"Fun" times in Port Washington.....filled with no yelling and no anxiety!

So here we go.....

I had a thirty-one party to do in Fredonia on Saturday and so what a better time than to throw all the kids in the van and drive up by Auntie Dawn and Uncle Hugh's house.  We were totally unprepared.  Dan decided he would come with the kids about 20 minutes before I had to leave.  I am sure no one brushed their hair or teeth (well, I did...but I don't know about anyone else).  So, Dan dropped me off at my party and headed to the O'Donnell's to chill until I came back.  Long story short.....Auntie Dawn and Uncle Hugh decided to MAKE us all go to Port Washington.  Worked out nicely as that was on our summer list of things to do as well!  

 So here we are just arriving at the Harbor. Lots and lots of fancy boats and yachts to look at!  Let the pictures begin.  As I previously stated, we were so unprepared and we didn't bring our camera.  So excuse the bad quality photos...they were taken with my iPhone who I currently have a love/hate relationship with!  "ok, kids, line up so I can take a picture."  And the fun begins!

 This was only our second picture....and the moaning began.  I personally don't understand why they all don't want to pose all the time for photo opportunities...but for some reason they were not in a "picture taking mood."  Someone may have said, "go over there and get in the picture and smile or I am going to throw you into the lake."  (Sometimes Dan can be so hard on them ! :) )

 Molly came up with this idea of a pose.  Just in case you can't tell...this is a huge anchor.  Auntie Dawn told us we had to take their picture there.  So, we forced, I mean made them!

 Here is a picture from the boardwalk of the harbor.  So pretty.  And then let the anxiety begin.

 So, along the boardwalk you could lean over and try to see fish in the water.  Someone developed a bit of anxiety at this point.  So you can see the 2 white boards and then this thin little wire.  Well, what would prevent a certain little 3 year old boy from slipping his foot under and falling in the water.  No one else seemed to care.  He wouldn't hold a hand and I was pushing Lanie in the stroller.  Who would jump in?  Dan said he couldn't cause he had his cell phone in his pocket.  All I could picture was having to jump in the yucky water after Gavin because no one cared that he could fall in.  We couldn't get off that walkway fast enough.  Ok...well it got a lot worse at that point then.

So then someone had the "brilliant" idea to walk out to the light house.  To the left is a picture taken from the light house.  See that very tiny walkway that our very precious 6 children had to walk on to get out to the light house?  No railings, no sides, no barriers, no NOTHING!  Someone was freaking out again!  Dan carried Lanie, Uncle Hugh held Gavin's hand, Auntie Dawn held Kenadie's hand, and I held Abbie's hand.  Molly and Sadie were on their own.  I kept a watchful eye out for a way to climb back up incase someone were to fall off and I would have to jump in to rescue them.  Seriously, what kind of crazy people do this stuff with 6 kids?  

 So we made it to the light house okay.  Notice how the kids all ran up to the EDGE of the light house to wave to a boat?  Ummm...could we back up a little bit?  Dan reassured me that there were lots of rocks below them to break their fall.  Really reassuring as they could crack open their head when they fall now.

 Another picture of the kids on the EDGE of the wall.  We couldn't stand in the middle and take a picture, we had to be daring and stand so close to falling in!  The kids wanted to peek over the side and I am pretty sure someone turned into a crazy person forcing their kids to come away from the wall.

 And what a better idea than to perch Lanie on a bolt thingy?  Look how close she is to the water!  No one seemed to mind...well someone did, but certain someone's were not listening to her.

 I must say it was very beautiful there.  I so wish we would have had our good camera ( and that Gavin would have been in his matching shirt and shorts..but I didn't dress him this morning!)  The kids started to complain they were cold and they ALL had to go to the bathroom.  Did you know there are no potties at the light house?  We had to scurry back to shore...on the very thing break wall, walking very fast, over a very rocky surface.  Good thing someone had the bathroom on her mind the whole way!

 Then we got subs for dinner and headed to a very nice park on the bluff.  We really wanted to see the fish gutting, but no fishermen were coming in at the time we were there.  After we played for a bit, we went for a walk on the bluff.

 There was a huge staircase from the top of the bluff down to the beach.  The kids wanted to go...the adults didn't.  We had a long day...but the fun wasn't over.  We headed down the huge staircase to the beach.  No swimming suits, no drinks, no bathroom, no worries!

 At this point Molly was done with pictures.  She was scolded to change her attitude and at least look happy.

 See that lighthouse out in the water?  Well, that just happens to be the one we walked out to!  See how far out it is?  See how dangerous that looks...with no sides...nothing to keep your precious little's ones safe?

 I wanted to try and get a good picture of them on the beach.  Gavin was being Gavin.  He was in a crazy non listening mood.  "Gavin, don't throw sand, Gavin put the sand down, Gavin, smile for the picture."  Gavin wasn't gonna do it.  Notice how my sweet girls are all smiling and striking a pose...even Lanie?  Notice my sweet , adorable, handsome Gavin-totally NOT listening.  Dawn thought this was quite funny...someone else did not!

One more quick picture of Lanie and Daddy.  He was such a trooper today and always offered to hold Lanie so I wouldn't have to.  He even put Gavin on his shoulders and held Lanie all the way up the stair case to the top of the bluff.

After a long day, we were sure the kids would fall fast asleep on the way home.  Guess who stayed awake the entire way home?  GAVIN!   Talking and yelling at me.  Guess who woke up puking this morning?  GAVIN.  I am thinking he might have gotten dehydrated and over heated yesterday.  Overall, I am very glad we went.  The kids had a blast and that is all that matters.  Someone needs to work on her anxiety....