Vacation days 2 and 3

journaling: We didn’t even make it through the first of the 23 day long trip before Carissa uttered those infamous words from the back seat of the van.... and we still had about 100 miles left to go for the day. All in all the kids did pretty well the first day of of 400 miles of driving... now if only the next 3 go as well.

credits: RAKscraps August 2005 Minikit: background,twill and odometer numbers by Kim Jensen, Travel stamp by Stacie Harper, Labels by Priscilla Halliday; fonts: WhatsHappened and CK Extra

I snapped pictures of everything on day 2 so I could make a summary LO of what we do during the days we spend the whole time driving (much to DH's annoyance LOL). The reward for making good time driving is being able to go for a swim in the hotel pool.
credits: Build Your Own Bulletin Board kit and addon by Gina Miller; fonts: CK Extra and LB Sunny

:: Total Meltdown, d3, 11:00A ::
I knew it was bound to happen at some point, and I guess I am just surprised that it took 2 days. A lack of enough sleep and being confined to the carseat for 8 hours a day resulted in one of Brenna's major fits a little while ago. We had stopped at a rest area because Sarah was starting to fuss and we wanted to check her diaper- yesterday when she started to fuss it was because her diaper was dirty. Everyone got out and went to the bathroom, Sarah was changed, and we headed back towards the van. I don't know what even set her off this time- usually there is a trigger of some sort. Maybe it was because the big kids all had picked up fold-out maps and she didn't get one because they ran out; I'm just not sure as she never mentioned wanting a map in all of her ravings. We got her in the van and started off hoping she would calm down, but then she started taking her seatbelt off. So, we had to pull over at the next exit and apply some discipline. Not fun for anyone. She's finally fallen asleep (Sarah too)- hopefully she will stay that way for a while. we won't stop for lunch until after they wake up on their own now. We have snacks to dole out if everyone starts to get hungry.

::Pet Peeve::
I hate hotels that have water softener systems. After swimming in the pool last night we went to shower (no bathtubs at this one) and the water was so soft that you didn't even need to break out the soap bar to feel soapy. You can't tell when all of the soap is rinsed off. Brenna did surprising well with washing her hair considering I had to have her just stand under the stream of water- which was one of those really fine misty types, which I also hate. And poor Sarah, she couldn't sit upright on the slippery wet floor. Before too long she was splayed flat out on the bottom of the shower screaming her head off. She had such a fun time in the pool, it was a shame to end it like that.

The rest of today's car ride was one of those that you think can't end soon eough. Brenna was just out of sorts for the rest of the day and seemed to delight in picking on her older sisters as only a bratty little sister can do. We kept trying to listen to music, but never made it through an album uniterrupted; I can only remember listening to one all the way through. Forget trying to listen to any of the audio books I brought along. Sarah just didn't want to be in the carseat any more and fussed at most every opportunity when she was not dozing. We missed the hotel turnoff and ended up touring downtown Columbus for a little while because we didn't realize that it was off of a different interstate than we were on. At least the hotel had our reservation in tact because it is full. I think there must be a dog show in town this weekend as there are dogs in a good portion of the rooms here. The kids will not be playing on the grass surrounding the hotel LOL!

The highlight of dinner at a chinese buffet place was watching Mark try a fried frog's leg- he said it tasted somewhere between chicken and turkey. No one was 'brave enough' to join him, as he put it. I figured there were plenty of other good things to eat that I would rather have. They had lots and lots of delicious types of seafood that I enjoyed.

Tomorrow we plan to visit the Columbus Science Center and spend a second night here, so no long drives tomorrow. The science center doesn't open until noon, so we even get to sleep in- yeah for that!!