, quickly got me a key to her room and I hurried back.  Swiped the key, only to get the rejecting blinking red light, over and over I tried praying that I wouldnt have to slink to the front again in my mom swimsuit, a wet wash cloth draped over my ample bosom and quickly frizzing hair... God has a terrible sense of humor because I did all of those things.

The Front desk clerk sent me back to my door and promised to follow momentarily with a master key.  He followed 3 seconds later, giving me just enough time to cover my back side with the strings they called a towel and making the 27 door walk again (I counted).  Upon reaching my sisters door he quickly swiped and received a happy green color, pushed the door open only to be stopped short by that same lock from my door.  (Mason has a strong fear of strangers and bad people, he is so thorough with our safety). Now I'm stuck  by my door, waiting for the MaGyver like maintence man to break me in!

Where are the kids you might ask, Cami has cheerfully volunteered to entertain them while I deal with the room situation! Just as the hotel Manager is visiting with me and assuring me of the regular acurance of this sort of thing, I hear the ice machine start to be used and then I hear my sister stumble through all of my boys names MASE, MAX, MIIIILLLESS!!  My helpful boys have decided to push the ice button and hold it while ice cascades all over the floor.  I wish I could blame all my boys craziness on their Clinger genes, but after watching the cousins together it is very likely they get their heathen status from both sides.