This will be the first of many vacation blogs. We took a ton of pictures and I'll group them by day, event, activity etc. Ben and I love looking back at the blogs (especially vacation blogs!) so be prepared for an onslaught of pictures and blogs!
We vacationed in Palm Desert last year and loved it so much we headed back to the exact same resort this year! I wouldn't be surprised if we headed back next year as well! I'm pretty sure this is the perfect vacation spot / resort for a family with young kids looking for sun and lots of activity options. The resort http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ctdsr-marriotts-shadow-ridge-i-the-villages/ includes 5 pools (two are VERY kid friendly), golf course, playground, child activity center with a free movie theater and many planned activities, tennis courts, yoga studio, etc. Our room was spacious with a full kitchen and washer and dryer. There is also a zoo, children's museum, and so on near by if you are looking for something to do outside of the resort. If I could hop on a plane right now to head back there I would!
We flew out bright and early on a Saturday morning!
The kids were very excited to try out their new headphones and play on the leap pad and Ben's IPad. We haven't gotten around to buying the kids their own IPads so it's a very special treat for them to zone out in front of these electronics!
It's a long story, but we were able to fly first class on Sun Country to and from Palm Desert this year. I can honestly say that it will be very tough for me to go back to coach with the kids after this experience! The extra space, constant attention, constant food / drinks and free tablets made these flights a breeze with the kids.
Here is Chelsea enjoying a muffin and a sprite. The kids really enjoyed ordering whatever beverages they wanted!
Tyler taking a break from his Sprite and checking out the neighboring parked planes!
After everyone boarded the plane Ben asked a flight attendant if the kiddos could see the cockpit. To our surprise not only were the kids able to check it out, but the pilots actually got out of their seats so Tyler and Chelsea could get in! One of the pilots even showed the kiddos buttons they could push to make noise and light up. What a fun experience!
I was amazed that the meals served onboard were actually pretty darn good! We were served way too much food and barely dented it. The kids were served special meals that were a little more kid friendly than what the rest of us got.
Who needs this much food in one sitting?!
We landed in Palm Springs around 9:30am. Since we couldn't check in until the afternoon we took our time running errands (groceries and walmart stuff), checked out the child center, playground and hung out at the pool for awhile.
Chelsea hanging out in a play bus in the Child Center!
Tyler finding a gun!
Playground time!
My pale, Vitamin D depleted body soaking in the sun! The temps were in the 90's for most of our visit and high 80's the last two days. HEAVEN!
We dug our swim suits out of our luggage and went to one of our favorite pools at the resort. Tyler especially liked the splash pad!
We were surrounded by mountains. Blue Skies, Mountains and Palm Trees in every direction!
Smoothie time!
By this time it was mid afternoon. We had been up since 4am (Minnesota time. 2am California time!) and I was ready to get settled into our room and running on fumes.
Fast forward to our first night. Since We planned on eating on our outdoor patio for meals we turned the dining room table into an art station for the kids. I didn't pack many toys for the kiddos and picked up some basics at the Walmart in Palm Desert. Just enough to keep them entertained while we were in the room and at the pool. We made it through the week EASILY with limited 'toys' for the kids. They were happy with what they had and were very creative playing with each other with what they did have. Needless to say... I am in process of purging toys out of our house right now!
Ben and I like drinking shakes for Breakfast so I brought some shake powder with us. Unfortunately the blender wasn't put together properly so when I tried to lift it off the base a ton of chocolate shake liquid went flying everywhere! Including ON me. That was not a good start to the morning!
This tree was off to the side of our patio. Chelsea and Tyler really enjoyed "climbing" it!
Chelsea helping Tyler climb the tree!
We enjoyed taking walks around the resort. The scenery is beautiful wherever you look!
Pool time!
We practically lived at the pool (s) while we were there. The weather was perfect and the pools weren't overly crowded. There are pool bars that serve food and booze, but they allow you to bring in your own food / drink as well. I'd pack the kids snacks and lunch most days. We generally made our own lunches and went out for dinner or ordered in from the clubhouse restaurant so we could eat on our patio. It worked out perfectly!
I think this is enough pictures for one blog! I will post several more soon!
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