Crayola Experience

When DW and I were in Orlando at the beginning of the summer, we’d seen a billboard advertising the Crayola Experience that was opening in July. I knew the girls would love it, so mom and I planned to take them on one of our “Fun Fridays…”

We got to the Florida Mall in time for lunch and then made a quick stop at the M&M Color World. I didn’t know but there’s only a handful of them in the world, and one is Orlando. The girls LOVED the color wall, where you could mix your own M&Ms! Of course they made a Gator mix for their Daddy.

Then it was time for the main event- the Crayola Experience! The Friday we chose was only two weeks after the Grand Opening and it was pretty crowded, but it was still a good time.

There are lots of different stations or centers set up where you get to do different artsy things using Crayola colors and products.

A few favorites included the spin art, the light up wall, and the crayon shape maker.

We also got to make custom coloring sheets, puzzles, crayon shapes.

The girls also enjoyed all of the interactive techy stuff. You could color a picture on an IPad, then upload it to the animated wall.

We went through almost all of the stations, saw the live demonstration on how crayons are made and then wrapped up the day literally when we made personalized wrappers for our crayons.

We made custom crayons for a few of our cousins and little friends, too…

The girls loved it – anything coloring and crafting is right up their ally! And Tucker? Well, he chewed on a crayon, got in a nap and LOVED seeing the giant color balls.

No trip would be complete without a trip to the gift shop. At least that’s what my girls think anyway. ;) The brought home a bag full of Crayola art supplies

& even Tucker got a couple things…

It was a colorful fun Friday for sure. :)

 

~amw~

4th Fun 2015

For as long as DW & I have been together (and years before, for him), tradition has always found us on the beach for the 4th of July weekend. As many of the family who can, always pile into my in-laws’ condo for a few days of fun in the sun.

It’s always more fun when the 4th actually falls at the end of the week or on the weekend, because it means a 3 day weekend!

We packed up and headed over to the beach on Friday morning. We arrived in time to try the new Culver’s for lunch. It was a hit for sure, and not just because they promote agriculture and thank farmers. The food was great and it will definitely be added to our fast food at the beach rotation. ;)

We got our suits on as soon as we got there and hit the water.

After an afternoon of beachin’, we went to dinner. Pappy & Nie-Nie volunteered to keep the smallest of the herd at the condo and sent the rest of us off to the dog track. We decided to take the girls with us, because I knew they’d love it.

They must have known the big-money 10-cent betters had pulled up when we piled out of my loaded-to-capacity car, because a nice gentlemen on a jacked-up golf cart came over to take us to the front.

We had a good time picking our dogs based solely on their names and if they’d pooped on their way to the gate. We laughed and cheered and placed our bets, and by the end of the night everyone had won at least one bet except ME. So, I’ve written off the dog track… as in it’s DEAD to me. I’m D-O-N-E. I lost my entire ten dollars and you can bet Mr. Jacked-up-golf-cart man was no where to be found to pick us up on my walk of shame back to the car. However, everyone else did pretty good and they were glad to remind me of it. I’m looking at you, Adam.

We ended the night back at the condo with sleeping kids (& Pappy), laughing our heads off playing a couple rounds of “Things”… which led to our downloading DubSmash. All I can say is, “it wasn’t me.”

Saturday was the 4th and we woke up to fresh, hot, picked up just after the sun rose, Krispy Kremes. Pappy is good to us. Parker woke up with the roosters, too, so Adam & Nen went and got coffee for themselves and sweet teas for me & DW. It was the royal treatment for the Devin Whitehurst family that morning. :)

We hit the beach by mid-morning and settled in for some sunshine and sand. We jumped dump trucks on some sand ramps, made sand castles, consumed mass amounts of sand (Tucker & Parker, not the rest of us), got ice cream from the ice cream truck, grilled out on the beach, and rinsed off in the pool.

 

Mamie, who’s spent all summer scared of the beach, finally opened up to it. Something clicked and she jumped waves like a pro and ran back and forth from the tent to the water. Hallelujah.

It was a great 4th!

After dinner at Red Robin, we had a mini dance party in the yogurt shop and a trip to Super Target. We ended the evening with a walk on the beach. Nen snapped these pics of Uncle Adam, Parker & AB and me & the girls…

That night, we watched fireworks down the beach from the balcony.

Nen picked up some light-up toys for the kids and they enjoyed those…

Sunday was another beach day.

After lunch, we loaded the kids up and all the girls headed home. The guys stayed behind for the races.

It was a great weekend. It’s always fun making memories.

~amw~