Day 3: A Cornucopia of Chaos!!

Forgive me, as I need my mojito earlier than anticipated....
Today brought a load of surprises, good and bad. The alarm clock, today named SRR, went off about 3am, doing the "I'm scared" song and dance. A few hours later, MGR made a nice breakfast for us before my 3 stooges went off to try their luck at fishing. Yes, all 3 of them fishing. I was not going to witness this, so I spent an peaceful hour cleaning the cabin and reading the local newspapers.
Curiosity eventually got the best of me and I went down to the pond bringing gifts of water, snacks and bug spray. I became an angler by default, as the boys didn't realize patience was a prerequisite for fishing. The playground beckoned to them and I took on the responsibility of assisting MGR with 4 fishing poles. Unfortunately, the sun was getting to the boys and I walked back up to the cabin to get sunscreen. When I returned to the pond, I was told we were packing up, as MGR was losing patience with fish and offspring. I employed the boys to assist in loading the van. (MGR didn't want to rough it with fishing gear, so he drove the van down.)
Well, before I knew it, SRR had opened the van to put in his chair. Good boy, I thought, until I heard the door close. A wave of fear came over me. Yep, he locked the keys in the van! Luckily, I had packed a spare set in my purse. Back to cabin I shlepped.....
Well we got everyone back to the cabin for a family time-out. Lunch, movie and a nap work wonders for overstimulated kids (and under amused adults!). However, SRR did it again. He somehow managed to set the lock on the bathroom door. MGR expended some muscle (along with some grumblings) and loosened the lock. That was special!
Luray Caverns was our tourist stop of the day. Very interesting and quite beautiful! The boys loved it and poor MGR tolerated it. Allergies were taking their toll again as the caverns are quite humid. We enjoyed the organ with pipes made of stalactites and all the formations created within the past 3 million years. A feeling of insignificance came over me as I saw these grand creations!
The Car and Carriage Museum, located next to the caverns were quite amusing! The boys loved seeing all the carriages and old cars. They got a chuckle over starting a car with a crank.
The highlight of the day was our visit to the Garden Maze. They actually allowed us to attempt this. Little did they know..... Our mission was to go through the entire maze and return to the main building. There were 4 posts we needed to find along the way. I was apprehensive about this, knowing the kind of day we were having..... Do they have search parties for groups like us?
Our little disfunctional group did a 180 degree turn. The anger, stress, boredom, illness and lethargy all escaped us as we worked together to find the paths that lead us out. We all took turns leading the way, some scoping out possible paths, while others stood guard to make sure no one strayed. We became one cohesive unit working toward a common goal. I was proud of us!! We made it through and it almost seemed painless. It was a wonderful time had by all.
We celebrated by dining at Dan's Steak House. Sirloin dinner for 2: $30! Can't beat that!! We than drove through Luray village in anticipation of tomorrow's big Family Fun Fest. We can't wait!!
The hot tub, and another mojito, ended another interesting day of the R vacation. Thank God for my herbs. Rhodiola and Maca are great adaptogens that allow one to deal with stress a little better. Now, if there was a way to get it in IV drip......
Until tomorrow.....