Traveling

For those of you who know The Blackwood's, you know that we travel frequently throughout the west coast. We are going to Las Vegas next weekend, and going to the Bay Area two weeks after that. We usually travel to the Bay Area by car, since air travel for 4 is so expensive, and it is usually an experience to remember. I pulled up an email I sent out from last year about our trip home after my sister's wedding. At the time, both James and I were feeling under the weather "read: hungover" and had to endure the 8 hour drive back home in a car (we now have a new SUV with DVD player: key in traveling). Reading this email made me smile, but I can promise you I was not smiling on that car trip home. Here is the email. Enjoy.

My sister's wedding was a blast. We got to see most of our family and friends and party the night away. I did not eat or drink any water the whole day and than drank an excessive amount throughout the night which = sickness by the end of the night. No matter. I woke up like a champ and had breakfast with my dad, James' dad, step-dad and brother for father's day and then like a champ (read moron) had one of my father-in-laws famous bloody Mary's. James and I decided that we just were ready to get home so we got into our heavily packed car to head home after a few visits. Since we travel to the Bay almost every month, we should have this drive down, but unfortunately that day was not the case. About 20 minutes into the drive Jimmy woke up from his nap and began saying he wanted out. Alyssa asked how much longer it was going to be. Only 7 hours and 40 minutes to go kids I replied cheerily. 20 more minutes into it, Alyssa needed to go to the bathroom. Got back into the car 20 minutes later had to stop because Jimmy was thirsty. And then they were hungry. Then they needed to stretch their legs. After all the bathroom breaks, drinks bought, legs stretched , dinner eaten, we got into the car, determined to make it home. (we were in Redding at this time. 3 hours away from the Bay yet 6 hours into our trip). Jimmy has started to speak and now has this cute (annoying when hungover) habit of identifying objects that he sees. At about 4 1/2 hours into our drive the sun began to set. Jimmy was pointing it out. Here is how the conversation went. Please keep in mind that I was horribly hungover with a migraine from listening to all the whining and crying from my children the whole day.
Jimmy: "Sun"
Mom: "Good that is the sun"
Jimmy: "Sun"
Mom: "Yes, see the yellow sun"
Jimmy: "Sun"
Mom: "Yes Jimmy I see the sun. Now sun has to go bye byes, bye bye sun"
Jimmy: "SUN"
Mom: "Yes, I see the sun, we are finished talking about the sun"
Jimmy "SUUUUUNNNN"
Mom: "Yes Jimmy I see the sun. The g*d d*mn sun is piercing my g*d d*mn retina's. We are done talking about the sun. Say goodnight to the sun"
Jimmy: SUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
Mom: "I SEE THE SUN. I HATE THE SUN. IF YOU SAY SUN ONE MORE TIME I AM GOING TO THROW MYSELF FROM THIS MOVING VEHICLE. DO NOT SAY SUN ONE MORE TIME!"
James: "Are you OK?"
Jimmy: "Sun"
Mom: "ARRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"
About 1/2 hour after that we stopped for our 7Th time after Jimmy threw up all over the car. That orange chicken we stopped for in Redding no longer seemed like a good idea. While James cleaned up the car (God I love that man) I got to hang out in tweekerville getting all of the cleaning supplies. I am not lying, the man behind the counter was so jittery he was making my heart go fast and had the full on uncontrollable arm twitches. OK Time to go honey! We tried to make it home in one shot, but in the end it was not the case. We got a hotel room 2 1/2 hours from our house, slept in our clothes, and left the next morning in the same clothes. We arrived home, and I thought "home sweet home" for about 2 seconds until we started to unpack the car. Now I have to unpack the luggage, do 10 loads of laundry, put all the clothes away, put the suitcases away, and air out the foul smelling car before I get to sit down. I swear, I am never traveling again....at least for two more weeks until our next trip!