Home again

We returned from that week-long road trip relatively unscathed. It actually was quite nice to visit new places, old friends, and old places.

While on the road, Kenna manged to (finally) successfully roll from her belly to her back. She had the back to belly thing figured out for a while now. I realize that she did these things in the "incorrect" order, but you can't tell her that. :) Anyway, back to the rolling thing. She managed to pull this feat off while Michael and I were setting up the tent. Let's just say that we put her on the trailer, a nice safe distance from the edge, and within a couple of minutes she was on the ground yelling. Luckily she landed on the freshly placed sand on the tent pad. It was not too firmly packed; so, she was scared, but not injured. Still, not one of my proudest moments.

An item that ranks near the top of our list in usefulness is the little portable potty that we have stashed in the van. Morgan made use of that potty more times than I can remember during our week long trip. It folds up the size of a dinner plate and comes with small disposable bags; so, you can just dump the "stuff" no fuss- no muss at your next pit stop.

One of my favorite memories from the trip involves a trip down a dead-end road. We looked on the map (you know that fairly crappy one that you can pick up at Wal-Mart for about 5 bucks?) and found a campground (as indicated by the little tent on the map) in the general direction that we were headed. Upon driving down several roads we found that what we really had was a place you can pitch a tent and not campground. It was getting late, Morgan was hungry, her parents were hungry, Kenna was over the car seat. So, we decided to go ahead and cook dinner there even though we knew we were not going to camp at the end of the road (that is right at some one's driveway). Michael and I were a bit disappointed at the circumstances, but we were up for making the best of it. Morgan reminded us how good the circumstances were by declaring with glee "We're having a picnic in the dark!"

Road trip

We are currently parked in a shopping center in North
Carolina. The Panera Bread company right outside the
van should open in time for the girls to awaken.

This will give us just the right start to the next leg
of the road trip. Mike will be able to get coffee
without having to get the stove fired up.

We've had a great trip so far. Morgan seems to like
the picnics on the flatbed tailer we are towing.

Although she does get tired of all of the sitting in
the car she is doing well on this long trip.

Everyone enjoyed the visit with our friends in
Maryland. We were sorry to have to leave them. They
were probably glad to see this big noisy clan go.

I'll try to get pictures of Morgan's first ocean
experience posted soon. She wasn't too impressed with
the water or waves, but she did enjoy the sand.

I should know by now

I really should. I should know if I want to actually go to the store and look around/browse and make a couple of other stops along the way that my eldest daughter will decide to nap on the drive.

I should know by now that if I don't think I will have time to crochet or read at all so why take it with me that I should for sure pack those things into the car.

I should know by now that waking Morgan up before she is finished with her nap is just asking for tantrums for pretty much the rest of the day.

I should know by now if Morgan refuses to sit on the potty after a nap that she will end up peeing in some inappropriate place (like the stool at the library).

I should know by now to make sure that the diaper bag has an ample supply of Kenna (cloth)diapers before I leave the house because she will of course need to be changed.

I should know by now that the emergency diapers in the van are pretty much too small for her.

I should know by now to never attempt to change a disposable diaper that is on Kenna any place besides a bathroom because poop will inevitably be all over her entire body.

I should know by now that you can't find parking close to anywhere you want to be in downtown Lexington.

I should know by now that a blue sky and sunshine does not mean that it is warm outside.

I should know by now that my jacket on top of Morgan will not be thick enough to stifle the yells of "It's cold, Momma." (especially after not completing a nap).

I should know by now that the books I'm going all the way to the downtown branch of the library to pick-up will not be there for me to get.

I should know by now if it crosses my mind that I don't really want to try to do my errands by myself because it will not be a relaxing browse that I should ask Michael to go with me or ask him to keep the kids.

I should know by now that Michael is wonderful and loves me because as soon as I walked in the door after this "should-a-known" day he took the girls and left me home alone.