Dutch Wonderland

With Robby occupied with his cousins at the Science Center, Scott and I decided to take full advantage of our alone time with Hamlet. After much contemplation, we packed him up and drove to a neighboring amusement park. He squealed when we drove into the parking lot and he spied a roller coaster behind the castle walls.

Dutch Wonderland specializes in smaller rides, perfect for younger children. Because the majority of the rides are smaller (and slower), the park is never as crowded as other amusement parks. The pair never waited more than one cycle to hop onto a ride, and many times they were able to just stay seated and ride again.  

Timmy and Scott rode over 20 rides before my little guy finally konked out from exhaustion.  He had an absolute blast, but it is difficult to tell who had more fun. Scott was smiling just as broadly as Timmy!

My role at Dutch Wonderland was that of photographer, map reader and bag holder. Because of the short lines, I wasn't forced to use my accessibility pass. Yesterday was my favorite way to enjoy amusement parks, as a spectator from a bench. 

Hershey Park

Yesterday Scott and I packed up all the kiddos and headed to Hershey Park for the afternoon. Initially the prospect of taking everybody to an amusement park felt daunting. However, my niece and nephews have season passes and the park has become their summer stomping grounds. With more than a dozen trips logged, the cousins were able to become tour guides for their novice Crew member. 

As soon as we entered the gates I handed Robby his water bottle and $20 for food. With a quick wave goodbye, my little Koopa was gone. Tethered only by our cell phones, he and his cousins tackled the park independently. They Crew dutifully checked in hourly with a call or text, but other than that they were left to enjoy the park parent-free.

With Robby off with his cousins, Timmy had our full attention. He gleefully road the smaller amusements, with his smile shining brightly and his squeals of giggles resonating over the ride music.  He absolutely loves amusement parks!

Early in our trip, when it became clear that the lines were going to be an issue, I finally relented and requested the Accessibility Access Pass. The pass allows me to "Fast Track" all of the rides, essentially bypassing the snaking lines.  I took two motion sickness pills, pulled out the pass and headed to the special line.  

I love spending time with my family, but I don't enjoy amusement parks. The rides make me nothing but sick, and I find the crowds (and prices) overwhelming. Being able to bypass the long lines is a perk that helps to make the experience tolerable. Time spent standing still is minimized, keeping socket discomfort at bay. I also don't have to deal with whiny and squirmy kids, which is another bonus added!

Gulp Gulp

The swelling in my leg has reduced, but phantom pain returned with a vengeance last night. I'm not sure why the sudden onset, but the pain last night was relentless and strong. As I laid in bed I tried to remind myself that my limb was not being hurt, and that the pain was simply nerve endings misfiring. My internal dialog did little to relieve the sensation of my limb being stung by yellow jackets, nor did it quiet the incessant kicking that ensued. 

My phantom pain tends to increase when I'm dehydrated. Despite my good intentions, I have not been vigilant about remaining hydrated. I've been busy and self-care has taken a back seat to work, family obligations and summer ambitions.  I need to do a better job!

Last night's pain was my body yelling at me for my poor liquid intake. It is easier to drink water during the day than it is to suffer through the night. After the difficult pregnancy and the ensuing prolapse,  my bladder control stinks. I have decided that I would rather visit the bathroom frequently instead of being stung by phantom wasps through the night. 

Resuming Normal

With the sun shining bright against blue skies, yesterday was exactly what I needed to regroup and relax. The cool pool water immediately started to help relieve the swelling in my legs, the unfortunate side effect from Sunday's travel. After a few hours of splashing and playing with the boys my legs had returned to their normal size and I began to feel calmer and happier.  

Unfortunately we won't be able to go to the pool today. The skies are already darkened and thunderstorms are on the horizon. I'm glad that we took ample advantage of the opportunity yesterday because the forecast in this area is not favorable for the next few days. Although the weather will be yucky, my flowering shrubs and our pumpkin plants will appreciate the rain. 

Robby has been asking to visit his cousins, so we are going to head up to my Mom's for a few days when there is a break in the storms. I know that the Cousin Crew will be happy to be reunited for the week. It has been awhile since they have been together and with turtle camp starting next weekend, the opportunities for them to be together soon will become scarce. 

I don't have any great adventures planned (yet), but I am sure I will come up with something!

Home

Although I never made it beyond the hotel walls, I had a great time at conference. I loved reuniting with my friends. We only see each other once a year, but our connections are strong. Social media, with all of its flaws and frustrations, is a wonderful conduit for connections.  

Traveling home was both long and tiring. Between delays and flight cancellations, my reunion with the boys was delayed until late evening. I was so grateful to finally walk off the last plane. Sitting for hours, cramped into the center seat, caused my limb to swell and my back to ache. By the time I was able to finally stretch out and walk my leg was as puffy as a giant marshmallow.  

I took a water pill as soon as I arrived home in an attempt to expel the extra fluid.  No good idea ever goes without a consequence. My leg is returning to its normal size, but I was up all night going to the bathroom. Between the jet lag, conference fatigue and the interrupted sleep, I'm dragging this morning. 

Despite being tired and puffy, I'm delighted to be home. While I had a great time visiting with my friends, I missed my family. At my core, I'm a homebody!

Day 1

Greetings from conference!

Working conference is always an exhilarating and exhausting experience. I am in constant motion, but every time I turn a corner I run into another friend. I love seeing so many familiar and wonderful faces. After attending for almost a decade, I feel like conference is a class reunion.

Setting up the booth was frustrating, primarily because it was my first time with the task. I've worked dozens of industry conferences, but I have never been in charge of booth construction. Thankfully I had some strong friends who were generous with both their time and their efforts to help me out. After trial-and-error attempts, we finally erected a standing structure for the booth backdrop.  (Hopefully I will remember how it is constructed so that next time it will be easier.) 

After the booth was constructed I spent the afternoon in meetings and talking with friends. I didn't make it back to my room until 10, which felt like 1 AM because of the time change. (This early rising Mom was up well past her bedtime.)

Today is a full day in the exhibit hall. If you are at conference, please stop by booth #310 (LIM Innovations) and say hello!  

Travel Weary

I spent the majority of my day yesterday either at an airport or sitting on a plane. After nearly 10 hours of traveling, I finally arrived at the conference hotel. I have numerous friends who travel frequently for work. I do not possess that mentality. By the time the final plane landed I was chomping at the bit to get off of the plane.  Much respect to the travel warriors out there, because I certainly do not have the right mentality for that job!

Today will be busy with conference prep. I'm going to be busy, which is good because I won't have much time to miss my family. It will be wonderful to be reunited with my amputee friends, and engage in the conversations that can only occur when we are all together.  

Have a great day!  If you are at conference, stop by the LIM booth to say hello and a selfie!