Family Road Trip

Family…they’re everything.  And yet, decide to get in a car where you are trapped for hours like clowns in a smart car, and within minutes of departing you think, “Why, oh why, am I doing this?”  I remember, as a kid, using the seat belt to draw a line down the seat to delineate exactly where my sister could put her bum, her arms, and all of her stuff and NOT invade my territory.  Yes…that’s what those devices were for back when no one used them to prevent flying through windshields.

We recently decided to take one of those road trips to a family reunion (another one of those family things we do).  We took two of our adult children and our 2 year old toddler (no you aren’t reading that wrong).  Now, the nice thing about the adults…they packed themselves and entertained themselves.  Packing for the 2 year old wasn’t too difficult.  HOWEVER….nothing I brought was satisfactory.  Little Miss Princess required “other” things.  We were blessed with various renditions of “Get me out of here,” or “I want out.”  Now, I realize that she was protectively strapped into a soft and comfortable throne, but to her…she had begun her final journey restrained to avoid escape from a princess sized torture apparatus.  Little Miss Princess has also recently discovered her voice can be attached to her foot.  For example, the word “NO” and a quick stomp seem to be simpatico.  Another favorite is the occasional loud growling sound used in conjunction with marching quickly in place.  You would think that one couldn’t do these while sitting, but Little Miss Princess is an extraordinary young lady. 

Come here, rabbit friend (rabbit is in the top left).

We finally arrived at Grandpa’s farm.  He doesn’t have a farm, but Little Miss Princess, for some reason, believes he does.  Of course when we got there…we got a surprise.  She picked blackberries, one strawberry, and one plum, and saw blueberries and grapes….and she joyfully chased a couple of rabbits.  Maybe Grandpa does live on a farm.

 

G, L, P, and D (3 Men and a Little Miss Princess)

What's behind this tree?

Family reunion.  Met people I don’t know, and had a great conversation with a couple from Wyoming who reminded me quite a lot of my own side of the family.  That was really quite nice.  Little Miss Princess found a new kingdom, complete with a castle (jungle gym…but she called it a castle from the minute she laid her eyes on it).  She took great liberties while exploring this new land, and dragged (I mean, was lovingly escorted by) one of her brothers, her father, or myself to each place. 

Her princess cheeks were rosy in the heat, her hair was matted with both sweat and a bottle of water dumped over her head (one escort decided to cool her down with ice cold water which led to me being wet as I then had to hold the mortified Little Miss Princess who feared more water), and she accessorized herself from head to toe with sidewalk chalk dust.

Back in the car, and after making sure we fully understood that water was poison and only grape juice was acceptable (for which we finally had to stop at a convenience store), Little Miss Princess is fast asleep for the entire ride home back to Grandpa’s farm.  This is where I breathe.

So, tomorrow, we’ll pack our little clown selves back into our car, listen to Little Miss Princess demand to be let out, and make the long journey back to our “not a farm” home.  BUT….I’m glad we made the trip.  I’m glad I met people I don’t know.  I’m glad Little Miss Princess is here along for the ride because she made us laugh, we sang along the way, and she frolicked happily after some rabbits.  (That’s the PC way of saying chased.)