We're Off

Tomorrow I'm getting in the car with a husband, a dog, and three kids and driving to Parry Sound, Ontario...14 hours away. Should be interesting! Chris has wanted to take us out to do field work with him for years, but it has been one thing or another every time. 2007...well, that was obvious why we didn't go. 2008 he went early, when Megan and Erin were still in school. He was actually in Ontario when I found out in June of 2008 that I was pregnant with Evan (which, after all our losses, was news that definitely brought about a bit of anxiety). Last year, with our trip to VA, we just couldn't swing much more time in the car with the kids, so he went without us again. Now here we are, our 4th summer here and finally, finally, we are all heading out there to "help".

14 hours.... Here's how we hope to break it all down: Tomorrow at noon, Megan will get out of school and we'll all head off. Evan will sleep for a good chunk and the girls can watch a video. Three hours later, we'll stop for bit and walk around, maybe play in a stream or something. The next three hours, everyone will need some entertainment. Grammy sent a box of cool things to do, so we'll probably break that out. I'll sit in the back and read to Evan, maybe play some card games with the girls, that kind of thing. At 6:30 or so, we'll stop for a late dinner (late for us, anyway) and put the kids in their pjs after a run around at a playground or something. After that, Chris and I can drive until we just can't drive anymore and then we'll stop at a hotel at 11 or 12 or even 1 if we can. Then the next morning we'll only have 3 or so hours to go!

That's the plan anyway...but as anyone traveling with kids knows...what will happen will happen. And we'll get there eventually, hopefully still happy and loving towards each other! And then we have a week on a beautiful lake with a boat and a rock hammer. Is there anything better than having a boat and a rock hammer? Really?

Yes, folks, this is why I married a geologist. I'll see you in a week!