Our Family Trip

We received tickets to the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter through SWAN. We left Wednesday afternoon and came home last evening. Everyone had fun, but we all (or most of us) agreed that it is wonderful to be home again!

There were life sized displays throughout the Ark. Joseph asked me several times if those are real people!

Walking into the ark

We were so busy trying to keep our crew in line, we forgot to take a picture of the front of the Ark. We got this shot from the parking lot.

There were a few live animals inside the Ark.

The back of the Ark

This is how Joseph spent a great deal or our trip. Squinted eyes and his coat hood pulled up. The noise and lights were too much for him. In hindsight I should have brought noise blocking head phones and sun glasses. If it would be acceptable, I would have also brought a leash. Keeping track of three children who are easily distracted was quite a task.

We walked through Christmas Town at the Creation Museum early so we could beat the crowds. The brochure said they have tens of thousands of visitors who come just to see Christmas Town and from the preparations under way, it appeared they were prepared for just that.

Dean bought the children each a cup of hot chocolate. You should have seen their eyes light up! I told him he went up another step in their minds.

This girl was delighted with her very own cup, best of all it had a lid!!!

There Creation Museum had a small petting zoo

We ate at Cracker Barrel on Saturday evening. We were all tired of fast food!

I hurt my back a few days before we left on our trip. Lia was pleased to be my head prop,

Our motel had a pool, much to the children's delight.

Walking into the Creation Museum

Kiana and Joseph weren't impressed with the dinosaurs. Kiana kept asking me if they are still dinosaurs around and how do I know that they are extinct?

One final picture. The party was pretty much over at this point. The attitudes from a lack of sleep, structure and all the excitement were getting the best of everyone.

A few things we did to keep everyone as regulated as possible was:

-brought our own healthy snacks

-made sure the children ate enough protein

-went to bed early when possible

-went over rules before going into a restaurant or museum

-went prepared for things to be a bit rough so we weren't disappointed when things didn't go as planned.

Last night I asked Dean if he would take off work today because I anticipated having three very dysregulated little people. He asked if I was dreading today and I said, "Let's just say I am preparing for the worst, but hope to be pleasantly surprised." Amazingly enough, our morning wasn't any worse than any other school morning!