This phrase was repeated several times yesterday. Overall trip was a little over 10 hours. We left Fairborn after stops at Blockbuster (almost late DVD), Fairborn library (would have been late books), Tim Hortons (Mom skipped breakfast) and the Dungans (had to drop off blanket). We were up until 1 am Friday packing and sorting and tidying as people would be in our house to make sure the cat lived. So we launched at 10am. The GPS was programmed, Greg had an atlas (just in case) and we had about 300 punds of stuff lodged into the van. We had every portable electronic device we owned in the car and sorted. Our first official stop was a rest area where I quickly figured out what I had forgotten. It wasn't my contacts (usually is) or a hairbrush. As the winds blew us into the bathroom, I realized I forgot a coat. Greg had 2, the kids each had one. Go figure. We were an hour out. I drove most of the way and Greg fiddled with the GPS. He hasn't had as much time to play with it as I have. Then he noticed a discrepancy. When our final destination was programmed, it said we were 429 miles away at our house. When he added up the turn by turn, it came to 575. After consulting the atlas, he realized this was true. Oh crap. We just added at least an hour and a half to our trip. Also discovered something annoying to me about the GPS. It gives you an estimated arrival time. I found as I tried to move a little faster, this arrival time didn't budge. This was annoying to a competitive person like me. When we gained, say, 15 minutes, it was time to stop for food or the bathroom. This got worse as the day progressed and it really started to stress me out. We realized an hour away that we wouldn't make it to Norfolk to get Greg's parents. This was disheartening, but they were troopers and rented a car. They were literally 10 minuted behind us to the condo.
A word on traveling with the kids, they were great. My butt was numb by the end but they held on. They were looney for the last hour and Greg was almost ginding his teeth but he agreed the kids did great. A blooper occurred at a great little stop (that I did save in the GPS) Very clean BR, huge beverage and snack collection. Anyway, at some point I napped and Greg drove. I woke up when Greg pulled to a stop and nudged me saying Charlotte had to go to the bathroom. We went in and she changed her mind when she saw the automatic flush. Now she had used one earlier in the day without a blink (hooray, major accomplishment) but now she was more tired. So no go and I informed her that when we stopped at her request, she needed to at least try. Back out to the car. Climbed over luggage and they sat. We were opening our snacks when Charlotte cries "I peed my seat" and sure enough, she had. So eveybody out, seat out, pants off, bottom wiped, huge suitcase open for clean clothes while Mom goes back in to rinse and find a plastic bag. Done. On our way. Three miles later Charlotte cries, "I have to poop!" Well her parents are not complete idiots and we have the emergency potty seat so Greg pulls off at the next ramp. She does her business. We go to get back on the highway and Greg can't find an entrance for I-64 East, just West. the GPS points the way. It take us a few minutes to wonder about the one lane road in the holler and that our trip time just went up by 40 minutes. Zipping thru the turns on the Garmin and I see we are heading for a turnaround--20 miles away. Bur Greg didn't lose it. When he started to shake, we hear a voice from the back "Daddy, do you think Mommy should drive" at which point greg laughs like a loon because even the 5 year old figures that we had a little better luck with me at the wheel.
Sara
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