(First) 2 Days In The Car...

It has been a long time since I have blogged...my short leave of absence really has no reasoning behind it besides being super busy this summer and being exhausted by the end of the day, too tired to stare at a computer screen. It became easier to stay away once I was so far behind, easier being easier to procrastinate I guess and harder to figure out where to start. I became so far behind I didn't know where to begin so I just didn't...I missed blogging don't get me wrong (blogging is what I consider "my" time, my relaxation). I thought about starting up again almost everyday...but that is neither here nor there now...I finally figured it out...I don't need to share everything, or in order, or right now...

So what better way to start blogging again but with our vacation!! Or I should say Car Trip since we spent 7 out of an 11 day vacation in the car but it was worth it to do and see everything/everyone! (I do also have many things to share from Aug/Sept so keep reading everyday for more and more backtracking...)

Henry had been counting down the weeks, days, minutes, and even seconds until we started our vacation (little did he understand the amount of time he would be spending in his car seat). The boys were amazingly good throughout the entire trip (not that there was any doubt). We only had one glitch and it happened before we even hit Hereford, Tx. Charlie decided to chug his juice on a relatively empty stomach early on day 1 and well I will spare you the details...didn't seem to bother him a bit...he was jumping around in the front seat (in his diaper) shortly after while I had the privilege of "cleaning up". Thankfully, he didn't have anymore issues...but every time he made a weird noise both Peter's and my head would spin around quick! 

10 hours+ each day gets a little long. Thank goodness for dvd players! The boys were pretty good about amusing themselves, Henry learned to love Daddy's DS and Charlie had fun with the bucket (the just in case bucket, which did us no good with the previous incident)...

Oh yes, he thought he was HILARIOUS!!!

And he was...

We arrived in Springfield, MO late and ordered Ruby Tuesdays (really because they delivered) and all of us hit the pillows pretty hard. The alarm (which I am not use to using...especially on vacation, however most of our days included an alarm in order to pack in as much as we could each day) woke us at 5am, or was it 430a (I can't remember) and we were out the door before 6am...worst part was losing 2hrs on the way to MI, an hour each day made getting up that much harder, knowing in order to get to our destination as planned we needed to start an hour earlier.  It was still quite dark and Henry, still half asleep, asked if we should be driving in the dark and then informed Peter that it was not safe...but we continued on...in search of a Starbucks as the sun came up but settled for McD's when we could wait no longer for another cup of coffee!

On the road almost an hour before the sun decided to make an appearance...

Both still in jammies and not thrilled to be out of bed...

Posing in his new Woody jammies, stretching our legs and getting a bite to eat...(Buzz in the background)

Buzz and Woody, best buddies.

The boys seemed to have impeccable timing...we hit the Mississippi River, Charlie was asleep...

By the time we could see the St. Louis Arch, both were out...

Both were too excited about their new jammies to get dressed along the way...(pick your battles, I say) but when Peter asked (talking only to me really) if the boys were just going to get dressed at The Bennett's (detour through Indy to see friends/family), Charlie decided right then and there that he was getting dressed...little to our knowledge until he started screaming "get dressed" "right now" and I turned around to this...he had pulled one arm out through the neck of his shirt and the other was stuck. All I could do to help was pull the second arm through the neck...he wasn't too happy...but got over it...

Again, with the timing...we were almost to Butler (planned to just drive through but wanted to show the boys campus)...

Henry did however wake up just as we were turning onto Sunset by the dorms and after Peter told him that we were driving through where Mommy and Daddy went to school, Henry says "I will go to school here too"! "Tomorrow"!!

While passing Hinkle, Peter reminded Henry of watching the basketball team play at Hinkle and Henry said "someday I will play basketball there too"! 

After touring campus, we headed to Carmel to visit with Karen and fam. We were driving through relatively thick tree cover (Spring Mill Rd & Kessler) and Henry asked if we were driving through the jungle...keep in mind at our house there isn't much greenery and hardly any trees even at the parks...he was worried about lions and monkeys. We had a great but quick visit with Karen and then headed across town to Greenfield for dinner with Sleemans. We got to see Liz's new house and Henry and Charlie were able to run and play. Both were very excited about Liz's pets but weren't too sure at the same time. Both really wanted to pet the dogs but this was the best picture I could get...Finley was very, very patient...

Henry did finally as we were leaving hug Finley and boy was he excited...(Henry, not Finley)! 

We had a nice visit and although we had planned to leave by 8p at the latest (since we were driving to Kzoo that night) we didn't get moving again until about 930p. With kids in clean jammies, we stopped at Starbucks (and of course they messed up my order...doesn't seem to end for me...but that is another blog at another time) and hit the road, making it to Kzoo shortly after 1am. Henry stayed awake until 11p saying he was going to stay awake the whole time...I don't think Charlie made it much passed Starbucks. 

Friday morning came early but we had plans so we were up and ready...