Day 13 - up n' at em bright n' early

We have been on vacation since Saturday and so far it has been a trip jam packed with adventure and fun. Yesterday, we had a flat in a parking lot in Regina noticed by our sons saving our lives perhaps since the tire split all around!
Instantly, as true Derkson form, out came a blanket spread in one of the parking squares where all the children were told to stay by their oldest sister, and snacks were scrounged up by mom and girls including mom's untouched lemonade for a drink. As the kids ate, girls" hair was combed, guys n' dad changed the tire and plans wewre made for the day's activities. A true team effort and the issue was dealt with in short order!

The afternoon was spent at "Ipsco" now called Evraz where mom and dad shared memories of their days at the big slide and the park, while we kept a long promised trip there with our children and made new memories that one day hopefullyu their own children will share. We brought a picnic lunch and had lots of fun and mom even climbed the 40foot slide and went down with Zachary to prove she could still do it. Of course that cage over head is meant for kids and the pole and mom's head connected as she got up at the bottom, but all is well.

After we finished there, we headed to the Milky Way the best ice cream stand ever and then to Wascana park shoWing the littles the man made lake and sharing more memories. I missed my dad in all of it, but it was a good day!

We ended up at Derk's Aunt Pat's place for a bbq which Josh cooked being nominated chief bbq'er. It was a peaceful evening,no pressure to hurry-up and get on the road. So nice and So needed! After that, we went to Derk's mom's place for another hour or two then piled in the cars close to 11pm and left for Alberta. Driving through the night lets the kids sleep and it is cooler for travelling.

Around 3am, we stopped and Slept waking to hills on our right and the welcome to Alberta sign in front of us! Everyone had their turn plugging their nose while using the outhouse-like toilets and off we went to Medicine Hat where we gassed up and got Tim's. Now, we're all driving in the cool morning sunshine westward.

Now.......coke withdrawal update:
I am doing awesome. Still crave a diet coke at the craziest times where it was once my habit to have one, but i get past it and drink something else. Believe it or not, because of the heat and nothing else in the cooler, i am now averaging 2-S bottles of water a day. I think i am starting to like the stuff!
Mentally the habit of normally having a coke is the hard part now.
Physically, because of the heat I guess, i have ballooned up in my hands and feet to where i could hardly walk yesterday. That wasn't so fun. Well we're driving doWn the hwy and within a few hours or so will arrive at our destination. Looking forward to the motel shower!!