Summer Vacation

 4th of July week, 2012, we skipped town and headed to Wisconsin Dells, WI.

It had been a couple of summers since taking a real vacation.  Our original plan for the week, was to head to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  (We LOVE it there).  Ultimately we decided not to make the 20 hour drive, both ways, and stay close to home.   

Since we were staying for five days and did not want to eat every meal out; we rented a cabin on the river, complete with a kitchen.  

It made it easier to stick with our whole food eating and not have to worry about Miles' peanut allergy.

 We made a day out of Noah's Ark Water park and had a BLAST!!  Miles was such a trooper and went on all of the water slides that did not have a height restriction.  Braeden was super brave and went on a slide where he barely reached the height requirement.  It dropped straight down, then spiraled into a black hole and shot you out at the bottom.  He wanted to go again!  All of us had so much fun!!  Unfortunately, no waterproof camera here so the only pictures are of lunch.

 We took the boys to Pirates Cove for some miniature golf.  They thought it was awesome that there were pirates, skulls and pirate flags everywhere.

 On our last day, we took a boat trip through the Upper Dells.  Wisconsin, and the entire Midwest had a severe heat warning and drought.  4th of July fireworks had been cancelled.  It was easily 105 degrees every day we were there.  By our last day, I was tired of being in the heat and I was ready to go home!

 The views were pretty and the boys had fun.

The boat docked for a short land tour.  It was nice and cool in the gorge. 

 We got back on the boat, this time on the top deck hoping for a breeze, 

 And another shore landing.... to see a jumping dog.

Although we had a great time and did tons of fun things... 

I think my favorite thing from this vacation was this awesome little photo!

 Hoping to start a tradition :)