T-minus 8.5 hours and counting.

This weekend the kids have a couple of extra days off from school for mid-winter break. We are taking the opportunity to go see daddy.

I know, it takes a second for that to sink in, doesn't it?

It's true. I am packing our two children and all of their electronic gadgets into the truck and driving from Michigan to Pennsylvania. It's about a nine-hour trip for an adult traveling alone. My guess is each little person with their little bladder will add about an hour to the trip.

We have snacks and drinks ready to pack in the truck. The gas tank is full. I have my Garmin - aka Jack The Navigator, a printout from Mapquest, and an atlas. (Yes, I am directionally challenged.) The plan is to boogy on out of here by 4 a.m. so that by the time we are in unfamiliar territory it will be daylight. I chose that particular time because I didn't want to leave after school today and be driving through snow-covered hill country in the middle of the night, and waiting until daylight tomorrow seemed like a waste of time. So 4 a.m. it is. I doubt the kids will sleep much tonight. To say they are excited about the trip would be the understatement of the year. They've been bouncing off the walls since we got home this afternoon.

I'm excited about the trip, too. I actually love to drive and I am always up for an adventure. Any change of scenery will be a welcome one, even if we aren't heading to someplace warm. If I could just get these kids to focus long enough to pack some clean underwear we'll be headed in the right direction.

Take a look at what I have to work with. Evidence that the cards are stacked against me.

All cute and innocent looking.

You can just about tell where this is going, can't you?

 

Ta-da!

  

"Let's take a serious one." Impressed?

He: Oh, I just love my sister SO MUCH!

She: MOM! Keep this picture for evidence!

Please, enough of the paparazzi.

For posterity. And graduation open houses. 

 ~~~

We're gonna' have a great trip.