Road trippin'

I could probably write several posts about our week on the road. Informational posts, sentimental posts, ranting posts.  They may all come along, but for now, I'm going to stick to a rundown of the activities and hopefully I can get some deeper thoughts down later this week.  Cause you know I have some...

This was our first major vacation with all four kids.  The x-factor in it's success was Caleb, of course.  Would he survive the endless hours in the car?  Would we survive the endless hours in the car with him?  Would the late nights, weird schedules, new people throw him all out of whack?  I am happy and surprised to report that Caleb is a "vacationer."  He did awesome.  He loved it.  Well, according to him, "it was pretty fun, but not really that fun and he liked it, but not really liked it and some of the days might have been his "best days ever" but he's really not sure."  So, that's a win, folks!
We packed up and left around 630 on Sunday night and drove all the way through to Virginia Beach.  It was a good call and we managed to get there in one piece, with some patience to spare and not completely exhausted.  Pulling up to Boxford, the lovingly named home of Katy and Adam, felt great!  Those two are just great and they have the sweetest little girls.  
Being in Virginia Beach made us nostalgic and made us question why we ever moved and made us wonder if we should go back and made us talk about life and choices and everything in between. (We aren't moving back any time soon.)
We spent one glorious day in downtown Norfolk visiting the Hampton Roads Museum and had dinner at Caroline's and walked the boardwalk in Virginia Beach.  The kids dipped their toes and then entire fully clothed bodies into the ocean.  They loved it. They took it in and instantly fell in love.  I know the feeling.

The next day was spent firmly planted next to the ocean.  It's magical.  The kids loved the water and spent the afternoon boogie boarding.  Sunshine so much glorious sunshine.  A lunch break for fish tacos and a margarita at Pelan's and back out to the sunshine made for a perfect day. All in all, so sad to step off the beach not knowing when we'd be back.
Our last evening at Katy and Adam's was spent laughing and talking and watching stupid videos on Youtube! Perfect.  There is something so wonderful about spending time with people who were a part of our early lives together.  We share a connection to a time and place that I know we both hold dear.
Our day in D.C was really incredible.  What a beautiful city!  It was hot and muggy, but the kids powered through with only minimal excessive whining and bored expressions.  I may or may not have said at one point that if someone looked at them, they would think we were torturing them instead of giving them the fabulous experience of history and awe-inspiring perspective.
Well, we made it to the Lincoln Memorial, which is my favorite, and started back to our car when the wind picked up and the temperature dropped.  It was an impressive storm moving in.  We hauled back as fast as we could and jumped in our car just as it started to downpour. 
Our drive to Frederick was longer than expected due to the weather and the traffic, but we hit the beds that night, tired and happy.
The following morning was spent in Gettysburg before heading to State College for the wedding.  Gettysburg is beautiful and so full of history.  Almost too much.  Chad has always wanted to visit but there was just too much too see in the time we had.  I'm guessing we make it back there someday.
The weekend festivities deserve a post of their own...