get-away ideas... i need them!

I dont' know if I should go into all the mishaps of the weekend. The Heroic Boys Workshop was a smashing success on many levels. The hotel accommodations was not one of them.

Sigh.

Remember how I had everything figured out - all i's dotted... all t's crossed? And then the problems started almost instantly. From the second we got there til the second we left, it was one thing after another. Things I had specifically worked out with the sales and catering managers all went wrong. Seriously - where in the world is good customer service? I don't want to rehash the details though I'm considering rehashing them in a letter to whoever's in charge, but I think I'd rather not think about it.

I will say this: It was a weekend of conflict. I didn't let it go when they tried to push everything off on us. I stood up for myself. For that, I am proud. I overheard the restaurant manager going off about our group because we wanted to pay with one check. Well, it just so happened that's what the catering manager told me I could do. I asked the question specifically. So, I stood up for us. I told them my entire conversation with the manager and even said, "You know, if you're going to have three different people working on bringing a group in, maybe those people should communicate with each other."

I know. It was a little out of character for me. But when you're paying that much to bring a group in and doing that much business, the least they could do is what they said they would do.

Sigh. That's not the half of it. I witnessed their staff being downright rude to other guests in the pool area - it was just ugly. It made me feel yucky.

Thankfully, the boys had a blast and were completely unaware of the entire mess. Thankfully Adam was able to teach them a lot about respect and what it really means to be a hero. Thankfully though the devil might've pulled my attention away, the rest of them stayed on course.

My job was to bake cookies and make lunches... and sadly, to put out fires. But, it's over now. And while we have our Beautiful Girl Workshop (self esteem workshop for girls where we teach them God loves them and made them in HIS image...) I just can't bring myself to start dealing with another hotel. ugh.

Anyway. The worst part was, after all that mess (and I hate conflict)... we took the kids out to fly kites on Sunday. it was the perfect day for it. They ran, they jumped, they got outside. It was so nice after this long, long winter. Anyway, our church has a school and when the snow was melting, they blocked off the field to keep people from parking out there (because they park there for our Wednesday night stuff). It's not uncommon or forbidden to park out there, it was just too muddy and people were getting stuck.

Well, it's not muddy anymore, and Sam was asleep so we pulled our van out into the field where people usually are parking and we starting flying the kites.

Then this man comes along out of nowhere with his kid and their two kites. I'm thinking, "Oh, nice, another kite flyer... how fun!" That is, until he ignored my hello and moved on to Adam. He said,

Do you know whose van that is?

Adam: Yeah, it's mine?

Evil Kite flyer: Don't you think the private school put those barricades up for a reason?

Adam: Actually, I put those barricades up and that's my van, so I think it's okay.

Evil kite flyer: Dont' you think you're sending the wrong message then? Putting up the barricades and then driving out here?

Courtney who had had enough at this point: Don't you think you should leave us alone and let us fly our kites with our kids?

I know. It was uncalled for and completely un-Christian (Bridgette, don't think less of me. I had a bad weekend... and something came over me.) I should probably repent for my anger. ugh. I was too far away for the man to respond to me, though I almost wish he had. Adam and I looked at each other when he walked away... You've got to be kidding me... it's what our looks were both saying.

I wanted to tell the guy we happened to know that parking out there was actually okay. We worked for the place that owned the field. I mean, who was HE anyway? Someone looking to ruin someone's day off, I think.

Anyway. After all that, we came to a conclusion. We need a break. We haven't been on a vacation in a few years and while we don't have time right now to go far away for very long, we are going away for two or three nights. Here's the criteria:

• It should be within driving distance of Northern Illinois
• It should have a pool
• It should have a limited number of people (because while we're in ministry and we love people... we just need a break from them right now. )

We're thinking we'll go away and play board games and swim and watch movies and all that kind of stuff we can do at home but without the worry of laundry or the threat of the phone ringing.

I have been searching. Though about the Dells, but I just think the 'not having too many people' thing is too important to go there. Maybe. I'm still kicking it around. So, if anyone has any good recommendations for a resort somewhere closeby (Minnesota/Michigan/Indiana/Wisconsin/Illinois), please let me know!

In other, happier news... we had another Scarlet Lime kit. Again, Christy outdid herself. Seriously, this girl. I need her to come decorate my house and pick out my wardrobe. She just puts things together RIGHT. Here are my pages:

Seriously so blue. I can't figure out why everything has this blue hue. Please ignore. I am too tired to try and fix it.

That's my sister's little boy. I love that picture.

Sophia at her Thanksgiving feast at school. She was an indian.

My baby. I LOVE that background paper by SEI.

One of my all time favorite photos of Ethan rolling down the hill at my parents' house. I promise the papers aren't really crooked. I think I took the photo weird.

This one is really blue. I made it to tack on the bulletin board. It's just over 5x7 and it was a leftover photo from another layout. I had to make sure it was small because my nostril looks huge, but I like it because it really showcases the way Adam and I are together. He's always pulling pranks and I'm always trying not to laugh. :)

For more layouts by the other fabulous girls, go HERE. 

And just to prove the kite flying wasn't a total bust:

Yes, the photo is blurry. She was running and I had my zoom on. Whoops. But you can still see the joy. If only I could bottle up this kind of laughter (you seriously should've heard them) and sell it to people who were depressed...

If you haven't flown a kite lately, seriously, it's a sure fire happy-maker.

And it begs the question: why don't people play outside anymore?

:) Happy Tuesday!

Comments

[Sarah]

I'm sorry you had such stress this weekend! I hope you all can get away and just vegg out.

I love the Scarlet Lime layouts, especially the one with Sam. I love the tag too. I don't do enough things that aren't for my scrapbook. Thanks for getting me thinking! Can't wait to get my kit!

[Cyndi Hoehn]

I was gonna suggest the Dells (Rain Tree Resort), but you're right it is a little crowded - no matter when you go.

Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN is great, but crowded too. It was called Santa Claus Land when I went as a kid. Now they have free drinks and free sunscreen. It really is a good family place, but I'm not sure what else there is to do there. Course my kids are happy if the hotel pool is good!

You didn't have Missouri on your list, but I am guessing it's about 4 hours for you to get to the Zoo, Grant's Farm, Magic House or Science Center. These are all great places if you've not been there a gazillion times.

I can give you info on any of the above - just let me know.

Love the scrap pages and the kite pictures are great! It IS fun to spend a day outside with the kids just flyin' a kite! Have a great week (or at least better than last week!)

[Shaun]

Courtney, your layouts are amazing! I wish you could stop over and scrap with me. I also wish we were within driving distance. We just spent a few days on Hilton Head Island. Great weather, great beach, great times. Stop by my blog and read all about it.
www.roomswithaview.typepad.com

[Jana]

In Michigan or Northern Ohio - you can go to Great Wolf Lodge - it's an indoor water park where the kids can have a blast. Also there is Cedar Point in Northern Ohio that is just opening up...

Or, you can do Detroit (suburbs) - there's a kid's science museum, the Henry Ford and Greenfield Village, Marvelous Marvin's Mechanized Museum, and there's a couple of hotels... or you can check out http://www.michiganfun.us/findevents.cfm for the local festivals. Frankenmuth is sooo fun - there's great shops, a haunted house, fabulous chicken at Zehnder's and a 80s event/fundraiser in a couple of weeks... Great for a weekend get-away...

[michele]

come to minnesota!! the north shore is gorgeous - lots of lodges with pools, game rooms, gorgeous nature to hike around. or just stop in the cities and do a hotel with a water park, mall of america, the zoo, the museums, the parks, come here for dinner ... ;o) it would be just under six hours to drive to minneapolis, and then another few hours if you wanted to go to the north shore.

so sorry you had a stressful weekend. after all the work you guys did, you had to feel so deflated after all the fire-fighting. hugs.

[Ginger]

I wish I knew a good spot for you to relax, but I'm guessing Texas is a little too far :) I hope you find a good one though!

And i just adore what you do with the scarlet lime stuff! Beautiful!!

And great kite flying pictures--Love how you caught their expressions!