Lanzarote, Spain {Canary Islands} Winter Sun Getaway

Every January here I start to crave the heat and sunshine....not sure which one I crave more, probably both equally. The kids just so happened to have quite a few days off of school and I was searching for places to go (by what was cheapest of course) and Lanzarote popped up!! At first, we were like no....this would be our fourth time going to the Canary Islands but then we were like, welllll, we haven't been to THIS island yet. The more we thought about it we knew it was the place for us....no coldness for the kids to whine about, less sightseeing/more adventure........we were sold.

And off we went!

We had a fabulous first day. Mostly sightseeing (the kids least favorite thing) but it was way cool.

First stop was Jameos del Agua.

the cave floor, in the water, was filled with these albino crabs

We had one of our best lunches here.

Only the King of Spain can swim in this pool.

Then we stopped off at the Cueva de los Verdes

There is a concert hall in here...bet that's awesome acoustics!

And that is a little cave lake (a reflection! not a deep pit like WE thought!)

Last stop of the evening before heading to check into our hotel was Mirador del Rio

After checking in the kids were super anxious to get in the swimming pool. It was low 60's and pretty windy. I thought they were craaay for wanting to get in there. Derek and I laughed at them as we sat cuddled in the beach loungers in our towels.

And then the real fun began. The weekend before we left Avery had been sick with what seemed to be a stomach bug. I thought I was catching it because my stomach was very weak, though I never got sick and everyone else seemed to steer clear as well. Well, that night Allie got so sick! I got zero sleep because I was up with her. She couldn't sleep because she kept feeling the urge. She eventually got in bed with me (as I was crossing my fingers that her germs wouldn't get to me) and she was able to sleep a tiny bit. As it was with Avery, it seemed to be about a 12 hour bug, but then of course you're tired and just have no energy for another day or so. I had this huge long itinerary, but we just put it to the side and went with the flow from that point on. Luckily for the rest of us, we booked a place that was right on the beach and next to a bunch of restaurants. Since Allie was feeling better, we left for breakfast (which was at the hotel) and then came back and got ready for the beach. Derek and I took turns while the other stayed back with Allie.

me coming to take over

An evening walk

And then that night.......dun, dun, dun.....Derek gets sick, quickly followed by Blake. My stomach was still feeling weak so I was like please just let me get sick now so we're not stuck in the hotel our entire trip! Well, I didn't get sick but was up all night again with my sick boys. So the next day the girls and I spent the majority of the day at the beach. We finally came in and told the guys we were going on a bike ride (the bikes were set up right outside our hotel and was something we all said we wanted to do when we saw them. I figured we might as well do it because the way things were looking we weren't going to be able to do it otherwise -- they would be closed the next day too). Well, once we went in and told them they said they were going too! I was glad they were feeling better, though they still looked rather weak. They did pretty good though.....considering!

Afterwards we all came in and took naps!

The next day everyone woke up feeling good (even me....I stayed in the clear!) and it was such a super fun day full of laughs and smiles and just a great time. We started the day going to Timanfaya National Park where we took a bus ride around the park.

And then we got to see some demonstrations on just how hot the ground underneath us was. Here they are taking some kindling straw and in almost immediately sets fire!

Then he takes water and dumps it down this pipe into the ground and it shoots right back up!

We were going to have lunch there, but none of us were hungry so we didn't. Kinda cool though....the food is cooked right over the heat from the volcano.

Then we went back down towards the entrance of the park and rode the camels!! Highlight of the trip for most of us! It was such a neat, out of the ordinary thing to do. A memory that the kids are sure to remember!

After camel riding we stopped off at Los Heriverdos

Then a quick stop off to see El Lago Verde

And a stop off at the beach right after lunch.

And then for sure Blake's highlight, and a close second for the rest of us! Go Kart Racing on an amazing course in super fast cars (Blake's jam!) I will admit though, when we first got there and Derek and Allie did their race (with tons of people joining them) I about chickened out. Those people were flyyyying and it terrified me to see them whipping around each other. I told Derek he could have my turn, but then we saw no one was lined up to go so Allie and I went down to the track. Sure enough as the other race finished up even more people than before came to join ours! I will rather proudly say that I came in 4th though....and I was the only girl besides Allie. And I wasn't racing kids Allie's age either. My nerves quickly faded and the competitive side in me came out! I'll take 4th for my first time! woot woot!

Our last day, we checked out of the hotel and spent our coldest, rainiest day at the waterpark/zoo Rancho Texas.

saying goodbye to our place.

Ranch Texas

Avery was obsessed with these things