The frenzy begins

OK..we are (I should say I am) packing for our at least 9 day trip to at least 4 states. We leave Wednesday. John didn't seem to be too keen on a recent comment I left on his Myspace blog that we split the packing...I pack the girls, he packs the girls. Oh well.

So today washed two car seats. Baby is now almost 8 months and right at 20 pounds and very long for his age. Too big for the carrier. So he is upgrading to the big car seat. That creates some problems because then I won't have the carrier on the trip to use as his impromptu high chair and to use when we are in grocery carts. Going to pick up a portable baby booster seat with tray for high chair and one of those grocery cart covers, tomorrow.

The laundry is pretty much caught up so I can get the clothes ready for the trip. I think we will take 5 days worth. We will be staying in houses for most of this trip so laundry facilities are available for free at each stop.

I am so excited about the trip. Wednesday, we drop John off at camp in Tennessee and then drive about an hour to Georgia to my dear sweet college chum/matron of honor and her family for 3 days and nights. Saturday morning, we drive back to pick up John and drive 3 hours over to spend a night with my prego sister in Tennessee. John will be doing something with the youth that Sunday at a church in Kentucky(about an hour from my sisters). After lunch we will drive 3 hours to Missouri to converge upon my Grandfather's house along with my sister and her husband and 2 kids, my parents and our 6. We will have a whirlwind 2 days and 2 nights of family introductions (my sister's hubby and my hubby and our kids) and reunions. Most of my mom's family from both sides is up there. They are planning a joint reunion for us at a local park. That way we don't have to troop around the country side trying to see everyone. My grandfather has only met one of his great grandchildren - my oldest when she was one year old. We are excited to share the kiddos with him. I hope that we won't have to wait 6 years before we get to head up there again. I am hoping it won't be the last time I get to visit my grandfather and Great aunts and uncles. I always loved going up there as a kid. Some of them lived on farms out in the country and would have some form of fresh baked good waiting for us warm just out of the oven. Mmmmm!!! I am hoping that my grandfather can give us a lesson in making his homemade brittle...JOHN loves it when he sends it around the holidays. Though I suppose it will be too busy and probably too hot and humid to make. The weather really affects that stuff.

When we are done in Missourri, we will head back to my sister's near Nashville so John makesome important connections with Christian organizations there. I think after that we are trying to see if we can get over to North Carolina to visit John's family about an 8 hour drive. Then when that is done we will make the 11 hour drive home. We haven't had a chance to get up there this year as a family. We have usually tried to get up there sometime in the summer and sometime in the winter. I am looking forward to introducing Nathaniel to John's family. John's Mom is the only one that has met him so far.

I can't figure out where this year has gone and how quickly summer is coming to an end. As soon as we get back we will start with a homeschool co-op group that meets twice a month. Our school lessons will start full-swing, as well.

I am tired just thinking about it all...whew!