A little time away, San Antonio style... (Warning: It's LONG)

(Sorry this is a long and picture-y post)
Last week we loaded up for a little family vacation.  Mason is 3 1/2 and we have never gone on a vacation, just the 3 of us.  We did an overnight trip a few months ago to see how it would go, and we had a blast, so we decided that we could handle a 4-5 day trip.  Plus, I have just really needed a vacation!

We packed a lot in to the time we were there.  Maybe too much for a little guy?  He had some trouble listening and obeying at times.  I tried to remember that we were in an unfamiliar place with SO MUCH to see and do and hear and take in.  I was a little overloaded, so I am sure his little senses were way over-stimulated.  Taking that in to account he did AWESOME and we had a blast! :)

A little about the trip:

First and foremost, we bid for a hotel in priceline.  There was ONE hotel I didnt really want to stay at because it was apparently VERY haunted (not that I really believe in ghosts, but the thought of all the stories and sightings still weirds me out!).  I knew I wanted to be near downtown and close to the river walk without paying an arm and a leg, so we bid.  We got a GREAT deal and right accross the street from the Alamo and Riverwalk...only it was THE haunted hotel.  I survived...didnt think about the "ghosts" too much until the last day when I got brave and googled "most haunted room in the Menger" and our room number popped up.  Seriously!! Of course, Sallie the friendly ghost made a few weird noises that kept me awake for a few minutes, but then I was too tired to care!  HA. 

DAY 1:

When we arrived we rested and then headed over to the Alamo.  I knew that we wouldnt have a lot of time to go see it later in our trip, even being accross the street, and I wanted to get the token "in front of the Alamo" shot!  Lucky for us all of the field trippers and tourist fanatics were done for the day I guess, and I got a shot of the Alamo with NO people in the background!!

Afterward, we headed over to the riverwalk because we were starving.  I did my research for this trip and wanted to do as much as possible, but not pay a lot.  I was pretty successful actually!!  I used our credit card rewards to get dining gift cards for some of our meals.  This night we went to the Rainforest Cafe on the riverwalk and then we went on a riverboat tour! 

DAY 2:

We spent the morning at the San Antonio Children's museum.  I could go on and on about how cool it was and how much Mason loved it!  The grocery store was his favorite, and I can totally see why.  It was amazing!!  You could get a cart, grocery shop, scan the groceries with a real scanner and computer, etc.  Not to mention the bank, the airplane, the science center, etc.  SO. MUCH. FUN.  He started getting pretty grumpy toward noon and so we went accross to the Buckhorn Saloon for lunch and then back for one more round of grocery shopping.

That evening we went to Enchanted Springs Ranch in Boerne, about 30 minutes away.  It is a replica Wild West town that is in several movies sets.  We walked around the ranch, rode on a wagon ride and had a chuck wagon dinner.  Brady was "arrested" with the crime of not spanking Mason and had to dance to "I'm a Little Teapot" in order to be released!  HA.  Such a fun time!

DAY 3:

Sea World!  I have never ever been, so I wanted to see what it was all about, and I thought Mason would enjoy it as well.  He did! He had a blast.  He loved the shows and of course liked the Sesame Street play area/rides/characters.  He has been afraid of aquariums lately, but for some reason came out of his shell this trip and decided they are pretty cool and that he likes them now.  Silly guy!  It was like 95 and humid so we were hot and sweaty, but still had a great day!  We cleand up afterward and went to eat on the Riverwalk(the one with the colorful umbrellas- forget the name)...had to get in our one Tex-Mex meal!!

Day 4:

San Antonio Zoo and Train + Swimming at the hotel

We started the day at the San Antonio zoo.  We figured out when we got there that Mason was Mr. Grumpy-pants and it was not going to be an enjoyable day.  He was NOT into the zoo at all and it was HOT.  After about 45 minutes I asked him if he wanted some Gatorade...to see if maybe it would give him his "power" back.  He always talks about losing our power!  It worked and from then on we had a great time.  Thank goodness.  :)  He loved the toddler area of the zoo.  Afterward we took a little train ride around the park and headed back to the hotel for packing and a little swim. 

That concludes our trip...we had a fabulous time!!  I didn't want to come home and can not wait to go back!!  On our way out of the hotel I tried to take photos of the haunted hotel and catch a ghost or an orb trying to get in the photo...no such luck, but the hotel is beautiful!  :)