Packing Up and Heading Out...

Tomorrow morning we are headed off on our summer vacation!  I've spent the past few days running errands and getting the van packed for our trip to my dad's cabin in northern Minnesota.  Sunny days filled with water skiing, fishing, swimming, and visiting with friends are in my very near future...

...if I survive the car trip to get there.

Growing up, my family and I always drove up to the lake.  Picture four people squished into a Dodge Caravan, with all of our stuff crammed into every available nook and cranny.  Did I forget to mention our two labs (Abby and Molly) who were also in the car with us?  Talk about family bonding time...

Since I have had children of my own, Steve and I have always opted to fly up to the lake.  For some reason, this seemed like a good year to give driving a shot.  After all, (according to Map Quest) it's only 947 miles one way.  That's 16 hours and 2 minutes.  Gulp.

Since we are going to be in Minnesota for almost 3 weeks, Steve can't be up there with us the entire time.  Lucky for him, this means that he gets out of making the drive up there with the kids and me.  You know the drive I'm talking about.  That 947 mile drive.

Fortunately, my brother was bullied/peer pressured/threatened graciously offered to escort Maddie, Livie and me up the lake.  We will be picking this lucky guy up at the airport tomorrow morning and we'll immediately be getting on the road.  My baby brother already has grand plans for the great time we are going to make on our trip...stopping minimally and pushing through as much as possible.  He's never traveled with potty trained 3 year-olds before, so we'll probably have his "perfect trip" shattered in record time!

So today, I'm left to finish my packing.  I told both girls that they could go into their playroom and set aside a small pile of their FAVORITE toys.  A few toys they would LOVE to play with for the next few weeks.  Toys they just COULDN'T live without.

And below, is Madison's pile.  Her very favorite toys (that she honest to goodness spent lots of time selecting!!!) include some doctor toys, a broken slinky, a book about Valentine's Day (so seasonally appropriate)...and yes...there's even a rubber band in the pile.

I hope it all fits in the van!