From Cows to Tides

We’re on our way now. We are driving to Branson. Not only did I not make it to Bible study, we barely made it out of the house by 11! We rushed around doing all the last minute things that come with travel. It’s interesting that the minute you are driving away from the house, your mind begins a mental checklist that somehow doesn’t work while you are scatterbrained and rushing. It’s an odd process. I wish we could “practice” driving away the day before, just to get it right.

List of things we went back for (and set off the alarm in the process):
Ethan’s blankie (Kiki) and pillow
Ethan back-up pacifiers (Didi)
New crayons (3 boxes)
More baby wipes
Pull-ups for nights/naps
Mary Claire’s bow for today
Ches and Ethan’s bike helmets (for riding at the beach)

Our current list of forgotten items:
Sippy cup for Ethan
The monogrammed cup I was making for Rita! (Arghhh! at myself, Ches politely *zipped* his lips and refrained from judgment, as I do enough to myself for both of us)

I grabbed all the stuff to take, and was busy packing my (mighty cute floral/green gingham with leather handles that my mom got me a few birthdays ago) behemoth carry-on for the first 30 minutes of our car ride. We just ran out of time. I bought fun snacks for the plane, brought the kids’ new toys, crayons, coloring books, play-doh, new card games, and now there isn’t much room in there for good stuff like my cutesy iPod, my backup sunglasses and watch, and new summery Southern Living!

We’re getting closer to the new airport we are trying out-Branson, Missouri. I’ll let you know how it ranks. I’m hoping well. We are really counting on a good lunch there before we take off. There’s a Dave’s BBQ there, and it’s our plan. Ches is still on edge (as usual on any trip). He obsesses about the car ride (#1 reason I’m really glad we are flying-44 hours of driving within 2.5 weeks is not my idea of vacation), about making it to the airport, about the weather for flying, about making it to our gate, whether the flight will leave on time, about us making our connection, about us getting our luggage, and the traffic when we get there. I think he must’ve missed a few too many planes in his lifetime (although I do remember the time our flight got cancelled from LA to Atlanta, the time we got returned to Atlanta when Clay was a baby and the runway lights at XNA weren’t working, the time his flight from Atlanta to XNA was cancelled due to ice…) I guess I’ll zip my lips on this one.

Too Much Info About My Tanning Philosophy:
I have a theory. When you are tanning, are you going for an awesome no-lines tan, or do you want a realistic tan? I go for realistic. I wear a swimsuit, and vary them each time. If I wear one swimsuit to tan, and then another to swim, I’ll have really bad tan lines, and get a burn on my unexposed flesh (geez, what I’m trying to prevent!). So, I rotate. It might mean there are light areas, strap marks, but I like it. When you can see the light spots, you can tell I have a tan.

Other bit of info: It totally dries your skin out!! Don’t forget to moisturize! : )

I’m SO sad about the sippy cup. I’ll have to get a new one, and it won’t be all cute and monogrammed. Sadness at uncuteness. : ( But you’d be proud of my growth: his paci clips totally won’t match his clothes! I was in a hurry!

Ok, more TMI:
We turned left onto Hwy. 65 (behind a cow trailer), and then the road narrowed (due to lovely construction), and we were trapped behind him, and the cows were literally scared shitless. The back one got squished to the back rail by all the other cows, and he started pottying (try to spell that one) all out the back, and it was dripping/splashing onto the front of my van! There can’t be a grosser thing to be behind! I was waving and yelling for Ches to get over, and there was nowhere to go, so then I had to yell to back up! He continued the pee/poop repeatedly every time the driver gassed it. All I can say is Watch Out for Cow Trailers. Can you even imagine what the front of my car will be like after a week of baking in the sun? (Since Of Course we can’t go by the carwash on the way to the airport.)

An Update! ...
We are here now! We flew into ACY (Atlantic City, NJ). We've ordered pizza, eaten, and we are now trying to get the kids to go to sleep. We know (due to too much experience) that it's always hard the first night. We'll make it. We've talked to Rita, and we are meeting them at Ocean City tomorrow for a day of swimming (weather permitting!) and dinner at her beach house at 6. A great day ahead! Say a prayer for weather, safety (as tides are high, :but I'm holding on, I wanna be your number one: ... entire lyrics here to drive you crazy for the next two days!), and that Ethan will either get a nap, or be okay without one.

ps-I've seen no cow trailers in New Jersey.

We miss you already! : ) Behave yourselves.