Hanging with The Brown Family in Pittsburgh

Day Four – May 31, 2014

Charleston, WV – Monroeville, PA

229 miles/ 3 ½ hours

The Brown House

We got up slowly today.  When we opened the hotel room curtains this morning, we were literally blinded by the sun rising over the mountains.  Wow.  Seriously, it was the brightest light I think I've ever seen.  I tried to take a picture of it, but it doesn't even come close to capturing the brilliance.

It woke everybody up.  We headed down to the hotel gym to get in a little workout.  Hunter has to log some miles for Cross Country.  After that, we did a grab and go breakfast, which we took back to the room.  I will spare you more of the boring morning logistics, but we were lazy and didn't leave Charleston until after 11.  I don’t know what has gotten into me this summer, but I’m trying not to rush.

Monroeville (suburb of Pittsburgh) is the home of my friend Patty and her family.  This is the third time we’ve invaded them on our road trip.  Our kids love each other.  Patty’s son is two years younger than Barrett and Hunter, and her twin girls are one year behind Audrey.  We spent the afternoon getting everyone reacquainted, while Patty and I caught up.  We had a nice cookout and the weather was perfect! 

I know it’s been a little zzzzzzz so far, but as I get ready to post this, we've completed day five – and it was awesome!  Good stuff coming:).

Day 3 - West Virginia

Day 3 – May 30, 2014

Rose Hill, VA – Charleston, WV

222 miles/4 hours

Temperature – 85 degrees.

We pulled out of Grandmom & Granddad’s at 9:15 this morning.  Although it’s always sad to say goodbye, we were ready to hit the road!  The drive from the SW Virginia (Cumberland Gap) to Charleston, WV is beautiful – God’s country.  We drove through Big Stone Gap, which was stunning.  SO pretty, in fact, that Miss Petal to the Metal pulled over three times to take pictures.  Seriously, that was a first!

We rolled in to Charleston at 1:15 and it is a little city.  About ten years ago Rich and I passed through with the boys and decided to stay the night.  At the time, we found the city charming.  I don’t know if I’m older and more cynical, or if there’s been some decline, but the charm has worn off a bit for momma.  I’m not feeling it.

We drove straight to the Capitol, which is on the Kawahna River.  The Capitol complex is beautiful, and grand.  It always amazes me when you find such stunning facades in small cities.  I can confirm that the capitol of Georgia really pales in comparison.  Another interesting observation I made was that there was absolutely no security in the building.  We came and went as we pleased and Barrett actually entered the Governor’s outer office.  Seriously – his real office.  His secretary wasn't there, but no one stopped us.

We got to the hotel about 3 – and hit the pool for an hour.  Then the kids and I went to the mall across the street to find dinner.  We ended up at Outback and had the best time.  We laughed ourselves silly over nothing.  I am really going to miss our adventures when they grow up, they are my wingmen! 

It’s official – we’re on the road.  As I type this, they are watching The Muppet Movie (and I’m wishing I had ear plugs – it’s a truly bad movie).

Big Stone Gap

Posing with the Governor and his family.

The Governor's Mansion.

Day 2 - Chillin' In Rose Hill

Day 2 – May 29, 2014

Rose Hill, VA – 85 degrees

Chillin in Rose Hill.

Rose Hill has been scheduled as our last stop on most of our road trips, so starting this summer with a visit to the grandparents shook us up a bit.  Rose Hill is a very peaceful place, where things slow down.  We chill out and relax.  In the past, it’s proven to be the perfect antidote at the end of our journey, for a stressed out Momma.  When I'm here, I can sleep in.  I don’t have to worry about dining venues or the kids, because there are many adults on hand to help.  So honestly, I feel out of sorts starting here - like we’re not even on a summer road trip.  Case in point – I was up at 6 a.m. this morning, ready to go...

We spent the day visiting family, eating and hanging out.  I got some blogging done (which is good because Thursday has become a busy day for me).  Sadly, I once again have very little to report.  I will let the pictures do the talking.  Tomorrow we’re heading out on the road – for realJ.  West Virginia, here we come! 

Feeding Uncle Stan's horses.

Tasting the honeysuckle.

Visiting with Mamaw.

Cousin Justin, Audrey & Amber.

Watching TV....

Audrey, showing her young cousins how to taste the honeysuckle.

Watching a storm roll in over the mountains.

Day 1 - May 28, 2014

Home – Rose Hill, VA

310 Miles/5 hours

Smithberry Farm

We left home around 11 am, which was very late for us to depart on day one of a road trip adventure.  We had a short drive in front of us and I wanted to Caravan with Rich, since he was joining us in Rose Hill.  He had an appointment and a conference call, which is what delayed us.  We stopped for a nice lunch at J. Alexander’s, in Chattanooga, and rolled into Grandmom’s and Granddad’s by 5:15 p.m. – in time for happy hour.

Seriously, that’s all I have to report on our first day!  Very uneventful.  I fell asleep reading a book with Barrett sometime around 9:30.  As we were dozing…Rich, Granddad and the other three children were running around outside, catching fireflies.

Right before take off (Hunter opted to ride with Dad).

Welcome to Virginia!

We're almost ready!

This is a test, to make sure I remember how to post on Goggle Blogger!  We leave in three days.

Here's this year's logo:

2013 Summer Road Trip Wrap-up - Finally

It’s hard to believe it’s almost the end of September and I haven’t even started on my Summer Road Trip scrapbook.  Usually it’s completed within weeks of our return home.  At the beginning of August a friend contacted me to ask why I hadn’t posted a “wrap-up” of the road trip, like I usually did.  Sadly, it hadn’t even occurred to me to do one.  It was a very tough summer and I was in no hurry to revisit it.  I can say with the benefit of hindsight that my broken heart wasn’t up to travel this summer, especially travel that requires a great deal of physical energy, mental acuity and the excitement to experience and do new things.  I was lacking all three, as my son would say - “Epic Fail.”

If it hadn’t been for the fact we were scheduled to meet my cousins in the Grand Canyon (a trip that had been a year in the making), I would have scrapped the whole thing.  At the end of each day, writing the daily Road Warrior Momma blog was a chore.  I can see that now, after reading each and every post again, in preparing to write this.  The entries are badly written, with so many mistakes!  I’m embarrassed that I posted those entries.  I apologize.  I’ve tried to clean them up as best I could, but I’m warning you in advance in case you click on any of them.  I also neglected to even write about our last stop in Indianapolis!  I threw up a post on RWM today with photos, for those of you who are interested.   The other thing I noticed was that I didn’t take many pictures, probably only half of what I usually do.  You won’t see many of me either, because the sadness in my eyes was palpable, even in pictures.

Continue reading....

http://thelatchkeymom.com/summer-road-trip-wrap-up-finally/

Day 22 - July 18, 2013

Day 22 – July 18, 2013

Indianapolis, IN – Commerce Township, MI

307 miles/5 hours, 15 minutes

The McGrath House

 

I tried to persuade the kids to just hit the road this morning so we’d get to Michigan early, but they weren’t having it.  So off to the children’s museum we went.  

The kids seemed to have a lot of fun and bounced around from attraction to attraction.  It was very nice to see them that excited – and, mercifully, to be getting along so well.  I, however, was a bit bored.  Granted, I may have deserved it after all the history I've force fed them.

After they saw everything in the museum and rode the carousal, we were off.  Today the road was extremely boring, which made for a very long day.  I was listening to a Jon Stewart book, which I got on sale at B&N, because I’ve listened to all the audiobooks I downloaded when I was last home.  It wasn't his best one...snooze.

We got to Kelly’s by 6 p.m.  As we were unloading the car, all the neighborhood kids swarmed us, like bees on honey.  I guess the Smith kids were “home.”  After I discovered two children I didn’t know in the basement, I sent all children outside to play.  It had been a long day and I didn’t need, nor want, to be responsible for children I didn’t know, in a house that wasn’t mine!

Kelly came home and the kids were so excited to see her, and the feeling was obviously mutual.  Kelly and I caught up and the kids, including Bear, played outside until 9 p.m.!  Then showers and bedtime for the kids, after which Kelly and I started Season 2 of Downton Abbey.