Travel

Make up Post for Friday January 11, 2013

Traveling with a family is not always easy! When their little it's one thing, diapers, potties, portable cribs, strollers, wipes, bottles, "Babies", "Buzz Light Year", "Princesses" and "Tiggers".

When your kids get older it is a whole different story! So more cribs, strollers, and special toys. It does not, however get any easier! Now it's make up, outfits, cologne, hair gel, goggles,  i-phones, and all the cords and cables that go with them and whose is whose!! There is a lot of noise now! Many conversations usually beginning with ….I am right, she is wrong, he said, she said, he did, she did. "IT WASN'T ME!!" "Ma!"……."Ma!!"…."Ma!!!"…."MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, he just hit me!".."Don't touch your sister!"……. "Ma!"……."Ma!!"…."Ma!!!"…."MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, she just hit me!".. " Don't touch your brother!". "IT WASN'T ME!!"…" Ok neither of you touch each other!"…….."ma…he just…". "WHAT DID I JUST SAY!".

 You get the picture. So in my family we did what any respectable family of four would do, we replaced the old minivan with a Suburban! Everyone had their corner. It meant PEACE! At least for a while.

We have taken many long trips with our family, some in the minivan and many in the Suburban, having recently purchased our second large utility vehicle even though we now primarily have three children at home since our oldest daughter left us for sunny Florida, found, married a wonderful young man and now is a mother herself. So guess where we travel to most…yes that's right sunny Florida!

We left at 4:20 am on Thursday morning for sunny Florida for a vacation that we have all been looking forward to. Yes it is an ungodly hour but worth it because for the first time in 2 years we are all going to be to be together. My family, my sister's family, my mom and dad and yes, now I can say my daughter's young family. The only people missing are Bella, and Lady…they are actually me and my sisters dogs…and yes to us they are people but that is for some other time.

My husband and son wanted to drive straight through. I wanted a contingency plan. I lost we drove straight through. It was tough. I can't stand sitting for long periods of time. The kids get bored; get loud and then you know what starts…"Ma!"…..you know!

This time was different. I don't know if it because my children are older. I don't know if they finally understand it is not healthy for any of us when the craziness begins. This trip we laughed joked and laughed a lot more. The monotony of long trips is cause for some of use to say silly things like New Jersey is Florida North; New Jersey is just like Florida except Florida is warm and has palm trees. This statement for whatever reason sent all of us laughing out loud. Perhaps it was the boredom setting in or perhaps it is because it came from a mother who usually is slightly more intelligent in making factual analogies, maybe we will never know but this episode was relived several times now and still gives us pause for a giggle or two.

There is a bond that forms when you travel with your children, one that lives with you forever in those silly moments and yes even in those crazy moments. Most importantly it is a memory that lives within your children forever and will be a part of their lives as they grow and go on to have their own family.

 

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing"-Helen Keller