Gillespie Family Vacation

OK so we started off on Friday around lunch time. Things started off pretty well. We had a few errands to run before we left town but for the most part we got everything taken care of. But we started off and decided to stop for dinner at Wendy's and this is where the fun began. As we were eating one of the workers walked past us with his finger half way up his nose. At that point, I was a little grossed out and decided that even though odds are he did not prepare my food I still lost my appetite. So we left the Wendy's and about an hour later were stuck in horrible traffic in Chicago. So we drove for most of the night. I thought it would be good to stop but Garran said he had hit his second burst of energy. Around 2:00 Iowa time and 3:00 east coast time -which we were in. We decided to pull over. Both boys were asleep and we thought this will be perfect. We will just carry the boys upstairs and they can stay asleep and we can get a couple hours and then jump back on the road. Boy did that back fire on us. It was like someone poured liquid crack down the boys throats. They hit that room like a tornado. Garran and I tried for about an hour to try to get them to calm down, lay down, anything down. No not happening. So we decided that we would all just shower, try to freshen up and then hit the road. Garran's exact words, " If we are going to be up, we might as well be driving". I should have taken a picture of the attendant when roughly 2 hours after checking in we said we would like to check out. Arrgghhh I was so tired and frustrated but chalked it up to funny travel stories. So back on the road we went. And of course you guessed that 20 minutes after getting back on the road both boys were sleeping soundly. Isn't that always the way. But we continued on and stopped once to sleep because neither one of us could keep our eyes open anymore. We finally made it to Britts house. We were super excited. We had not seen Britt or her family in a little over three years. It was fun to catch up and meet one of our nieces for the first time. She is super cute and very sweet. Her big sister is also sweet and was very excited to see Cullan. They played very well together for the most part. She liked to be like a little mommy sometimes, which was cute but Cullan was just not used to. They are both very sweet girls though.

So let's see what happened next. The second night we were at Garrans sisters house her husband made fettuccine Alfredo with chicken. Cullan was either really hungry or it was the best he ever tasted because he applauded after his first bite. I think Dennis likes to believe it was because it was the best he has ever tasted. So the next day we went to the beach. I was super excited. So was Garran for that matter. We are definitely beach people. (There are so many cute pictures that I am putting up a slide show below) But here are a couple. Cullan absolutely loved it and Kael well it took a little longer for him to settle into the whole beach thing. Well more like the whole time we were there. He actually never smiled until we put him back in his car seat to go home. I have no idea why he reacted that way because he loves the bath and the pool.

Oh well we had a blast. Garran and I got a little sunburned but for the most part it was great and we had a great time. Uncle Dennis brought this big net that he uses with his students and we caught a couple crabs and fish. Then when the tide went out we were able to walk way out and find all kinds of hermit crabs and such. I was tons of fun. I have a picture of Kael asleep with a crab on his shoulder. I was not lieing when I said that Kael was not happy for the whole time we were there. Fortunately he went to sleep and it was a nice break!

So then for the 4th we decided to play it kind of low key and go swimming at Dennis families house and then just hang out for the rest of the night. Well we were swimming and having a good time. Cullan jumped off the edge of the pool all by himself to Daddy. A big moment for him. We were super excited. So we were swimming and having a blast. The water was a little cold a first but once we were in everyone was having a fun. It was great. We swam and decided to eat a little lunch and then get back in and swim for a little while longer. So we all hopped back in the pool and were swimming and having a blast. I was just thinking how smoothly things were going and how relaxing things were and then I hear Britt say "Hold still what is in your hair" talking to her oldest daughter. As my heart stops Britt says "Does anyone know what lice looks like". Arggh.

I felt so bad for her. I knew she was stressed out. So Dennis's aunt had a neighbor who was a nurse come and check. You got it .. .. LICE LICE LICE LICE.. .. My head instantly started itching. Of course I start looking at the boys and then glance at my hubby and all I can see is BEARD! The first thought that went through my head was him trying to lay one on me with bugs crawling through his beard and the first thing out of my mouth was " Don't come near me until we check you and you get some razors". So we pack up and leave stopping on the way home to by some RID or whatever it is called and some razors. Let us not forget those. So we got home stripped everything insight and started checking each other like a pack of monkeys. Then I look at Garran and he already had the same thought so the following pictures are our little storyboard of events that happened next.

So let the medication begin. We started with Charleigh and just went from there. I think Dennis bought like four boxes of rid. We had to treat the cars and everything basically that had been touched. We had to treat both their car and our van because Charleigh rode with both of us. Then we tore through the housing washing everything insight. The next day Britt and I steam cleaned the rug and all the furniture. It was fun to spend time with Britt while the boys took the kids to the park.

SIDENOTE: (Britt and Dennis are not good judges of distance. Down the road to Garran and I is walking distance. Nothing is within walking distance to Britt and Dennis's house. They would say down the road and we were in the car for at least 15 minutes. Garran and I would laugh every time they would say it.)

So after intense cleaning we decided with all bugs dead we would venture out to the zoo. It was really fun and there was a great park for the kids to play at. They had a great time. Cullan and Charleigh went and looked at all the animals. They had a blast. Then we had a picnic lunch while the kids played on the playground. They loved it.

The next day we headed back to the beach to the boardwalk at Rehoboth. We walked along the boardwalk. Ate at the world famous Thrasher's French Fries. Then we took the kids to a little place called FUNLAND. It was a part of the boardwalk and had rides that were just perfect for Cullan and Kael. The first thing we went on was the Carousel. Cullan loved it as obvious by the picture. We spent the majority of the day there. All of the kids thought it was great.

Well this is our trip up to this point. Off to our next location. I will keep you updated as to how things are going. I am posting a slide show of all our vacation pictures at the bottom. There are some great shots. Hope everyone is doing well.