Happy Trails. (Part One)

It seems like a life time since I've had a chance to write. Time for some major catching up.

First new post - all about our road tripping adventure with kids in tow.

Since our oldest daughter was born 4 plus year ago we haven't really traveled to any great extent. Day trips to the beach and zoo, trips to the cottage, a few overnight trips in hotels, but nothing major. So, it was with trepidation, out right fear and a little "what are we thinking" that we planned a 7-day, 6-night road trip with our two daughters. As was the case with our camping trip, we packed and re-packed until we were bringing less but still we over-packed. I jammed everything in the car and set out on day one with my daughters and mother. (My husband joined us a day later via airplane - lucky devil.)

Lots of things went right and lots of things went, well, not wrong but more like sideways. I planned our departure to coincide with morning nap time, but in order to get off at just the right time I decided I had better pack the car the night before. Thank goodness for that decision because Friday morning we woke up to pouring rain. And I mean pouring!!! The rain followed us for almost the entire drive. This probably doesn't sound like a big deal, but approximately seven hours in a car listening to rain lash the windshield while the wipers squeak back and forth is rather tedious. The rain also put our picnic lunch plans to ruin which made for a squishy, messy and uncomfortable lunch in the car. I love my mom to death and although the tuna and egg salad sandwiches she made were delicious they didn't exactly make for easy baby food when trapped in the car. Can you picture the mess of a 13 month-old strapped in her carseat while I'm turned backwards in the drivers seat trying to feed her egg salad?

Regardless of the downpour we safely and pleasantly made it to Ottawa (in 7 hours including two stops totaling about an hour and fifteen minutes). The girls were both well behaved. Thankfully naps, movies, and today's modern gadgets for kids made for a mostly peaceful ride. (Plus the bribe of a new movie and game for the Leapster never hurts either!) With day one complete, and our longest drive over I figured spending the next few days working our way home would be a piece of cake! Little did I know....