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!!