Florida Vacation - the drive down

We had a lovely time a week ago in Florida. I think I will mostly try to tell the story via photos, but who knows - those of you who read this blog know that I can't resist writing a long-winded story.

Thursday (Feb. 13) we had another blizzard and snow day from school, which made us very ready to go Friday after school. We made it as far as Aunt Betsy's in NJ, arriving around 10 PM. She had had a worse winter than us - could barely find her sidewalk, which she said she spent a whole day chipping out of the ice-banks piled waist-high there. We had a really nice (if too short) visit with her, but left a bit later than planned (11 AM) because Helen decided to throw up several times Saturday morning. Betsy was a really good sport about it, and I must confess I was glad it hadn't happened all over Helen's carseat, which is nearly impossible to clean while on the road.

As it turned out, we scooted out just ahead of yet another snowstorm, leaving another several inches of snow in the north. We drove hard all day, other than a stop in VA for a bathroom that turned into a shopping trip for new shoes. (John has had these good sneakers since the fall - but they have laces. He insisted when we bought them that he would learn to tie them. He didn't, and wouldn't wear them. So Jeremy found him some no-tie laces with a pull-tab. Except they turned out to be too big, and dragged on the ground all the time. At this particular fateful stop, John finally tripped on them, and smacked his cheek badly on a concrete curb. We were at a strip mall anyway, so...we actually found some velcro shoes that he loves (they have a puma on them because that is the brand, but John seems to just think they are actual puma shoes, and that is what he calls them). While Jeremy and John did that, I took James next door to the Old Navy for a pair of shorts, since he announced the day before we left that none of last summer's shorts still fit him. Thus, it turned out to be our most efficient rest stop by far - in 30 minutes we used the bathroom (where Helen got sick all over the floor - but again, NOT in the car!), bought shoes, bought shorts, threw in socks for Helen and John for good measure, and I got the best cup of tea of the whole trip (from Panera, where the clerk actually seemed cheerful to have me inform her that for my purchase of less than $3, I had left her a horrible mess in the restroom). 

Our dinner stop was going to be just gas and a drive-through, but as we piled out of the van, John got sick all over the parking lot (again, NOT in the car! Woo-hoo!) So, we added a trip into the Food Lion for saltines and Sprite and were on our way. We finally found a clean but inexpensive hotel in Fayetteville, NC, and stopped about 10 PM. Despite my being awake at 6 AM Sunday, we somehow didn't get on the road until 9:30. We did have a very substantial breakfast at the hotel, though. Given that both John and Helen seemed to be making up for a day without much food, and James was eating as usual, and that all 6 of us had a shower (after all the illness, we wanted that), I think we paid less than $10 for the beds. The rest covered our hot water and "complimentary" breakfast.

By early afternoon, we were approaching Savannah, GA and the kids needed a break. Fortuitously, the exit we chose for fast-food happened to have an air-force museum where the kids ran around for a half-hour, looking at the planes around the parking lot. Then, we all enjoyed weather finally warm enough that we ate our Burger King at the OUTSIDE tables for lunch.

Letting off some steam - out of the car for a few minutes.

We crossed into Florida in the late afternoon and enjoyed the free orange juice at the Welcome Center on I-95. However, we still had 4 hours of driving ahead of us. I would complain about how stinking large Florida is, but it turned out that the weather got significantly even nicer as we went, so I concede it was worth the last push. We finally arrived at Uncle Jim and Aunt Barb's around 9 or 10 PM, where they proceeded to spoil us all with chocolate chip cookies before bed. 

All in all, not bad for traveling 1400 miles in 2 days and an evening.

Birthday Girl

Helen has been pretty excited about turning 3. She doesn't seem to mind missing out on parties because she is away from family this year. Instead, she keeps getting cards and packages in the mail that stretch the fun out over weeks! Today, we walked to the post office box together and found a package for her. She could hardly wait to get home and open it - she practically jumped all the way home.

When she discovered it was a new dress, she immediately stripped down and put it on. Well, sort of. She couldn't wait long enough to strip all the way, so she left her pants on underneath. But, they kind of coordinated, anyway. Can you see on her face how excited she is? Thanks, Aunt Sue and Grandma!

And since I am behind a bit, I will catch up with some more photos of the party we did have for Helen - we had our neighbor/landlord over for chocolate cake (made by Meg). Helen wore two dresses in the span of one evening. All was happiness.

Things I miss in Michigan

A high school friend who lives out here was over for dinner with his family last weekend. He asked, "What do you miss most about Michigan this year?" That was good food for thought, especially since I had already started compiling the lists of what I will (and what I won't) miss about New England.

So, what I am missing about Michigan? This order is not necessarily in order - just as it comes to me. Some of it was prompted by Jeremy's answers the other night, so he gets shared authorship credit.

1. Family
2. Meijer
3. Driving anywhere easily
4. Parking anywhere easily
5. Knowing where to go to buy any good or service (Usually, refer back to item #2) or do anything (like, Where is a sledding hill? Where is a pool where we can we swim in winter?)
6. Normal prices for anything (Although it is scary how used to these prices I have become - the other day, I did another perfect "grocery cart" estimate. I used to be able to do it at Meijer, but this is the first time I really tried out here. John asked me, "Mom, how much will all this cost?" as we headed to the checkout. I glanced over the cart and said, "Um, about $200, John." It was $204.)
7. The snow. Really. We have gotten quite a bit this winter, but it has come and gone on the ground. We are a bit jealous of the piles of snow in MI this year, that would be fun to play in (if not to shovel all the time). 
8. Plowed roads. It seems like road care is just not as good around here.

Three-Year-Old Manners

I was reading The Itsy Bitsy Spider board book to Helen just before her nap. Well, okay, I was singing it. But she prefers that I sing - really.

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout

Down came the rain and washed the spider out

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain

And the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again.

I was singing quietly, and Helen was leaning right up against me, more than half-asleep. I thought she might actually be a goner before we finished the book. But then, we reached a fateful verse and she startled me.

The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the yellow pail

In came a mouse and flicked her with his tail

Out ran the mouse...

"The mouse needs to say 'Excuse me!' Helen sat straight up and shouted. She was wide awake now, and really warming to her topic. "He should say: 'I'm sorry and I'll try not to do it again.'" She gave me an offended look, and I had to agree with her that the mouse had behaved very badly before she would finally relax back against me and let me finish the book.

You know, even with four kids, they still find ways to surprise me.

Meg the Achiever

Those of you who know Meg won't be much surprised that she has a bit of an Achievement Complex. She loves to have a list - she will unfailingly get it all done, with a grin. (But she HAS to have the list, written down. She needs to see the items get checked off or she won't do them.)

She is remarkably mature for 9, in my opinion. Now and then, when James is gone, I will start to run over to the store or post office and then suddenly realize that I can't leave her alone to babysit the two younger ones. Actually, I think I probably could, which is why I so often forget.... (But, NO, Dad, if you are reading this, I haven't left her alone and I won't. This year. Whatever she thinks.)

Monday night, she was excited that I had bought the groceries for one of her favorite meals, Chicken Caesar Salad. She announced after school that she wanted to make dinner. By that, she mean it. She is an Achiever, remember. She will accomplish anything she sets her mind to, but she wants it done in a manner that leaves no doubt as to where the accolades should go.

But, I wasn't complaining. I had some paperwork to finish up after a difficult day with Helen, so I went up to my office and left her to it. When I checked back in an hour, she reported with a smile, "Mom, I washed the dishes, wiped the counters, and swept the floor. I have washed and dried all of the lettuce and am just about to chop it for the salad. Will you supervise me at the stove soon so I can cook the chicken?" Boy, a few more days like that and I will feel guilty not putting her on the family payroll.

Dinner was very good, by the way.

James is still here with us

I am feeling guilty that I publish all the time about Helen, and often about John, and now I have Meg's poem up, and I never say "Boo!" about James. Perhaps that is the way of a 12-year-old boy - no news is good news. He is not overly talkative about school or life, but seems to be really enjoying his school year and friends here. He has a friend whom he regularly walks or bikes home with; friends with whom he goes out to lunch every Wednesday on the early release day, and he went to the Middle School dance last Friday night. We were not too surprised that he didn't really want us to chaperon the dance.

He is growing into a very independent, and largely responsible, young man. He takes care of himself and his school work and schedule. He does not yet remember to clean his bathroom on his own, but does passably well at the job, without too much grumbling, when reminded. He is also a big help with many other chores - my best sweeper and tidier in the kitchen, and he always joins in to help fold a basket of laundry if he sees me at work on it.

He will watch the younger kids for me as needed, though he definitely doesn't want to be involved with potty or diaper issues. If asked, he will take John outside for roughhousing without complaint, or get Helen into pajamas.

And finally, he is just a very nice young man. Good thing I am not biased.

Meg, the Poetess

Meg has really been enjoying writing this year, too. We feel fortunate that she was assigned a teacher who loves literature as much as she does and who keeps up with her voracious reading. In December the class did a poetry unit and it tickled Meg's fancy to write similes and metaphors. She picked her favorite poem to "publish" with her artwork for the school walls.

I think that the italic font may be hard to read in the scan, so just in case, here it is again. I have elected to keep authenticity, and thus have not copy edited her poem for grammar, punctuation, etc.

A Poem For A Winter's Night

Where are the birds that come and go so freely in the summer months?
For bird song is the carol of the woods.
Where are the bright cheery flowers from spring?
The season where Christ saved us all.
Where are the brilliant crunches and colors of fall.
and that nice cheery wind that whisks the leaves away?
Instead of this biting cold one.
What is this gray sky, bare branches, and boring white blanketed ground?
Where are they? What is this?" I say
But I know it's Winter.
I hope for the ruby's of Fall.
I long for the petals of Spring.
I need the late black nights of summer.
But where are they?
What is this empty land only the songs of a few birds
And the crunch of snow and ice?
But it is kind of pretty how the ground sparkles
And wind and snow slowly yet swiftly drift through the trees to the ground.
So I guess I'll just appreciate it while I can
And look forward to the seasons, even winter.

- Meg VanAntwerp