Robert has taken the big kids to an Indians game, thank you Sifco, and Hannah is asleep. So, I need to seriously get our trip written out before I forget anymore. It already seems like too long ago....

First, Robert's first homeschool conference and my first official shopping conference was great. We got up early on Friday the 26th and dropped Joshua and Leah off at the Lohnes's and headed out to Columbus. We got there in time to register, potty and nurse Hannah before the exhibit hall opened. We looked over the schedule and somewhat mapped out the sessions we wanted to sit in. I had a list of shopping that we needed to do as well. Robert is in charge of math lessons in our house. I can do math just fine, but I'd rather not. I gritted my teeth thru advanced calculus and I can say I've done it.... since I"m married to a math genius, I'm guessing I'll never have to remember any of that calc! We met a nice couple that happen to live in Medina, and are going to play with them next week! We also will probably start Joshua in their AWANA's in the fall and their VBS in a few weeks! On Saturday, our new friends, the Denney's (whom I haven't blogged about much because I'm super excited that we could be great friends and don't want to scare them off, lol) showed up with their youngest, Judah. We had a great time hanging out with them. We even chose our curriculums for this year. I'll do My Father's World with Joshua and some with Leah. Then Joshua will also do Explode the Code Phonics and Horizon's Math. Fun stuff. I can't wait to get started, but first I have to clean up and organize our school/play/office/ everything else room.

THEN, Monday morning, the 29th, the kids and I flew out to Texas!!!! Robert took us to the airport and helped us get checked in. Things went pretty smoothly. I did have to abandon our breakfast to run us all to the bathroom when Leah yelled she had to poopy. And, it was a false alarm! It really wasn't that hard by myself with the kids. I go around with all three of them by myself all the time, so this was just another day running errands.....around the country, lol! I do wonder how anyone does it without an Ergo baby carrier though! We got on the plane and headed to Houston. Thankfully we were on a 757, so we had lots of room and individual tv's! Not the best kids movies available but we survived. Joshua thought it was grand going to the potty by himself on an airplane, and so he did, over and over and over. Things were a little tight when I would take Leah, with Hannah of course, but it had a "family" restroom, which was almost big enough not to have the toilet paper holder completely up my backside the whole time I helped Leah. We ate our breakfast on the plane fine. I think the stewardess must have liked Joshua because I looked over and he had drank 6 milks. Maybe that explains the bathroom trips after all. Hannah only poured one milk over me, no other messes. I count that a successful flight. We landed in Houston and made it straight onto our flight to Austin. Of course, Leah fell asleep the last 2 minutes of the Austin flight, almost made it.
Once in Austin, I sighed relief to be done with planes for the day and headed to the rental car desk, via the potty of course. We were starving and I contemplated getting us some Mexican food in the airport, but decided against the sit down delay.
After much rangling at the desk with questions about our reservations and lots of gawking at the crazy lady traveling with three kids alone, the reservation guy ran and brought the van to the curb for me. I guess I looked more tired than I thought!
I got the girls carseats installed and all people, luggage, strollers, baby dolls and misc junk loaded in 15 minutes flat!!! What can I say, I'm just that good. ;-)
We hit the road. We made it a full 20 minutes before our first stop, Sonic! Then another 15 minutes before I had to stop and nurse Hannah who was tired of traveling and wanted to make sure I knew it. Leah crashed before we were out of the airport and slept thru these stops. Then, we stopped again in Llano when Joshua yelled he had to poopy, which of course meant I had to wake up the girls. We all trudged into a nasty convience store and suffered thru a smell like someone was dying, but Joshua felt much better afterwards. Everyone back in the car. Oh yeah, Leah peed her pants in her sleep, poor baby was zonked out. Note to self, wash car seat cover at Granny's.
We made it about another 20 minutes and had to stop for Hannah again. Then again in Brady at Walmart to buy a booster for Joshua. So, 12 fast paced hours after leaving home, we pulled into Granny's drive way in Santa Anna....and we brought a rain shower with us! I was shocked at how bad the drought really is around Austin and to home. I've heard people grumbling, but they are farmers, they are always grumbling. It is bad guys, really really bad. Pray for rain!