Back from almost 3 week trip just me and the kidlets
Sweet husband had to work so I took the kids on an almost 3 week trip The only other solo with children trip was a long weekend, and that one didn't cross international borders and wasn't 12-14 hours from home.
Actually it all went pretty well. I was worried about the children running amok while I was driving but they were well behaved. I credit it to past trips where the expectations were for good behavior and mostly from having activities planned. All three of them did a fair amount of sewing (they are making yo-yos for a quilt), lots of reading, some knitting, some beading, writing in their journals, and writing in various math and reading activity books. All three are still in booster / car seats with two at the dinette and one on the couch. I did rotate one carseat to the front passenger seat (there are no airbags) and that turned into a major map reading exercise with every road sign, mile marker called off and located in both the road atlas and the state/ province maps.
We stayed in one location for two weeks - electric only, so I drove to a nearby park weekly to fill water, dump and flush the tanks. The tank of water lasted the week but I washed dishes at a friend's house, showered at the pool where the children were taking swimming lessons.
So the biggest downside was a disaster on the way home - actually quite close to home. An off camber curve, a few well placed potholes, and a jug of maple syrup, which had traveled in it's usual spot on the back of the counter, decided to take flying lessons. It jumped, lept or hurled itself up off the counter and with wild abandon impaled itself on the floor fracturing it's plastic cap and sending a cascade of precious syrup streaming across the floor and tumbling waterfall fashion down the stairs. Did I mention that the back of the stairs (risers) are carpeted?
The border guard didn't ask for my carefully detailed list of purchases, or my list of fruits and veggies (and their country of origin), but did ask for the letter of "permission" for me to be driving around with my own children (on the way home).
What was different? We normally trade off driving every two hours, mostly because both of us love to drive and want our turn. The upside to this system is that even on a 14 hour day you aren't tired from driving. I found I was stiff and more tired doing all the driving. Usually the non driving person does things like checking to make sure the jacks are fully retracted and I had to remind myself of the checklist rather than having two people double check. I should work on that written checklist.
I will admit I am spoiled, my sweet husband serves me breakfast and coffee in bed, and this trip "I" was the one getting everyone up and moving.
Midweek excursions are nifty because venues are open and they aren't as crowded. The children want to go to Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump on a Wednesday because that is the day they have native drumming. Might just do that next week!
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***** ***** ***** 2011 Georgetown 320DS new June 2010
days camped in 2010: 61
days camped in 2011: 37 (up to Aug 1st)
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