The Homestead 2015

After our first trip to The Homestead 2 years ago, we have talked about going back.  We loved it there.  We finally got to go back for MLK weekend.  We stayed for 3 nights this time because it's a long drive up there for only 2 nights!

There were quite a few moments when we weren't sure we were even going to make it.  The night before we left, Merritt woke up in the middle of the night coughing so much that she threw up a couple of times.  We didn't know what was going to happen in the morning, but she seemed fine.  Her coughing was not as bad.  So off we went.  Then about 20 minutes into Virginia, she threw up again.  We were in the middle of nowhere, and we really weren't prepared for the huge mess.  We found a Dollar General and bought everything from towels to bibs to an extra set of clothes for her.  There was one point that Jason thought that we should go back home, but we didn't.  And we were glad that we didn't because she was totally fine after that.  It's really quite funny now that we know that everything was okay.

So we made it to The Homestead!  We had a suite this time, and it was perfect.  We had plenty of room for the kids' stuff without it taking over the whole room.

That night we played family bingo and had dinner at Jeffersons, which they were building/renovating the last time we were there.  It was delicious!

The next morning was a big day for Sims.  He tried skiing for the first time, while Jason skiied for the first time in 20 years.  Sims went to a half day bunny school, and he loved it.  He and Jason got to ski together for a little while before they were ready to call it a day.

Sims really loved skiing, so I guess we will have to do this every year! 

While the boys were getting ready to ski, Merritt and I hung out in the snow around the slopes a bit.  Merritt didn't really know what to think of the snow.  She definitely wasn't a fan of it when it was stuck to her hands.  While the boys skied, Merritt took a nap, and I enjoyed some quiet time in the room.

That night we had dinner at Sam Snead's Tavern, which was almost disastrous with an overly tired child who had skied all afternoon.  That was to be expected though.

The next morning we went swimming in the indoor pool.  Sims and I went ice skating and enjoyed afternoon tea together, while Merritt napped.  Ice skating was lots of fun because Sims and I were the only ones who were out on the rink.  The ice skating legs or trainers or whatever they are called (the contraption that you can hold on to while you skate that helps you to stay balanced) helped us out a lot.  This was Sims' and my second time out on the ice, and that contraption made us feel like pros.

Sims and I, also, played checkers in one of the little lounge areas.  This was his first time playing checkers, and the 2 of us now love to play together!

Once Merritt woke up, we all enjoyed a round of mini golf.  Of course, mini golf with a 15 month old is a bit difficult.  In the end, we just let her pick up the balls and roll them around herself.  This video shows the chaos that ensued.

We had dinner our last night at Jeffersons again.  After dinner, we hung out at Downtime, which is a game room.  Sims and I played air hockey, and he got to play some video games.  He loved that place!

We got up the next morning and headed home.  We were rewarded with a beautiful snowfall as we left.  And it was warm enough that we didn't have to worry about the roads.  The perfect ending to a very fun trip!

Getting Merritt in the car for the drive home

We are already looking forward to going back to The Homestead.  We just love it there!