Taking JT to Camp

JT was so excited today, to go to camp with his best bud Tyler. It's the first time both have been "on their own" without any family members with them. They are up to the challenge! I was thinking today that next summer perhaps I could volunteer to help out there and then Luci could sleep in a cabin with me, and Bryan and JT could both be campers. Until I tried to get Luci cleaned up (she had gotten into the sand-volleyball pit) and nearly passed out in the heat and humidity before I got into my nicely air-conditioned vehicle. I don't think I'd be a good choice for camp parent.
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It was a 2-and-a-half-hour trip to camp today. Very easy directions. Until I started home. I got gas in Jasper for $2.19!! But that was my mistake, because I turned right at the gas station and shouldn't have. I ended up in Birmingham, which is the opposite way from where I need to be, in a rain storm, in a not-favored part of town. With a detour because the on-ramp to the interstate was closed for repairs!
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So that little mistake cost me an hour of driving! Good thing that gas was 19 cents cheaper than it is at home.
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Here are JT, Tyler, Luci and Hannah at camp.

JT getting a big hug from Luci. He wouldn't let me hug him, so I had Luci give him a good one. I did give instructions to the camper: Please change your underwear every day and take at least one shower sometime between now and when I pick you up on Friday.
JT will find little notes from Luci and me if he changes his socks every day.

Made It!

And Papa is happy! Last year, Luci would have nothing to do with Papa. She's making up for it on this visit. So far, in one afternoon, she's told jokes, been read to, and fed the squirrels with Papa.

Katie and JT playing checkers.

Luci with Laura and Katie,playing piano, making sure both girls are following her plans.
We almost didn't make it. We had to stop several times. Luci was sure she had to go potty NOW...in places far away from plumbing, so we pulled out the kiddy-port-a-potty. Neat invention, but it did not help Luci. She's an Army kid for three more weeks, until Daddy retires--so I'm calling her not going a Dereliction of Doo-dy.

Travel, with Kids

Day 1:
551 miles
Five states

That translates into 10 hours of rain and drizzle with two agreeable children and one who got a lecture on the side of the road on the loop around St Louis. Motorists there are still talking. We got a glimpse of blue skies at the end of the day, and were thrilled! We left our home with lots of rain and some good neighbors watching the house for safety (thanks, Butlers!) as well as making sure it doesn't wash down the hill. Every river and creek we passed over was scary-full. And, as always, when we passed New Madrid, I was glad to get through without feeling the earth shake.

Day 2:
497 miles
One more state

Sunlight all day long! We feel like moles coming up from their burrows. Made it through Kansas City without any problems--it is a frightening place to drive. I don't take the loop because it is that much longer and, quite frankly, I don't need longer with three kids in the car. I got to listen to Dennis Miller on the radio (instead of video games) as we drove through KC, so it was actually almost enjoyable going through those concrete canyons. This was the first time in several years that we haven't had tornadic weather with us as we go through Kansas. I-70 is long and boring, but gives you a good sunset. We stopped in a town with the same name as our neighbor (Colby) and Luci wonders where her town is. We made today's trip in nine hours.

Day 3:
577 miles
Two more states

15 State Troopers. That's what we saw in the first hour of driving today. We haven't seen any police or troopers on the road since we started, or since this morning. Hmmm. Wonder why they were so concentrated there? My father says they were probably looking for us, but had they stopped us I might have turned the kids over to them and gone on in peace. Truly, though, since that lecture in St. Louis, we've had peace in the van because the kids now have a common enemy--ME. When we got to Colorado and saw the "Welcome to Colorful Colorado!" sign, I asked Luci what colors she could see. She looked all around and said, "I see brown!" It's different out West, isn't it, Luci? It was the longest mileage-day of the trip, but only 9 hours because of the 75 mile speed limit. I love that speed limit! It can be scary, but the miles really zoom by. Oh--and I'm now realizing that when my Dad used to tell corny jokes and sing silly things in the car on trips long-ago, he was not only entertaining us but also probably trying to keep himself awake.

Day 4
approx 484 miles
Two more states

Many of my friends wonder why on earth don't I just fly out to see my folks. I don't like flying, that's why. Scared to death. That's the biggy. The other main reason is that it is cheaper (even was cheaper last year when gas was double what it is now). There is another reason--you get a good sense of the Grandness of the United States of America by driving. You get to see wonderful things, know the geography a lot better, and meet some good people. One song that goes through our heads as we drive West is the first stanza of "America the Beautiful" by Katherine Lee Bates.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

Hilarious!

This caused Luci to cackle with glee! She saw this on the grill of a semi and hollered, "HERMIT!"

And we drove for 9 hours to find ourselves back home?? Somewhere on I-70...

Traveling

for 4 days with three kids and no other adults....and then repeat for the trip home! 4,250 miles in all.



First of all, I am not nuts. I love to drive, and am not happy flying. If the car wrecks, I can walk home. If the ship sinks, I can swim. If the plane quits working, well, I can't fly!



The kids did amazingly well on the way to Idaho. Luci was a real dream as a traveler. The boys were cooperative, which is a minor miracle considering they can't get along for the 15 miles to town. I think it was the anticipation of seeing everyone in Idaho. On the way home it was quite different, since leaving is always hard. No names will be used, but the redhead was the agitator.



Day 1: Got lost one hour out, on back roads in Tennessee.



Day 2: Terrible rainstorm, found out we were in a tornado watch and severe thunderstorm in Kansas. Had to call John to ask him to make reservations for us at a closer hotel than we had planned. Kansas is LONG!!



Day 3: Drove through thick smoke, like dense fog, from a range fire in Colorado.



Day 4: Kids voluntarily get dressed and in van by 6 a.m. Got to Boise by 1:30 p.m., a new record.





Return trip, Day 1: Mom actually pulls the van over for the first time since leaving home eleven days before.



Day 2: Good weather, really good weather. No problems, except for redhead who wanted to play with cousins instead of being cooped up with immediate family for another 500 miles.



Day 3: 8 hour trip through Kansas and Missouri, 4 hours of which were spent in terrible rain. Saw some flooding, and 4 cars and one semi that had been in wrecks.



Day 4: JT asks an incredibly good question: "Do we always go to the town that is on the bottom of the mileage sign?"

Answer: "Yes, son. It is a family tradition."

Luci says for the 5,634th time, "I want my Little Daddy!"

Arrive at Cracker Barrel at 4:30 p.m., and have supper with The Best Husband in the World. Made it to church for the evening worship service. Since I had to make a grocery run, I took John's truck and the kids rode home with John in the van. I got to drive the last 15 miles home by myself.