About the Road, Jack

We pulled out at 2:15pm.

Smiles all around!

And at 2:46pm we had already turned on a video for our children. We made it 31 minutes… aren’t you proud?

My daughter’s quote. Can you guess what show was one?

“Map!”

Indeed, it was Dora the Explorer.

This question came ridiculously often. People joke about this question getting asked on the road a lot. But for my daughter it was not a joke. She asked probably 45 times in the first two hours. You wouldn’t believe that a girl could as “Are we almost there?” so often even in the same minute. And she was dead serious. Like she thought four seconds later the answer might actually be YES?! It was funny the first two times and then not funny at all the next 43.

In Kansas we saw windmills. Lots of them. Why don’t more states build massive amount of windmills? Seems like a good idea to me…

At 4:50 we stopped at a rest stop. We stopped for waaaay too long for only having been on the road for a couple hours. Oh well. We had fun.

A baby’s got to eat! (drink!).

Happy boy.

Happy girl.

Mike got a foxtail for belated Father’s Day. It’s great fun. Very useful in times like these.

Sweet N read a Kansas brochure to baby girlie. Love it.

And an hour later we hit the road again.

Here are dashboard dinner preparations. Maybe I could market this idea? It has a nice ring to it…

By the time the sun went down we pulled out the glow sticks. Always winners. Thanks Grammi.

Later in the night got a call from our realtor that there was an offer on our home that we are trying to sell. We decided to counter offer and actually signed the paperwork while driving on the road late at night in Kansas.

Technology is A-MAZ-ING!

We were really glad to be able to turn on the data on our phone and do it that way. The alternative was pulling over at a McDonalds, opening a laptop and distrubing these two snoozers. That would have been bad news.

At 3:30am lil’ One wanted some more milk and the van needed some fuel.

Probably spent 45 minutes at Pilot at that point. Mike and I were pretty tired and our driving turns were getting shorter and shorter. He does awesome during daylight and hardly needs me then. But through the night he relies more on me.

All better. Lil’ A did so very well on this trip. There was very little crying, but there wasn’t as much sleeping as we expected either. Pretty alert at 4am for a girlie who usually sleeps 10-12 hours a night.

You know the times are tough when Mike pulls out the big guns: Mountain Dew Icee and sunflower seeds. He’s serious people.

Must. Stay. Awake.

Must. Keep. Driving.

Morning!  A welcome sight.

6:20 or 7:20 or 8:20 was our McDonalds breakfast stop, depending on which time zone you wish to follow.  I’m fairly certain that it was the motivation of breakfast burritos that kept my man motivated  through his night shifts. He loves those things.

My kids however, do not love them so much. Now we know.

So at this point we’re far into the midwest and I am starting to lose my mind. Right around Illinois I start to go craaaaazy!! Lack of sleep. Too much sitting. Ridiculously messy car. And too much digging around in bags/mess/backseat for things the kids need or want or whatever. Digging around while riding in the car is seriously one of my biggest pet peeves on a trip. Hate it.

This girl cheered me up…

I have a goofy girl and she makes me laugh.

I did work on a project some. I am replacing the elastic in my baby’s cloth diapers. I did 8 on this trip. Only 17 to go…

Another good way to spend the time. NPR…

More shows. H could watch non-stop. After a while my firecracker girl would whip off her headphones halfway into something and demand that I “Turn it off now!”.

Oh my.

And then we arrived!!!

And Grandma got to squeeze her newest grandbaby!

and Uncle Tony!

And Auntie Sarah!

And Grandpa!

And Aunt Wendy!

Such a happy day, in the end.

We arrived 23 hours after we left. Considering the best time ever is 19 hours (and that was done before kids)… 23 hours is not too shabby!

I shortly regained my sanity and it all seems like a slightly uncomfortable dream that’d I’d rather not repeat, but realize we most certainly will.

We only have short road trips the next few weeks until we hit the highways to head home, through Texas this time (as if it’s that’s on the way). 36 hours that one will be…

Also, I never did remember to call anyone Jack. Darn.