On Friday afternoon, Pace suggested that we check out the new Provo Beach Resort in the Riverwoods. It is an odd name for the place. It sounds like a some sort of romantic honeymoon destination, but indeed, it is not. Soon you will learn more! But I have to tell a story first.

We went to the Riverwoods to meet up with Pace & Grandaddy. I’d made sure we had water & diapers & snacks, and that Charlotte was dry before we left home. As soon as we parked, Chase announced, “I’m tired!” and laid down across the back seat to go to sleep. When I told him we could just go home rather than check out this new place, he instantly woke right back up again! It was magic.

I quickly got Charlotte out of her car seat because she was whining about her pee pee diaper (she does this all the time lately!). I was changing her diaper when I discovered that she had wet so much, she’d wet down her leg & her pants were soaked. Hm. How does this happen when the diaper was dry 30 minutes previous? I looked up from my predicament, and there was a Gymboree store to save the day! I was sure they’d be more than happy to assist me in my trial. I told Chase we had to run over there to buy some new pants for Charlotte. He said he would just wait in the car because he didn’t want to go into a store to get clothes. I told him that was illegal. Somehow that convinced him.

After we had bought some green, non-pee leggings for Charlotte (and some glow-in-the dark underwear for Chase), we met up with Pace and Grandaddy. Grandaddy told Charlotte he liked her new UVU pants (green for UVU) and she loved that. (Later on the way home, she kept telling me, “I have new UVU pants!!!”)

So on to the Provo Beach Resort: It’s this super nice, 2-story place that has a carousel, flow rider, arcade games, croquet, a large (& clean) playground, bowling & mini bowling, etc. I labeled it a “money pit,” but it was a really great place! We tried out the mini-bowling and the big playground before we decided that was enough money spent & that we wanted to go get dinner (OK, maybe it was just ME that wanted to go get dinner). The playground alone was worth the $4/kid because our whole family could have spent hours in there! Nice place.

I was starving, and since the others didn’t care where we ate, we got to go to Zupas! I gobbled up my Turkey Artichoke Panini and Wisconsin Cauliflower soup. My favorites! I also ate the bread that comes on the side, the chocolate strawberry, and half of Pace’s ham sandwich that wasn’t as good as mine. I was very stuffed by the time my eating rampage ended.

Pace & Chase went to Costco afterwards, while I took Charlotte home. Somehow those two managed to return some lamps of ours that were already 3-4 years old! ha. Costco is the best. Pace got a few groceries & also bought me a Professional Kitchenaid because the little 30+ year old mixer I’d gotten from someone a couple years ago was malfunctioning. And we can’t have that when we’re whipping up cakes, bread, cookies, etc. on a regular basis! I am so grateful for this new mixer.

We spent more than originally planned (a ton in one day!), but luckily that’s not how a typical day goes around here. All in all, a great evening!

I just want to say that of all our fabulous toys, these big Legos have been used the most by both of our young children over time. They can stay occupied with these things for MINUTES! And I enjoy seeing what they build. Duplo Legos are the best toy! (My parents already knew that because they are the ones who got them for Chase a few years ago.)

Charlotte built a castle, and then Chase constructed his own castle to one-up hers. The “minutes” of fun were ended abruptly by their ferocious squabbles over the flower Legos (found atop Chase’s castle). But all that creative building was great while it lasted!