Day 4: June 12, 2010

We drove from Mammoth Cave, Kentucky, to Erlanger, Kentucky.  Since it was a shorter trip we took our time leaving Mammoth Cave.  We didn't leave until nearly 10:30 a.m.  I had forgotten about the time zone.  The wedding was at 6:00 p.m. Eastern time and we left on Central time. I had planned on giving all the kids baths and us showers too before the wedding.

We got to our hotel at 4:30 p.m. but by the time we got everything situated it was about a quarter to five.  I jumped in the shower and then Ray got in.  We quickly dressed and made it to the wedding with 10 minutes to spare.  The wedding was not far, actually our hotel was almost exactly in the middle between the church and the reception hall.

The kids did fairly well at the wedding.  It started late and got out about seven.  We had half an hour before the reception started so we swung by the hotel to get something (can't remember what.)

We didn't see anyone we knew once we got to the reception hall.  The wedding was for Ray's cousin and besides Ray's cousin's parents and brother, only Ray's dad and mom made it from the groom's side of the wedding.  We sat at a table but soon found out that we were assigned to the groom's family table so we had to move.  The kids loved the photo booth and got their pictures made into magnets.  The bride and groom were almost an hour late.  But finally we got dinner.  Kimberly had fallen asleep on the way over and slept until after dinner.

The kids also enjoyed the dance floor.  We stayed until about 10 p.m. and then went back to the hotel so we could get some sleep.

A Day of Relaxation

My inlaws picked up Sheila and Timmy yesterday morning around 9 a.m. and since Ray had the day off we had a day to ourselves with just little Kimberly.  We took the Borrego in to get serviced and learned there was a recall on it and since they had to order the parts we decided to let them have it overnight since they were getting the parts in this morning.  I definitely need it tomorrow so we will have to pick it up tonight.  The recall is on the plastic seat backs and they are replacing them with carpeted ones, which we were glad about because the plastic ones were pretty beat up.

Then we went shopping.  I am not a real big shopper.  I usually just like to get in and get out but I forget how enjoyable it can be without screaming children throwing tantrums and demanding everything within eye sight.  We went to Toys R Us.  Got a bunch of ideas for Christmas.  Bought a few things.  I got Sheila an Ariel costume for Halloween.  I was going to make one but found the perfect thing in the dress up aisle. I wouldn't even attempt going into that store with my children in tow.

We also went to Joanns and got material for eight different outfits.  That will probably keep me busy through August.  I hope to make a few more things besides that by the fair the first week of October so I will buy some more stuff to make in September.

Then we went to lunch at Red Lobster.  Another place I dread going to with children in tow, a sit down restaurant.  My kids run around like wild hulligans in them.  They get bored after 15 minutes.  Kimberly ate her baby food and then just played with a few things while Ray and I finished ours.  And we even had dessert.

After that we went to Target and I found some cute shoes for the kids on the clearance aisle.  Still looking for some new church shoes for Timmy though.  I have a hard time buying shoes full price (since they are about the same price as adult shoes) for shoes the kids will only wear for a year.

Finally we headed for Walmart.  I actually bought myself a few things.  I hardly ever do anymore unless I am ordering books off of Amazon.  I got a new purse.  One large enough to use as a diaper bag and purse but not huge.  I also found nursing bras.  Now from all the people I hear that nurse or at least attempt to nurse the first few months I would assume that they would be fairly easy to find and that there would be a few different styles to select from.

I hate bra shopping.  It's my least favorite thing to buy.  So I was getting a little annoyed walking around and around the bra section and not finding any nursing bras.  I rarely ask where things are but I almost did when I spotted, or rather Ray did, them on an endcap. Just one type but at least they were two packs.  There were two sets my size and so I bought both.  Hopefully I will not have to buy anymore for the rest of the time I am nursing.  I can now throw out my yellowed, stretched out, falling apart, two that I have been wearing for the last nine months (not to mention two other babies.)

We finally headed home and had a relaxing evening since the kids were staying the night.  They are also staying all day today coming home tonight for dinner.  Ray is back to work.  What am I to do with a day to myself with just the baby?  I am going to clean, that is what I am going to do.  And then start my sewing.  I think we will see if Grandma and Papa want to take them one more time before school starts again.

Day 3: June 11, 2010

We spent the whole day camping at Mammoth Cave.  It started off as a hot day.  Our battery in our trailer kept dying.  We would run the car for 30 minutes to an hour to charge it and within a couple of hours it was totally dead again.  Also our refrigerator wouldn't stay on.  I started to have real anxiety over it.

We drove down to the visitor center this time since we needed somewhere to leave the strollers since we wouldn't be able to take them on the cave tour and the walk was a little long for Timmy.  We got there right after the 8:30 a.m. tour had already left.  We paid for the 9:45 a.m. tour and decided to walk down to the cave entrance that was close to the visitor center.  The Visitor Center was undergoing construction and so it didn't have a whole lot to look at and was very busy.  All the kids were free so we only had to pay for Ray and me.  Kids 5 and under are free on the cave tours.

Once we got close to the cave entrance we could feel the coolness rising from the deep entrance and we talked about staying down there all day.

We rode a green school bus over to the cave entrance we were going on.  We did the Frozen Niagra tour since that was recommended for people with physical limits and small children.  We put Kimberly in the snuggly on Ray and I helped Timmy.  We entered through a revolving door and Sheila immediately wanted out.  She is not much into caves.  Ray distracted her when he saw a cricket on the wall.  Sheila loves bugs.

It was only about 1/4 mile round trip but it felt longer since there were narrow and short passage ways.  Sheila wouldn't go down the stairs to see the frozen niagra so I stayed up top with her and Ray went down with Timmy and Kimberly.

After the cave tour that lasted just about an hour and then a ride back to the visitor center we drove into town to get some gas and got some lunch since I didn't feel like cooking in a hot trailer.

Later that afternoon we went a hike on one of the nature trails.  We took the strollers and eventually had to leave them on the trail.  Oh and there were ticks everywhere.  The night before Ray saw one on his camp chair and knocked it off.  Then when he took Timmy to the bathroom after the cave tour he saw one on Timmy's privates.  He asked the ranger what was the best way to get it off and he said tweezers so we did that when we got back to camp.  Ray got a tick in his leg the next day when we were breaking camp.  I sprayed the kids and I with bug spray so good that I think that helped us from getting anymore.

On the nature walk we saw a really cool turtle and some wild turkeys.  A couple saw deer on the trail but we never got to see them.  We hiked down to a sink hole and back.  It was full of water so just looked like a swampy pond.

The refrigerator and battery continued to give us problems all day.  After dinner I couldn't take it anymore.  I called my dad to discuss what the problem was.  He told me the refrigerator might be because of the battery being bad.  It ran on propane when not running on electricity but the battery gives the power to the ignitor on the fridge.  So at 8 we decided to go find a walmart.  There was one 20 minutes away.  We got there and bought the biggest battery (it was only $10 more than the other size.)  We got back to the trailer around 10.  Ray got it hooked up and viola! everything worked again.  No problem with the battery for the rest of the trip.  We will be going back to RV connection to replace the battery that trailer since it was bad.  The new one becomes fully recharged after only about 10 minutes of being charged.  We still didn't have AC but we had lights and the refrigerator stayed on.

Day Two: June 10, 2010

We traveled from Hoover, Alabama, to Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky.  The trip started off really rough.  The roads around Birmingham were horrible.  Traffic was too.  Our trailer was bouncing all over the road.  I even told Ray we could turn around if he would like.

We started out at 8:45 a.m.  We crossed into Tennessee at 11:37 a.m. and Kentucky at 3:01 p.m.  We arrived at 4 p.m.

We were camping at the campground there at Mammoth Cave.  The good news was that they had moved us to a larger pull through spot (I booked before we got the trailer and even though it was supposed to fit us it would have been tight.)  The bad news was no power.  Normally that wouldn't be a problem but Kentucky is still hot and humid and I about died that first night.  I didn't sleep under the covers and wore just my under clothings.

In the evening fireflies came out and Sheila and Timmy loved chasing them down.  Before dark we went for a walk over to the visit center and got information on the tours for the next day.  We then went for a walk around the campground and a deer walked right by our campsite.

We also started having problems with our fridge (or what we thought was the fridge.)

Day 1: June 9, 2010

I totally meant to update along the way but time and exhaustion got to me so now will have to do.  I will try to do one day every day or two until I am done and blog about other things too.

Our first leg was from Panama City, Florida, to Hoover, Alabama, aprovimately 260 miles.  We had to get the trailer and everything hooked up plus finished packing so we didn't leave until 10:45 am.  We arrived at 5:40 p.m.  We were so exhausted by the time we got there that we just ordered pizza to our room.

A funny thing we seen on the way was a sigh that said "Go to the church, or the devil will get you."

The kids each had their own DVD player and watched movies almost the whole way.  Kimberly slept.

We stayed at the Hyatt Place.  It had a huge room.  It was a little too businessy for me.  The continental breakfast was also lacking, unless you like cereal and bagels.  The kids had a great time swimming but Kimberly didn't like the pool and so we didn't get any pictures.

Almost Home

....and thank goodness.  I so miss my bed and my bathtub and my washer and dryer.  I am tired of riding in a car for 6+ hours everyday.  Don't get me wrong.  I have enjoyed seeing the changing scenery as we galavant across the country.  But my body is just not having anymore of it.  I am exhausted and stressed and having headaches.  The worst part has been the wind.  But despite all that we have had a wonderful time.  In two days we will be home and it will take some time to get everything back in order and pictures downloaded and sized for web pages (I have 600+ of 12M so it will take some time.) I will hopefully soon be updating my blog about our trip so look back soon.