Girl's Trip!

A couple of weeks ago, I got to take the girls on our fun trip. I decided we were going to go to Wisconsin. Many people wonderered about my sanity when I said that's where we were going in middle of the winter. True, it wasn't exactly a tropical getaway, but we had lots of fun nonetheless.

15 years ago this summer, just after I finished my freshman year at BYU, I went out to Wisconsin to live with my aunt and her family for a couple of months. At the time, my aunt had just finished with her cancer treatment. I went out to help her out with the kids and whatever else she may need. She has 4 kids. The youngest 2 were 3 and 1. Well, it just so happens, that around the corner, was a lady who lived with 2 young kids... 3 and 1. I started getting together with her so we could let the kids play. Before long, it was mostly me wanting to go and play regardless of whether or not the kids could!!! To this day, we have stayed really good friends. My mom always thought it was strange this young mom with kids would want to be friends with a punk teenager.

Well, we don't get the chance to go and see these people often, so I decided that's where we were going to take out trip. The girls were so excited, almost as much as me! It was the first time they had been out there. So far, they had really only met Tracey (the mom) and Emma (the 18yr old daughter) who have been out here a couple of times. The rest of the family have been here, but L was pretty little adn really didn't remember meeting the rest of the crew, which consists of Gene, husband, Beau, 16yr old son (and who I realized I didn't get in a single picture! Sorry, Beau! We still love you!) and Marta, almost 12.

I warn you this is a long post. It has litterally taken me days to get it all done with all the pictures. D looked at me this morning as I was working on it adn said, "You know no one wants to read long posts, mom." My response to him is what I'm telling all of you... "I'm doing this for me." This is, after all, my journal. I really don't expect anyone to really take the time to read through it all. This is for us!

I had this great idea the day we left to keep KL up all day and not let her take a nap. Our flight left at 6 and didn't land until about 11:30. I figured if she was tired enough, she would just crash and sleep the whole flight. Well, I didn't take into consideration just how exciting the riding on the plane was. It was the first time she was old enough to know what was going on. It was pretty crazy. For the most part, they were all pretty good, but there were definitely moments... The lady behind us commented (after saying several times how brave I was for taking all the kids by myself--i didn't see teh need to tell her I still had 2 others at home) the kids would probably fall asleep 20 min before we landed. Well, she was close. This is scene 30 before we landed. You can't really tell, but CK is by the window sound asleep too. The killer is that our flight was late, so we only had 15 minutes to make our next flight, so I had to drag all these groggy kids and our carryons as we ran through the airport.

Here they are all bundled up for their first outing out in the snow. The bigger girls couldn't get out there soon enough.In the front yard: CK, L, KL and Tracey

L

CK

I really think this will be a favorite picture of mine for some time to come. There is just something so cute/sweet about it to me. I just love my cute little pink snow angel.
She really liked being out in the snow, but she got a little freaked out when the snow stuck to her gloves.
Despite how late the girls were up the night we got in and how little sleep they got on the flight, they didn't sleep in at all. We had a bit of driving around to do and every time we got in the care, the little girls just crashed. We were laughing at them. The funniest part is that they drooped quite a bit more than this. By the time we reached our destination, KL's head was almost all the way down, with CK's resting on top of it.

We went down to the cheese factory store to get some good cheese. They had cheese head hats, and the girls just couldn't resist trying on the funny hats.



One of Tracey's best friends (Cindy) is the assistant police chief in a nearby town called Osh Kosh (yes... as in Osh Kosh B'gosh). We took the girls down and they got to climb in the back of her police car. They thought it was pretty funny to be back there. Even now, when I ask what their favorite part is, this makes the top of the list! Here they are in the back behind the glass.

CK, KL, L all plied the back seat.

Cindy turned on the siren for the girls... I was expecting a bigger reaction, but still...

That night, Tracey, Emma, and I all went out to dinner. We left 1 very upset baby girl who was just so tired and upset, she was past all reason. Beau was very willing to babysit despite the commotion I was leaving behind. At first, only KL was in on the bed. I was hoping she would scream herself out and just crash. Unfortunately, that didn't happen. The other girls ended up crawling in bed with her to help her settle down. They were all so wiped, they just crashed. This is how we found them when we got home. Pretty funny.

CK, with her legs spread across L and KL

They have a great children's museum in ther town. We went down there Friday morning. Here are some of the things they did while we were there.

KL, Marta, L

They had a big "Clifford the Big Red Dog" exhibit with the things for the kids to play with. Here is CK (and L nicely hidden) on Clifford.

There was a room wit all sorts of water things.
KL really liked playing with the water bubble.

Emma and CK in the water room.

Even Tracey had fun playing in the water.

There was one room with lots of little plastic balls and tubes. You would pick up the balls, stick them in the tubes, then they would get sucked up to a little place in the middle of the ceiling. When it got full, all the balls would fall down. The girls loved it. KL would just tense up every time, but at the same time, laugh hysterically.

CK, Me and KL

KL just as the balls fell down

CK and KL trying to catch the balls as they fell down on top of them.

There was a place where there was this big crane. The kids could use the controls to move teh crane around and pick up magnets, then drop them in a bucket. L waited and waited for her turn to play on this. Here she is.

CK on the controls.

There was also a firetruck built into one of the rooms--complete with little gear to wear.
Here are KL and L.

KL, CK, L... KL was done posing for pictures at this point!

Later that afternoon, the girls got to get in the hot tub. This was one of the things they talked and talked about before we got there. Tracey had sent a video of all the things you can do at their house in the snow. One of them was to run barefoot in the snow to get in the hot tub. They were so excited for their chance to do that!

CK, L

Tracey had a bowling tournament on the Friday night we were there, so her husband, Gene decided it would be fun to take all the girls to go and see Disney on Ice. Wow!! What a treat. The girls were so excited. Gene's partner's daughter also came with us and brought princess dresses and tiara's for all of us. Don't they all just look beautiful?

CK, L, Marta, KL, Caroline
Here we all are as we were sitting down watching with our lovely tiaras.
Emma, KL, and Me.
L, Marta and CK
Gene Caroline, and L
Don't you love Gene's crown? Caroline (the daughter of his partner) picked that one for him special because of his lack of hair to hold in the kind we all had.


Here are all the girls... totally enthralled! They loved it.
We had some really good seats. We were 3 rows up from the ground, just to the side of the castle where all the characters skated out of. You can see the happy look on KL's face. I really don't think she blinked for the entire 2 hours!
I just was laughing here at KL because they kept shooting out sparks out of the castle. She loved it, but at the very end, they did 4 or 5 times in a row and each time, she would sink just a little bit lower into the collar of her princess dress.

Aladdin riding on Apu

Aladdin and Jasmine on the flying carpet

Sleeping Beauty just before she pricks her finger!

Ariel with Ursula

Ariel and Prince Eric. We were laughing because as she was dancing, CK turned to me and Emma and said, (with a very concerned look on her face), "Mom, Ariel is immodest. She wasn't immodest when she was a mermaid!"

Mulan and Mooshu

The Dwarfs

Snow White with the Witch and the apple

This is Cinderella's carriage. It really was cool looking.
This picture, of course, doesn't do it justice.

Cinderella and Prince Charming

Belle, and her Prince, the former Beast

The next day, both the big girls had some exciting adventures. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures because I wasn't there for either, so I'll just tell you. Lehua got to go skiing with Gene and Marta. Gene stayed with her as she went down the bunny hill. He said after the 3rd time going up with the tow rope, she said she was done and wanted to go on the big hill. He said she did great and spent the rest of the day there. What a little natural!

CK got to go sledding down their big hill with Tracey and her friend Cindy (the police woman). Tracey said she was quite a natural too and did a pretty good job steering the sled as it flew down the hill. Other's watching commented on what a good sledder she was. Tracey proudly said that she was a desert dweller and this was only her 2nd time sledding.

Where was I during all this fun? Happily at home with KL taking a nap with a nice warm blanket. :)

One of the things my girls were really looking forward to doing was going to ride the horses. We were finally able to squeeze it in our last night.

KL and Tracey with their horse, Chile

All 3 on the horse

KL riding solo

CK's turn

L proudly riding herself. She even controlled the reigns.

After we walked out of the horses stable, we saw that it was snowing! The girls were thrilled. Here they are with Tracey with the snow falling on them.

After we got home, Gene took the girls out in the hot tub.

Both of the bigger girls were so excited to come inside afterwards and tell me of the money they made. Gene promised them if they stood in the snow, he would give them each $2. Later Gene told me that L bargained for that. She originally was asking for quite a bit more!

Gene, CK, KL, L.

The morning we left. So sad! It was so hard to say good-bye.

I had this hilarious idea at home before I went out... I bought us "Best friend" charm bracelets. I laughed really hard when I thought to get them. I felt a little silly walking into Claire's... the JR. High girl's favorite store, and asked for Best Friend jewelry, but it was still funny and worth the the laugh. Here we are modeling our special tokens. Don't know if you can tell, but each bracelet has a 1/2 of a heart and they are magnetic so they stick together! Heeheeheehee...

Back: Emma, Me, L
Front: Marta, CK, KL

Emma, Me, and Tracey... sporting our lovely crystal necklaces. "Why crystal?" you ask? Look it up... the 15th anniversary is also known as the Crystal Anniversary. I know... we're pretty funny. I laughed pretty hard when I thought of it. Almost as much as when I though to get the "BF" bracelets! :)

KL with her BFF--Emma!

We had a fabulous time with our wonderful friends. As you can tell, we managed to pack quite a bit into that weekend! Once again, I mourned having to live so far away from them, but was so grateful that we were able go and see them. Hopefully, it won't be long before we are with them again! We love you, Rigstads!!!