our little detour

only took five hours....
We attempted to cross the border into Canada yesterday...
A little shortcut to our aunt's home in Northern Vermont.
Campsite was even reserved outside of Toronto...

Plans changed.

We had three passports and a certificate of citizenship...
Thought that would be sufficient.
Should have brought along birth certificates for the kids...
Lesson learned.
Will get passports for all when we get home.

A two hour trip back over the bridge,
Three hours more to go around the lake,
too late for a campsite,
turned in at a hotel just after midnight,
back on the road...

Just learned it was raining last night where we had planned to camp.
Thankful for good travelers and safe travels....
We'll see what adventures today brings us!

-Julie

our little detour

On the Road Again

Carl's room transformation was a smashing success,
Refinished the floors,
Painted the ceiling,
Starless Night blue painted on the walls,
Loft built,
New pillows, blanket and chair,
Repurposed bulletin board,
and I can't show pics.
They are on my camera and I'm blogging from my iPhone.

Two nights at a cottage in Michigan,
time with a dear aunt and uncle,
blueberry picking,
row boat rides,
beach time,
riding the waves,
doing handstands in the wAter with the kids (I still can!)
ice cream,
Chinese food,
and we are all very relaxed.

8 hours in the car today...
Thank goodness for good travelers.
Spending the night tent camping outside of Toronto...
Then two nights with another dear aunt in Northern Vermont!

I love roadtrips!

5 More Days

and this cute little boy here...

will come home from camp on his birthday....

and I'll be the mom of a teenager.

Gulp.

Where did those 13 years go?

Some days I'd just like to hit the pause button.

Sigh.

2 Kids at camp.

2 Kids at Grandma's...

and here I sit listening to the romantic sound of the spackle sander....

or whatever it's called.

No time to play,

loads of work to do.

We gutted the boys room.

He truly needed an intervention.

Mr. Mark sanded the floors down,

I applied the sanding sealer today.

I painted the ceiling.

Now to remove some old wallies and finish spackling.

Tomorrow I paint

and we finish the floors.

While all that is drying I'll pack for vacation,

sort through the boys' stuff,

and attempt to put it all back together.

Yikes.

Time to get moving...

-Julie

Which One....

Did this 9 days ago?

Don't bother checking your monitor color.

It's right on.

Did you say construction cone orange is an option?

"YES!"

She's sporting an orange tutu skirt with it daily...

I can now find her anywhere in our house with the sound of her crutches.

Yes, those are polka dots on her toes.

That was the one thing she wanted done as soon as we returned from urgent care.

Yes, I could use some help making polka dots.

How?

She landed on it wrong after falling on the trampoline.

No, not off the trampoline.

On the trampoline.

Yes, we have a trampoline.

Yes, I'm sure you have an opinion about them.

Yes, it's a tibial fracture.

Yes, it's a full leg cast.

Yes, it goes up her thigh.

Yes, she was in pain.

Yes, this is a pain.

It's Summer.

Yes, she has a gore-tex liner.

Yes, she can get it wet.

Yes, she can even swim.

Yes, she's been a tremendously good sport.

Yes, we still went to Door County.

Yes, we will still go tent camping in NH.

Really?

Yes, really.

There is no way anything can stop us from heading East this Summer.

It's been 8 years since we've been "home."

Yes, I've considered becoming a hermit until the cast comes off.

Yes, I'm tired of answering well-intentioned strangers questions.

Yes, it reminds me of strangers rubbing my pregnant belly.

Ewww!

Not sure how to write that.

Yes, I am exhausted.

Carrying 46 pounds up and down the stairs several times a day,

is really giving me a workout.

Yes, we are coming up with creative options to pass the time.

Yes, we are praying we will have good news on Aug. 4th when it is x-rayed again.

Yes, this too shall pass.

Yes, some day I will write a book.

oh, and the answer to my question....

Yes, it is Sofi.

Yes, it is Sofi with an "f," not a "ph."

Yes, I'm really sure that's how we spell it.

Yes, I know it's unusual.

Yes, it's Swedish,

or at least I thought it was.

Yes, it is spelled wrong daily by almost everyone.

Yes, it would have been worse if we had named her Maja.

That was the name we debated long and hard en route to the hospital.

That was a fun trip.

Yes, I really am in labor, honey.

Yes, I know we've been to labor and delivery a thousand times,

but Yes, she's 8 weeks early, and please drive quickly!

Ah, another trip down memory lane.

Off to book club and some vino with friends....

-Julie