It is with great pride that I announce the survival of our first 9 day road trip as a family of four. People, this is not just any roadtrip...but a 2-day-each-way-13-hours-there-and-back-road-trip. And not just any family of four...but a 2-month-old-nursing-baby-sister-to-a-2-year-old-testing-2-overly-exhausted-parents-family-of-four! Can you imagine the fun? Really, for the long hours in the car, the girls impressed us with their patience and minimal meltdowns. I am a true believer that splitting the drive into two days is not only necessary for the children but for the parents as well.
Some of my greatest memories through the years are at my Grandma's house. It is one of my favorite places in the world. This is probably the reason I was so excited to take my girls there. Just maybe during their childhood years they will get to have a bit of the fun that I did there. Some things I love about Grandma's house: I love the smell when you walk in the garage door. If my eyes were closed, and I smelled that smell, I would know without a doubt where I was. It's a crisp clean smell and it's my Grandma's house smell. You can also tell that the air smells different even as you are driving into her little town. Not sure how to explain this, especially when the windows are rolled up and you are driving in the dark cold...but I swear at some point close to Grandma's house, you can smell the difference in the air. Another favorite thing is that when you sleep in her house, no matter which bed, the sheets are so cold yet somehow you are warm. Yet another tough one to explain, but once you've warmed up the part of the bed you are lying on, you can move your feet to the corners, and feel the cold on the sheets where you have not been. That's about the best way I can describe it. (I cannot recreate this at home, no matter how hard I try.) The sandwiches also tastes different at Grandma's. I always try to figure out what makes them different, but in all these years I am still not sure. It might be the cheese that is made locally, or the kind of bread she buys, or the miracle whip...I just don't know. (Yet another thing that despite all of my efforts, I cannot recreate at home!) The chips and dip taste different there, too. Even if you buy the same brand, I guarantee it won't taste as good as it does at Grandma's. Another thing I love is that Grandma always has tupperware containers stacked up on her counters of everyone's favorite cookies. And there has never been a time that I have been there that she does not have Golden Grahams for me. It doesn't matter if I'm 6, 16, or 26, she knows how much a treat that was for me as a child, and so the tradition lives on.
Some of my greatest memories through the years are at my Grandma's house. It is one of my favorite places in the world. This is probably the reason I was so excited to take my girls there. Just maybe during their childhood years they will get to have a bit of the fun that I did there. Some things I love about Grandma's house: I love the smell when you walk in the garage door. If my eyes were closed, and I smelled that smell, I would know without a doubt where I was. It's a crisp clean smell and it's my Grandma's house smell. You can also tell that the air smells different even as you are driving into her little town. Not sure how to explain this, especially when the windows are rolled up and you are driving in the dark cold...but I swear at some point close to Grandma's house, you can smell the difference in the air. Another favorite thing is that when you sleep in her house, no matter which bed, the sheets are so cold yet somehow you are warm. Yet another tough one to explain, but once you've warmed up the part of the bed you are lying on, you can move your feet to the corners, and feel the cold on the sheets where you have not been. That's about the best way I can describe it. (I cannot recreate this at home, no matter how hard I try.) The sandwiches also tastes different at Grandma's. I always try to figure out what makes them different, but in all these years I am still not sure. It might be the cheese that is made locally, or the kind of bread she buys, or the miracle whip...I just don't know. (Yet another thing that despite all of my efforts, I cannot recreate at home!) The chips and dip taste different there, too. Even if you buy the same brand, I guarantee it won't taste as good as it does at Grandma's. Another thing I love is that Grandma always has tupperware containers stacked up on her counters of everyone's favorite cookies. And there has never been a time that I have been there that she does not have Golden Grahams for me. It doesn't matter if I'm 6, 16, or 26, she knows how much a treat that was for me as a child, and so the tradition lives on.
If my sweet girls at 2 yrs and 2 months of age could remember this trip, I know they'd have some good memories too. Katelyn would remember the hotel and going to get ice and "just lookin' at the pool" the first night with Gigi, she'd remember the door that connected our room to theirs, and how she loved to play "Hello...goodbye" and go from room to room. She'd rememer the fun at the "Fimmin' pool" with her "Boey" (floatie) and that everyone went fimmin' with her. She'd remember the snow at Grandma's and how sweet Daddy was to take her out to play several times a day...not to mention the snowman we made and how she ate the carrot right off his face, one bite at a time! She'd also remember the great food and all of her fun cousins she met and buddy'd up with. Addison's memories at 2 months old might not be near as exciting as Katelyn's, but she'll be there soon I know. She was such a good baby and everyone loved meeting her and holding her. She smiles and makes adorable faces and sweet baby noises. She loves to sit up so she can look at everything and take it all in. What 2 precious girls I have.
I know this trip has good memories for all of us. My favorite thing this time happens to be acting like a 10 year old with my cousin Hollie. No one makes me act as silly as she does. I swear, we revert right back to childhood when we are at Grandma's together. There's just nothing like it and no words to describe it. I also love that a road trip is an adventure in the eyes of a child, as it should be for all of us. I love to look at things with the enthusiasm of a toddler and see and hear Katelyn's expression when we spot Christmas lights, or McDonalds, or snow, or a pool. To have no other cares in the world and to enjoy such simple things like Golden Grahams and a snowman's nose...what a fun way to live each day...
1 comment:
LOVE LOVE LOVE the picture of Addison smiling! So sweet! Oh and that last one of Katelyn is ADORABLE! You are a brave woman for taking that trip but it sounds like it was well worth it and reminds me of my Grandma's house when we were growing up.
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