Life as it happens with our three beautiful and adopted children, Shayla, Yamira and Manuel: Our vacation is over

Such a bummer. We all would have liked to stay on vacation. However, we had things to get back to and so here I am!

I can't possibly remember everything since last Saturday, but I will try. I can say that on Saturday, we packed and cleaned and organized. We were leaving on Sunday for our trip, so we did everything on Sunday that we could possibly do.

On Sunday, we got up and showered and finish packing the little things. We left for the Rocking Horse Ranch at noon. It wasn't a bad drive. It was 3.5 hours or so. The kids watched movies on the DVD player and slept some. I brought plenty of snacks for them, so the drive went well. We checked in and unpacked our bags. The first thing we did was head downstairs to sign up for our horse ride. Bill and I were entitled to a horse ride daily. We also could go on additional ones, but you had to stand in the standby line for that. We chose 10:25 am for our daily ride. We also signed the two youngest up for the nursery during that time and we signed up Ping for the day camp. We also signed up for the banana boat ride for Bill, me and Ping. I figured the others were too young.

After signing up for our activities for a few days, we headed to the room and switched into our bathing suits. They have a wonderful outdoor pool and shallow pool with two slides. Inside they have two pool areas as well. One is for younger kids to splash in with a few little slides and sprinklers plus a huge slide for everyone and on the lower floor, there is a huge sprinkler with buckets and boxes you try to run across. We all swam and played for hours. After changing for dinner, we headed to the dining room. We could have a 5:30 or a 7:30 dinner time and we chose the later one. They had a few appetizers to pick from and a few main meals. I chose to try the steak. I could only eat two bites and a bite of the mashed potato. Bill and the kids ate plenty. We were sat at a table with another couple, the woman's brother and their two children aged 12 and 14. They were from NY and very nice.

After dinner, we went to the room and put the kids to bed. There was a show at 9:30, but everyone was pretty tired. I watched my favorite shows on Lifetime and then went to bed myself.

The next morning, the kids got up at the crack of dawn. Do not ask me why they did, but they did. I was so not happy. Bill was mad as well. It was Ping that got up and she is more of the sleeper. They played and we slept a little more. By the time we got up, it was late and so we had to rush around! Bill took the kids to eat since I didn't have time to do anything but shower and then we met and together dropped off all the kids. We had to pay by the hour for each of the two youngest. Ping's camp was free because she is 5. Bill and I went to the stable and took our first ride. I had Wrestler. He was cute. He was HUGE!!!! He was spunky. I was behind someone he wasn't a fan of, so he and the other horse got into it. That was a little scary as I didn't expect him to buck up. However, I didn't fall off. Thank god for that!!!!! So we moved behind another horse and went on our beginner ride. It was fantastic. Getting on the horse isn't fun and I wasn't looking forward to getting off, but I did fine getting down after the ride. It was beautiful in the woods and we saw a gorgeous deer eating on the side of the trail. It was so peaceful.

After the ride, we grabbed all the kids and got them each a pony ride. Then they played at the awesome playground they have there. Then we had some lunch and dropped the kids back off at the nursery. Bill, Ping and I took a banana boat ride. That was fun. We then grabbed the two little ones and we all swam for a few hours. That was what they wanted to do all the time. All they cared about was swimming!!!! After swimming, we took them to the fun barn where they have ping pong tables. Bill and I played that while the kids jumped in the bouncy house and the big obstacle course with fun guns that shot off foam balls. We then went to dinner. I ordered the flank steak. I had two bites. We then went on a tractor ride in the pitch black. That was a lot of fun. The kids were falling asleep, so we went back to the room and put them to sleep. We went to sleep fairly early for us. We didn't see the night show because everyone was so tired. I can't remember what time I went to bed. I know it was after 10:30 pm because I was still suffering from eating the steak and it was 10:30 when I ran to the bathroom and threw it up. It really didn't work for me. Clearly! I felt better after, so I was able to sleep.

I woke up on Tuesday with heartburn due to throwing up. I didn't eat breakfast again. I can't really eat it anyway. I would just watch Bill and the kids eat. I hired a babysitter for this morning because it was cheaper to have a sitter for three hours then pay for an hour at the nursery. Actually, it was a little more expensive, but that was for three hours and not just the one, so it made sense. We dropped the kids off with the sitter who was very sweet. We dropped Ping off at camp and off we went on our horse ride. This time I rode Otis. Bill and I both went on the beginner ride again. Right after we got off the ride, we got into the standby line and went again. After all, the kids were all busy and we had two more hours to kill. The little ones went for a pony ride and went to the playground and played inside the nursery, which was quite nice. This time I rode Dolly and we did the intermediate ride which includes trotting. Not good for a big busted girl like myself. We had a lot of fun though. We then got the kids and then we went to get Ping. However, Ping didn't want to come with us. She had already had lunch with the day camp, so she opted to stay and play miniature golf. We took the two little ones to lunch and then we went on a horse wagon ride. The kids loved it. Bill enjoyed his two pina coladas that he grabbed before jumping on the ride!!!! They were having a pina colada party with a steel drum band. I wish we had gone. I opted to give Manny a nap vs go. I love steel drum Caribbean sounding music, so I wish we had attended that. Bill didn't miss grabbing two drinks though. I took a small sip and it was like a little bit of heaven in my mouth!!!! After our ride, we went swimming for a few hours and then had dinner. I didn't order anything because I was too afraid. Well I did order something, but I ended up giving it to Bill to eat after he had his meal! I didn't want to be sick again. After dinner, we put the kids to bed and I went to the night show. It was a circus act and it did nothing for me. I don't like circus stuff. I just wanted to see a show and the kids were sleeping. Bill didn't want to go, so I went alone.

On Wednesday, we got up and ate. We dropped the kids off at the nursery and Ping off at camp again. We then went on our ride. I got Otis again. We did the intermediate ride again as well. Trotting on Otis vs Dolly was so jarring. It wasn't a comfortable experience at all. However, I am so glad we did it. After our ride, we grabbed the little ones and went to get Ping so they could all get another pony ride. Ping had already had lunch, so she had ice cream while we fed the others. After we ate, we took them over to the rock wall and the bouncing trampoline thingie. Ping did both. Yamira tried the trampoline. She had a blast. We then got them a snack and took off for home. For some reason our DVD player in the back of the car wasn't working. I called Onstar for assistance. They passed me to the Buick folks, but they couldn't figure it out. We even found a Buick dealership, but they didn't know what was wrong. Needless to say, we drove home with no TV. Oh well. I have an appointment to have it looked at on Monday! Driving home was fine. The kids napped on and off. We got home around 7:15 pm or so.

We had an absolutely fabulous time and can't wait to go again. We would love to try winter. They have skiing and tubing and sleigh rides. That all works for me!!!!

Today has all been about cleaning. We emptied the suitcases, did the laundry, changed the bedding, did a bunch of errands and so on and so forth. Bill is home tomorrow too. Yamira and Manny have a visit with their dad, so our day is sort of a mess, but we have plenty to do around here, so no worries there.

I hope you have had a good couple of days like we have!

Mama Out!!!!!!