Four down.

So week 4 was a traveling week. A week full of adventure, clinging limpets, late nights, early mornings, wet beds and smelly feet. Happy to report there were no snake sightings and only 1 near-drowning incident per child!

Monday we loaded the car, hung some clean sheets on the line to dry and waiting impatiently for the dishwasher to shut off so we could just go already. Out the door by 10:06, gassed up and hitting the highway by 10:20. I thought for sure Elliot was going to be asleep by 10:24, but he fooled me. Stinker. He'd been up stupid late the night before - got something ridiculous like 8 hours of sleep before our 4+ hour car ride. Pleasant times ahead!

We were going to stop at the half way point for lunch and a playground stint, but Felix was asleep. So we kept going. After he woke up, I took the next off-ramp, into what I thought was a fairly massive community near the highway. Nope. We drove for 30 minutes down a scenic forest road before coming to civilization. Turns out I hadn't been to that town before. Elliot was losing his cool, demanding that the playground show itself. NOW! Finally I found the elementary school, which had a pretty dismal playground. But it was new, so they had fun. So we played, ate and used the potty.

We took the long way back to the car and what did we find on the other side of the school and across the street? The most fantastic play structure EVER! Dude, it was so hard to get them back in the car after this.

Only part of it. There was more behind me and off to each side.

Monday afternoon, when we finally arrived at the lake,  Felix promptly fell off of a big rock and gashed his elbow. I brought 3 packages of bandaids with us and we used most of them through the week! We went swimming and out in a pedal boat and had a BBQ. It was nice. No one wanted to sleep that night. So we had another late one.

Tuesday was gray and rainy. We went for a long walk, had lunch and a nap (YES!) and then headed in to visit the firefighter's museum and get some groceries. Mundane, routine stuff, really.

Wednesday, oh we had such plans. I left the boys with my aunt for a few hours and went to visit my sister, who is an esthetician. She prettied my toes and removed a bunch of unwanted hair. Then we went to get the boys and drove an hour and a half to an amusement park. Felix had a screaming nap. My sister had to drive so I could hold his hand. Elliot desperately needed one, but he wouldn't close his eyes. And the amusement park was closed because it was still sprinkling. An outside, summer park, closed due to rain??? We were a ticked off group, for sure.

Listening to the iPod and not napping.

Wednesday night, we moved over to cabin #2. Just us, deep in the woods on another lake. Again, the boys wouldn't sleep at bedtime. I think it was 10:45 before they finally passed out. And then the anxiety attack happened. I spent a solid chunk of time imagining all the horrible things that were sure to happen to us when a band of nasties broke into the cabin while we innocently dreamed. Sleep was fleeting for me.

Thursday Felix turned 3! We had a full day, including 2 breakfasts, a swim instead of a nap, a boat ride - all 3 of us in a kayak around the lake!....Elliot fell off a flutter board and scared himself silly, but thankfully he had the life jacket on. And was only in water up to his waist. Then we painted rocks in the backyard, went out for supper and then went to the beach. I love the beach.

Friday had a nice visit from a friend and her 2 little boys. We took some little boats down to the lake and my boys jumped right in, of course. Sans life jackets. They were wading around and I was heading back up to the cabin to fetch some flotation things when Felix ran into trouble. The water over his face kind. Had to change my clothes after that one. I hate drying out leather sandals!

We made it home in time for supper that night. It was sooooo nice to be home!! But it was a great trip. I liked the change in routine, the lack of schedule, the freedom to do what we wanted. Though I did find it challenging to just go with the flow. I kept urging the boys on, asking them to hurry up, then realizing we weren't on the clock. I especially loved eating whatever I wanted, but hated the pound and a half I gained in 5 days. Oops. Lucky it wasn't more, with all the marshmallows for breakfast and cheezies for lunch. Oh, and that large chocolate bar. And box of dark chocolate mint cookies. And..... yeah. You get the point.

Despite (or because of) our 'relaxing' week away, I'm burning out. Emotionally, mentally, physically exhausted. I don't want to be touched (by anyone), my nerves are shot, my temper is quick. I need to keep it together. For everyone's sake.

Missed the details of our summer vacation so far? Well catch up, already! Weeks 1, 2 and 3