ROAD TRIP!

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Part of being a military family includes road trips.  The husband and I love to travel.  We would do more of it if he had more time off of work.  The boys don't seem to mind either, which is a great plus.  I can only imagine them growing up to be worldly travelers.  We're taking a trip in a couple of days and since I'm the Lady of the house I get the pleasure of packing for everyone.

The trip we will be going on isn't one of glamor or worldliness.  Keeping things simple and fun is what we have planned.   We have 8 days to get from the deep south to the epicenter of my husband and I's universe.  Otherwise known as our respective "home(s)" which are Indiana and Michigan. In the middle of the visit, a trip to Ohio where we will be visiting "America's Rollercoast," Cedar Point.  Don't worry I'll fill you in.

Kate Gosselin, Packing Terminator.

Do you pack for your entire family when you go on a trip?  I do.  One would think that by now I'd have it down to a science like Kate Gosselin  did on that one episode where they go on a trip.  I don't, in fact, I get really flustered when it comes to packing.  I over pack, I always have.  I'll end up taking half of my closet and wearing 10 percent of what's packed.  This ends up doing a number on my husbands back.   Not to mention gathering and packing everything for the boys/men of the household.  8 sets of clothes, for 4 people, plus at least one cold weather outfit (just in case), flip flops, tennis shoes, toiletries, medicines, camera, iPad, toys, movies, books, and so on.  Whoops, forgot the family dog Lucy in this.  Have to get her to the kennel the night before we leave with a bag of food and her favorite things.

Did I mention that about two months ago the husband had to request his time off?  This is always the FIRST and most important step of a military family's trip planning.  It took nearly a month and a half to get approved but it did, with less days than he had intended.  Ah well, just means we get less time doing what we'd like, no problem we can adapt!

The trip from our deep south home to our up north home(s) will take about 16-20 hours of driving time, one way.  Believe me when I say, this is a better trip than from our last residence which was in far west Texas, ie Mexico.  The husband seems to think we can make it all in one day.  I'm not as young as I used to be, staying up for 24hrs is quite the task especially if I can't drink cocktails.  1159 miles, one way to Michigan.  Then another roughly 100 miles to Cedar Point.  After our stay there, to Indiana which is about 215 miles from Cedar Point, then back home from Indiana at 1000 miles.  Glamorous, I know.  After about 2500 miles of driving we won't ever want to drive anywhere again... for at least a year.

I can't complain though.  There are plenty of military families who do not get to go where they would like.  Whether it's financial reasons or work schedules, they sometimes have to stay put on base and just deal with this life.  I'm thankful that we do get the opportunity to drive a zillion miles to see home for just a few days.

Not our family, but this may resemble us.

Oh yea, I was supposed to fill you in on Cedar Point.  I'm finding that every person I tell here in the South that we're going to Cedar Point, they just give me a blank stare.  I'm guessing it's that way for the rest of the U.S. aside from Michigan, Ohio, and possibly Indiana.  Cedar Point is Six Flags on steroids.  It's nothing but roller coasters.  It's every adrenaline junkies dream and every scared shitless person's nightmare.  They, of course, have a plethora of children's rides to accommodate smaller children like my youngest but then again he'd rather be riding the big rides.  We are staying for three days on the park and I bet you money that we won't get to ride all of the rides, though we WILL try.  I'm not going to lie, some of these metal demons scare the crap out of me.  I'm usually the person in the photos that's hanging on for dear life looking like I'm on the verge of passing out or in sheer terror.  Don't worry folks, I WILL NOT be posting such embarrassing photos.  It's a family past time of mine to frequent this park.  It was my Grandfather who got me onto my first roller coaster, The Blue Streak.  If it weren't for him, I'd still be hyperventilating at the thought of a roller coaster. This year I finally get to share this experience with my stepson.  He's never been and yes he's quite worked up about going on the rides.  I hope that he grows to love the place as I have.

Lordy, two cups of coffee later and I'm still not anymore packed than I was yesterday!  What are you doing to me people?!  Haha, I can't blame you packing is a task I dread.  Especially when it's for 4 people.  So Smarties, I probably won't be posting again until next weekend or later.  Enjoy your summer days and I'll be thinking of my readers the first hill I go down.  ;)

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