Fun With Kids--Bounce Partyz Fun Zone &
Crossville Model Railroad Museum
I made up a list of fun Winter time kids activities for us to do. We have actually stuck to it and done a lot of the things. I thought it would be fun to take the kids and get away for a night or two. I planned for us to go to Crossville and get a hotel using our rewards points. I picked a nice hotel with a full breakfast, a heated indoor pool, hot tub and work out room. Kenny agreed and booked it for us.
We got up Saturday morning and we drove over. We stopped at the new Buc-ees Fuel Stop. It is like a combination Wal-Mart/Truck Stop/ Cracker Barrel store super center. It is overwhelming to see it. The kids were not overwhelmed. They were chanting Buc-ees! Buc-ees! and eager to go in to check it out. They were running from one thing to another. This place is amazing! They have clean restrooms and plenty of them. It includes a couple sturdy metal changing tables. Really handy for moms with chunky toddlers like mine who are still in diapers.
The stalls are individual and close to corral your kids with you. There is a hook for purses and diaper bags. We got Mia a dry butt and went to shop around.
Below: Kenny, Mia and Gabe with giant Buc-ee
They have a huge selection of food items. Bakery. Grill, Barbecue. They have the typical convenience store items like sodas, bottled water, etc. They also have a wonderful choice of fresh, healthy foods like fruit, yogurt, cereals, salads, cheese, etc. Great for those who are trying to eat healthier like me. The trouble with it as we found was that they do not offer side dishes with these meaty sandwiches.
Our kiddos don't want brisket and more brisket. They want some meat, a drink and some potatoes or something fresh. We quickly sized up and realized we wouldn't be eating here with the little ones.
We looked at toys and other stuff. Each child got a Buc-ees t shirt. Each one got a toy. Gabe got Buc-ee beaver in a medium size. He was adorable. Mia did not want him, but chose Olaf the snowman instead. I should have stuck with my gut on that and insisted on getting two beavers. I would later have to referee the fights over Buc-ee.
Below: All the football referee calls and signals I've had to learn over the years of being a mom. The two I use the most are Personal foul/holding
We ended up not eating at the fuel stop like we imagined. Instead we went to the brand new Chik-Fil-A on the nearby main drag in town. It was wonderful! Huge, new, clean, another changing table. Good food fast and something everyone liked.
They even have a kids corner for reading. We got our tummies full so the kiddos would have energy to play. We then headed back over to the Outlet Mall to the Bounce Partyz Fun Zone!
Bounce Partyz Fun Zone
It is $8 per child to jump for ages 2 and up. $4 extra for an adult to go with a child. This is the cost for all day. We paid $16 for them to jump all day. I think we were there about two hours. They wore themselves out!
Below: Gabe is thumbs up! Have a blast!
Below: Gabe comes down a slide
Below: Mia comes down next
Below: The tallest climb in the place to slide. She made it every time! Getting better with each try. Gabe is a super big brother and watches over her attentively.
Below: Mia at the top of another slide
Below: Gabe hamming it up
Above: Despite my camera being set for motion images Mia is a blur she is so quick. Ahead of her you can see Gabe's feet.
Above: Through the first tube and starting the first, shorter climb with Gabe watching her.
They ran and played with other kids and had the most fun! It was just right. Not too many kids, but just enough to be lively and fun. Once they got tired they went out to the other room and had ice cream and played games. They returned to bounce for round two!
Round two of bouncing did not last long. Mia climbed ever slower. They were wearing out. Finally they declared they were ready to leave. We gathered up our gear and put the kids shoes back on. We headed out toward the model railroad display. We wondered if we'd be able to stay very long as Mia was wanting a nap.
Below: Papaw is seeing how much change he has for the games. Mia is deciding she doesn't want ice cream. It makes her feel sick sometimes. Gabe is enjoying his birthday cake flavor ice cream. I can see in this photo his eye color at last. I think they are a gray/green.
Below is a video of the day of bouncing.
Crossville Model Railroad Club
We walked to the far end of the Outlet Mall to the Crossville Model Railroad Club. It is a huge room full of intricately made and run model railroads! It is so much fun to watch. I like trains and always have. I don't want to have model trains since they are a lot of work and take up a bunch of space. I do like seeing them though. The display is free and runs on donations. The volunteers are awesome. They have even built a little trolley for the kids to stand on so they can see the displays better. They are built rather high for children to see. Each time I come here I notice something I haven't seen before. Today was no exception.
Mia and Gabe stuck around longer than I expected. Gabe really wasn't ready to leave when Sister Girl got to thinking about a nap and a bottle and was over it.
Below: Kenny, Gabe and Mia at the very first display you come to. The kids are standing on the little trolley platform.
Below: Crossville Police department model with the train circling the town!
It has buttons you can push that make the police station light up!
Below: In the left front corner of the room is this mountainous display with tunnels and electrical towers. It has a tunnel with a triple loop that is lit up and you can see the train make the loop through a plexiglass panel!
Below is a photo of one of my favorite buildings in any of the displays. The train garage. The detail on the brick and windows is outstanding. The train yard even has parts of cars like real life would have.
Below: Another view of Christmas village with a better, closer look at the bridges, lights and aerial tramway. It also has some cool tunnels.
Below: Hoffa cement! Love the sense of humor. Cement shoes.. bottom of the lake!
Below: farmers market and saloon
Below is a video of the visit today
HERE HERE HERE HERE HERE
Mia grew ever more fussy and worn out. I made up my mind the next visit I was coming back solo. I did not want to bring anymore kids or husbands. I wanted to stay until I was really done. I was nowhere near ready to leave. The volunteer fellow even stopped me and put the place in night mode! It is on the video. It is quite something to see it that way. All the lights really show up.
Finally we trudged out of the mall and toward the truck. Mia was glad to see it. She got a bottle and a blanket in her comfy car seat and her little eyelids were so heavy. We headed toward the hotel. Gabe said he was glad we were staying and it wasn't far to the hotel.
We arrived at the Holiday Inn Express. Something felt off to me. I just had this feeling we shouldn't unload our stuff just yet. I asked Kenny if he would go in and make sure we could check in? He agreed and took Gabe to find out. We were there about 1:50 p.m. so it would be an early check in, but not too early. I hoped they'd be agreeable. Kenny and Gabe returned and I knew from the look on their faces the news wasn't good. The hotel pool was out of commission. It was not working at all. They had no hot tub either. I was disgusted. The whole reason for staying in a hotel that is only an hour and fifteen minutes from home is the indoor pool. I told Kenny I wasn't trying to be difficult, but that if this was the case I would as soon go home. We could then get up and be at church on Sunday morning. We could sleep in our own beds.
He went back in and began the process of wrangling a cancellation.
Gabe stayed in the truck with me and Mia. He was chewing gum and sitting on my lap. He had his first loose tooth and he suddenly looked shocked and took the gum from his mouth. "My tooth came out!" It sure did! He had been letting it work its way loose instead of twisting it like I used to as a kid. He was thrilled!
He called Lydia to tell her about it and show her. While on the phone he told her what was up with the hotel and that we might be home in the morning instead of away. She was at work and coincidentally works in the hotel business. I told her Kenny was in the lobby fist fighting the desk clerk so we could get our money back. She burst out laughing. It was a long, convoluted process, but eventually he got it done. Meanwhile Mia was playing in the backseat of the truck. I noticed her hunkered down behind Kenny's seat. I said "I believe you are pooping." to which she yelled at me in baby language. I got the point which was "Shut up and quit talking about it and don't look at me!" Pretty soon Gabe and I were both smelling stinky stuff. I gathered up sister and the diaper bag and Gabe and headed in to the hotel to find a restroom with a changing table.
We got Mia cleaned up. Kenny got the cancellation done. We told the desk clerks no hard feelings. It just wasn't in the cards. They were very nice about it all. It couldn't be helped. We headed home. We had a nice evening with kids running around playing with their toys. The tooth fairy came during the night and left money under Gabe's pillow! We went to church and had a good Sunday. Things did not go perfectly to plan, but they went well enough. It was an over all success.
Next trip I want to go alone and here is my plan:
See the model trains longer
Go to the Hanes store for panties and bras
Re-visit Buc-ees so I can eat like Elvis and look at more stuff. I need one more beaver toy and me a shirt.
I want to park at the Saint Raphael's Episcopal Church and hike the little meditation trail behind it. I want to walk across Hwy 70 and photograph Upper Obed Falls.
I may try to hike the overnight trail at Cumberland Mountain State Park.
I like to have lots of options. Too many to fit in so that if one doesn't work out there are plenty more choices!
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