Playing Catch Up

I am so behind in updating - YIKES! So sorry - in addition to finishing up a crazy-busy semester of school the boys and I went on a crazy-long road trip... whew, and it wasn't as easy as it used to be - maybe I'm just getting too old :)

Jace's first day of Spring Break began March 27th and that was the day the boys, Logan and I loaded up and drove to Alabama. My Hero is taking some significant leave in April (more on that later!) so he couldn't get off for this trip... but he did drive up Easter weekend for a quick visit.

Anywhoo - the first leg of our 4-part trip went really well - we left our house at 4 am and with the time difference got to Nonie and DuDad's at 2 pm that Saturday. The boys immediatly started rummaging through long-forgotten toys and letting loose their wild sides on the steep hill in the back yard... at least until Jace ran into the tree. Oh well, he only cried like TWO tears and after showing off his battle wounds was right back on the hill - that's my boy!

We had a great visit with Nonie, DuDad, Aunt K, Uncle M, and GranHawkins that weekend and headed out early Monday morning for leg 2 of the trip - Alabma to Missouri to see my folks. Unfortunately, by this stage of the drive, the boys had come to realize just how stinky it is to sit your hinney in a car seat for 12 hours and were not as pleased or excited about the drive. A couple new movies helped a little, but we didn't make quite as good time, arriving at my sister's (she lives right on the way) at 6ish that night. But what a nice time it was seeing her and my nephew and nieces!

Okay - quick funny story... I had not been to her new house and as we pulled into the neighborhood I was having a hard time seeing the house numbers, so when I saw a bunch of kids playing I rolled down my window to ask them. This sweet boy runs over and I ask him if he knows which house C, K, and P live at and he laughs at me as says, "Aunt Kryssy, I'm C!" Good gracious - he had grown SO MUCH I didn't even recognize him! It's been a year-and-a-half since I've seen them :(

So Jace and Samuel had a fabulous time running around and playing with their cousins while my sis and I caught up. After dinner together, we said our goodbyes and headed out for the last 2 hours of our drive - luckily, the boys slept for this part!

We landed at my folk's home at almost 10 and pretty much crashed for the night - who would have thought that sitting on your hinney all day could be soooo tiring! The next day we went to see my very sweet and special 94-year-old grandmother. She lives in an assisted living home with several other elderly people and Jace and Samuel had a grand time entertaining all the people that came in to see who was making all the racket! We didn't get to stay too long since the boys had pretty much used up all thier "being good" efforts on the long drive, but I did get to go back the next day and spend much of the day with her in quiet (thanks Mom for watching the boys!).

It was fun being back in my hometown. I ran into one person from my class, and several parents of classmates. I also saw my absolute FAVORITE elementary teacher, Mr. Ford, at breakfast one morning and what a treat that was! He laughed as I frantically turned my head side-to-side watching where my boys were going and said it brought back memories of his two sons when they were that age - thank goodness for people who remember what it was like to have young kids!

After just a couple days we planned our return, leg 3 of the drive, back to Alabama. We decided to leave Thursday because Mom and Dad wanted to drive part-way with us, so that morning we stopped by one more time to see Grandma and then hit the road.

Let me tell you, there is a stretch of road that goes for about 100 miles in the lower part of Missouri / upper part of Arkansas. It is two-lane, but really beautiful land that just makes you smile and thank God for creating something so beautiful. Right in the middle of this part of the drive is a little town called Hardy, Ark., and it boasts tons of little antique and flea markets - and I was itching to stop and take a look! Too bad Samuel isn't into that sort of thing... and he let it be know that he didn't want to stay long. That is also where Mom and Dad did their U-turn.

We pressed on and made it to the other side of Memphis before stopping for the evening in Honey Springs, Mississippi. The next day we finished up with a stop at DeSoto Caverns in Alamaba and then on back to Nonie and DuDads for some Easter weekend celebration!

The weekend was spent fishing, riding bikes, dyeing eggs, and catching up with family - and it was tons of fun! See for yourself...

And of course, it's not Easter Sunday without church, lots of homecooking (LOVE me some Southern cookin!), and picture upon picture of how cute we all look :)

The boys and I left Monday for the last part of the drive home, and are already trying to plan another visit to everyone - or get them all down here to Florida!

Take care everyone and love on your family!