It's Family Road Trip Time Again!

Ah yes, another 2,000 + miles down. Another day of recovery (slouching in front of the tv, puter, microwave or coffeepot, take yer pick).

We were getting way too comfortable with the three day drive/two cushy nights at a hotel schedule, so it was time to shake things up a bit. Besides, that made every trip stretch to 9-10 days, and we just can't do that all the time. Not to mention those two cushy nights, suite, pool, all that restaurant food ... adds up to rival the cost of plane tickets.

And the boys are bigger now. So we can just strap 'em in with pillows, blankets, a few toys and 100 of their favorite dvd's, and we're set to go. Straight through. No stopping, except for the occasional potty break, and to refill the coffee mug.

And the inevitable holiday traffic jam.

All that fun aside, we were able to get back to the ole homestead for a family Thanksgiving feast, complete with cousins and in-laws and joking about what goes into the garbage disposal and uneaten cookies in the trash and crazy girls and the annual demand for our Christmas lists.

Of course, when produced under duress, as they are every year, my list, and any lists for my family, will undoubtedly either have only the items already purchased, or leave out the most cherished gift of all. In other words, I can never get it right. But somehow, Grandma always comes out on top, once all the gifts are opened on Christmas Day. Because she's a Pro.

So now it's on to December, and the Christmas Season, and all the fun that comes with it. Yeah, I'll do some shopping of my own. But I'm no Pro, and I won't even try to fake it. But I can keep the boys busy and occupied and not thinking about all the boxes that are piling up in the closets and the garage in the weeks to come. Let the fun begin!