Back from Away

We are back from our fabulous vacation in Ogunquit, Maine.

We ate ice cream and spent at least part of every day on the beach.
We went north to Portland to look for harbor seals on the wharf (no luck) and south to Portsmith, NH and ate in a great restaurant (the Portsmith Brewery) and had the trip's best ice cream (Annabelle's).

We ate lobsters, high-fived lobsters, and saw signs of them everywhere. Alas, we did not see any moose (LP's great expectation).

We flew kites, hunted for snails in the cracks of rocks near the iconic Nubble Light, and spent way too much time in traffic on Route 1.

We relaxed in our home away from home, enjoying the screened in porch for breakfast and the occasional lunch and dinner. The house was a short walk into town and the beach - although it was uphill all the way home. Not so much fun when you are pushing strollers, but it definitely made me more comfortable with how my tush looked in my bathing suit!

We learned that AK still really loves sleeping in a crib, so much so that she did not really fall asleep well on her mattress on the floor. We spent many nights driving her to sleep.

Ogunquit Beach is beautiful - powdery sand that washes away easily - and cold with a water temperature of 61 degrees. You get used to it though. Especially since I wasn't really dunking, more just walking in the surf. We also enjoyed the beaches along the Marginal Way. Horsehoe-shaped beaches between large rock formations, they cleared out when the tide was low and they were the perfect size to manage two little girls who liked digging in the sand and climbing on rocks (much to the detriment of their poor mama's heart).

A solid week of togetherness was great. But by the end of the trip the Hoos and I both confirmed that being a stay-at-home parent was not in the cards. Not that going back to work was easy, but sending the girls off to day care wasn't too bad;)

Mommy's Big Girl(s)

It seems that I no longer have just one big girl - I have two. AK insists that she is four and LP, well, LP IS four.

Last night LP proactively provided assistance as I attempted to pack the girls' suitcase for vacation. She ran around picking out clothes and kept wanting to shove them in the bag. I had to remind her that it was important to make sure that we had everything and in the right quantities before we started packing it away. If she had her way she would only be wearing dresses and bathing suits - undergarments were seen as unnecessary until I intervened.

AK on the other hand was busy being a general nuisance:

• pulling my shirt up and attempting to apply the deodorant she had pilfered from my dresser;
• pulling herself up onto the vanity in the bathroom to rescue her toothpaste from the medicine cabinet (stashed there so she couldn't get her hands on it and EAT the entire tube); and
• climbing INTO her crib - when the rail is down, she pulls the nursing stool over from the glider still in her bedroom, puts her feet on the mattress and them dives headfirst into the crib.

LP thought hanging out in the crib was a good idea and quickly joined AK. Fortunately I was able to impress upon both of them that they could not climb out of the crib - they had to ask me for help. LP could climb out - especially with the rail down but I don't want her giving AK any ideas. I am not ready to have both of my babies in beds. Never mind that LP was in a bed already when she was AK's age.

That being said, the vacation house we rented has several bedrooms - two of which have twin beds. My plan was to bring a bed rail and have AK sleep in a bed. I am just hoping that traipsing on the beach and eating ice cream all day will wear the girls out and they will each pass out in their respective beds without another thought. Wishful thinking? Should I just make sure there is room in the car for the pack and play?

Please Put Me in Time Out

I am just back from a long weekend in Vermont and all I can say is that I need a vacation. The girls had fun with their cousins, LP enjoyed catching "pickle fish," as her cousin Y calls them, from the row boat with her daddy, and AK liked searching the house we stayed in for her favorite animal - ducks.

When I returned I had an offer in my inbox for free tickets to a Connecticut Suns game. The Suns are the WNBA team that plays up at Mohegan Sun. Considering the Hoos and I haven't been anywhere near a casino since having the girls, I thought it might be a good time. In fact, the tickets are for the entire family. It never occurred to me that there was family fun to be had at a casino, but I will check it out and report back.

We saw the Globetrotters back in the winter and I think it would be nice for my daughters to see that girls can be athletic and competitive too. Plus, we are bringing my parents so maybe there will be an opportunity for the Hoos and me to sneak off during half time and put some quarters in the slots.

If anyone else is interested in checking out the Suns, my ticket came with an offer for my loyal readers: $18 seats for $10; $22 seats for $18; $27 seats for $23. Just go to this site and enter special promo code: WNBABLOG. If you go, let me know how it is!

As I type I am listening to AK scream from her crib. I guess those peaceful nap times are a thing of the past. Boo! Hiss!

I'd Rather Be Driving

In the past month we have taken two road trips as a family, in addition to various other small excursions. One thing is clear, being in the front passenger seat sucks. It might be worse to wedge myself in between the car seats in the back, but that isn't safe or really feasible; and, yes, the roof rack or trunk would be an improvement.

Why?

As the responsible adult not driving in the car you become the entertainer, the snack hander-outer, the plastic woman required to fetch things discarded and than desired in the most difficult to reach location from your perch. You are also asked to navigate, mediate, make assessments on when potty or lunch breaks are needed and give up your leg room for the aforementioned snacks, toys, drinks, and anything else that may be needed by other passengers at any point in time.

As with many families, whenever we are together in the car, the Hoos does the driving. I don't know why moms often give up the driver's seat (could be because it is easier than being critiqued?), but I need to rethink our approach. It would be nice to say, "Mommy is paying attention to the road, ask Daddy," but then I might have to field additional questions (e.g., where are the extra pacifiers? what snacks should I give them? why are you letting them drink milk in the car?) ...

Picked Me a Good One

The thing about being a parent is that once you become one, there is no going back. There are times when being a mom is the best thing in the world (e.g., when your little munchkins decide that the best way to pass 10 minutes is by kissing and cuddling with you). There are also minutes (e.g., a tantrum), hours (e.g., enduring the screaming while you are waiting for nap time to kick in), even entire days (no description needed) that I would prefer not to be the parent.

Fortunately, more times than not, there is no place and no one else I would rather be. As I type this I am sitting on the deck of the house we are renting in Cape Cod as the Hoos is teaching LP how to swim. She is wearing a life vest and learning how to float on her back and kick. She actually just said to the Hoos, "Thank you for showing me how to do that!"

The week has been full of fun and new developments (AK is a full time walker now!). We are having a wonderful time doing some new things (Coonamesset Farm for pick your own black raspberries, visiting animals and relaxing on the back deck; Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich), some old things (beach; lots of lake; walking in Chatham; the Gray's Beach boardwalk), and had a great time all the while.

Earlier today I asked LP to describe some of her favorite parts of vacation and she immediately responded, "Fishing in the yellow boat with my daddy." Doesn't get better than that.

And, in the two minutes since initially posting this, LP and the Hoos have caught little tiny baby bass and a poliwog. And LP has eagerly held out her hands to hold both!

A Simpler Way of Life

We spent the weekend in bucolic Geneseo, NY celebrating my youngest cousin's graduation from high school. It was really nice to have a few days off and we enjoyed spending time at the bed and breakfast and spa owned by my aunt and uncle.

It was our first road trip of any significant length with both girls. The time away was worth the six hour drive in each direction. The girls actually behaved wonderfully during the drive, although they didn't nap at the same time. Figures, right? LP was so excited to get to Uncle Barry's house that she started crying on the way up when we stopped for lunch, "I don't want lunch, I want to go to Uncle Barry's! I want to eat at Uncle Barry's!"

We stayed in a large room at the "inn" with AK in a pack-n-play and LP supposedly sleeping on a futon on the floor. Unfortunately, the only way we could get LP to go to sleep was to let her lay in the king-sized bed with us until she passed out. At one point as I attempted to get her to sleep in the bed next to me, I turned away so she wouldn't be breathing in my face and she just snuggled closer to me and said, "It's okay sweet pea. LP is here." Okay, that part wasn't so bad.

As we drove home yesterday, the Hoos and I considered what our lives would be like if we lived in a small town instead of a suburban city. My cousin is a great kid, really polite and amazingly sweet to his entire family and baby cousins even in front of his friends. We aren't sure if he is always like that, but I would like to think so. The pace of life in Geneseo is certainly different. If only we could find a small town, with jobs that we loved and only required us to work 9-5, and fabulous homes that we could afford.

Oh well.

When we asked LP what her favorite part of the trip was, we thought for sure she would talk about all of the animals that we saw (a doe and two fawns, a tree frog, chipmunks...). Instead she said, "Grandma and Papa and Uncle Barry." At least she knows what the important things are in life.

All Good Things

All good things, like vacation must come to an end. And I think many parents out there will agree with me when I say HALLELUJAH! I like some time off as much as the next gal, but I am ready for some sense of routine and normalcy, even if it means forgoing some quality time in PJs with my munchkins.

Although, if last night was any indication, I will be spending as much time in sleepwear with them as ever. AK was up twice, as usual, and LP was awake, or in some state of unrest from 3-4. Not that she remembers it, because this morning she told me she had good dreams. When I asked if they had anything to do with Mommy or Daddy laying in bed with her she looked at me quizzically and asked, "When Daddy brought me up to bed?" Stinker.

Trippin'

I am sure you all are waiting with baited breath to hear all about our family trip to DC. According to the Hoos, LP was an angel in the car. She played with her baby for a while, they sang songs (she now puts in requests, e.g., "Bus!" while rolling her hands = the wheels on the bus; "Sumpin" while holding up one hand = where is Thumpkin), she napped, and they visited Bass Pro Shops. All in all a smooth 5 hour trip.

I actually managed to finish my meetings and walk over to our hotel before the Hoos and LP arrived so I could check us in. This definitely simplified life since it didn't require the Hoos making multiple trips in and out of the hotel while carrying sugar muffin. In case you are wondering, we stay at the Marriott Residence Inn in Rosslyn. For less than $100 a night, we get a suite which has separate bedroom and living rooms, free hot breakfast daily, and is a walk to the Rosslyn metro, various restaurants and our old stomping grounds of the Court House and Clarendon neighborhoods.

We had a really nice time and missed a big horrible snowstorm in Connecticut! We visited the mammal exhibit and insect zoo at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, we got to meet 2-week old baby Ezra, we checked out the cool photos and live frog exhibit at the National Geographic Museum with our friends the Raks, and we had some nice family time to boot. Of course when we got home, the Hoos had to shovel our driveway, but again, much better than spending the weekend snowed into our house.

Now that we are home we are trying to decide where to go for our next vacation or long weekend. Any ideas of places ideally within driving distance of Connecticut that are fun to visit, family friendly and good destinations for the March/April time frame?

On the Road Again

Earlier this week I got a request to attend a meeting in our Arlington, VA office next week. Despite being pregnant, I do enjoy traveling, and I do want to show my commitment to my job, so I accepted the opportunity as an easy one day trip that would not impact life back home too much.

As you may know from reading this blog, the Hoos and I used to live in Arlington, and we went to school in DC, a five minute metro ride. When I confirmed with the Hoos that the trip wouldn't be a problem, he wondered if perhaps he and LP might join me. We still have friends in the area, and one couple just had a baby that we would love to meet. Plus, DC is a great walking city and a good place to entertain LP. Even if she doesn't look at all of the exhibits in the Smithsonian Natural History museum, I am sure she would love to run around its big open corridors.

With the decision to spend a few days below the Mason-Dixon finalized, we moved on to the logistics. My meeting is from 1pm-5pm. DC is about a 4.5 hour drive without stops. There is no such thing as no stops with a toddler. We laid out our options:

1. Drive down as a family the morning of my meeting. Unless we leave the house at a ridiculously early hour to contend with the stops and potential traffic issues, we would be left stressing about making my meeting on time.
   
2. Drive down together (all the way or part way) the night before. We might get there in time, but we would most likely have a miserable night with LP sleeping in the car, waking up around midnight when we arrive and probably not falling right back to sleep.
3. Amy take the train or fly one way and the Hoos and LP drive down and meet me. Obviously not a problem for me, work pays for my flight or ride, but neither of us has ever driven alone with LP for more than an hour and a half. Without a passenger, there is the challenge of keeping the munchkin satisfied and happy. Even food bribery is difficult when your main job is to have your eyes on the road.

We decided on option 3. I will cab it to the train station the morning of my meeting and catch an Acela Express that gets me into DC at 11:45. The Hoos and LP will leave at whatever time works for them and meet me at the hotel a couple of miles from my office that afternoon. My plan is to pack pre-packaged snacks that the Hoos can open in the front seat and just pass back (e.g., raisins, goldfish single packs) and set him up with multiple water sippy cups since LP throws one when she is done and then complains that she wants more but can't reach it.

We figure if it is a miserable ride down for him, at least it is only one way and he then has a couple of days of vacation to recover for the trip back home. Let us all pray.

PS - Sorry for all of the typos lately, Blogger spell check isn't working. Harrummpf. I bet you all thought I had awesome spelling skills all by myself:)

Not Gonna Lie

I am glad Christmas is over. Don't get me wrong, it was very nice to have four days off to spend with the Hoos and LP, but really the few days around Christmas are such a waste. We couldn't really leave the house for most of the time.

Saturday, the roads were a zoo, with lots of people running out to do their last minute shopping. In actuality, the drivers probably seemed tame in comparison to all of the crazies in the grocery store. I ended up going grocery shopping around dinner time, in the hopes that people would be home eating instead of zooming around the aisles trying to remember what they need for the perfect Christmas dinner. My plan didn't really work as it still took me a while. Unfortunately, with the stores closing early Monday for Christmas Eve and remaining closed through Tuesday it was necessary for me to get my grocery shopping in.

Sunday, the weather was lousy. It was cold and rainy and windy later in the day. I think only the Hoos left the house, and that was to go and get fish for our new fish tank. Let me officially welcome Fred and Wilma to the family. LP loves them. She wants to feed them constantly. She pushes the Hoos and I over to the shelves that hold the fish food every 10 minutes in hopes we will give in and let her feed them again. Anyway, we didn't really want to leave the house anyway.

Monday the weather was better. We wanted to be sure that we all got some fresh air, and although it was too cold to take LP for a walk, we spent a good half hour running around the yard. We also put up our new bird feeder and went out as a family to buy bird seed to fill it. Fortunately the Wild Bird Center is less than a mile from our home. And since we were cooped up the day before everyone was itching for an excursion. Otherwise, we would have skipped buying the food.

Tuesday the weather was clear and cold, but there was no where to go. Literally, everything was closed. I don't begrudge the stores, it is nice that they want their employees home with their families, really. We only left the house to run around the yard for a while. With nothing on TV (I actually watched the local news on News 12 cycle through twice at one point) - can someone explain the channel that only plays the burning log? who watches that? - we were left up to our own devices for entertainment. Fortunately, LP is very entertaining. I also helped the Hoos seat the top of his kayak to the bottom while LP napped. Now I can say that I am helping him to build a kayak - aren't you impressed?

When do you think it will be safe to leave the house again? When will the stores be less hectic, the crazy people sedated and the parking lots less hazardous?

Back to Reality

For the first time in at least 5 years, the Hoos and I spent Thanksgiving with my family. We typically spend turkey day with his side of the family, but since it was my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary, we opted to celebrate with them in upstate NY at my uncle's house.

It is always nice to spend a few days with family, especially my family. They are nutty, diverse, silly, generous, loving and kind. You really can't ask for better. Seriously. For example, we spent one night playing the game "catchphrase" - poorly. You have to get your team to guess a phrase by describing it. To truly explain our inability to think after consuming large amounts of turkey, consider my grandmother saying "It is like a hamburger - with cheese" for the term "cheeseburger".

This applies to all of my family, not just my dad's side, who we spent the holiday with. We reserve the entire family gathering for Passover, because more than once a year might cause the universe to explode.

Anyway, we spent Thursday through Saturday at a lovely bed-and-breakfast/spa that my Aunt and Uncle own near their home. A restored mansion, it is spacious and quite wonderful. There is no television, which we didn't end up missing at all. We all gathered around the fireplace and talked, played games, and just chilled. It was great to be able to kick back and relax with no worries.

The situation was even more relaxing because with 12 adults around, LP had plenty of attention and the Hoos and I did not have to be constantly jumping up and down to chase her down. In fact, LP became so comfortable in the house, she would occasionally disappear behind the door leading to the kitchen and return with food. Lots of adults get lost in the 19th century mansion, but LP had no problems finding her way to the good stuff.

The drive home was just as easy as the ride up, but the return to reality was not quite as enjoyable. Well, other than the fact that LP slept like an angel at home and less so while we were away. A new environment and all that. I must admit, it was nice to have lots of extra hands and eyes to chase down my munchkin. The Hoos spent most of Sunday blowing all of our leaves into a big pile on our lawn and I followed LP around and brought her to the grocery store.

Makes me even more thankful for a large, healthy, and loving family...

Real! Live! Celebrities!

No, not really. Just the characters from Sesame Street during our visit to Sesame Place this past weekend.

LP had a great time with her cousins. She even went on some rides and waited patiently in line! I think she most enjoyed the fact that we let her run around to her heart's content since people were very aware of children moving about. I have never been to a place so packed with strollers and pregnant women. It must be the destination of choice for expecting parents to prepare the under-10 set for big brother- and sisterhood.

We don't have many pictures since our digital camera mysteriously broke last week. It appears to have been dropped on the floor. Hmm...I wonder how that happened? Anyway, we ordered a new one that arrived today, so hopefully the quality of the accompanying graphics will improve in the coming months.

Here is a picture of LP, hanging with her cousins. (From left to right: J, LP, and K and me hiding in the background). While they are all gorgeous (and smart, and well-behaved), there doesn't appear to be much of a family resemblance. This is weird especially since LP looks a lot like my side of the family and these are my brother's daughters. They all do have the same beautiful blue eyes though!

You See, We See, DC

We are back from our exciting trip to DC. First, let me say that LP was an absolute angel in the car. Both on the drive down to DC and the ride home she behaved beautifully. I had to read some stories and have a pacifier ready but she was great - even after sitting in a painful back-up this afternoon en route to the GW Bridge.

We had a really nice time. We got to see our friends and show off LP; she was the "entertainment". She showed everyone how she could howl like a wolf and kept doing it when she saw the boisterous response.

In addition to spending some quality time with friends, we also had some time alone to reacquaint ourselves with the old neighborhood. One of the highlights was visiting the sculpture garden outside of the National Gallery on the Mall. It has a huge fountain surrounded by beautiful curved marble benches. The Hoos and I sat back and let LP run back and forth between the raised fountain and our seats on the benches. She amused all of the tourists to the point that some even took pictures of her! Yes, it was a little creepy, but I am confident that they only had the best intentions. We also visited a butterfly garden situated between the Sculpture Garden and the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. LP loved sitting up on the big rocks lining the path.

Saturday evening as we returned from a friend's house with LP snoozing in her car seat, we drove through the GWU campus. Some of the students were still in the process of moving into Thurston Hall (the freshman dorm). I can remember moving into Thurston! The Hoos and I figured out that when we were entering college, the current freshman would have been five years old. Seeing how young the students looked and noting all of the new construction and changes on campus made me feel ancient.

I guess you never really can go back. But forward isn't such a bad direction to go either. Onward!

Road Trip

LP's school is closed at the end of this week for teacher training. So, instead of just taking some time off to watch her at home, we decided to take a road trip. We will be venturing down to the DC-metro area to hook up with some friends and see the sights.

This will be our longest car trip since welcoming LP to the world. We are already starting to cringe at the thought of a bad car trip. We have no basis for this fear; LP is always excellent in the car, at least as long as she isn't hungry. However, in the months since we turned her around to be forward-facing in the car seat, we have noticed that she does not sleep as long in the car as she used to. This is both a blessing and a curse. While we no longer have to plan car trips around nap time so that she doesn't sleep the entire day away, she likes to be up and active and interactive. There isn't much you can do that is "active" with a one year old in the car; it is not as if geography or the license plate game will really entice her. We do play CDs and sing-along, but there is really only so much Raffi one can handle and I get a headache from turning around in my seat (not to mention the occasional burst blood vessel).

So far the plan is to leave about an hour before her regular nap time and hopefully make it down to lower NJ before stopping for lunch and some running around time. Hopefully expending some energy will help make the car ride more tolerable for everyone. Our next stop will be at Bass Pro Shops in Maryland ('ya, you pegged it, I am the one who wants to stop here' she says, her voice dripping with sarcasm); fortunately, Bass Pro is in an outlet mall that LP and I can explore (e.g., run around like crazy people).

Anyone have experience hitting the road with munchkins? Have any advice to offer for car ride bliss?

Relaxed, Refreshed

Well, we are back from our week-long vacation at Cape Cod. We stayed on a lake in the lovely town of Centerville which has a really nice beach (Craigville Beach) and excellent homemade ice cream. We had never been to the Cape before and enjoyed it very much. The good news is that we were mentally prepared that this vacation would not be about sleeping late, because otherwise we would have been sorely disappointed. Anyway, as a sign of a good, relaxing vacation, I don't have much exciting to report.

Except...

On our last night there, LP was wandering around the house. She was always in our sight and it had good, laminate floors so she was really walking from room to room. All of a sudden, the Hoos hears her playing with something in the front bedroom. A room we didn't use. He walks in to find her playing with a broken lamp. A lamp that we didn't hear fall and break and that wasn't broken before. Fortunately baby girl is unhurt.

We contemplate the broken lamp, trying to figure out how it got that way and finally determine that we must have pushed it back on the nightstand to keep it out of LP's way, thereby placing it closer to the blinds. A good, stiff wind must have kicked up while we were out (natch), knocking the blinds into the lamp and the lamp onto the floor.

What to do? What to do? We already spent an arm and a leg to rent this house, we certainly don't want the cost of this lamp to come out of our security deposit, especially if we weren't even responsible for the damage. So, like any true scaredy-cats, we hop in the car and drive to every home store in the greater-Hyannis area looking for a replacement. From K-Mart, to Linens and Things, to Home Goods, Pier 1, Marshalls, Macy's (bet you didn't know the Cape was so built up. It just so happens that Centerville is the ideal location for surf and shop). Apparently off white, cylindrical, 12-inch high lamps are out of style.

We find another lamp in a closet in the house and replace the broken lamp, which we wrap up and throw out. The next morning the Hoos calls the owner and relates the story (minus all of the nutty running around). She understands, especially since it is incredibly windy the morning we are preparing to leave, and tells us not to worry about it.

Anyway, as nice as it was to be on vacation and not think about work, there is something really nice about returning home. Too bad I have 150 emails to go through...

Not Exactly How I Remember It

There are two types of vacations - the type where you go somewhere to do something (e.g., Paris, London, Costa Rica) and the type where you go somewhere to do nothing (e.g., the Bahamas, Florida). No matter what kind of vacation, one of my critical requirements is that a vacation be about sleeping in. To people on vacation without kids (i.e., me up until this point) the thinking is "The Louvre will still be there at 11 am, no need to be there when it opens. Let's sleep late and eat chocolate croissants as we wander our way over there later."

On the other hand, remember family vacations when you got up at some horrible hour to beat the crowds? When I lived in DC and would take the metro to work I would look at tourist families in disgust, "Why are you people up and out at 7:30 in the morning? The museums aren't open yet and you are in the way!"

Now I am starting to understand. Kids like to be entertained, babies don't know the weekend from a weekday (LP actually gets up EARLIER on weekends than school days), and you will never sleep past 8:30 am again. Might as well embrace this fact and avoid the crowds.

PS: I think this should work everywhere except Disneyworld. Everyone is up early there, probably better to go at night when everyone else is too exhausted to move. Or, better yet, don't go at all!

The Great Outdoors

After two days in the woods, we have returned from our camping adventure.

Somehow all of our gear fit into the car. We have one kid - and a small one at that - and I feel like we were really cramming the stuff in. I have no idea how my brother-in-law and his family fit all of the stuff they need into the car and still have room for their three kids. To be honest, I don't care how they got it all in, I am just thankful that they did, because not only is my sister-in-law very well prepared, but my niece is amazing, taking LP off of my hands for small periods of time so that I could actually accomplish things and help.

LP loved being outside and getting dirty. Fortunately we had rented a camp site with a lean to (pretty much a covered wooden stage) which was a perfect place to let LP crawl around. She had a great time and didn't even attempt to eat too much "organic" material.

The first night we got LP to go to sleep around 10:30 in the pack-n-play. She woke up screaming screaming crying at 12:15. Did you know that noise carries very clearly when you are in the woods in the middle of the night? We were very concerned about fixing whatever was bothering LP, but probably more worried about keeping her quiet and from waking the entire campground. Eventually after much rocking, cajoling, some orajel and some Tylenol she fell back to sleep. Of course, she feel asleep in my sleeping bag with me. This meant that instead of sleeping comfortably on my sleeping pad in my sleeping bag, I slept on the three inches of cold, lumpy ground in between the pack-n-play and the nice, cushioned pad. LP slept soundly and well, I moved around a lot.

The second night was a vast improvement. LP fell asleep at 9:05 in the pack-n-play. At 9:10 it started to rain. The rain was an improvement over listening to people talk at other campsites (rain in the woods on a tent is VERY VERY loud) and it was also a relief because no one would hear LP if she cried. You guessed it, she didn't cry and I had to wake her up at 8 the next morning. Fortunately the tent was waterproof and we all stayed warm and dry and got some sleep.

The picture above is from Sunday morning. Now you know what I look like after 48 hours of not showering. Be thankful the blog technology has not been upgraded to scratch and sniff yet.

Will we go camping again? Sure. Would we do it with someone younger than LP? Probably not. Did we have a good time? Definitely. The company was good, the weather was great, and the attitude was care-free with no one talking or thinking about work the entire time. THAT is what a vacation is all about.