As you may know, we left for Ohio over a week ago to visit family. We are wrapping up our trip with a short stay in DC. We had a great time with everyone…ate out at some nice restaurants, visited new shops and enjoyed some wonderful (non humid) weather. As things wind down and we head back to NC tomorrow..I have to say..I am ready.

The Week we moved in to our current house (see the two little faces in the door??)

No matter how much fun we have on a trip, we are always ready to head back home. Even in a great hotel…it is not our own beds. There are only so many meals out that I can eat in a row and it is only a matter of time before the boys start to miss their “things” and their dog.

While we were in Ohio (where spent my entire life before marrying into the Corps) the boys corrected me anytime I called it Home. I will always consider Ohio my home, but technically, they are right. Our family home is in NC. My boys only know Ohio as a place to visit grandma and grandpa. Our entire life is in Jacksonville and it is time to get back there and get back to our day to day life. It may seem boring some days and I will get an itch to go somewhere again soon, but we all need some time to recharge and recoup and home is really the only place to do that.

Did you feel that same way at the end of vacation?

We made it to DC for our recent road trip with family. My brother and sister in law live here and have for quite a few years. Jake and Sam have visited the city at least four times, but each time we visit they are amazed with the entire place. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Jacksonville has what we need and is a pretty big city by NC standards, but DC is A CITY. There is something new around every corner and the boys love it!

A visit to DC last year

This was a short visit…just a couple of days but Jake has already decided he’d like to live here and even though Sam is not into history like his big brother….he is still in awe of it all. Moving to DC won’t be a reality anytime soon, but with family here, we will get to visit quite a bit. I’m glad that we can expose the boys to a place different than home so they know what is out there.

I like trips and vacations because there are sights to see and resorts to enjoy, but I also think it is important to show the boys new places. Living in one place and never leaving really limits perspective. It is hard to explain the size of the Marine Memorial but easy to see it in person. I can explain that there are those less fortunate than us but it hits home when the boys see homeless on the street.

Our trip is ending but we will be back soon. I just hope the boys walk away with some new knowledge about American History but also a view of a world outside their own.

The time has come for our trip to Ohio and DC. I have posted earlier about the lengthy car trip and all the packing involved, but now it is time to hit the road. Even though I know the boys will behave and I know the route like the back of my hand, I have to say, I am still not looking forward to our travels.

I know we could fly, but with the cost of airline tickets these days and the time involved in lay overs and waiting in lines….I would rather drive. Even getting there the way I prefer does not make me excited about the miles ahead. I love seeing my family and I know the boys will have a great time..I just wish it was more like…oh…..3 hours

By this time next week we will be in DC for a long weekend and the second part of our trip. If all goes according to plan we’ll see a few sights, visit with my brother and his wife and meet up with my husband who has to miss the earlier part of the trip. This will be our last getaway before school starts so I want to enjoy it as much as I can. Being the mom means I can’t relax the entire time, but at least an hour a day to sit back and do nothing would be nice.

I’ll get some pictures posted and let everyone know how it went once we return to sunny (and very hot) NC. Off we go…….

Well, we did it…we went back to Disney…..I have been swamped all summer and really wanted to just get away. Why not head to the happiest place on earth!? Here are some photos from our trip.

On a side note…after so many visits we decided the Disney Vacation Club was a good choice for us. Anyone else a member? I’d love to hear any comments or thoughts on it.

The time has come for our trip to Disney and that means I have to honor of packing the suitcases. As the mom, this naturally falls to me and I am happy to do it. I will know that each boy has enough underwear and that I have a pair of shoes to match each outfit My husband is happy to throw his two t-shirts and pair of shorts on top right before the zipper closes.

I am a planner. I have a spreadsheet for our trip with what we are doing each day and all of our confirmation numbers. I make a checklist and leave it on the kitchen island to make sure we don’t forget anything. While my husband likes to poke fun and I amuse him with my flurry of activity the day before we leave, he knows if I don’t do it…he would have to and that scare him to death!

Case in point…our last trip to Disney, I did all the packing and left it to him to bring the items out to the car. We arrived at our hotel only to find that the boys’ suitcase was still at home, at the foot of our bed. Needless to say, I will do one final sweep of the house this time to make sure we have it all. I am not in the mood to buy new wardrobes for the boys (again) once we arrive in Florida!

Who does the packing in your house? Any mishaps?