Traveling East

The big trip east.  We left our house at 4:00 a.m. to a steady rain and a ton of really big lightning.  For many miles the lightning was in front of us, so the expectation was that we were going to drive through it.  And then at one point we noticed the lightning was to our left and we were driving around the storm.  That was a little blessing at the start of the trip.  The rain finally ended somewhere in Louisiana.  This year we were unsure of what would be open due to covid, so we planned gas stops at Costco's and Sam's Clubs knowing we could use their facilities (and get a cheap meal).  Because we knew where we were stopping, it seemed to make the trip much easier.  That and the kids getting older, with larger bladders, it felt like this was our easiest trip yet.  We reached our hotel the first day earlier than expected, so we took the time to walk around Books-a-Million.  The boys asked for sticker-by-number books and Caroline wanted a squishy toy.  We ate, we slept, we got up at 3:30 a.m. the next morning.  I woke up the kids one at a time.  Upon waking them, I said, "Please go pee and brush your teeth."  Each dutifully went into the bathroom and it was assumed they did as directed.  We left the hotel right at 4 a.m.  Our goal on the second day is to always get through Atlanta and beat the traffic.  We were right on track until half an hour into the trip, a child piped up, "I need to use the bathroom."  Said child never asks to stop to use the bathroom and is usually the one to grumble when others do ask.  So I knew he definitely needed to go.  Curiously, I asked, "Did you go at the hotel?"  No.  No he didn't.  He didn't have to go then.  Grrr.  Since the hotel is close to the time zone change, it was already 5:30 a.m. and amazingly there was a Chick-fil-a open, but it was six miles in the opposite direction.  We turned around.  All children were told to use the bathroom.  We did buy breakfast since we couldn't exactly hide the fact that we were the only customers in the store especially when the bathrooms are directly across from the registers.  Back on the road.  In South Carolina, we stopped at their welcome center and the kids were given free maps.  They kept asking where we were and then they found it on the map.  Just before reaching Grandaddy and Nana's house, we pass through a bridge-tunnel.  It is always a sign that the end is near.  Windows were opened and we were ready to get out of the car!   

The kids were thrilled to be at Grandaddy and Nana's.  They were thrilled to wake up and have waffles and bacon nearly every morning!  We didn't stay for long as we hopped back into the car the next day and drove up to see Great Grandma.  We had lunch together and she treated us to very delicious ice cream cones.  The kids had questions they wanted to ask about how she met Great Grandpa and other questions about her younger years.  We were able to see her paintings and family pictures and she showed Caroline all her breakables.  It was a wonderful time together.  We got to see our aunt and uncle, too.  The time together is never long enough!  It was a quiet drive back to Grandaddy and Nana's.  The kids were playing games on their phones and about halfway into the trip back, Josiah piped up that he was hungry.  He quickly went back to his game and seemed to forget about it.  I decided to see how long we could go before another child asked for food (we did have snacks in the car - they had access to food, they just chose not to eat what was around them).  Josiah piped up about an hour later, but by then we were too close to home and so dinner was at 9pm that night.  At least I didn't have to stop!

The next day the kids were able to do some of the fun around Grandaddy and Nana's house.  They worked on their pool skills, billiard style.  Josiah was a very big fan of using the chalk before striking.  They played baseball and frisbee and cornhole in the backyard.  Grandaddy and Nana gave the boys RC cars which they drove all over their circle.  Caroline got a giraffe she named Sophie that has been a constant sleeping buddy ever since.  

He got his beanbag in the hole.

That second day we also met up with some friends at a trampoline park.  We first met these friends at our church nursery when our oldest boys were only one.  They had a good time at the trampoline park.  They had a Ninja Warrior section of obstacles as well as a dodgeball arena.  For quite a while the kids were just running around playing tag.  We reminded them that they could play tag for free outside.  We paid a pretty penny for them to jump on some trampolines.  So please jump.  After our jump time was over, we ate lunch together.  It was a fun time.  The minute we got in our car to leave, Caroline asked what we were going to do with them next year.  

Our third day we headed up to the beach.  We rented a new house this year complete with air conditioning and a washer/dryer.  It didn't really matter what else the house had.  Those two things completed it.  The kids were so, so happy to reunite with their cousins and grandparents.  And we were all crazy excited to meet their newest cousin.  The first morning at the beach, the kids got right back into it.  Henry was drawn to the water.  He loves boogie boarding and body surfing.  No matter how often we put suntan lotion on his face, he stilled burned because he was always going right back in the water.  Caroline was into boogie boarding for a few days and her cousins really helped her out in the water.  Josiah tested out the waters, but his love has always been the sand.  In particular, he loves digging holes in the sand.  Not wee little holes, but ones big enough to fit a child or two.  He got to working on one, and as he dug his siblings and cousins helped him out.  We snapped this picture of the finished hole minutes before Bob from Code Enforcement walked up.  Apparently, this was against the rules.  Too long, too deep.  And in addition, the umbrella on its side is considered a tent and is also against the rules.  Thanks, Bob.  At least Josiah got in one good hole.  We filled it in and then spent the next few hours watching Bob go up to other families with tent-like umbrellas and canopies and tell them to take them down.  He's a joy-bringer, that Bob.  (Although we did learn the reason why and it was a good reason - so parents can see the ocean to watch their kids, which we are clearly obstructing in the picture.)   

The beach is always a good time, but this year was particularly fun because we got to play with a one-year old on the beach.  Really, we just watched him explore and play.  The big kids were smitten.  

One day, they even got to babysit while his parents went out to dinner.  Caroline has always wanted a younger sibling, so she was in baby heaven.  

The Cousins!

We did all the usual things at the beach.  Putt-putt.  The kids went with their oldest cousin - how nice to be able to pass the torch!  Grandpa took the kids to feed the ducks near his house.  It is a peaceful place to look at...as long as you do not inhale the stinky water smells.  

A highlight this year was flying their cousins trick kite nearly every night.  Everyone got a turn.  It has two handles and it swoops and dives a lot.  To fly it, it takes constant adjusting of arms.  They all got better at it as the days went on.  By the last day, Caroline was able to keep it up for quite a long time.  She was really happy to have had a successful flight.  

We did our trolley ride and Henry fell asleep.  It was a blast from the past - the trolley used to always put him to sleep when he was younger.  Our 40 minute ride still only cost us a quarter each.  

 

There were fries on the beach and ice cream every night.  Josiah opted for funnel cake and funnel fries a few nights, but the last night we got double scoops and waffle cones.  

Caroline chose a tie-dyed shirt with a sea turtle decal as her souvenir.  The following day, Josiah went back to the same shop and got a dog decal on his t-shirt. 

In the evenings, when we were back at our place, we played a Pictionary/Charades game.  We have no idea how the kids had any energy left, but we played til 9 most nights.  Instead of drawing out the clues, we acted them out.  It was a lot of fun.  Very simple, very easy.

On our final day we said good bye to Grandma and Grandpa.  They gave each of the kids sticker-by-number books which provided a lot of entertainment on our drives.  Henry, in particular, has really worked through his books.    

Then it was back to Grandaddy and Nana's for a few days.  The boys put together a Hex Bot crossbow and a ball shooter.  

They renewed their love for the Radio Flyer red wagon.  The wagon beat out the bikes this year in miles on the road.  Caroline's goal each day was to get her parents out of the house.  She asked us to leave and not come back.  One day, Todd was going to take a nap.  She asked him to take a seven hour nap.

Grandaddy took the kids on their annual lawn mower rides.  

I think this was the first time in a long time that we were there for the 4th of July.  Uncle Will and Aunt Meghan gave the kids sparklers at the beach, so we saved them for the 4th.  The kids had never done them before, so they were slightly scared at first, but then got into it.  Unfortunately, at one point, Henry dropped his sparkler and picked it up on the lighted end.  He burned two fingertips, but they were feeling better by the next day.  We'll definitely do them again.  They were a lot of fun.  

Soon it came time to drive back to Texas.  We did our usual 3:15 a.m. wake up.  We doubly confirmed everyone had used the bathroom before leaving.  We left right at 4 a.m. on the dot.  And then, instead of taking a left out of Grandaddy and Nana's neighborhood, we took a right.  And by going right, we got on the wrong highway going through a bridge-tunnel.  Knowing our exit was a low two-digit number and noticing that all the exits were high three-digit numbers, I asked "Was that the right bridge-tunnel?"  Nope.  It wasn't.  We turned around.  As we came back through the bridge-tunnel to get back to the other highway, Josiah commented on how much he loved going through bridge-tunnels when it was dark.  Good.  Because there's another one coming up.  We ended up losing 40 minutes, but with our stops marked out we made good time.  We made such good time that we reached our hotel at 3:30 in the afternoon (only because the time change right before the hotel). 

The second day of driving is always the worst.  We made great time all day until we got to Houston.  It took us 90 minutes to get from one side of it to the other.  In the end we drove 3840 miles.  And to recover from that exhausting trip, Henry woke up at 4:30 a.m. for the next two days.  He said he couldn't help it because he was so used to waking up early.  Benson, too, woke up at 4:30 a.m. looking for his morning walk.  By 10 a.m., both early birds were napping.