North Carolina Day Five - Last Day of Class

Today is James; last day of work!!  He has been in class, studying, or sleeping the past couple of days so I am really excited about seeing him tonight. This morning I gave the boys a couple of options but they all voted unanimously to swim in the pool before lunch. 

While we were swimming, we played that we were all Egyptian gods.  It was Jon's idea.  He was Ra, Colin was Anubis, I was Isis, Charlie was my son Horus, and Will was Khnemu an ancient and somewhat obscure god of the Nile.  My kids are awesome.  We had a lot of fun playing Egyptian gods although I don't think Colin quite knew what to make of it.  

The boys love to swim!

Will in the water

After the pool we went to pick up James for an early lunch.  We went back to our favorite place, Cookout, where we discovered that no matter how much we ordered we couldn't spend any money.  Really, I love this place.

After we brought James back to work I took the kids to a movie.  I had started to feel a little sick after the pool and I needed something low impact for the kids to do.  We saw Night at the Museum 3 and little Charlie slept on my lap for most of it.

By the time the movie was over I was feeling really sick.  There were a few minutes in the theater where I thought I was going to throw up and I had no idea what to do with Charlie if that happened.  Thankfully though I kept it together until we got home.  

James was already home by the time we got there.  He had passed his class with flying colors!!  I am so proud of him!  He really worked hard on this trip and had to learn a lot of complicated math.

James took the boys out to a Chinese supermarket where they were all able to buy drinks that the boys call "screaming sodas".  They have been talking about these drinks since we got down here, it was a very special treat.  On the way home James drove by a sketchy establishment that is opposite our hotel.  Will pipped up, "That sign says topless but it isn't really topless."  James' mind started to race, how was he going to explain this one?  Then Will finished, "It has a roof on it!"  Ah, innocence.

My plan had been to pack up while the boys were out but by this time I was completely sick and unable to do anything.  James brought me home a nice dinner that I couldn't eat and I ended up taking a nap and then going to bed early.  Charlie wanted to take care of me and kept handing me water and telling me to "drink it so you will feel better".  I love him so much.  Charlie also read me some books.  He brought one over with a picture of a lion and read "The mom asked, 'Why is there a lion outside?'  Then the lion scratched him and killed him.  Then everyone in North America died.  The end!"

The boys were disappointed that we couldn't go to the pool but I was too sick and James wasn't up for it by himself.  James was exhausted but he took care of me and the kids and put everyone to bed with little trouble.  He is amazing.  

Tomorrow we are starting our journey home although I don't think we will leave as early as we wanted to.  I am just praying that no one is sick for the drive!!

North Carolina Day Four - Children's Museum

This morning was another early one for James and it was going to be a long day too so I decided to take the boys to a children's museum.  Usually we go to the one in Charlotte which we have always enjoyed but today we wanted to try something new.  I had heard about a place in Columbia, South Carolina which sounded interesting so right after breakfast we all headed out.  

It was almost a two hour drive from our hotel and halfway down I started to have second thoughts.  I don't take the familiar road to Boston by myself and I couldn't believe I was taking all four boys to a strange city so far away from home. I had the only cell phone too so there was no way I could reach James in an emergency.  But the way in was pretty easy and although Will started to feel sick we made it there without too much trouble.  

The children's museum, Edventure, was awesome!!  As soon as we walked in we saw this giant statue of "Eddie".  He is 40 ft tall and the back is open from top to bottom with four different floors for the kids to climb in.  The boys loved it.  He was their favorite thing in the whole museum and they came back to him again and again.  At first Will was nervous about climbing down the intestines but Charlie came with him and after that he was fine.

The boys in front of Eddie

Colin and Eddie

Will climbs the vertebrae

We played inside "Eddie" for at least 45 minutes before the boys finally wanted to explore the rest of the museum.  Colin and Charlie loved the pet exhibit where they could pretend to be vets.  "I need to give my doggie medicine!" Charlie would cry after we left.  

Will hangs out in Eddie's stomach

Jon and Charlie explore the brain

Another section allowed the kids to explore food from farm to table, allowing them to pick oranges and collect eggs in the farm, shop in a supermarket and finally serve food in a restaurant.  The boys loved it and spend a surprising amount of time shopping.  

Colin and Jon in the shop

Will loved the supermarket

Colin and Will prepare some food for me

Will works in the restaurant

One of Charlie's favorite exhibits had a real fire truck that the kids could explore.  He looked so cute driving the truck in his fireman's coat!  Will loved the interactive quiz on how to make a fire safety plan.  I always look at those touchscreen computer displays and wonder what child would look at them when there are so many things to play with and explore.  And then I realize they are made for son.

Colin drives a fire truck

Will takes a turn at the wheel

Jon as a fireman

Colin slides down the pole

By the time we had finished with the first floor of the museum we were all getting hungry.  After a quick and boring lunch at the cafeteria we went to visit the Butterfly Garden.  I never knew butterflies could be so terrifying!  For some reason all the boys were really nervous about the butterflies landing on them and Charlie went around screaming "We're gunna die!".  They did calm down enough to admire the butterflies but all the boys would jump back nervously if one came too near.  These are the same boys that will pick up centipedes, snakes, salamanders, and miscellaneous bugs.  But butterflies are terrifying.

A terrifying Zebra Butterfly

After the butterflies we headed up to the second floor.   Since it was the middle of the day during the school year, Edventure was practically empty except for a few preschoolers with their mothers.  This meant that I could e let the boys roam and explore on their own.  We’d all go to one section but then they would scatter, exploring each exhibition at their own pace.  It was really nice because I was able to spend a little one on one time with each of them and even sit down for a few minutes! 

Will practices being a dentist

Jon uses a jackhammer

Jon plays with magnets

Half of the upstairs was a Mr Potato Head exhibit which the boys really enjoyed even though it seemed geared to younger children.  But Will and Jon both spent a lot of time there.  On the other side of the hallway was a whole section for building things.  There was a little room with Legos, Duplos, and blocks, another area with huge foam tinker toys, a couple craft and design areas, and a place to design and test a hot air balloon or parachute.

Jon's Lego spaceship

My train

Jon, Charlie and I had fun in the Lego room.  Charlie built a plane out of Legos, a truck with Duplos and a block barn.  While we were doing that Colin was hard at work trying to make something that would fly.  Jon and I came out to join him and the three of us had fun designing and building our own hot air balloons.  Colin and Jon even made people to go inside!

Colin working hard on his hot air balloon

Jon with his creation

We spent a long time playing upstairs but Charlie really wanted to be a vet again so back down we went.  Will and Jon went back inside “Eddie” while Colin and Charlie played with the animals.  Colin quickly made friends with two brothers and played with them until it was time to leave.  Before we went home the boys had to visit the store, the firetruck and “Eddie” one last time.  Actually they wanted to climb inside “Eddie” over and over again.  They were sad to leave him! 

Will and Eddie compare shoe sizes

The boys probably could have spent hours more at the museum but it was 3:00 and I was getting tired.  It was a long drive home and I wanted to leave the city before rush hour.  We got out of Columbia easily and made great time but thanks to a stop at Chick-Fil-A we hit rush hour traffic in Charlotte.  It took us an hour to go the last 20 miles home.

My beautiful butterflies

The boys playing in the hurricane

After that I was tired and rather cranky.  But James was home from work and said he could afford a short study break so he watched the kids for 20 minutes so I could breathe.  Alone.  I love my children and I love spending time with them.  But for an introvert being with people, even people you love, every minute of the day is exhausting!

After my time alone I felt refreshed enough to take the boys down to the pool again.  I probably don’t need to take them anywhere else since they love the pool so much.  Once again it was empty so I didn’t have to worry about them being loud, jumping off the edge, or splashing.  We had a lot of fun.  Jon was swimming around again, most often without even the safety of the tube nearby.  And Colin swam across the pool!!  He was awesome!   Will swam across too and spent a lot more time in the deep end today.

Colin leaps into the pool

Will jumps in

We had a great time playing and pretending that I was a mermaid trying to ensnare brave sailors and lead them to my watery kingdom.  If I kissed one of the boys he would be under my spell and could only be freed by a touch from the magical rings which would temporarily take away my powers.  Colin and Charlie wanted to be caught and kissed but Jon was relentless in chasing me around the pool with the magic rings.  We had so much fun.  :-)

Jonny

Though the long drive and the pool made it into a bit of a late night, the boys did go to bed easily and they all fell asleep quickly.  I think I am wearing them out!  James has been studying all night but even he has turned in now and I am off to bed as well.  

Goodnight!

North Carolina Day Three - Playground and Pool

Today was a work day for James.  He woke up early (even before the boys which is pretty hard to do!) and went out to study before his class started.  Once everyone woke up the boys and I headed downstairs to have breakfast in the hotel lobby.  The boys were very good although it was still a little stressful for me.  Because there are so many of us it doesn't take much for things to descend into chaos.  One child speaking loudly might not be noticed, two could be ignored but four can really change the volume in the room!  But they all did really well and we soon headed out for the playground.

We discovered this park on our previous visit here last year.  It is awesome.  There are four separate playground areas each with their own unique design.  The park also has a nice green lawn, walking paths, rocks to climb on, and a splash pad although this wasn't on today.  The boys loved it.  There was a group of about 40 school age kids there and a handful of moms with their preschoolers. Colin right away ran to join the school kids who were about his age.  Will started up a game with a little three year old who was thrilled to be playing with a big boy.

Colin on one of the many spinning things

Will loved the tree house playground

The boys favorite activity was playing on the Merry-Go-Round which was where the older kids congregated.  Charlie joined in too when it wasn't too crowded.  Although after a couple turns he came off saying he felt sick.  But once he'd had a drink he was ready to go right back on! 

The Merry-Go-Round unusually empty

Colin hangs out upside down

Jon spins around in a little seat

At one point Will, Jon, and I played a spy game where they would try to steal away my water bottle and sneakily pass it off to each other without my noticing.  It was really nice to play with them.

After a couple hours at the park we were very hot and had gone through all our water.  So we went back to the hotel for a snack and a little rest.  Will read and wrote a blog post, Colin worked on a writing assignment for his school, Jon colored, and Charlie played with his trucks.  All the boys took turns having a bubble bath.  

Will and Jon relax on the front porch of our hotel

Refreshed, we went to meet James for lunch.  Once we got outside though I realized I had left my keys back in the room.  But Will was able to run in and get them for me.  I love having older children!!  James' class just down the street so Will, Jon, and Colin were able to run to meet him while Charlie and I brought the car down.  They love to run!

For lunch we went to our favorite place down here, Cookout.  It is the perfect place.  The food is excellent, really cheap and very filling.  It might not be healthy but you can't have everything...  :-)  And they have great milkshakes!  It really is our favorite place to eat.  

James and his silly boys

Enjoying our lunch at Cookout

Jon loves Daddy

All too soon we had to bring James back to work.  The boys were desperate to swim but Charlie and I were tired so we took a little nap first.  Finally we went down to the pool.

Entering the pool

Me and the boys enjoying our swim

The boys love to swim.  Jon spent almost the whole time practicing swimming from one side of the pool to the other.  He would toss a float into the middle of the pool and swim to it so that he could hold on to something before making it to the other side.  But before long he was swimming without any assistance at all.  Charlie had his tube and paddled all over the pool.  He also loved jumping off the side so that he could go under water.  He got cold quickly though so he occasionally had to get out and warm up.

Jon loves swimming

Charlie is ready to jump in

Will loves swimming under water best, diving for toys or doing flips and he spent most of his time doing that in the shallower end of the pool.  His face and eyes were so red by the time we were done!  Colin loved everything, he dove for toys, swam with a float in the deep end, played bucking bronco with me, and had a wonderful time.  He loves to swim!  

Will and Colin emerge from the water

Playing in the pool

Jon strikes out across the pool

While we were swimming James came to say hello but he couldn't join us because he had to study.  But it was nice to see him even for a little while.  I am so grateful that we are able to go on business trips with him.  Even though he spends the whole day working and studying I am glad that we are here together and that we can still fall asleep next to each other.

The hotel had a pizza reception tonight and who can resist free pizza?  Not us certainly.  James missed it but the boys and I had pizza and watched the Jungle Book before bed.  The boys were great at bedtime and fell asleep quickly.  All the playing must have worn them out!  And now it is my time for bed too.

Goodnight!

North Carolina Drive Down - Day Two

I am lucky to have little boys.  Aside from the fact that boys are generally awesome it means that I can go alone to the bathroom while James has to shepherd the whole group on our rest stops.  This morning though I took three year old Charlie in to the bathroom while everyone else finished breakfast.  As I was waiting outside the stall I heard him exclaim "Oh, my little penis!  It's gorgeous!"  I burst out laughing.

Charlie dresses himself

Unfortunately the rest of the day was not nearly as amusing.  The boys, with the possible exception of Jon, were all acting up, storming off, whining and generally disobeying.  Instead of taking the highway North and then South we opted to take a smaller more direct route which ended up being interminably long and slow.  We had to make many inefficient and unplanned stops.  

And then, just as I was looking forward to making good time... Charlie threw up.  Copiously. We had given the boys cotton candy milkshakes as a bribe reward for improved behavior and twenty minutes after finishing it, Charlie's came back up.  Bright blue was everywhere.  Thankfully I was driving and James, who is much better at this kind of thing, was able to catch a good deal of it in a cup.  I pulled over as soon as we could so that we could clean him up.  And by we, I really mean James.  He is amazing.  I am rather a wimp when it comes to vomit but James cheerfully cleaned Charlie, his seat, his toys and the car.  I thank God for him!!

Once he had expelled the milkshake Charlie was fine and was soon running around.  As James worked on the car Charlie came up to me and said in a serious voice, "I threwed up.  That's not good.  I'm not having that (the milkshake) again.  Only lollipops."  The three older boys were great while this was going on and were able to run around a bit themselves.  

Jon colors while waiting to get back on the road

Once that crisis was over and we were back on the road we were able to make good time.  Of course, by then it was 4:00 and we had over 350 miles to go.  The rest of our drive was very pleasant and we had beautiful views all through Virginia and North Carolina (at least until it got dark).  

The only other hitch we had was when we ran into a rainstorm.  It was the worst rain I have ever seen.  It was more like a waterfall than rain.  Even with the windshield wipers going full blast they couldn't keep my windshield clean.  The visibility was down to only a few yards and big trucks only a short distance ahead were invisible.  We were between exits when it hit and there was no place to pull off so the only option was to move ahead very slowly.  It was nerve-racking!  Thankfully we made it through safely and so did everyone around us.  But I hope to never see rain like that again!

Clouds rolling over a mountain

Despite all our difficulties, the drive was beautiful.  James and I listened to Mere Christianity and had wonderful discussions, we sang along to Future of Forestry, Dr Horrible and Oleander, and we enjoyed some Pratchett when we needed a break from philosophical conversations.  The boys were much better on last stretch and we all enjoyed the views.  James wished we could have stopped for pictures around every corner!

An old shack that James took to show my dad.

I love our country!!  It is so big and beautiful.  We have done this drive many times but I never tire of the scenery and we always find something new to enjoy.  But I want so much to drive across the country and see the West.  My dream is to drive out and explore Wyoming and Montana.  Hopefully when the boys are older we can set out one spring and head West.  
Now we have arrived at our familiar hotel.  The boys are sleeping as is James.  It is time for me to join them.  Tomorrow James is working and the boys and I will take things slow.  We are all hoping for some time in the pool!!

Goodnight!

North Carolina Day One - Drive Down and The Crystal Cave

We are on our way to North Carolina!  Days after we returned from our Washington D.C. trip we got word that James had to travel south for training.  We always travel with him and I am so thankful that his work is so understanding!!  Colin's school was a bit of a problem but at the last minute we received the OK for him to come with us too.  

Although Colin's teacher is wonderful and the staff at his school is very nice, the more I see of the school system the happier I am that we home school.  I love the freedom that it gives us!  I don't think we'd ever be able to travel with James if we sent the boys to school.  And I am so grateful for the new curriculum we've been doing!  But I am glad that Colin was able to come. 

We have been down to North Carolina for training before although I don't think I've ever written about it.  The last time was last summer and it was the worst trip I have ever been on.  I had five children, three of them under 3 and one of them spent every minute of the day trying to bite or scratch the other children.  It was awful!  But I do like the area and I have high hopes for this trip! 

Today was a great start, the boys were wonderful in the car.  Will and Jon are very experienced with long car drives and were exceptional.  Charlie (whose real name I can reveal soon!!) was great except for a few moments this afternoon when he really wanted to run.  And I am so proud of Colin.  He has shown tremendous improvement since our trip just a month ago!  He does not have nearly the same experience sitting for over eight hours in a car but he was excellent.  I am so proud of him!

Although our focus is on driving we always try to do something fun, especially for the kids.  Today as we were driving through Pennsylvania we saw a sign for the Crystal Cave and decided to check it out.  It looks like it is a fairly large tourist attraction although today it was practically empty.  

James and the boys in the Crystal Cave

The cave was rather cold!

The cave was pretty cool although not as large as the Luray Caverns in Virginia.  The boys particularly liked the rock formations, especially the one that looked like a T-Rex!  They were disappointed though not to get a glimpse of the resident brown bats who only come out when the cave is closed.  At one point in the tour our guide turned off all the lights and we stood in complete darkness.  It was very cool!  And the boys were not worried one bit, although I did get some extra hugs!  :-)

It was hard to get a good picture but we did enjoy looking around.

Our little tour group admiring the cave

Inside the cave

After our tour of the Crystal Cave the boys took some time to run up and roll down a little hill right outside.  They needed to move!

Playing on the hill

Will always loves to run

We were in Amish country and we had hoped to eat at one of their famed restaurants.  But, perhaps because it was a holiday, they were all closed.  So we ended up with a late but pleasant dinner at the Outback.

Because of all our stops at the end it was rather late by the time we got in to our Pennsylvania hotel.  But the boys were again wonderful and they all went to sleep quickly!  Now I too am off to bed since I am still tired from packing late the night before!  :-)