July 2007 Adventure (Really Long)

After Sully Bear’s birthday party we were lucky enough to get to spend some time with the Grandparents, Aunt Kat, and the boy's cousin Lauren.
Coop loved Grandma's recliner. Sadly this was his las time in the chair as it's now broken and gone! (Below) Sully trying to get in trouble with the painter's ladder.

Aunt Kat got to snuggle with Bear as he was clear he preferred her nap for a lap!

We were so excited to be invited to stay with Emily for a few days while Jim went back to work. (Katie and Bruce’s) Katie was being thoughtful and didn’t want the boys to drive all the way back to Raleigh and then turn around on Wednesday and have to drive the 6+ hours to upper Maryland. Katie borrowed her dad’s mini-van and came all the way out to Haymarket to pick me and the boys up. (Thank you Katie I know that was a ton of driving!!) She also had to save me and figure out how to collapse Lauren’s pack-n-play. She didn’t realize how much work she had to do. Did I mention she had to install the car seats too because I’d never had to do it?

The first night was a bit more difficult then I had anticipated. Getting Bear and Coop to go to sleep at the same time not so easy in a new place. I think they stayed up till about 10 when they normally go down at 8 but they were just way too excited. The next day Katie and I had big plans to go to Burke Lake and take the kids on a train ride. We had to make a stop at Wal-Mart. With three kids, two mom’s and a mini-van it took a lot longer than you would have thought! Then we headed out to Burke Lake and no joke by the time we got there all three kids were dead asleep.

So we drove around Burke Lake with me joking Katie about how I thought us staying with her was supposed to eliminate time in the car! It all worked out though because as we drove in there was a big fat sign saying the train was out of order so we drove around and found a playground and waited for them to wake up. They must have felt us staring at them willing them to wake up because finally Coop and Emily woke up and we took them out to the playground where they shared the tunnel and went down the slide. Then Emmy wanted to go on a super secret path on a super secret mission to the lake so she lead the way with Katie and Coop in tow as I waited for Bear to wake up. Bear and I met them down by the lake where we threw sticks in the water and Coop kept saying, “Wow.” Then we took another super secret path while Katie and I sang the Backyardigan’s song “Secret Agent’. Yes, it was a clue that we may like that show more than the kids. Back at the house Katie had lots of fun games for the kids to play. They pulled out the parachute, blew bubbles, played video games and drove Emily's little car.

Later I got to watch all three kids by myself while Katie ran out for a minute. Katie had me all scared because Emmy had never really stayed with anyone but the grandparents without having a fit. She didn’t want to share her train at first but then she did and she was so proud! She came up to me and told me how she had shared her train and she was, "Very brave." Then we had to find her treasure for the pirate ship and that meant we had to find the map. I tore the place apart looking for this map. Not sure why I thought it was a good idea because I had no idea what it even looked like. Then I came across the treasure and Emmy was willing to pretend she had found the map to get to the treasure but I didn’t move on fast enough because then she decided she needed to have the map again. All the while the boys were playing and tearing apart the play room but I didn’t care as long as Emmy didn’t cry! Luckily Katie came home found the map (in the backpack where it was supposed to be- go figure) and saved the day. I realized that while I would love to have a girl (even have the name picked out) I can barely handle two kids let alone three!!

The next leg of our trip was to head to Maryland (last exit before Delaware) to visit with Logan (Jamie and Andy). We got set up and enjoyed Logan’s awesome playground and pool. We thought the boys might be tired from our travels but they had a whole new room of toys to destroy and a train set. The boys were in heaven. The next day we had a wonderful pajama day where we got to play and relax and do some FreedomRocks work. Every time the dog, Max, would come in Bear would pull tufts of his hair out and just squeal in total delight. He was so excited about the dog it was really cute. (Luckily Andy came home and took the boys outside to play in the sandbox, they were going a little stir crazy by the afternoon.) I found the difference between the girls playing and the boys playing so fascinating. Logan was super helpful letting us know if the boys were getting into something they shouldn't be or if they needed help but he didn't care much if he had their attention or not. The independent play was so different then when it's with girls.

The next day we packed up again and made the trek to Gordonsville, VA to visit with Carly and Cason (Chris & Kevin). Again we thought man the boys are going to be so exhausted and annoyed with all the driving, but they showed up and saw a whole new playground and new toys to play with. Not only that but there were cats to chase. (Poor, poor cats.) Cooper learned to ride a little scooter, Sully enjoyed the trampoline and found a new favorite nap place in Cason’s swing on the porch. The next day the boys delighted in the pool. Cooper was brave and wanted to go down the slide. The first time he slid into Jim’s arms and happily went to do it again into my arms.

Unfortunately all thirty pounds of him came a little to fast for me and he went right into the water. (Oh my god- want to talk about guilt.) He was fine, not even a tear, but man I felt so bad! Carly and I got some good snuggle time in. She let me read her three books to her before bed even though I couldn’t sing I feel like I got an A for effort! Who else but a little 4 year old girl can get two grown men to play Barbie twister???

After all our traveling Jim wanted to wake up in our own bed on Sunday and have a day to get ready for the work week. So we packed up again and headed home Saturday afternoon.

We have the most amazing family and friends and were so blessed to be able to do a visit like we did. We have super amazing boys! They were so easy to travel with and it was just so wonderful to spend time with my dear girlfriends and to have our kids hang out.

We’ve decided to make that an annual trek!!