Monday, March 23, 2009

So Much Fun!!



R and I had the Odyssexy packed and waiting when the Apes got home from school last Thursday afternoon. We hit the road at about 4:30 and about an hour west of St. Louis we realized we had forgotten to pack the camera.

Would I let my readers down?? NEVER!!!

We decided we could use a new camera anyway, so once we got to the Carolyn Inn in Bristow, OK, we put the Apes to bed and R checked online to research cameras in our price range, and searched for stores that were on our route.

Can you believe we were the only customers in the WalMart in Chandler, Oklahoma at 4:45 am?? Literally.




We got a Kodak EasyShare camera for $129, picked up some PopTarts for breakfast and headed out.



One of the things we did before we left for our trip was purchase an updated disc for the GPS unit in the Odyssexy. The main reason we did this was because last time, we discovered that there was not one Taco Cabana visible from the highway between Dallas and San Antonio. This time around, we typed in the words Taco Cabana and voila!




While we were in the parking lot, Pie yelled, "Look what I found in my backpack!!!"


The camera we thought we'd forgotten to pack.


My turn to drive! Gotta pick out some tunes...



Yes, R captured a moment that clearly shows both of my hands are off the wheel. So what?? Priorities, people! I MUST ROCK!!


The Apes crashed most of the way.







We woke them up in Waco to check out the Dr Pepper Museum. Why? I don't even like Dr Pepper. And fyi, that's not a typo. There is no period after the Dr in Dr Pepper - learned that at the museum.




Here's what else I learned:





Tried to tell yer obese ass... oh, I forgot, you don't read this blog anymore.

It was interesting, but it was it worth the price of admission? Meh. I will say that the shake made with ice cream, milk and Dr. Pepper syrup at the old-time soda fountain made with cane sugar sounded absolutely heinous, but was pretty fuckin awesome.


Got back on the road... THIS ROAD.



That's Pickle Parkway. The kids found it hilarious, given my intense aversion, intolerance, pure hatred of pickles. So completely unnecessary.


We got in to San Antonio in the afternoon, my sister Wee and her husband Bubba and their dogs came in from Austin, and R, Pie, my dad and I went downtown for an Arts Festival called Luminaria.


Luminaria was spectacular, despite the fact that (if you'll notice in the pictures) I was wearing a coat, a down vest, a sweater and a wool hat and still freezing my nips off. In San Antonio. In mid-March.











Fortunately, we had great weather the rest of the trip. Sunday we went to the Riverwalk for the St. Patrick's Day parade where they dye the San Antonio River green.











Monday we went to the Cibolo Nature Center





and hiked



through both grasslands





and wetlands.



And the kids got blisters on their feet.

Next we went to check out Guadalupe State Park. They were going to charge us $6 a head just to get in, but my mom, in her infinite wisdom, had the idea to get out of the van and walk up to the guard's gate and ask if we could just take a little peek at the facilities to see if we were willing to drop $42.

As my mom was walking to the guard, Pie said,

"I have a feeling that Nana's gonna screw this up somehow..."

I don't think it was anything against Nana in particular. I think Pie clearly understands the concept of Murphy's Law, he just believes that it's exclusive to our family. Like it doesn't matter who's running the shit (usually, it's me, but it was nice to see him apply his standard expectations to my mom), whoever's in charge is gonna fuck it up in an epically unforgettable way that the rest of us shouldn't even try to imagine; just sit back and ride it out.

My children have certainly witnessed plenty of incidents that might seem to confirm to a seven-year-old that his mom is the only idiot in the world, and that shitty things happen only to us. I personally feel that's the spice of life at our house. My friends would say it's the beauty of knowing me. Mundane little everyday occurances have the potential to become blogworthy comedy. And I think my kids actually like it, whether or not they'd admit it.

Mom didn't screw it up, and we were glad we didn't pay to get in because it was a bit of a downer. We went to dinner at Freetail Brewing Company, which was quite fantastic. I bought myself a t-shirt which is just a bit too tight on the boobies, in a sexy way.


I'll post this half of the trip now since I know y'all are jonesin for some PK Luvvin!!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you all had a great trip.
I think I'm going to start a movement to get the corollary to Murphy's Law ("Murphy was an optimist") renamed the Penny Karma Corollary. Just because you deserve it.

And nice tease with the tight t-shirt comment.

Speed Racer

ChestyLove said...

I note that you went from wearing Eskimo-like layers in one pic to shorts and t's in the next. What a wacky climate the great state of Texas must have.

Keep the pics comin'! I love road trip pics.

Anonymous said...

Nice slumpage pics of the Apes. Those are keepers!

Pickle Parkway. I think I've driven past there before, but until you reminded me of your aversion to all things pickle, it never struck me as hilarious until just now.

Does any city really need to dye their rivers green anymore?

Kaye said...

Hot damn, Taco Cabana, one of the ONLY things I miss about Texass!!!

Skye said...

Check out the WPN Wednesday candidate glaring at you in the very first pic!

Penny Karma, aka the F-Bomb Mom said...

She can't handle all my sex-ay!!

cpurl17 said...

Dude your kids are going to write some fabulous memoirs when they grow up about these road trips! Loooks like a great time!

Kashmir Knitter said...

Hey, I call it a victory that the kids didn't say, "I think Nana's gonna FUCK this up somehow..."

Sounds like a fab trip, color me jealous. I'll be waiting to hear the rest!

Anonymous said...

cpurl17 -
I was going to go with her kids were going to make some therapist rich, but yours works too.

Kendra Holliday said...

This was SOO MUCH FUN!!! I feel like I just went on vacay on your dime.

ZantiMissKnit said...

Pickle Parkway?!?! Fucking NASTY!!!

P.S. My word verification is popinso.

Anonymous said...

Fabulous trip pics, PK! My verification word is "uncestio." Only one letter off...

JRS said...

Ah, the Shakespeare's shirt! Mine have been to all sorts of crazy places. That's what I'm having for dinner tonight...can't wait!