Looking at the blogs with pictures of snow is making me homesick. I grew up with the perfect White Christmas living in a wooded area of Northeast Ohio. I loved the snow, the cold and the whole fairy tale feel of driving under tunnels of snow covered branches.
But I hated the black snow that seemed to plague the Cleveland area from January to April so I moved to Texas. And I enjoy my warm weather except at Christmas.
All four kids see the snow on TV, the pics on the blogs and beg to see snow, to go to Ohio for Christmas. I have to admit it would be fun. I'd love to go to Ohio; however, 6 plane tickets from Dallas to Cleveland plus a rental van is not in the cards for us (please don't feel bad here--we chose to spend money on groceries ;) ). So the only real option is driving.
Driving 18 hours (at least) with four children 10 and under. 18 hours. I'm betting this prospect would send a shiver down Super Nanny's spine.
The kids have promised they would be good; they would not fight. I know they will make a great attempt but I also know them. We are lucky to get out of the driveway without a fight.
But I want to go to Ohio to see my family too. So I want to believe it would be fun. An easy trip. We could stop by Graceland for a day and night to see the lights and pay tribute to the king. We could visit the Corvette museum in Kentucky. Dino loves cars. We could hang out at Ohio State in Columbus and run around German Village (1 pound cream puffs from Schmidt's anyone?).
And my kids would get to see Grandma and Grandpa, along with their cousins and their aunt and uncle. We don't have much family near us. Family is important, right?
But so is my sanity. 18 hours is a very long time.
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24 comments:
Blog surfing here. Didn't want to lurk. I love your blog. Cute kids!
I don't miss the snow at all. We are Utah transplants to SoCal and I am having a fantastic time decorating the house for Christmas in my shorts and flip flops!
OH SO WORTH IT!!! It wouldn't have to happen every year...I say DO IT!!! But I love a road trip...and I only have two kids! If it's horrible (and it could be...??)then you've learned a lesson, but it could be really great!...Just make sure there are NO blizzards during your travels, okay? Those are the things I worry about :( Can't wait to hear what you decide! And yea baby!!! How bout those Sooners! All I have to say is....AMAZING ATMOSPHERE last night. The crowd was CRAZY! We didn't get to bed until 1:30 and we've already watched the game again today :) It's a great day! Nowwww, next week...YIKES! Gonna be tough! If we play like we did last night though...we could do it! Wish next week weren't in Stillwater :( Ah well!
aww. mee tooo. there is something VERY WONDERFUL and guilt-free about HOLIDAY GOODIES!!
I think it would be wierd, but nice, having a warm Christmas!
I hope you do make the trip back home ~ the 18 hr drive would be worth it!!!
Good Luck,
l,
Amanda x
I was just talking to a friend today, she's in WI, and it's snowing.
Um yeah, we were at the aquarium in sundresses, shorts and flip flops. I adore TX, but a white christmas/winter... would be nice every now and again.
It would be a trip to remember. In so many ways.
Maybe we can send the shivering thoughts your way because I have been frozen and not happy about it.
You should totally do it. Yes, there might be some moments (hours) you could do without but the memories would be SO worth it, I am sure.
hey, lisa... if you go to the corvette museum, you'd be just a little over an hour away from me!!!
a Christmas road-trip actually sounds like fun (lol, if you can hold your kids to their promise of being good; but, santa would be watching;).
love,
dani
I've driven from Arizona to Missouri at Christmas, so I have some idea what that trip is like. Except with just two kids. There were times I wanted to pull off and just move into a motel in the middle of Texas or New Mexico, but then we would hit a beautiful stretch of road and it would all change.
Three words: portable DVD players. (Unless your vehicle has a DVD player, then you're all set.) Good luck!
OH I am so with you. I would LOVE to drive up to St. Louis to see my family but yes, 4 kids under 10, plus one being a baby, plus my husband has no time off left since he took advance sick leave in August when he had Lyme Disease = me driving 14+ hours by myself with 4 kids. NO. THANK. YOU. And, when you say 18 hours, isn't it really like 22 hours? Because, with kids, you always have to add an extra few hours for breaks, dropped toys, etc. And does your family do DVD players in the car? We don't, which makes that type of trip almost unbearable.
But, do you ever read the blog Classy Chaos? I am torn between being jealous of how much she travels with her family, and being motivated to try to just make the plunge and buy some tickets. My kids always get money for their birthdays. This year I have decided not to put it in their bank accounts and instead buy them a plane ticket to Florida for after the holidays, when flights are cheaper. I figure, one year of not saving will be okay, if they get a memory of the Florida beaches. Maybe you could do this next year?
Get in the car and Go, girl! :)
You can so do it! I know you can.. just break up the trip and you got it made. I just did 10 hours with the three kids and a dog, by myself. I fed my kids lots of junk and they watched lots of movies. Sooooo, worth it. If you don't have DVD players in your car, get a couple of those dual screen ones at walmart for $70 buck each...
I think I might drive from the West Coast and meet you in Ohio just for those 1 pound cream puffs. Oh, and the snow would be an awesome bonus!
I am a long long way from home (Indiana) too...it would take us at least that long to drive. My mom blessed us with some tickets, so we are going for Thanksgiving, otherwise it wouldn't have been feasible.
What if you drove at night? Would that make it any better? I know, any way you cut it, it would be a long and hard trip, but you'd have lots of awesome memories from it, too!
Family is SUPER important, but 18 hours?! Good lord.
I'm in Texas too, lived here all my life. Although I grew up on a ranch in Kerrville, then in Austin for 19 years, and now in the Dallas area.
I love snow but it's so rare around here. I would love to be more north to experience lots of snow...
Certainly a big undertaking, but if you're headed to Cleveland at least you KNOW there would be snow. My sisters all live there and are blanketed November through April, while my town (just a couple of hours south) barely gets any!
18 hours is a long, long time but just think of what will be there when you arrive. Go for it. Your sanity can withstand it, I think.
If not, it can come back after you return home :)
FYI. Do not read my Tuesday post. We got hit in Cleveland. ;)
ahhh...
Im a CALI girl who loves the heat, but once in a VERY great while, I wonder how fun a white Christmas would be!!!
Now I should stop whining. I complain because I miss the CT snow and in PA we only get a little. I say GO FOR IT!!! The memories are worth the pain (and don't get wrong- there will be pain)..but once you're back, you'll be glad you went. :)
Oh...we have done the 24 or more hour drive from Houston to Va (and PA too) but yes family is important. I hope you do it and I ope it is wonderful! Thank you for stopping by my blog:)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Kim
Oh I feel you. Although driving to NY is not in the cards with children. It's just two flights, a day lost, and a crap shoot for the weather. So once again, we decide against it.
18 hours..wow.
You really should do it.. The drive really isn't all that bad.. I have done it a handful of times with my 4 kids when I drive to Dallas to see my sister.. and she just made the drive with her 2 on Friday.. They drove straight though so the girls slept in the car and they got to my parents about 1 in the afternoon.. They will be making the drive back this coming weekend. Though I do think with stops for gas, food, bathroom and the stop because you just need to get the heck out of the car, I runs closer to 20 to 22 hours..
We drove straight though on the way to TX and then made a stop at a 1/2 way point on the way back, when we went to see my sister in March. Though everytime I make the drive I say it will be a long long time before I do it again LOL..
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