Westward, Ho

It's that time again.  Family vacation time!

Having taken long family trips all over the country the last few summers, dealing with the crowds and heat and whatnot, we decided to do a compromise between spring break and actual summer break.  So we're hoping to avoid the crowds, and visit places less toasty roasty.  So Easter morning, we're packing up the family van and heading to California.  I can hardly wait!

Over the years, I've heard about people who have been able to utilize their hot car engines to cook food.  Intrigued by the idea of utilizing this heat, and saving a few dollars by not eating out, and hopefully eating slightly healthier (and I mean ever so slightly healthier), I'm going to stick my toe in the water of this engine cooking business and try doing hot dogs.  That, and warming up breakfast burritos. I just finished making a huge batch of breakfast burritos which are already sealed in foil and will stored in the cooler.  I figure we can stick a few of them in the engine compartment, in a safe (?) place, and hopefully enjoy a toasty breakfast burrito at some point down the road.  We'll see how this trial goes.  I'll keep you posted!

I spent some time earlier looking through photos of past family vacations, from the time the kids were pretty small. There are a lot of photos of them in the car, fast asleep in car seats, holding onto their bed buddies which of course had to make the trip with us (and which, thankfully, after gazillions of miles and years later, are still with us!).  Our kids have always been good travelers, for which I am grateful. Even on very long road trips, they keep busy playing fun games along the road, or reading, and occasionally watching a movie on a portable DVD player.  I used to swear I'd never be one of those parents who lets a movie babysit a kid.  However, there is a particular time of the day, during a particularly long road trip, which my husband and I lovingly call "the witching hour" during which the ONLY thing one can do us to pull out a video.  Otherwise, it's pure mayhem in the backseat, and ain't no one gonna enjoy it.  So with the advent of portable DVD players and ear phones, my husband and I can actually use the witching hour to have an actual conversation that doesn't include topics of boogers, roadkill, the latest video game or cartoon, or any of that stuff. It's pretty amazing.

So we'll head out tomorrow morning, breakfast burritos tucked into the engine compartment, on our family vacation of the year. If you happen to pass a California-bound minivan smelling of burned bacon and tortillas, don't say I didn't warn you!

'Twas the Day Before Easter

My children, waiting for the Easter egg hunt to begin,
standing in front of the traditional Easter tree (see eggs in tree).

The small town we live in has a tradition each Easter.  On the Saturday before, the Town holds an Easter egg hunt.  Our children have participated since they were old enough to know what candy was, and it's a fun event.  This year, we woke up to a light dusting of snow, which seemed to keep the number of kids attending down.  But our kids didn't mind.  To them, fewer kids translates to more candy!

Now that the kids are a bit older, these Easter egg hunts are coming to an end for them. The cut-off age will be coming soon.  For some of their peers, this is cool.  Some of them didn't even bring baskets to collect the little plastic eggs packed with candy.  That would be, like, so, awkward!  However, my son, always one to be very proactive when it comes to the obtaining of candy, was eagerly strategizing before the "go" was shouted out this morning.  He's also told me, several times, and loudly, that he hopes the Easter Bunny will come to our home this year and leave him a basket of goodies.

Like we need more candy?

I wish everyone a bright and cheerful Easter. This time of the year, I am reminded of how blessed we are for the sacrifice that was given for us, for all the opportunities we have in this life, and for the spirit of renewal that comes with spring.  May God bless us all.