See you later Sprinklers! Family Vacation Day One–

So, when you’re up to your eyeballs in mud, installing a sprinkler system, what could be a better idea than just up and leaving it, and going on family vacation, right?
We have been planning and dreaming about this vacation to California for almost a year now, and the sprinkling system didn’t get started on time, and took longer than we were anticipating, so when vacation leaving day was quickly approaching, we had to make a choice. Finish sprinkling system and delay vacation OR leave on time fix it when we get back—
Don’t get me wrong, a majority of the system was finished by the leaving for vacation day, but it was not completely done, there were a few lines that still needed to be buried (Which my father in law came and finished the front for us while we were gone, thanks again dad!) but everything was up and running before we left! It just needed some burying and clean up.
But for me, I have ALWAYS left a clean house for a vacation. Makes it easier to return coming home, instead of dreading coming home….but not this time. I don’t have a lot of strength or energy, and most of it was spend on the sprinkling system over the past few days, so…my house was a mess, I had no energy, and to be honest, I was feeling good that we were all packed, (I did forget a few things) and everyone was alive!
We decided that the things left on the sprinkling system were minor, and a family vacation was more important in a grand perspective of things. But I must admit, this was the first time ever I have left a not spotless home when leaving on a vacation. (let alone a scary looking muddy front yard and a dirty house) There are first for everything.
And do you know what? It was okay when I got home, and I am learning lessons.
But look what I returned to!

A green lawn that wasn’t watered by a hose, (to some of you, who have seen our lawn/flowerbeds previously may think this looks horrible, but to me, it is magnificent!) Usually at this point in the summer our lawn is covered in yellow spots due to my poor watering skills, but I was so pleasantly surprised! We had to tear up the flower beds alot to get the sprinklers in. We’ll have to see what grows back…
Anyways, after the decision was made, we headed out for vacation on Thursday after Toph got home from work, packed his stuff, loaded the car, and we wrangled up the children. But we weren’t in the car long before we stopped for some food, and the best purchase we have made in a long time. A portable DVD Player. This device changed our children from good travelers to excellent travelers. Our boys loved it!

They didn’t watch it the entire travel time, but it was enough to keep the boys attention, and keep them from being so restless!
And then we were really off to our first destination: Vegas.
The traveling was good, the boys fell asleep,

but then we hit traffic–an accident with a car and a semi. Just a few minutes before we hit the traffic, we had pulled off for gas, and had recently been traveling with the car that was in the accident. So although we were frustrated by the extra time the accident caused, when we saw the car, I was filled with gratitude for our safe travels thus far.
Due to our late departure time/traffic/stop for food, we didn’t get to our hotel until 3:00 AM. Which ended up being a good thing, because the only room that ended up being available was a deluxe suite on the top floor of our hotel. We weren’t expecting much for our $33.00 a night room, but this suite was another pleasant surprise. We were exhausted, so after Toph checked in, we carried the boys up to the room. But after walking through the slot machines, in our hotel lobby, up the elevator, to a new room, this is what the boys looked like in their beds.

Wide awake. Luck for us the next morning they slept in.