We just completed an 18 day odyssey to Canada. We left on June 29th at 6pm. We figured we would drive all night, and make it easy on the kids (and us). Wrong. Marlo was teething, (first 2!). She's never slept great in her car seat, but never had too, since this was the first long trip. I figured it would be better at night. Wrong again. She basically woke up every 30-40 minutes crying. This would cause a chain reaction. Cooper would wake up and start crying and then Piper would wake up and start yelling. It was a long 12 hours.
But we got there and had a few hours of sleep. Then a big ole Dudley Reunion with a bunch of relatives that Tim barely knew, and I definitely didn't know. Then the July 1st parade and ensuing festivities. We made it to Waterton on the 1st after watching Tim's brother and Dad in the rodeo. It was super windy that night and the next day, but warm.
The following 5 days were hot, calm, and gorgeous. The highlights of the trip were Redrock, and Cameron Lake, and Tim getting swatted at by a Mama Bear protecting her 2 cubs. My brave (not really, more like idiotic) husband inched into the forest to get a good photo. I was Marion Jones when she turned around. I didn't even stick around to see if my husband was getting mauled. (Somebody has to raise our kids). The kids, I discovered will jump into a lake, stream, or river, that just had ice chunks floating in it 3 days before...just for fun.
After a week in Waterton, Tatym, me, and the 2 babies, had a few quiet days in Taber. We saw Tyler, Kami, and Tonya and their kids. We had fun at the swimming pool and roasting hot dogs. Meanwhile, Piper and Josh were in Raymond getting "certified cowboy". They learned all the parts of the gear, how to catch, saddle, and ride the horses. Grandpa gave them a test they had to pass, and when they did, they got their hats! On the last day, Kami and her 2 little ones, Max and Kiyomi went out to see the horses and ride so Josh and Pip could show off for us.
Then the fun started in earnest. We had a family reunion in Great Falls. We stayed at a campground that had a little water park. Tyler planned some fun games, we did some art, and just had a good ole time together.
The drive home. Well we thought it would be easier since we were already part of the way home. We stopped in Wolf Creek to float the Missouri River with Scott, Susie, and Grandpa and Grandma. Josh caught two fish, and Piper had one just get away. Then we hit the road. An hour into it, Tatym threw up. An hour later, Cooper threw up. So we stopped in Lima, Montana and bought some gravol, and drinks. By then, Josh and Piper were fevered and not feeling too hot themselves. Marlo continued to catnap for only 30 minutes at a time and then squawk relentlessly. We got pulled over in Arco, but the cop believed Tim when he said it was the worst trip we'd ever had...(our kids were looking especially pathetic at this point), so he let us off with a warning. We had a gas station dinner, which probably lead to the subsequent 3 days of diarrhea all the kids had, and eventually made it home around midnight. Just 12 hours after departing...normally about 9-10 hours from Great Falls.
Traveling has never been so painful. I don't know if it will improve soon, but I hope so because, though the being there was fun, the getting there was almost too much for me....
I need a vacation from my vacation.
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