Getting caught up (or at least trying too!)

So since Easter we have made an overnight trip to the beach then headed to Delaware the next weekend  and then hosted friends at our house for dinner the next two weekends – and that is all before the summer even really gets here.

Because I tend to be a little OCD when it comes to taking the boys anywhere, I am usually list-crazed for the few days before we leave. Well the first two trips we have taken this year have had me a little off kilter and I forgot our camera at home – UGH!

The first trip was an overnight sleepover at the beach. We loaded everyone up (Grandma too) and left straight from the soccer fields after Chase’s final game of the season. The boys are really good in the car – for short periods of time. You see, we don’t spend much more than 15 minutes in the car round trip in our daily lives so anything longer than that tends to cause fights. We learned on this trip that before we drove to Delaware the next weekend that we were splitting the seats 2 and 2 so no one could reach or touch anyone else!

The beach was great. Weather was perfect and even let me get some sun and break out the sunscreen for us all. Jason and Chase created a new game – beach bowling – and it was easy enough that even the little ones could join in! That meant my Mom and I got to sit in our chair and just watch…..glimpse of my future I hope! We enjoyed a seafood dinner and headed out the next morning.

On Thursday, we loaded up the car (with our next seating arrangement in effect) and headed North! We made it to Delaware in 7 ½ hours and that included some construction traffic and a 1 hour and 15 minute lunch/play stop. The boys were rock stars. Of course, did I remember my camera for this trip? Nope, left it sitting on top of the dog crate – a place I picked because I knew it wouldn’t be forgotten. Oh well – best laid plans.

We hung out Thursday night at the hotel and listened to some live music with the boys around a fire pit until bedtime. Friday morning we packed up (with Grandma) and headed to the Philadelphia Zoo. It was GREAT! The boys loved seeing all the animals and made every sound associated with them that they could think of. The only disappointing factor (besides no camera) was there were no elephants. Poor Graham was really upset by this. We seemed to ease his frustrations a little by pointing out the statue of the elephant at the entrance of the zoo. He was happy with it so we went with it. The biggest hit I have to say was the orangutans. There was a Mommy, Daddy and Baby in a tall room with ropes, ‘shelves’ and windows for you to watch. The boys were enthralled when the baby grabbed on to the mommy and she swung them across the room. I feared they would think it looked like fun and want to try it with me! We spent over 30 minutes just watching them play, swing and eat and the boys just giggled and made monkey noises. Best memories from that!

We left the zoo and drove back to the hotel to get ready for the rehearsal dinner. Oh yeah, the reason for this trip was to watch our family friend Jill get married. We love her and her family and they are no-blood-connection-family to me and very important to us so we wouldn’t have missed this for the world!  The boys were great at the rehearsal dinner and luckily the restaurant was literally across the street from the hotel so when they started to get antsy, we politely excused ourselves and headed back.

The wedding and reception were the next day (around lunchtime) and Jill made a beautiful bride and the reception was fun. The boys did a little dancing but were much happier eating the icing from the cake! We left the reception and headed to Dennis and Missy’s house (parents of the bride) for a little more fun. They have a great backyard and balls and bats – nothing my boys like more! So while the boys burned a little sugar off, the adults got to visit and have some fun too. We drove back to the hotel for baths and bed. The next morning we packed up, stopped at Dennis and Missy’s house for brunch and got back on the road to come home. With a quick potty and dinner stop we made it home in a little over 6 hours!

On Tuesday, the boys and I (with Grandma for assistance) went to a local strawberry patch for a field trip with Chase. That – along with some pictures- is the subject of the next post…