This weekend we decided to surprise Cassie. We told a little white lie in the grander scheme of things. We weren't having a quiet night at home, in fact, we were going to Fun Factory in Franklin NC!
The Reason
The family of course! Lately, there has been so much going on. Everyone has something to do and it seems like we are always on the run. With all of life's "must do stuff" the "want to stuff" gets pushed off awhile. As much as I hate to admit it, Cassie is the fall guy for most of that.
She's a kid, she wants to have fun but, I am the only driver with a house full of people with jobs, school, doctor appointments, teacher meetings, and everything else, we don't get to do that much fun stuff.
We try to find stuff to do while we are on work and health-related trips but, we never take the time out for just something fun for no reason. We had to do it. Cass needed the mom and dad time, and well guys, mom, and dad needed some Cass time too. She's growing up fast. She's a middle schooler, YIKES. How did that happen?
An Idea Was Born
Cass and her cousin had a 2 slumbers party weekend planned out for this weekend. One night at Aunt Jamie's (my little sister) and one night at Auntie's (me). It was cool. She does all of the makeup and girly stuff with them and here it's movies and staying up late. At our house, they are the babies. As long as they aren't going to be whiney the next day and they clean up their mess, go for it!!
It was a great plan. The girls love spending time together. They are 11 and 12, they do all kinds of stuff together but by splitting the weekend up, my sister and I don't go batshit crazy listening to them giggle and make videos all night.
BUT, we wanted to do something a little more than that. It's super nice weather this weekend and we didn't want to be stuck in the house. There is this place, Fun Factory in Franklin NC that looked like everything we could ask for all in one place, indoors or out, it's a building full of games, attractions, a trampoline room, putt-putt golf, and more. I called Jamie, she was sworn to secrecy and we started the accommodations.
Packing Up
When we pack to go somewhere even if it is just a weekend trip, we pack a lot. I mean, I'm surprised we all fit in the vehicle because of the comforts we bring along with us. This time, we wanted to pack light and stick to the necessities.
Once we had our stuff in the car and headed to my sister's house to pick up Cassie and my niece for our adventure, we realized we had barely anything in the car. We fit everything into one overnight bag. No coolers full of snacks or piles of pillows and throw blankets. Seriously, one duffle bag and Aron's wheelchair were the only evidence that we were going out.
I'm the ass hole here. I said, wanna mess with them? Aron, always up for a good prank said of course, what are we doing? Then the master plan was devised in less than 10 minutes en route to grab the unsuspecting kids.
Keep in mind, the original plan. The girls wanted to have 2 sleepovers this weekend so me and my sister, being awesome, agreed. Friday at her house then Saturday at our house. Our house has been so busy lately and every one had plans except Cass so she was going to have free reign on the living room and we were going to let them rent movies and stay up as late as they wanted.
Our Little Lie
We told them that Daddy had to go to grama's in Illinois to help fix the basement, that it flooded and she needed help. We told them we were on our way to the airport to drop him off and we were going to go back next week to get him. Because there was only one big bag in the car and daddy's wheelchair, it was a very believable lie as long as she didn't think of all of his previous protests to fly anywhere. When they instantly believed it, we rolled with it. It was AWESOME.
Our Adventure
We headed out from Murphy and started the rouse. There were plenty of questions to try to debunk us but we held strong and did amazing teamwork without even preparing for it. like who will you see, why does she want you to do it, will Chloe and Niko be there, can you bring them back with you, and so many more!
Living in the area that we do, the only way out of here is crossing a mountain or going through the gorge. For us to make it believable, we have to find a route that would head towards the city and land us in Franklin NC, which is only 45 minutes from our house and nowhere near an airport.
We started out towards Atlanta GA. We crossed over Blood Mountain and leisurely drove. Stopped off at a few gas stations here and there just to take up time. We even changed the departure time three times and they didn't notice!
After we went through close to half a tank of gas and get into a lot of traffic, the girls thought we were getting close to the airport. We were NOWHERE near an airport HA! We kept a close eye on google maps and found our next highway, 985 up to 23. It was a straight shot through Gainesville GA right to Franklin NC. More city, more proof!!
We ended up getting to the Comfort Inn in Franklin NC about 2:45pm. PERFECT!!!!!
Breaking the Truth To Them
It was hard to keep the excitement to ourselves the whole time. We knew where we were headed and it was going to be a blast. At a few points, Cass looked a little distracted but when I asked her about what she never mentioned daddy's flight or anything to do with it so we let it ride. It was all for the greater good!
Just so you know, I'm not that much of an ass hole, at the first sign of distress, we were going to spill the beans, it just never happened.
About 2 miles from our destination, I turned the radio off and told them I needed to talk to them about this week. That we had to go over what we were going to do and what would be different. Cass said ok, Lex interested in the conversation, was at full attention.
I said Nothing! NOTHING Will be different! We Lied! Dad isn't going anywhere!
They were so excited! Parenting Level= Expert!
We got our room keys and heard up. rd floor, adjoining room, peace and quiet for a whole night! They were super excited and so were we. We let them know we had about 15 minutes to put our thins up and we wanted to get an early dinner. They agreed. We lied AGAIN!
They got to the car and we started down the road. It was less than 5 minutes. They asked what we were having and we kept saying I don't yet. We pulled in at Fun Factory, and they didn't see it yet. We were right next to the Go-Carts and Cass looked around and back down at her phone. I said hey guys look and I pointed at the sign.
They yelled, "Thank You!!" That was the best first reaction ever!
Destination Mind-Blown
Aron and I had never been to the Fun Factory before but the kids had been on field trips with school. It is a HUGE arcade! They have a Jump Factory which is a room full of trampolines, a big Foam Pit, and they have dodgeball and the basketball hoops. The Arcade has games for all player levels and thee are cool bumper cars that look like hover crafts, a carousel, laser tag, mini Putt-Putt golf, and outside there is a go-cart track. This place is huge!
Even though the girls had unlimited passes for everything, the rode the bumper cars at least 15 times.
The Arcade is really cool I think. We got the girls the Ultimate All Day Pass. That covers all of the attractions and $20 for the arcade for all day play (some rules apply, you can check the website for specifics). Most of the games are played by a debit card style card instead of coins or tokens. Some games use tokens but not many at all. For us and our crew, that makes it so much easier because they don't have the extra cup to carry around. Swipe and Play. It's pretty cool because the balance is displayed before the game is started. The cards are reloadable too. That means if you have any remaining balance, it's not forfeited.
We had an awesome time there.
Dinner Was Awesome
After we let the kids jump their legs off at the Jump Factory we went over to Shoney's. For those of you that didn't know, it's an awesome family restaurant. They have an all you can eat bar plus a full menu. They are very accommodating.
What we ordered-
Cassie had a BLT with fries
Lexi had a BLT with a loaded baked potato
Aron had a 10 oz Ribeye with mashed and gravy
I had the Lemon pepper chicken with mac and cheese
They had an all you can eat seafood bar that night. None of us are really into that but it looked great. Abby would have been in her glory if she was with us on this trip.
It was DELICIOUS! I left there needing a nap! I was full and tired from the day's adventure and headed back to the mozy wozy fully content with life.
I just want to say, thank you for allowing our kids to be picky. There isn't a BLT on the menu but they made it special just for them.
Getting Cozy at the Mozy
We love saving money when we are traveling. I will be sharing some traveling tips on my blog if you want to check them out.
For this trip, we used our Choice Hotels membership. We get points for every stay but since we traveled with the kids, two rooms. More Points! The Comfort Inn in Franklin NC was a great pick for us. The next time in Franklin will be me and Aron and the whirlpool suite! Yes, we're planning another getaway!
Our Room
We like getting the wheelchair accessible room because it has more space in between the bed and walls and also has a seat in the bathtub. We don't always need those amenities but we opt for them just in case. We've needed them and not had them before.
We had a big tv, fridge, microwave, desk, lock box in the room, lounge chair, and several lamps. The king-sized bed was so comfortable. This is not a promotional post, I am not sugar coating anything, that was the best nights sleep I have had in years. The next time we go back I am requesting the same room. It was so clean and cozy!
The Girls Room
The girls had the 2 queen beds with a nightstand in the room, big tv, fridge, microwave, desk, lock box in the room, lounge chair, and several lamps too.
We had the adjoining rooms so we could be right with the girls but all of us have our privacy. I am so happy the girls are big enough for that. They can watch their own shows, sleep in their own beds, and it's awesome!
They have a heated indoor pool on site and the girls loved that. The other big thing is the breakfast. We left on a Sunday the breakfast room was open until 10am and the girls thought it was great. They offer way more than what we needed. It's awesome to have options. With a breakfast that big, we didn't have to stop off right away for lunch.
They have a heated indoor pool on site and the girls loved that. The other big thing is the breakfast. We left on a Sunday the breakfast room was open until 10am and the girls thought it was great. They offer way more than what we needed. It's awesome to have options. With a breakfast that big, we didn't have to stop off right away for lunch.
The whole experience was great.
It's so nice being able to be so close to home and have such an awesome time. I'm sorry I don't have so many pictures to share but I didn't decide to share this awesome prank until I got home. Next time I will try to share more fun stuff with you.
Thanks for sharing our surprise with us!
So here is the big question...
Have you ever pranked your kids about going somewhere to surprise them?
I wish you had more pictures of once you arrived at Fun Factory! It sounds like such a fun place.
ReplyDeleteOMG I can't believe you pulled off that prank! I would never even DARE to try something like that - not bc I thought I wouldn't be able to do it, but bc I am not even a fraction as creative as you were with it! Awesome!
ReplyDeleteEXCELLENT! I can’t remember being surprised as a kid! My parents were too busy working and when my dad got home all he wanted to do was relax! It’s sad that I don’t have any really good memories of my childhood! You just created a memory that they will remember forever! I can’t believe you called yourself an a##hole over that! It was a gesture of LOVE!!
ReplyDeleteI would like to go there! After all, I am a big kid!!
That's awesome. We have pranked our son a couple of times, both about surprise fun trips and having loved ones who live far away at our house and not telling him until he saw them. It has always gone well so no harm in it.
ReplyDeleteHow fun! I love surprise road trips!
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness,,my tween grandsons would have flipped out,,actally all of the grands would love this ,and i would love to be pranked like this
ReplyDeleteI guess it would be fun but I hate pranks when played on me personally. I don't think anyone really likes being the target.
ReplyDeleteEmotional rollercoaster much ahhaha, good surprised. Would make their day
ReplyDeleteCudos to you for pulling that off! It looks like you all had a great time.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful surprise!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a fun place to go to.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like such a fun place, I would definitely love to go with my family! Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteAs lies go this one was pretty good.
ReplyDeleteGood for you, sounds like a lot of planning went into that prank...best part, everyone had a blast...so, a little white lie doesn't hurt anyone especially when there's fun to be had...lol
ReplyDeleteLooks like a fun prank
ReplyDeleteSurprise trips are the best!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a fun trip
ReplyDeleteThat sounds great, I love to surprise the kids. It's that great look on their face when you tell them. I'm sure you guys saw that look in the car. You are great Parents.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like quite an adventure you pulled of. Took a lot of restraint to not spill the beans Rosanne
ReplyDeleteThe Fun Factory sounds like a fun place.
ReplyDeleteWe pranked our kids when they were growing up, because if we would have told them the truth, we never would have heard the end of the constant questioning! When are we going? How long are we going to stay there? Can we bring a friend?? It spared us a lot of pain!
ReplyDeleteThat's the best Prank I ever heard of.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great plan! Now this is the kind of prank i can get behind! I love to surprise my daughter with mini trips as well. But now that she is older, I have to plan and tell her so she can schedule around her job and school.
ReplyDeleteI know the girls enjoyed the trip. I have never pranked our daughter to surprise her but I have my wife.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun adventure! Fun Factory looks like a cool place.
ReplyDeletehaha! how fun! A surprise trip is the best kind. I may have to steal this idea.
ReplyDeleteSuch lucky, happy kids! In thinking about the light packing, I realized more and more this is what most people are now doing to make for an easier trip. Children loves surprises and you both provided an amazing one! Great job!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see more pictures of the Fun Factory. I wouldn't have the guts for a prank like that. I don't have many good memories of my childhood (or many memories at all really...not sure why that is)
ReplyDeleteMy parents took us to an amusement park once without telling us. It made the trip even more memorable.
ReplyDeleteI just accidentally sent my comment to your email. :::smacks forehead:::
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I'm so glad y'all had a good time.
We stopped at Shoney's for breakfast on a Chicago to Florida road trip one misty spring morning in Georgia in 1998 and it was a highlight of the trip for me. Good memory.
Haha! I'd forgotten how much fun it was to lie to my kids!! Oh please! Just kidding, right? Kids are so wonderful when they light up when you've surprised them. Good for you!!
ReplyDeleteWow, so stinking awesome of you to pull that off. That is so funny! I wish I could say I would just be this creative, but I doubt it. Surprising them would be awesome! starla.batesATyahoo.com
ReplyDeleteusually not a fan of lying, ut this sounds like it was for the best. awesome surprise!
ReplyDeleteYes when they were little and their grandmother was visiting us I woke them up and told them we were going somewhere. We put them in the back of the van covered by blankets and sneaked them into the movie The Terminator at the drive-in when they were 10 and 12. They are now in their 30's and say it was one of the coolest things we ever did. Rosanne
ReplyDeleteParental mind games for the win
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing.Sounds like lots of fun and some great memories.
ReplyDeleteLol. On our road trips my husband would do things like this. It was too funny and we had fun. Memories
ReplyDeleteI don’t think I ever pranked my kids but it would be fun to do it.
ReplyDeleteMy 3 kids are under 3 so they’re a bit young. I can’t wait until they’re old enough to trick them like that! My Dad did that to us as kids all the time. On a school holiday he’d tell us we were going to my Grandparents house & we’d end up at Disneyland. It was amazing!
ReplyDeleteNormally I am not a fan of pranks - but this was a GREAT ONE!
ReplyDeleteSo much fun for all.
That was an awesome and pleasant prank!
ReplyDeleteFamily is the reason for the season! Love it!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to surprise our 3 this December when we take them to Florida for Christmas. We are going to Disney and sea world!
ReplyDeleteI would love to surprise my nephews sometime. I'm not sure I could plan a whole trip, but just for an afternoon would be nice! The factory and the hotel sounded nice, and I've never been to Shoney's so I'm adding that to the bucket list.
ReplyDeleteGood that you all had such a good experience. Looks like your family has a lot of good times.
ReplyDeleteSounds Like so Much Fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to surprise my granddaughters by taking them to the Tote-em-in zoo in Wilmington, NC
ReplyDeleteI would love to do something like this with my twin daughters! So FUN! I'm glad y'all had a fun and safe time, thank you for sharing and giving me the inspiration to try this with mine :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice surprise for the kids. Prank or not it was all good. The place sounds like it was a lot of fun for everyone. Those kind of trips are the best and they will remember it for sure.
ReplyDeleteI haven't pranked my kids yet to surprise them, but that is a good idea!
ReplyDeleteGood times with your family. Nice to look back when they are older.
ReplyDeleteThat was an awesome prank! My mouth was watering when you were talking about Shoney's.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to have some me time with your daughter. And she got to have a friend to help her enjoy. GREAT IDEAL
ReplyDeletePranks normally aren't my cup of tea. Not for me.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an awesome idea. So much family fun time. I like how you did this without telling your daughter. Thank you for sharing God Bless
ReplyDeletei dont really like pranks so i dont do them to other people, but this is a funny one haha!
ReplyDelete(The Best Travel Prank Ever- Fun Factory Franklin NC) I bet those kids were very surprised when you arrived at this great sounding place. My grandson would sure love it!
ReplyDeleteit is always fun to trick some one in to some fun time
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a ton of family fun! Cassie is lucky to have you guys!
ReplyDelete(The Best Travel Prank Ever- Fun Factory Franklin NC) Bet the kids were really surprised when you all got to your destination. It's always fun twisting things up a bit.
ReplyDeleteYou should film the surprise times. I heard about a couple who filmed their little daughter when she was told they were going to Disneyland. Her excitement was so cute that they put the video on Youtube for their friends. It went viral and they ended up making enough from the ad income Youtube shared that they set up a college fund for the child!
ReplyDeleteHa Ha...I love a good prank. We use to do it quite frequently when our girls were younger and both still at home.Now with only one of them still at home we do not get to play as many pranks but when we come up with one its usually a big one. Life should be about laughter and fun, love and just going with the flow. To many people take it to seriously and I feel bad for them.
ReplyDeleteYOU are the most awesome parents EVER! Such a great idea! And don't kids just love staying at hotels?!
ReplyDeleteLooks like fun!
ReplyDelete