Tuesday Travels: Pike's Peak!

Inspired by this post a few months ago, we decided to herd our brood up the slopes of Pike's Peak during our recent Colorado trip.

By "herd," we mean "seat them in a clean cog railway car, with food."

Behold the results.

Before embarking. Hot. Not sure why the boy has his jacket hanging from his head. 

Scenery glimpsed from open window as I read to my fascinated children about Pike's Peak history.

Fun fact: A small family actually lives about halfway up the mountain. They maintain the reservoirs and whatnot. They also drive seventeen miles to the nearest grocery store. They have no neighbor problems.

Breaking through the timberline for awe-inspiring vistas, and glimpses of whistling marmots. 

See the train in front of us? We traveled the same path. Fun fact: Every year Pike's Peak holds a marathon. As in, a 26.2 mile footrace, up to the top and back. Last year's champion ran it in 3:51. To put that in perspective, I ran a gently-rolling HALF marathon last winter in 2:35. 

Disembarking at the summit. Fortunately, we were prepared for the relatively-balmy 47-degree weather with warm jackets. The family from Dallas who sat across from us was not so fortunate. They, and other tank-top-clad travelers, had to huddle in the summit house eating donuts to stay warm. We took our donuts (homemade; scrumptious) to go and spent our allotted 35 minutes admiring the view. 

Did you know that Katherine Lee Bates composed the hymn "America the Beautiful" after descending from Pike's Peak (by mule and foot, I believe)? Standing there and gazing over purple mountains' majesties, watching the fruited plains stretch across state lines, you do almost feel you've glimpsed the shining sea, and it takes your breath away. 

If you go: The cog railway ain't cheap. Tickets are $34.50/adult and $18.50/child. To me, it was worth the extra expense because our travel philosophy places a premium on shared experiences. We don't stay in high-end hotels along the road, and we pack a lot of our own food. We don't buy the T-shirts, the souvenir postcard books, the tchotchkes. But we *will* splurge on a few worthy adventures, take lots of pictures, and reminisce about it. Because the years are short.

And we will also take a jacket. Just sayin'.

P.S. I've been thinking for a while of creating a separate blog for family travel-related posts. Not sure if they really fit in with the rest of this blog's random, miscellaneous content. Care to weigh in?

Tuesday Travels: Colorado Escape

We went to Colorado with our relatives last week. Vail/Beaver Creek, with some stops along the way, to be precise. It was just okay.

NOT! It was actually a completely awesome trip, except for the part where my tailbone went numb on the loooooooong drive home. We ran into several fellow haggard heat refugees Texans along the way.

We hiked.
We biked.
We skated.
We swam.
We rafted the rapids.
We ascended Pike's Peak (more in a future post).
We camped in Palo Duro Canyon and saw the TEXAS! musical drama*.
We watched old home movies of Caroline taking her first steps.
We played Pickles to Penguins.
We laughed a whole bunch.

Of course, it's ultimately not about the things we're doing together, but about the being together while we do them.

And all too soon, just as my brain cells were awakening from their summer torpor and starting to fire off some creative energy, it was time to come home.

Thank You, Lord, that we have somewhere to come home to. 

Tuesday Travels: Branson, MO -- Part Two

So, to continue the unfolding adventure of my sponsored jaunt to Branson two weeks ago ...

Seatbelts buckled, armchair travelers?

Last week I mentioned outdoor activities in Dogwood Canyon, lunch and a brief tour of the Keeter Center at College of the Ozarks, and the Titanic Museum. Now, if you've ever heard of Branson, chances are, you've heard of its ubiquitous shows. Folks, if you want to sit and be entertained for any length of time, this is the place for you. In the course of four days, I attended five shows. And some of my fellow travel writers attended more. Just between you, me, and the electronic doorpost, I was maxed out by Show #4.

BUT. All crankiness aside, I'd recommend bringing the kiddos to at least one show if you're in town. Recommendations:

4a. The Dixie Stampede. Two words for you: Dolly. Parton. Yup, she's the producer. Need I say more? The dealio is, you sit and eat downhome cooking with your fingers while watching lively entertainment in the arena (complete with horses, buffalo, chickens, and racing pigs). Also, there's a friendly North vs. South  rivalry that gets the audience involved. My brain was involved in a fierce Civil War of its own, as follows:
Me as a Person: Oh my. This is hokey.
Me as a Mother: Oh my. My kids would FLIP for this.

4b. Legend of Kung Fu. These talented folks from China actually performed in the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. (And they didn't lip-synch!) They put on a really impressive extravaganza of martial arts, dance and acrobatics. The kids sitting behind me were absolutely riveted, even at 10:00 p.m. Also, we got to meet the performers and snag post-show autographs in the lobby. I tried to say "thank you" in Chinese. They were probably laughing at me.

4c. The Hughes Brothers variety show. Full disclosure: Didn't attend this one. But, I met two of the five Hughes brothers at a dinner reception and they were super nice. And they homeschool their collective twenty-nine kids, all of whom are part of the show. Gotta put in the plug for nice homeschooling families!

My other recommendation:

5. Silver Dollar City.

Yes, it's a theme park, and yes, I'm generally unimpressed by theme parks -- i.e. places to lose kids and part with lots of money. What made SDC soften my curmudgeonly edges?

- The park builders deliberately kept as many trees as humanly possible. This translates into shade, baby, lots of SHADE.

- All the thrill rides are along the outside perimeter of the park. The center area belongs to the festivals and the craftspeople (leather workers, glass blowers, wood carvers, etc.) that preserve the 1880's theme. Love that.

- Included in park admission is an hour-long tour of Marvel Cave, which has a cavern so large you can fit the Statue of Liberty in at an angle (I didn't try).

- Parents, you can take cooking classes! While one of you rides roller coasters with the kids, the other can learn, as I did, how to make a killer chocolate meringue pie. I wrote down everything the instructor, Debbie Dance Uhrig, had to say. Now I have no excuse not to turn out a grrrrreat pie ... which I will be doing ... ummmmm, really soon!

- Most important, check out the name of the ice cream parlor. Can I make the joke about "good taste?" No? Okay. I won't.

(Fun fact: Five episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies were filmed in and outside of this building.)

And I can't close without tipping my hat to Branson Zipline. Yes, it's not really a budget-friendly family activity, but if you've found and harvested your family's secret cash cache, or you just want go all out with a small group, zipping along through those tall trees is quite exhilarating. And, they say, quite safe. Unless a thunderstorm begins. Then it's not safe. Then you have to wait on a platform sixty feet off the ground until the lightning stops.

But that won't happen to you. I've been there and done it for both of us.

You're welcome.

Road Trip Idea: Branson, MO

This is a Tuesday Travels post, my friends, but in case anyone's counting, it's ... not Tuesday.

But yesterday, the actual-factual Tuesday, I experienced multiple technical difficulties that prevented any blogging. So can we pretend together that it's Tuesday? Because "Wednesday Travels" just doesn't alliterate.

I'm uptight that way.

Anyway, last week I spent four days in Branson, Missouri with a whole slew of other travel writers on a press tour (like the one I went on last fall) as guests of the Branson CVB. Now, when I say, "other travel writers," I'm being generous with myself. Let me clarify.

All the other attendees = Professional travel writers who do this for a living, belong to the Society of American Travel Writers, and like to talk about that fact. (But are nice people.)

Me = Professional mom who travels with her family whenever she can and likes to write about it -- for no or very little pay.

One of these folks was not like the others.

Now, when you think of Branson, what springs to mind? A haven for baby boomers trying relive the glory days of the Beatles or the likes of Andy Williams, the Presleys and Roy Clark? The Vegas of the Midwest? I'd love to hear what your preconceived notions are. I went with an open mind, but I'd heard the following from different friends before the trip: "Oh, you don't want to go there -- it's SO honky-tonk!" and "Ooooh, Branson! I've ALWAYS wanted to go there!"

Our itinerary was chock full of activities and shows, but I'm going to give you just my personal highlights here. Remember, I lean toward lower-key, educational or nature-based travel rather than glitzy entertainment productions. That's my own personal bias, and this is my blog, and I own them, yes ma'am.

1. Horseback riding in Dogwood Canyon

We rode for about two hours through completely unspoiled Ozark countryside on land owned by the head of Bass Pro Shops. Y'all. It was gorgeous. I felt like Laura Ingalls Wilder with Almanzo and little Rose, glimpsing the greenery of the rolling hills for the first time from their wagon (her homestead is only a couple hours away). Note: You can also hike, bike, ATV, and ride a "tram" through Dogwood Canyon.

2. Lunch at the College of the Ozarks' Keeter Center

Yes, we visited a college. Try this on for size: No student at this college pays tuition. They all work fifteen hours per week somewhere on campus in exchange for their schooling. How cool is that? This would be the perfect place to visit and spend a day looking around  --- at the gristmill, the dairy and hog farms, the prizewinning orchids in the greenhouse, the museum -- for very little money. Oh, and the restaurant at the Keeter Center serves fabulous food that's locally sourced: veggies from their own garden, pork from their hog farm, milk from their dairy, etc. Best meal of the trip.

3. The Titanic Museum

The folks who own and operate this museum have a huge personal collection of artifacts from the survivors of the Titanic, plus some pretty cool re-creations. (They're also friends with James Cameron, but I'm happy to report that there was no Celine Dion playing over the sound system.) I felt like the museum made the whole experience of the Titanic come alive, from the actual-size replica of the grand staircase to a re-creation of the deck in a room kept at the actual temperature of the subArctic air, to decks you could climb that sloped at increasing degrees as the ship sank. Confession: In the very first room, hearing about the passenger on my "Boarding Pass" (a mother of six), I was in tears. Those stories of people who bid their families goodbye and chose to stay aboard -- or knew they were going down and never had a chance -- always get me in the gut.

BRING KLEENEX. This is a Public Service Announcement. Thank you.

This post grows long, so I think I'll share more next week. Happy travels, everyone!

Tuesday Travels: Summer Camp

There comes a time in a child's life when he needs to sprout his own feathers a bit, and see if these things called wings might be starting to work.

And there comes a time  in a parent's life when she needs to let her child make his own way a bit -- finding his footing, making mistakes or not. She has to trust that he'll be all right, and that sometimes it's best not to know about every social slip-up or unchanged pair of undertrousers. 

Enter the great American tradition known as Summer Camp. 

Some of my fondest childhood memories were nurtured along the shores of Lake Ossipee, N.H., at Camp Nellie Huckins for Girls. Camp songs are etched into my memory as indelibly as my name is on the rafters of certain wood-framed cabins, with their slamming screen doors and their lack of air conditioning. Want to hear a great little musical ode to black socks? 

I think that what camp meant most to me was the opportunity to be someone different. My middle school persona was introverted and almost unbearably self-conscious. The first day of my second year of camp, I discovered that there was an extrovert living inside who was perfectly capable of smiling confidently at the new girl in the cabin, welcoming her to camp, and becoming her best friend. 

This felt like the right summer to launch my own boy's ship of self-discovery. And after much thought, prayer, and discussion we fixed him up with two buddies and dropped him off two days ago at Frontier Camp. 

He seems okay, don't you think? (Overbearing Mom sneakily snaps son's photo before leaving her baby's physical, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing in the stewardship of virtual strangers for a week.)

You know, back in the day, parents dropped their kids off for two, four, or even eight weeks in the woods and hoped for an occasional letter. My child is at camp for six days, and we get nightly updates and photos from the Director. And, if that's not enough, we can follow the Camp on Twitter. And believe me, I do. 

But so does his friends' mom, so I'm not completely alone in the world. 

There's just one problem. This was posted on Twitter before dinner tonight: The lake grill is fired up and the burgers are being flipped. It's time for supper at the lake followed by the famous SHAVING CREAM SLIDE!

I think we may have a problem getting our son to come home. 

Tuesday Travels: Traveling with People Who Aren't You

As you probably know, our family likes to travel. And, like herds of migrating wildebeests, we almost always travel in groups. Either we go to visit family, or we go somewhere with family, or we go somewhere with friends. Like the beach.

In fact, we just got back, today even, from the perfect trip with friends. More on that later.

Now, raise your hand if, when you're among friends or family, but more likely family, everything comes together like a finely tuned orchestra. In perfect harmony, you plan and execute the trip to the destination of every single person's dreams, filled with well-chosen activities to which everyone equally subscribes. You enjoy every second of one another's company, talking openly about your feelings and actively listening to and reflecting everyone else's. Of course, there are no negative feelings to reflect, because everyone is SUPREMELY HAPPY ALL THE TIME.

Yeah. I thought so.

May I share with you something I have learned about traveling with people who are not ... well, ME? This isn't at all about where to go. It's about how to go. Mentally, that is.

A year ago I was in a parent group where we learned about the four basic human needs: Power, Love/Belonging, Freedom and Fun.

Around that time, we took a vacation with some relatives who are related by blood to either the Professor or me. Not saying which. Neener neener neener. And the lightbulb finally clicked on for me. Here's what I realized.

When we go on a vacation with relatives, both the Professor and I place a high priority on Love and Belonging. We want to spend lots of time, you know, bonding. We suggest activities, like social board games, that bring people together. If we're going from our hotel room to, say, the swimming pool, we're likely to call up and say, "Hey, we're going down! Want to come?" At holiday's end, we're likely reinforce the warm fuzzies with hugs and assurances of a time well spent.

That is our way. But it is not the only way, nor is it necessarily the RIGHT way.

Other people may look at a pending family vacation and think, "Aha! This is my time to RELAX. To just chill. To have no responsibilities. To let my kids get a juice box or a hug from a *different* caring adult. To get away from the annoying people I work with and all the daily household chores. All I want to do is VEG." They'll go the pool (or golf course, or beach, or whatever applies) when they're good and ready. In other words, they have a high Freedom need. And that's fine. 

Can you see how these two needs might bump up against each other? Love and Belonging person might perceive Freedom person as less caring or affectionate, less invested in the relationship. Freedom person might perceive Love/Belonging person as too clingy, or even controlling. Or, you could have a Fun-hungry traveler rarin' to go, go, go -- whitewater rafting! horseback riding! shopping! -- who wonders why his exhausted cohorts are such sticks-in-the-mud.

Stranger things have happened.

This is probably more of a concern when traveling with family than with friends, since we often gravitate toward friends who "speak our love language," but it still applies in any group setting.

This was a huge revelation for me. Revelation Number Two: Both -- in fact, all four -- needs are OK. Just because someone doesn't say "I love you" the same way you do, doesn't mean they don't care. You can make room for both needs to be met ("We're going to Activity X at two o'clock, and you're welcome to join us!" Mental follow-up: "But if you want to chill in front of the TV, I won't take it personally.").

I'm pretty sure everyone has more fun that way ... but let me get back to you when I'm really an expert.

Tuesday Travels: Create a Travel Binder

Do you ever leaf through a travel magazine or newspaper section, spy an alluring destination, commit it to memory for the day when time and money allow, and then, in a matter of minutes/hours/days, find that the name of that charming B&B/scenic drive/educational experience/trip of a lifetime has completely ... transmeltified? Vanishized? Dipsappeared?

Enter The Travel Book. This is simple a three-ring binder, replete with page protectors, where I shove all my travel-related hopes and dreams. (Unless I read about them online. Then I bookmark them on Del.ic.ious.)

The Travel Book has four sections.
Section One: Packing Lists!
I've printed lists from WeJustGotBack.com and lists for the kids from House on Hill Road.

Keeping them in page protectors means they're easy to mark off, erase with fine-tip dry-erase markers, and reuse.

Section Two: Texas.

Here's where I keep brochures for the state park system (we have an annual membership) and promotional materials for various day/road trip destinations. Most of these trips are easily doable on a weekend.

Section Three: U.S.A.
Right now this section includes articles about St. Augustine, FL, Staunton, VA, Park City, UT, etc.

Hmmmm .... Park City, UT. I'll be gazing at that page with slobber galore come July. Good thing it's in a page protector.

(Of course, if I were truly intelligent like my friend Nicole, I'd have figured out a way to skedaddle to coastal Canada for half of every summer. But true intelligence eludes me.)

Section Four: International.

This is where I stow helpful articles on glamorous destinations found in a galaxy far, far away. Like the Dominican Republic. You just never know when duty will call, and it's good to be prepared.

There's also an Animal Tracking Guide in here, hoping I'll remember to tote it along on the next camping trip.

Do you have some way of keeping track of future (or imaginary) travel plans? And is there anything I should add to my binder?

Tuesday Travels: Making Museums Fun

Truthfully, one shouldn't have to MAKE a museum fun. A museum stands on its own merits, don't you think? A well-designed, thoughtfully-planned museum appeals to visitors of all ages and takes into accounts that in order to learn, people -- especially little people -- must not only see and hear, but also touch. And sometimes, taste and smell.

We've been to a fair number of museums in our wanderings, and I thought I'd toss out a few tips for getting some extra mileage out of a couple hours in these halls of higher learning. Feel free to chime in with your own!

1. Set expectations low. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, when our kids are old and gray, swaddled in their crocheted afghans, they'll reminisce about how their parents always told them they were going to visit the Antique Teapot Museum. Substitute Antique Thimble Museum, or Moldy Beef Jerky Museum if you wish. Won't the real thing ALWAYS be better?

2. Surf the web beforehand for images from the museum's collection. Whether it's works of art or special exhibits, you're bound to find a few eye-catching photos to print out and let them peruse before entering the museum. Then, have them see how many actual pieces they can find in the museum to match those images. Basically, folks, we're talking about a visual scavenger hunt. And which paintings, sculptures, or arthropodic wonders do you think they'll remember most?

3. Talk about museum manners before you go in. Is this place no-touch, low-touch, or hands-on? And for sure, one can avoid running or shouting in the halls. Furthermore,  what will be their budget, if any, in that sticky morass known as the Museum Gift Shop?

4. Leave early. Yes, you may want to see one more Monet, or watch one more historical newsreel, but 'tis a far, far better thing to quit at the first sign of ants in the pants, while the kids still think this museum pretty much rocks.

5. On the way home, play Three Truths and a Lie. See how much everyone remembers -- including yourself! Here's an example from last week's jaunt to one of our city's hidden gems, the George Washington Carver Museum. Anyone spot the lie?

• George Washington Carver came up with over three hundred uses for peanuts. 
• George Washington Carver never lived in Austin. 
• Juneteenth is the celebration of slaves in Texas receiving their freedom. 
• Juneteenth is observed on June 16th. 

Tuesday Travels: Pack a Suitcase

This task falls into the category of "Life Skills I Want to Teach My Kids."

It also falls into the category of "Life Skills I Need to Master First."

We travel a decent amount, and we generally don't pack days ahead. Also, I'm one of those annoying people who likes to fit everything into a carry-on suitcase that will (just barely) fit into the overhead luggage bin. Waiting at the baggage claim just seems worse than a root canal.  Can we still be friends?

For a 3-4 day trip, my kids usually fit everything into an L.L. Bean backpack, and with a little guidance, they can pack themselves using a list I give them.

On our recent trip to San Diego, I felt like I'd just about attained to Packing Nirvana. I'll show you what I did, and maybe it will work for you too. The rules are simple:

1. Don't pack anything you won't wear more than once.
2. Pack one garment per 24-hour period you'll be gone. (Not counting PJ's, gym clothes, etc.)

The weather forecast called for sixties and low seventies, so I needed some layers, but no puffy snow gear. Here's what I packed, and I did so in about fifteen minutes:

1. One pair of jeans

2. One pair of khakis

3. 2 T-shirts -- one long-sleeved, one short-sleeved. 

4. 2 Camisoles - so glad I had these; it was chillier than I expected!

5. 1 lightweight cardigan. Cardigans are really the answer to life, the universe and everything, don't you think? 

6. 1 cocktail dress and 1 dressy jacket - this ruined my wear-twice rule, but the Prof and I had a fancy banquet to attend. 

7. 1 scarf - works to jazz up and outfit AND keep you warmer in the morning/evening chill. 

8. 1 set workout clothes

9. 3 pairs of shoes: running shoes, comfortable ballet flats, and dressy heels for the banquet. Again, the heels were extra. I generally wouldn't pack so much footgear. 

10. Undergarments and socks - rolled up and stuffed into shoes. 

11. Toiletries -- I keep these always packed in two small travel cases that sit on my bathroom counter, ready to be grabbed and tossed in. Important: Pack a 3-oz. (or smaller) container of laundry soap and perhaps a couple of clothespins -- you'll need to wash a few things during the trip!

On the plane, I wore dark jeans, a white button-down shirt, a heavier, drapey white cardigan, and my trusty Frye boots. Hallelujah for that hardworking cardigan; I wore it for part of every day. 

Learning to pack light but smart seems daunting -- I've been known to stare uncomprehendingly at a weather forecast that differs by ten degrees from my own city. But when you figure out how to take just enough and still feel sartorially sufficient, you'll be footloose and fancy free. 

Now, find somewhere to go; you need an excuse to practice packing!

Multitude Monday XVI: Mini-Vacation

Hey friends!

We've been away, briefly. Very briefly. Had to recharge our batteries at the annual Diller Family Resort Retreat. Last year's post here. (Boy, I was on the ball last year.)

My suspicions are confirmed: Children adore tradition. They do anything together twice, it's automatically a family tradition, graven in stone to be reenacted until the end of time. 

Uncle Mike, you're taking us to hunt for golf balls after supper, right? It's a tradition. 

Is Nonnie making her special hot fudge sauce? It's a tradition. 

Ian always makes a giant sand sculpture and wishes the other kids would help him. It's a tradition.

I think it's innate in a child's DNA to hunger for family traditions, as a source of security, stability, and knee-slapping reminiscences with grown cousins. 

Of course, they also hunger for ice cream sundaes and pretty much anything else, as long as it's not their designated mealtime ... but that's another story. 

This year, in addition to the usual hours spent at the pool, we worked in a mini-golf outing. Next year? It's a tradition. 

And on that note, here are a few of the gifts I'm counting today ...

157. A family that enjoys being together, despite our varied personalities and nuclear family cultures. Our common bonds draw us together. The differences are there to teach us that people show they care in different ways ... and that's okay. 

158. Twelve of us playing Cranium Whoonu . (We love this game. It's gone over big with both extended families and has livened up the occasional dinner table as well.)

159. Titus and Stephanie, for keeping our dog all weekend and lavishing him with TLC. 

160. Spring budding everywhere, beguiling us with peeps of color. 

161. Family movie viewing: Secretariat. Love love love. Could write a whole post on the example of Penny Chenery as inspirational mother and mentor to her family.

162. Good advice from my mother-in-law when I needed it.

163. Staying up late to chat and pray together.

164. A book that made my sunglasses slide down my face, I was such a blubbering wreck at the end. Kleenex, please! 

165. The fact that we have a house to come home to. (Can you tell this was my response to my own whiny, "But I do'wanna come home! Wanna still be on vacation!")

166. Remembering that my children's less comely behavior is simply a learning opportunity for both of us. 

167. Helping my son build his crocodile in the sand ... because it's the connection that matters, and he's almost too big to need my help. More Kleenex, please!

Multitude Monday XIV: San Diego Edition

Can you believe the Professor and I actually snuck away for five days to Southern California?

I use the term "snuck" very loosely, because it required a planning effort roughly equal to that behind Operation Enduring Freedom to make this parental getaway happen. I'm talking a grand symphony of relatives, friends, a babysitter, and a colorful Google calendar. Remember: my kids are homeschooled. This means that they require 24/7 care. Also, did I mention we have a puppy?

After all that organizing on my part and sacrificing on the part of others, I made a solemn vow to enjoy every minute and let nary a complaint slip from my lips.

So, while the Professor was busily embroiled in a scientific conference at the San Diego Convention Center, I enjoyed every single minute of my footloose and fancy free temporary life. And, in keeping with my philosophy of taking tides at the flood, I decided to invite myself over to visit a longtime blogging friend -- face to face for the first time ever.

I think Melissa Wiley's blog, Here in the Bonny Glen, was the first blog I ever read. Over the past five years, Melissa has kept me supplied with a steady To-Be-Read pile and entertained all of her readers with the joys of learning and living with six children while also managing to read voraciously, watch and review intelligent TV shows, and write books of her own.

Are you intimidated yet? I almost was. The thing is, she's always just seemed so delightfully down to earth. You never get the feeling that she wears an aura of Famous Bloggerhood. So, somewhat timidly, I asked. And she said, Absolutely! Come on over!

You know how sometimes you imagine a meeting with someone you don't see often (or ever), maybe someone you admire, and then the reality isn't so super-great? This was totally the opposite. After sitting at their dining table for about three minutes, surrounded by six incredibly friendly kids, their incredibly charming parents, and incredibly abundant books, I considered pitching my tent in the yard for the next few days and giving the Doubletree my regrets. Or maybe they would just adopt me? Come on, they have six kids. What's one more, even if she dwarfs everyone except Dad?

We talked about books, mostly, and Rilla (4) and I read Me Hungry! (so fun!) and Wonderboy (7) took copious notes on the iPod Touch and Rose (12) and Beanie (10)  showed me their Sculpey creations and Jane (15, please-dear-Lord-let-my-future-teenagers-be-so-wonderful) had lots of suggestions for my newly minted chapter-book reader. And Huck (2) exuded cherubic adorableness. I could go on and on ... but suffice it to say it was a morning that will live in my memory, suffused with a golden glow.

Pssst ... if you ever get the chance to meet an online friend in real life? Do it. Molly agrees.

So now, reflecting on the trip from the rearview mirror of mundane daily life, I'm counting more blessings ...



138. New friends who feel like old friends.

139. Spending time with my brother, sister-in-law, sister, and a couple old friends whose gracious hospitality never fails (Paul, Dianne, Steve). All these folks took time out from their schedules to hang out with us, some at rather high personal cost (hello baby sister!).

140. The way no one can make me laugh quite like my brother Peter. Note to self: Do not harbor liquids in thy mouth when he opens his.

141. Coffee with a "Buon Giorno!" from Little Italy in the mornings.

142. Wandering around Balboa Park on my own time -- visiting the Timken Art Museum, reading at the Japanese teahouse, exploring the butterfly garden and botanical house. Balboa Park,  it's you + me 4-eva.

143. Visiting Old Town and learning about more of American history's unsung heroes. Having time to actually stop and read all the explanatory plaques.

144. Strolling through the historic Hotel del Coronado with the Professor and pretending we were guests. Not letting myself envy the *actual* guests, but instead feeling thankful to just be there, enjoying the same white beach, green grounds, and blue sky.

145. Sittin' on the dock of the bay.

146. Time to be still and let God speak to my heart.

147. All the people here at home -- a small army! -- who cheerfully, willingly pitched in to make this happen for us. Nonnie and Opa, Uncle Allen & Aunt Kristen, Vanessa, Laura, Nicole, Colleen, Camille, Greta, Jenny, Julia ... you're all such gifts to me. To know you is to love you (and to owe you!).

148. Coming home again to three small pairs of loving arms.