Friday, August 09, 2013

Helms Family Staycation 2013 - Day 4 to 7

Our staycation continued Tuesday through Friday.






Day 4 - Tuesday - Triniti's Day


The fourth day of the staycation was Triniti's day.  Triniti has some practical plans for the staycation.  She wanted to get her new bedding and paint Shawn Jr's room - which will become her new room.  She then wanted to eat and go see a movie.  We got everything done except the painting of the room.  We did the following things on Triniti's day:

  • Had breakfast at la Madeleine

  • Went home and started cleaning out Shawn Jr's room

  • Went to Bed Bath & Beyond and purchased her bedding.

  • Eat lunch at a burger restaurant called Mooyah.

  • Went to a drive-in movie theater and saw The Smurfs 2 and Turbo






The day started with breakfast at la Madeleine




We then went to Bed Bath & Beyond to purchase Triniti's new bedding.










Below is a picture of Triniti's new bedding.  (That is a stock picture - not really her room).










Josh and Skylin were having fun at the store.  Skylin was in jail and Josh was the prison guard.
















We had lunch a Mooyah.  It was great.













Here is a picture of Sky at Mooyah.







We then went to the Galaxy dive-in movie theater in Ennis, Texas.





This is a picture of the screen just before the movie started.  Very cool.





Unlike the old days, when you had to use a scratchy box to hear the sound, they now broadcast the sound via a FM radio station.  Our screen was 88.3 FM.  The sounds was perfect.  





Here is a picture of the big kids in the back of the Suburban (which we call Sally).  





Here is the rest of the family sitting outside in chairs.





We saw The Smurfs 2.  IT was a solid movie.  Better than I expected.  I think the kids really enjoyed it.





Everyone was super tired when the second movie - Turbo - was about to start.  However, this was the movie that Triniti really wanted to see.  There was a heated discussion as to if we should stay to watch the second movie, starting at 11:00.  We eventually stayed.  I am glad we did.  The movie was good and I think the kids enjoyed it.  But, as a result, we rolled into our driveway at just before 2:00 am.  I felt bad for Brittany who had to get up early the next day for a school event. 










It was an exhausting but fun day.










Day 5 - Wednesday - Josh's Day


The fifth day of the staycation was Josh's day.  We got everything done that he wanted to do.

  • We stayed at home for breakfast

  • Josh played Wii (Super Mario Brothers) with the girls

  • Had lunch a Chuck E. Cheese's

  • Played a family (4 vs. 4) baseball game

  • We then went home and swam in the pool

  • Everyone got ready for bed and Josh played Xbox (Call of Duty) with his big brother





Josh started his day playing Super Mario Brothers for the Wii.








We then had lunch at Chuck E. Cheese's








This place was crazy.






Josh was bent on trying to win tickets.





Triniti was good at the basketball game





Here is a video of Reese winning the top prize - 50 tickets - on the Deal or No Deal game.






Here is Reese with his haul of tickets



A picture of Josh and Triniti.






Josh loved the shooting games




This is the load of tickets the kids accumulated.





We then played a family baseball game.  I think the game ended in a tie.  As you can see, the family likes the Rangers and the Yankees.







Josh ended the days playing Xbox with his brother.  





He loves to play Black Ops II with Shawn Jr.  I can not believe we let him play a shooting game.  I have always been against giving my kids any guns - even toy water guns.  Now I let my youngest play a violent first person shooter game.  I am certainly becoming soft in my old age.





Here he is, happy as can be playing Xbox.













Day 6 - Thursday - Brittany's Day


The sixth day of the staycation was Brittany's day.  This day included the following

  • Breakfast at Chiloso in Rockwall

  • Six Flags all day

  • Pick up Chili's To-Go and eat at home





Breakfast at Chiloso.  This is Brittany's favorite restaurant.  It is a mexican place, but they have great breakfast tacos.  








We got to Six Flags over Texas at about 2:00 in the afternoon










Here is the Helms Family inside the park.







Here is the entire crew (minus Misty who is taking the picture).





Triniti and Josh on the carousel.  





Triniti, Sky and Josh on the Loony Tunes roller coaster.





Triniti, Sky and Josh on the Texas Tea cups.  Get it?





Here is josh trying to ring the bell at one of the carnival games.








Sky and Josh riding the Spirit of St. Looie airplane ride.





Here is Josh and Misty on one of the rides.






Skylin and Josh cooling off.  Sky is so dramatic.  





Here is Brittany and Shawn Jr. getting ready to ride the Titian.





Here is Josh contemplating his future as the next Batman.





Here is the crew in line to ride Judge Roy Scream - a kids roller coaster.





Here is the Judge Roy Scream sign.  This was a smaller and older wooden roller coaster.  But, I must say, it was real.  That thing was fast and jerked you around a bit.  I was nervous for Josh and Skylin.  This was their first real roller coaster.







Here is Sky and Josh after riding Judge Roy Scream.  They look happy but it was a bit scary for them.  I must say they were pretty tough.





The final ride of the day was the Texas SkyScreamer.  







Here it is as we were getting ready to get on.





I broke the rules and took my iPhone up on the ride.  This is the view from the top.  I must say, Noelle was more calm then I was.  Kind of scary.  






Here is a picture of Looney Tunes USA on the way out of the park.








We ordered dinner at Chili's on the way home and picked it up.





Everyone chilled out the remainder of the night and went to bed fairly early.






Day 7 - Friday - Shawn Jr's Day


The final day of the staycation was Shawn Jr's day.    We did nothing.  Seriously.  Nothing.  I guess we went shopping to buy Shawn a pair of Nike shoes and had Papa John's pizza for dinner.  Oh well. At least he brought the family a new expression during the staycation - "it's Gucci." That means - it's good. Funny.
Overall it was a very nice staycation.



Helms Family Staycation 2013 - Day 1 to 3

Our family has been traveling a lot this year. Therefore, we decided to have a staycation (where you have a vacation but stay at home and do things around the area). We scheduled a 7 day staycation. The way we organized it was that each kid got to pick what we did for one day.  That is 6 days where the kids decide all events of the day and 1 extra day.




Day 1 - Saturday - Skylin's Day

The first day of the staycation was Skylin's day.  She had big plans.  They were:
  • Breakfast of French Toast (made by Noelle)
  • Play Silent Football for 2 rounds (Mom and Dad lost)
  • Go Hawaiian Falls (a local water park)
  • Dinner at On the Border
  • Go to Bahama Bucks for dessert
  • Watch a family Movie (Nancy Drew)

Below are a few pics from the day . . .


One of the kids areas at Hawaiian Falls


Water slides.


They has some food stands that served ice cream, shaved ice, and cotton candy.


Hawaiian Falls is a Christian company, as is evident by the signage around the park.


The big yellow side.


More water slides.













Here is Shawn Jr. in the cabana.


Dinner was at On the Boarder


Dessert was Bahama Bucks


The family movie was Nancy Drew



Day 2 - Sunday - Parents Day

The second day of the staycation was Sunday.  No kid had this day.  Therefore Misty and I executed a very laid back day.  We did the following:
Below are a few pics from the day . . .

Lunch at the kids "new favorite restaurant" - Olive Garden.

For some reason Noelle has a seat in the middle of the waiting area.


Here we are playing Break the Safe.  This is a cooperative game where we are working as a team against the clock.

That night we had ice cream at DQ - "That's what I like about Texas."




Day 3 - Monday - Noelle's Day

The third day of the staycation was Monday and was Noelle's day.  We did the following:
  • We had breakfast at Waffle House (because the Fatted Calf is closed on Mondays)
  • Shopping at Sports Authority and Dick's Sporting Goods
  • Went to Ham Orchards (in Terrell Texas) for ice cream.  This is a peach orchard in the middle of nowhere that has a terrific little country store with produce, jams and ice cream.  
  • Kyoto Japanese Steakhouse for lunch/dinner.  Kyoto is a cool hibachi grill in Rockwall.
  • Played Top Golf that night
  • Finished the night with a rousing game of Apples-to-Apples.
Below are a few pics from the day . . .

Breakfast a Waffle House.



Shopping at Sports Authority and Dick's Sporting Goods.



Next stop was Ham Orchards.

A view inside Ham's.

Here are the girls eating some terrific ice cream.  

Lunch/dinner was at Kyoto Japanese Steak House.

Our cook had some skills.


Below is a picture of the entire crew at Kyoto.

Our next stop was TopGolf in Allen, Texas.  Top Golf is like darts with a golf ball.  The balls are tracked with a computer chip and you get points for hitting into different targets.


This is a picture of a facility at night.  Very cool.

Brittany taking her hacks.

Noelle looking good on the box.  She did not hit good, but she looked like she should be good.  :)

Shawn Jr. hitting off the tee.  Shawn and Reese were the best. 

Here is Josh taking a few swings early in the day.  Believe it or not, he was one of the better players.  Kind of embarrassing.


Josh taking his hits.

Here is Triniti hitting late that night.

Then we came back and played Apples-to-Apples - one of our family's favorite games




Location:Dallas, Texas

Sunday, August 04, 2013

Sherry Helms and Walt Disney

I will get the story on this from my mother, but this is a picture of my mother (Sherry Helms) and Walt Disney from 1959 at Disneyland.  Walt would not sign autographs but he would take pictures.  Very cool!


#Hashtags

Reese Wilson plays for a softball team of boys in his grade called the #Hashtags. Below is a picture of him and Brittany after their game last week.

Love the old fashion look.




Related question - when did a "number sign," become a "pound," become a "hashtag"?