Leaving Home!!

      Our goal was to leave home at 10AM – get on the road and see how far we could get.  Originally, John had us camping in Metropolis, IL by the river tonight.  Sounded good in theory but we should have known; our actual leave time was around 12:30.   By the time we turned around once to go back, we were technically on the road just before 1:00.  The ride was a little solemn.  There so many hard things going on in the world and in our family, it’s a little difficult to get our minds around the fact that we are running away to have a good time.  It’s much needed for our mental health but we are leaving a part of our hearts in Florida, South Carolina, Michigan, New York and Georgia.

     One of our favorite lunch spots is a great rest area with green space and shaded picnic tables, lunch meat, bread and chips.  We made it to Nickajack Lake rest area, which is on a large island in the lake, just north of Chattanooga.  It was a quick ride after experiencing the blessing of the new toll road from 285 around Atlanta to north of Kennesaw on Hwy 75.  It cost us $2.00 and save us probably an hour.   As always, we have to have road trip music, car games and a good audio book for the ride.  One of our favorite albums is the Guardians of the Galaxy sound track.  This time we started the trip listening to an Alexander Hamilton biography that's just a little too much for the 10 & 11 year olds.  I think we will regroup on that.  

      Our eventual stop for the evening found us in Paducah, KY.  I never realize how far in the northwest point of the state it is.  We didn’t really see much of the town other than the major highway exit at Hwy. 60 where the hotel is located.  It was a great area if you are in need of a nice hotel and diner more than fast food.  Although we chose Panera, there were lots of options.  

Remembering Loved Ones!

As we plan this trip, we never expected the week that preceded our leave date that might make us contemplate canceling the whole thing.  At this point, we are planning to proceed based on all of our family’s input; unless we get a call before noon tomorrow, we will carry on.   This post is just to pause and remember the people that we love so much and will miss always - Aunt Susan (July 12) and Uncle Clinton (July 15).   

Westward Tirp Planning 2020

Very soon, this family will be journeying west again before out eldest goes away to college.   This trip, we are taking the north western path with the first major scenic stop being the Badlands.  We will be camping 9 out of 16 nights in a Sylvan Go.

Preparing for travel camping has been more of a journey than expected as we plan to get enough gear for five people into crates that fit like a puzzle onto the trailer making sure

The journey will begin in Metropolis, IL, proceeding to Omaha, NE with hopes of a DDD stop at Big Mama’s Kitchen before arriving in Badlands National Park for our first camping night.  Beyond the Badlands, we will stay for two nights each near the Black Hills, in Custer State Park, Big Horn National Forest, Yellowstone National Park.   We have plans for rafting the Snake River with friends before one night stay in Jackson.  We have a reservation at the YMCA camp is Estes Park, CO for one last adventure in the Rocky Mountains before we turn back east.

The younger kids are getting a little wound up knowing we will be leaving town soon.  The excitement combined with the stress of many things going on in life are creating an interesting tension in our home.  We are all very ready to get out of the house after spending pretty much all of our time here for the last four months.

Journey 2017 USA-Canada

We left home as early as possible in the morning of day one in order to take our time yet  make it to Kokomo, IN.  One thing that we love to do is get off of the main road and find interesting places to stop.  We drove back roads through Tennessee starting on Hwy 127 out of Chattanooga and found a fun little small town restaurant and some beautiful countryside.   Our stop was Jack's BBQ in Sparta, TN and they offered checker board tables for the kids to play while we waited for great food!  Another interesting twist to this adventure is that we are driving the Jeep - five people, 16 days in a Jeep!   On the way, we had a rain storm and then the most amazing full rainbow.  

It was so nice to have no agenda on day two that we all slept late.  We meandered up toward Lake Michiganand had lunch at Coral Gable in Saugatuck, MI.   We enjoyed walking around town for a little while and spent some time in Saugutuck Drug/Village Store.  There were so many items the kids would love to have, fun/funny gifts and Mom bought a hand full of encouraging cards to mail to loved ones.  We arrived at 3033 Midland around 2PM for a couple of days of family fun!  

Costa Rica July 20-30

Travel and Acquires

This trip is finally here.  Departure time is 9:40 for a direct flight to San Jose, Costa Rica.   Carry-on luggage only.  We are practicing being a traveling family!  

The flight was very smooth for the most part; we arrived in San Jose, breezed through customs and got a sim card for local phone then shuttle to the rental car.   Settled in the car, we began an adventurous drive to Acquires, which is 15 minutes from Vanessa and Theresa.  The drive in the city was busy, less traffic than Atlanta but I’m sure our professional driver, John, had to get used to the driving habits of locals.  Once we got out of the city, we were driving a mountainous road where there are brief areas of lush green farm lands and natural terrain interspersed with local homes, lots of people walking, bikes, motorcycles, cows and dogs.   Dogs everywhere.  At one point, I was telling John, “Dog, dog, dog..” because he was laying in the road where we were about to run over him.   John was looking all around except in the road.

 

We finally arrived near our location and drove in a few circles trying to figure out where the caretaker’s home is to pick up the key and be guided to the villa.  Leaving the paved road behind as we arrived in Acquires, we found major pot holes.   We were looking for a bakery but didn’t know there would be no sign.  We finally drove by the bakery and ‘Maria’ Fernanda came out to us, in the street, because she was looking for us.   She squeezed into the back of the car with the kids and I do mean squeezed.    We drove to the top of a bumpy, pot hole like you’ve never seen, road which ended at a beautiful lawn with two little homes across the lawn.  Behind the villa’s was a huge valley extending into a hillside of coffee trees.  Coffee and banana plants all around us.   

While John touched base with work, the kids and I went with Sabatian to explore the area a little on foot.  The boys had been playing futbol with him on lawn.  We left the property and Parker helped Sabas knock a few guava from the tree to try.  The kids and I weren’t as brave to just break it apart and eat like he did but we took it back to cut open and try.  We wandered down the hill to visit the horses and play with the kids in the park.    We started our observations about how simply the people live and they are so friendly and happy.

We settled in a little, touched base with Vanessa and Theresa and decided on Pizza at Vanessa’s house for the evening.   Vanessa has three very sweet dogs so Carter was in heaven.  She held Grace in her lap all evening so she was in heaven.   Parker was just enjoying the new atmosphere and soaking it in.  What a fun time to spend with family and get to know Jonathan a little.  We think they are going to be so happy and good together!  Back at our villa, we opened up the slider doors for the night to listen to the sound of the river below.  Great sleep!!

Goodnight and Bye

So a month or so ago, Carter added a new deminsion to his bedtime routine.   We always talk about how much we love each other and make a circle with our fingers and then say, ‘night, night; sweet dreams; sleep with the angels.’  Kisses…  Funny little man that that he is - suddenly, the goodnight is not acceptable without the following with Daddy or me standing at the door:  “I got something to tell you,” he says.  We have to say, ‘what is it?’  Reply, “It’s gonna be funny (giggle, giggle)"; {we say, ‘ok’}, "Goodnight and Bye."  We have to reply, ‘goodnight and bye’ and Mommy blows kisses across the room.  Door closed and all is well.  If this doesn’t take place, just as prescribed by our little man, you proceed to have a melt down.

I don’t know how long this will go on because I remember my sweet friend Mary Lindsey writing about her daughter’s nighttime routine and it just suddenly ended as though it had never happened.  This is something we don’t want to forget.  So sweet!

Chinese New Year

We had a very modest celebration for Chinese New Year.  Parker headed up the lantern making and coloring Chinese zodiac pictures for each year of the kids birth.  We ordered food to be delivered so we could just spend time with the kids.  It turned out that the whole idea of having a party was much more fun than the actual event.  :)  I think we are all very tired, Carter is fighting a cold, Parker trying to adjust to the idea that he is growing up a little and Mom & Dad are just low on patience.  We did make it through and actually managed to get the camera out for this little celebration.  We are so very blessed with these three amazing little people who are wonderfully and uniquely created by God!  We are discovering though that it would sometimes be nice if they all came with their very own manual to teach us how to be the best parents we can be with each of them.  Sometimes its so completely tiring but the most incredibly rewarding job ever!!   We love these guys so much!!