We had the most fabulous Family Vacation ever!!! ...YES, I actually said VACATION (which usually it's a family TRIP as far as the mom is concerned--- packing everything but the kitchen sink, several days of having 4 kids sleeping in weird places, lots of turning around in the car to help bored kids, having differing opinions of what the plan is, etc, etc--- Can you tell what I normally feel about family trips? but this time it was so great!!!).
BACKGROUND- In one of the first years of our marriage, we went to one of those TimeShare spills that give you a free dinner or something just for coming. Well, we got suckered in with the "good deal" they had that they only offered after we'd said no twice and ended up with a week of a timeshare in Wolfcreek Village II in Ogden Canyon, Utah. I think we've actually stayed at that resort once, if I remember right. Before we left Utah, we signed up with Interval International (a Timeshare exchange company) so we could bank our week and use it at other resorts all over the world. We've used it maybe a handful of times to send some fam on honeymoons or a trip here or there but nothing like we should be using it. Well, I finally wanted to talk Brett into selling it or giving it away BUT he thought we should start using it. I know, brilliant, huh?
So, for our trip this year, Brett found a little place in the middle of nowhere in the center of Minnesota called Quadna Mountian Resort. I have to admit, I was a little black rain cloud about the whole thing. According to the Internet, it was by nothing and had no swimming pool. AHHHH! What did he want me to do for a week with 4 kids and no pool in the middle of nothing? Well, I must repent!! It was fabulous! We made a few different plans for a couple of the days and the whole thing was so much fun! I think I took like 500 or so pictures so thank goodness for the Picasa collage thingy. Here's our Best Family Vacation Ever:
We got on the road late and stopped to help someone broken down on the highway in a construction zone out so I called and Luke, the front desk guy, (we're on first name basis here :) told us he'd leave the keys under the mat for us. Gotta love the midwest hospitality! We never even checked in until the last day when we rented a boat. (Too bad--We could have been like the invisible guests LOL!) Turns out that we were the ONLY people staying in either the motel or mini-motel suite part. Translated that means in the two buildings by where we stayed-- it was only us! Too funny! We had a basketball hoop by our door, a firepit, picnic bench and BBQ grills in the woods across from us, a free laundry room, a bedroom with 2 queen beds, 2 bathrooms, a fold out couch and a kitchen. AWESOME! Such a hidden little treasure of a place. Check it out: http://www.quadna-resort.com/
It turned out that Saturday just happened to be the 1st Annual Quadna BBQ Wars so we lucked out. Brett LOVES ribs!!!! It's his favorite meal. We got to try out the ribs and play at the private beach. Yeah for us! I even won a prize which Justice thought was very inappropriate considering it was a Vodka shirt and necklace. I wore it that night just cuz but got quite the reprimand. Too funny!
There was a great little hill that led down to the beach from the Lodge. They had a long slide that the kids loved! It took a good star-off and you had to lay almost all the way back to get some speed but it was perfect for the little ones.
We spent a far amount of time at the beach. We adopted a dog for a day. OK, not really but once again Midwest mentality sets in and someone left their dog down there during the BBQ wars. Justice played fetch with him for an hour or so. It was just perfect!
As luck would have it, it turns out that Quadna worked something out with the Townhouses on the Resort so we did get to use the pool. The kids LOVED it. We went there every day. Brett & I teased that we swam more these 7 days then we have in the last 10 years. Glory hasn't been in the water a whole lot due to not much around home to swim in and the cold last Summer so this was her first time she's got really brave and enjoyed herself. The weather was perfect and we had fun diving and jumping and sitting in the sun. We're still Vampire-white but we loved it!
Along with the water, the week was so wonderful because we almost thought we were in the Mountains. The trees were beautiful and the evenings had that crisp, cool air. There was tons of wildlife for us to enjoy. Our favorite was the tiny turtle that Liberty found just off the beach. We played with him for a long time. Also, on the beach were butterflies by the dozens. Justice enjoyed chasing them and even catching a couple. and don't forget the ducks and our dog. Lots of fun!
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