Madison Wisconsin get away

There was not much in the budget for a vacation this summer so we decided to take a weekend trip to Madison, WI shortly after school started.  The hotel that we stayed in had kid suites and a little water park.

Lizzy played on the watersides and swam her little heart out.

Annie enjoyed her time in the low depth waters playing with her boats

..and her smurfs.

Bowl of Smurfs

Smurfs can ride on the boats!

Annie did get a little daring and go on the toddler water slide.

Turns out Smurfs need and escort when riding the water slide.

Bathing Beauty

As you can see Daddy would wait in the wings in case a water reduce was needed.

We spent one day at Cave of the Mounds Lizzy was fascinated with by knowing that we so far under ground. Both girls enjoyed the different shapes and pools that we got to see.

These look wet but they are not.

This was the only part in the Cave that we could touch.  Let me tell you the girls touched touched touched!!!

In the gift shop the girls got to pick out a Geode to crack open.

Here is the winner.

The attendant in the store put it in the clamp and explained to the girls that they need to listen for a "pop" noise.

Lizzy got the first crack at the crank.

Annie went next.

Lizzy gave it the final crank and we all heard the soft "Pop" that indicated it had cracked open.

Lizzy's 1/2

Annie's 1/2

2 halves do make 1 whole :)

After we done with the cave and the gift shop the girls decided they wanted to try their hang in the Quarry Mine.  Both got to choose a bag that they could shift and rinse to discover their treasures. 

Every time Annie's screen came up full she would clap her hands in delight.

oooooo look at all of those treasures.

When it all been cleaned up the girls would load their treasures into little clear plastic bags for the trip home.

Showing off the loot.

Hmmm just like the shampoo says...."Rinse and repeat"

I am slightly directionally challenged.  We were not more than an hour away from the Dells or so I thought.  We made a trip out to Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty in the Dell's for an early dinner/late lunch.  It was a good time and the girls needed a nap.

We were going to spend our final day at the swim park but Lizzy ended up with a touch of a stomach bug so we packed it in an came home early.  Even with the touch of stomach flu a good time was had by all.