We had a busy summer, ending with a 2,500 mile, 16 day journey to Wisconsin. to celebrate G'parent Wisc's 50th wedding anniversary. Ever since I first visited g'parents Wisc's house, I have wanted to drive out there (so many things to buy, so little room in a suitcase). $500 tickets (that's for each person) and my ire at the state of airline travel with toddlers sealed the deal. Driving 18 hours each direction would be far more enjoyable.And it was!
Get out your atlas because you'll need it to follow along. I've considered any number of different routes to take to visit Wisc, but this one worked the best for 2 young kids--lots of stops and breaks with people we know.
Sat. Drive 6 hours to g'parents Ohio.
Collapse after arriving at 8pm. Kids fired up.
Sun. Drive 2 hours to the parents of E's college roommate--a real live farm (well, live with crops). Eat the freshest corn on the cob I've ever had--picked from their garden. Ccntinue after an early dinner to Fort Wayne, IN, arriving around 8pm. Consider using Benedryl to help the kids relax in the hotel room. Feel too guilty at the prospect and just fall asleep with the kids.
Monday. Kids sleep until 7:30am. We are so getting room darkening shades at home. Den is supposed to be at work at 8. Whoops. Drop him off and visit the Fort Wayne Zoo. Attend a BBQ that night.
Tue. Den gets into work by 8:30, we head to the zoo--it was that amazing of a zoo. Phenominal weather both days didn't hurt. Take kids to Japanese for dinner. J eats her weight in rice, Den spills more water than he drinks, and Eddie likes the pasta (udon noodles). Order WAY too much yummy food and end up with enough leftovers to have a full second meal.
Wed. Head to IL to visit Den's brother's family. Realize en route that we are traveling to CDT and we'll arrive as promised even though we left later than planned. We could have visited the zoo for a 3rd day after all and I should have bought the annual pass.
Stay Wed. and Thurs. for 2 very relaxing days in IL. Eddie learns Lacrosse--hold it like a church basket, his cousin says. Thurs. is visiting E's cousins.
Fri. head north. Beating the IL cousins up to Wisc. by maybe 15 -30 min., we fall behind due to a blow out diaper over lunch.
Weekend spent with g'parents Wisc. and Den's brother's family at a resort with condos. Great time had by all. COLD weather (for Aug, but it is Wisc.)
Monday, head to g'parents Wisc. house for one night so E can shop and the kids can play.
Tues. head south for 4 hours to stay with cousins. When you head to this part of the state, you don't just visit one cousin, but about 30, maybe more. Stay up later than intended. Kids have a blast with cousins they've never met.
Wed. Make one more cousin visit and then drive 12 hours back to g'parents Ohio (technically 8.5 hours, but must adjust times for kid-travel). Stay 4 nights in order to get up enough energy to get in the car again to get home. Sunday of Labor Day weekend, after being gone for 16 days arrive home in record time (kids must be used to being the car).
Our saving grace: a DVD player. We don't watch much TV in our house (the kids get bored after 30 min. to an hour), but this thing was magic. Baby Mozart and Baby Back induced sleep and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was played so often I think I can recite some of the episodes by heart.
These pictures are of the farm. The corn was pretty cool to see. Turkey burgers were yummy (as was everything). Top picture is college roommate's kid playing with our kids.
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