Annual Trip Up North

When Joseph was a little baby, Adam and I made a commitment to visit his grandparents every summer. We have done so, even while I was pregnant or had a small baby. We've driven the 9-11 hours to visit his grandparents with screaming infants, stopping to nurse, stretch legs, listening to endless hours of the Dukes of Hazard, and "Are we there yet?" Sometimes we make a quick detour to a local family-friendly amusement park but mostly we just hang out with his grandparents.

This year was more sedate than years past. We just hung out with his grandmother, eating the best chicken salad ever (pine nuts, craisins and green onions, oh yum!) and broasted chicken. We were able to go to a museum that had trains AND a World War Two reenactment. Everyone was happy. The reenactment people (is there a proper name?) were really awesome to the kids, allowing them to touch the equipment and ask questions. When it was time for the actual "battle" we took a train into the woods to watch. I was impressed that all four watched a bit of the battle and the older two gathered spent "bullets" at the end.

I DID get to meet one of my first "mom-friends." Our oldest children were in playgroup together over seven years ago. We met up for lunch and playing at the children's museum. George was in rare form but he actually ate some pizza! The child DOES NOT eat pizza so I was pretty surprised! That night, he ate a hamburger at "gr-uncle's" house. (Gravity Falls reference, for you non-parent folks.) He also does not eat hamburgers. I am not sure what was in the air up there, but it made him hungry and wanting to eat.

The kids played well with their friends and I even got pictures! Adam and I were so impressed with their behavior the whole trip and told them so. Aside from clogging Gruncle's toilet, they were the model great-grandchildren. They were so well behaved, Gruncle took the older two out to see his prized possession, an old car!

I hadn't been sleeping well so I caught up on my sleep in the car. It wasn't until the end that Cole completely lost his cool and cried but that was the last 15 minutes of the trip. All in all, it was a fairly relaxing trip, filled with my beloved cow beer and red meat. Can't ask for much more!