teaching kids to drive, last minute shopping, and packing for a trip....

Parking 101. Um, Evelyn? Nice try. Like mother like daughter, I guess. I am not the best parker, and my record for taking up the most spaces is four, but I did have a big van back then.



Evelyn isn't a bad driver, in fact she has improved a lot since she terrified us all on that one trip to the small city. It was seriously scary, sorry Evelyn. But practice makes perfect, and even though she's the eleventh child I have taught to drive, I still get a bit dashboard-holdy when she drives. Yesterday though, I realized at one point that I actually forgot that she is a new driver, so yay Evelyn.

She knows how to go through the Dunkin drive-through...the boy working there gave her TWO ten packs of munchkins instead of one:) No, I didn't eat any. Just coffee.

We had to buy underwear for one of the girls going to Israel, and a huge bag of dog food, and more coconut oil, and a bag of coffee. I bought pizza pockets for the kids who will be here without a cook when I'm in Seattle, and enough bread, lunch meat, ect., for the week.

Our bags are packed! Paul is a reasonable guy, and he gets a free checked bag since he is a frequent flyer. He thought I could just pack my stuff in half of that bag, and that it's not necessary for me to also lug a carry-on. Well. Sneakers and jackets and sweaters and jeans and skirts and undies and and and. I TRIED to fit it into that one bag, but I think he took a teensy bit more than his fair half, so it didn't fit. But it's also not my fault that my stuff is so big. I would LIKE to pack a tiny little bikini for the hot tub at the cabin, but I have one of those granny-dress-suits.

hmph.

Also, when I travel, I can't decide on things. Should I wear my sneakers? We fly to Washington D.C., only an hour-ish, then from there to Washington state...6 hours-ish. Sneakers on for that long? Birkenstocks would slip right off on the plane, but are not so great for walking long distances in airports. Oh, the conundrums. And I am not one of those pajama pants travelers. I just don't feel respectable walking around in public in work-out pants, either. If I lost another fifty pounds maybe. But ain't nobody want to see that at this point.

Anyhoo. The kids have snacks in their backpacks, and their tablets, and some crayons. They have their shoes chosen and packed, and are all set.

Today we have to go to the bank and change some change to money, to spend in Seattle. We have researched what to do in the city, and believe me, I wish I wasn't such a cheapskate. The Great Wheel, the famous ferris wheel overlooking the Puget Sound and the city of Seattle...will cost over $60! I know, I know, it's a big trip for the kids, but ouch. But listen to this: there is a donut place at Pike's Market, that makes their own fresh donuts, and they make...maple-frosted with bacon!

Vacations are tricky for constant-dieters. I don't want to need two seats on the plane home. It's such hard hard work to get the pounds off these days, I have only lost 4 pounds since my birthday in July...I don't want to put it all back on in one week. :)

Well, the kids have school to do before we run to the bank. And I just realized that I never did pack any undies. oops, wonder what else I forgot? I mean, it's not like I just had an hour of peace and quiet in which to pack....

I intend to bring this trusty laptop with me on vacation, since traveling to the west coast gives us the luxury of sleeping in, and it still being early, as they are three hours behind us...to me, sleeping in to nine is lovely, and it will only be 6 a.m. out there. So I may just have some time to blog...if the kiddos stay quiet and don't wake up Ashley and Anya...