Brian took a vacation day from work a few weeks ago and we traveled to Hocking Hills as a family. This is an Ohio State Park about three hours northeast of our house. (Maybe less time for the typical person, but we're dealing with two kids who were potty training, and another kid who needed to nurse a lot. Three hours was actually underestimating our time.)
Anyway, Brian took his fancy-schmancy Nikon camera with hopes of capturing some Christmas card-worthy images. And oh boy, did he ever! I asked him to give me some of the photos that didn't quite make the cut for a Christmas card. All of these are from Ash Cave and the trail leading into it. We also hiked to Old Man's Cave and Cedar Falls. Let's just say the photos that did make the cut were breaktaking!
HIGHWAY ALPHABET
I played Highway Alphabet with Monica along the first chunk of I-71 North. The idea of this game is to point out the letters in correct order as you notice them along your route. The first one to finish wins. I spotted letters in the distance, and helped Monica find them as they approached. But she doesn't do quite as well with any fancy typefaces, or anything small, or anything that whizzes past her too fast. We got to the point that Brian spotted something and even slowed down some - when it was safe - to let us cruise alongside a McDonald's truck until she saw the D herself. We'd find a big letter we were certain she'd see --- and she'd miss it. On our brief stop at a gas station/food court, there was a truck with two lower-case L's printed several feet tall on its side. She missed these because that particular image is more often a capital I in her world. Sigh. But she did notice a K along a trail!
POTTY TRAINING, WOODS-STYLE
The boys did great on the car ride north. We made one potty/nursing break just south of the Tanger Outlet Mall (Brian was smart. I didn't realize where we were until he'd already pulled off. And he ignored my request to just "stop by" the outlets briefly.). We ate a very small picnic lunch at the trailhead for Ash Cave, then packed our stuff back into the car and hiked in. In the cave maybe five minutes (oooh, the floor was naturally covered in SAND!), I caught Ben grabbing his crotch: the tell-tale sign. Brian picked him up and high-tailed it out of there! They found a trail that was somewhat less busy, and Ben did his business a few yards up there. And then, of course, we traded Ben for Will.
Otherwise, the boys were mostly successful in their efforts to remain dry. Near the end of the afternoon, Ben fell asleep in his car seat between hikes. He pees big-time while he sleeps. We had Piddle Pads on their seats, but he leaked straight through his. I made a mental note to mention that in my online review of the Piddle Pads.
IN THE STRANGEST PLACES
We ran into Marilyn Patrick.....in the bathroom. Marilyn is Brian's mom's.....cousin? I always get confused explaining that relationship. Suffice it to say Marilyn is very close to Joan and the family. She is Brian's godmother. She is like an aunt to him.
As I ran Monica into the Nature Center's restroom, I stepped aside to allow someone room to leave. I glanced up to her, and into the face of Marilyn! We both stood there for a moment, shocked that we actually recognized the person in front of us. Three hours from my home! One hour from her home! Poor Monica! I'm sure she was quite confused. Later, I asked her what she'd thought of Mommy hugging a stranger like that. "But Mommy, she wasn't a stranger. She was Marilyn."
NEVER A BREAK
We put the boys in pajamas for the trip home, and kept the DVD player off. As we predicted, they both fell asleep in minutes. Monica, however.....Monica never shut down. She wanted to color as we drove, and I told her the lights from the interstate would provide her with adequate light. But our route did not hit the interstate until about 1/3 of the way home. So for an hour, we heard every minute or two: "Is this the interstate yet? Why can't I turn on my light?" I can't remember what else she talked about, but I remember that SHE.NEVER.STOPPED. Did I mention I developed a migraine along the trip, and spent much of the drive home hoping that I wouldn't puke? I was quite relieved to be home.
