Summer Vacation Part 1

We wouldn't be having a proper summer if it weren't for a big ol' road trip.

We covered 2,310 miles in 8 days.

That amounted to about 35 hours in the car.

That much time in a car is not healthy for the average human.

But, all the time NOT spent in the car sure was fun and worth the trip.

The kids were actually superstars in the car.

Well besides the time when Bradley graffittied the inside of my in laws car.

And the time when Aubrey smooshed an entire banana all over in her car seat.

But really, Jack didn't throw up,

and we didn't even have to threaten to "TURN THIS CAR AROUND."

Not bad, huh?

We brought some headphones because the parents in this family

were worried about their sanity.

You see, Brooklyn (as I've said before) has a lot on her mind

and can easily talk her way all the way to Idaho.

Luckily, the headphones helped with that and made Aubsie-face feel like she was something else. 

There are a few things you can always count on when visiting the grandparents.

1.  Your kids will get away with things they never would at home.

Like spending an hour or two running through mud n' stuff.

(I prefer not to think about the other "stuff" that may have been in that mud hole.)

My boys in particular thought they had died and gone to heaven.

They were splashing through the water absolutely delighted to have that nasty water

flying up their nose and in their eyes.

Suit yourself.

I am fairly tolerable of mud while we are at home, but I definitely don't let the kids play on large power tools.

Especially THAT kid.

Brooklyn?  Maybe.  But Bradley?  Definitely not.

But hey, Grandparents have the liberty to let the grandkids do whatever they want!

Yipee! 

No wonder kids adore their grandparents so much.

And no trip to Idaho would be complete without being tormented by the uncles.

If you look closely, you can see my brother laying under the trampoline launching the kids.

They were loving it!

But of course, as it goes with uncles, the fun cannot end until someone gets hurt.

My uncle (the guy in the red shirt) decided to get on and bounce the kids. 

He ended up falling through the trampoline and sending

spring-shrapnel flying through the yard.

Nice.

It's always fun to get together with the WHOLE family

and let my kids experience a little torture from the relatives.