The one where we take a little trip...

I'm baaaaccckkk! Vacation was pretty much a little slice of wonderfulness with a few pieces of frustration mixed in. Things I learned on vacation:

1. When it comes to family, you can have too much of a good thing.
2. People in southern Alabama are the nicest most polite people I've ever met.
3. Other tourists are annoying.
4. People drink way too much.
5. If I ask my kids to not talk to me and not hang out with me for 24 hours, they will not follow this request.
6. My husband should go on vacation with me, if only to help me hang on to my sanity.
7. Some things take longer to forgive than others.
8. I love Cajun food.
9. I love boats. And history.
10. I can manage to get bronchitis absolutely anywhere, without even trying.

I had never been to Alabama before or the Gulf Coast for that matter. I was pleasantly surprised. For real, folks down there are super friendly and polite. If you're waiting to cross the road, they will stop for you. I wasn't even half in the road, I was on the sidewalk and traffic (both directions) stopped to let me cross. I felt like a celebrity. Around here, they speed up to hit you. And in their Walmart (because what vacation would be complete without a trip to Wally World?) you can actually find the workers! They come up to you to ask if you need help! And they actually know the answer when you ask a question!! It was like the Twilight Zone. Or maybe Stepford.

We only really got to spend three days at the beach due to rainy, colder weather. But two of those days we managed to get sunburned, so it was probably a good thing. I did have to spend one day in bed, hacking up a lung, but at least I finished a good book. We shopped at the Outlet malls one day and baby Dylan already has quite a collection of clothes waiting on him. And we went sightseeing two days. They have two historic forts in the area and the kids and I visited both. Sean being the Civil War buff that he is was in heaven. I thought they were pretty nifty too. And we visited the Estruariam, much like an aquarium only it included the marshes and wetlands as well. Who knew baby alligators were so adorable?!

I have a boatload of interesting conversations to relate from the trip:

In the hotel on the way home, we were getting ready for bed and there were people making a lot of noise in the hallway:

Me: (loudly) If you people don't settle down out there I'm going to come out and stab you.

Lu: Mom! You can't say that!

Sean: You can't go around stabbing people either.

Me: I wasn't really going to stab them, I'm just trying to scare them a little.

Sean: Did you say you were only going to stab them a little? WTH? Is that what you'll tell the cops? "I only stabbed them a little officer"

Me: NO! I said scare them.

Lu: It must have worked, they shut up. That or their downstairs telling the front desk the crazy lady in 216 threatened to stab them. But just a little.

Sean bought a captain's hat our last day and proclaimed himself "Captain of this vessel", vessel being my SUV. He kept putting it on and yelling "I have made my decision..." So once we stopped for gas in this little town and there were two choices for gas stations. The kids picked BP and we went there. It was awful. Dirty and the people were rather suspicious looking:

Me: (safely back in the car) You two are fired from gas station picking. Next time it's the Texaco for sure.

Sean: (in his captain's voice) I have made my decision...next time we visit the Texaco!

we pass the Texaco and it's not even a functioning gas station, the pumps are gone and the building is deserted.

Sean: I have made a new decision! I've decided to stick by my original decision!

Yes, he continued in this manner for the next 4 hours. I think I'm deaf in my right ear now.

Driving through Mississippi we saw many many religious billboards. One was for abstinence, many were anti abortion and many were just about finding Jesus. And no offense intended to any one's beliefs...but we began to joke about it:

Sean: There's another "Have you found Jesus" billboard. They just keep losing him.

Me: You'd better watch your mouth. This is the heart of Bible country and they still burn people at the stake. We're traveling with Jezebel back there so we've already got one strike against us.

Sean: Wait. What? Who's Jezebel?

Me: She's in the Bible. She was a whore and she got ripped apart by wild dogs.

Sean: You know an insult doesn't really work as well if neither of the other people in the car know what you're talking about...

All in all, we had a great time. Now I'm back and I have an absolute ton of things to get done before Lu's baby arrives. Carpets to shampoo, rooms to paint and rearrange, showers to plan and blogs to write. I expect to be busy busy busy. Sean quit his job so he can get ready for his summer travels and finish his Eagle Scout project. Little does he know, that now he can help me with all the painting and shampooing. Mike is neck deep in getting things ready for summer camp at both camps since the other ranger retired and they haven't found a replacement yet. I'm back to seeing him at supper and bedtime mostly. Lu is doing well. She's now an assistant manager at the Quincy DEB store. The pregnancy is still going well, she's six months along now and we all got to feel the baby kicking last week. He's an active little guy! She and Luke, the baby's father, are officially back together. He's been coming down on weekends and for appointments and plans to move back here the first of July. They hope to have their own place by Thanksgiving.

I'll leave you with a couple of pics:


Lu and Sean on the beach!


The three of us on the last day



Lu and Baby Dylan

There's no place like home...
♥Spot

Of engagements, racism, and freezing my butt off...

So I'm sitting here waiting for Lu to get home from her future in-laws house. They live about an hour and a half north of us in Iowa. She went up for a the wedding of one of the hippie's best friends. And then stayed the night. I texted her this morning to tell her we were getting a buttload of snow today so they should probably hit the road. Her back here and the Hippie another 3 hours northwest to his home. And yes, did anyone notice that I said "future in-laws"? I'm not going to give a whole update on the loves of Lulu here, but they returned from their overnight trip on Thursday morning to announce that they were "engaged to be engaged". Meaning that she has a ring (a claddaugh of course) and she's wearing it in the "engaged" position but there will be another ring coming and a more formal announcement. Currently they've even set a tentative wedding date for August 27, 2012. They will both have graduated college by then although Lu will still have to take her boards that December to practice in a medical facility. Yes, I'm happy. The Hippie was not my first choice but he has definitely stepped up to the plate. And Lu is ecstactic. That's enough for me. And the fact that they're giving us two years to save up for the wedding. Lol.

But now back to the trip...

The day after we got there we walked down the beach about a mile to the Cherry Grove Fishing Pier. And out onto said Pier. It was freezing!! The sun was bright but the wind chill was in the high 20's. And the wind was so strong it nearly pushed us over. And we had to keep turning around to avoid the sand blowing in our faces. And yet, we still had fun. Although it took 20 minutes in a warm shower for me to feel my fingers again...


It looks warm, doesn't it??!


My new friend, Bob.


The endless ocean


My folks and Lu. Why yes, that is my mother's impression of an Eskimo at the beach!


Sean alone braves the wind at the rail.


The long trek back. Lu kept walking right past the condo. We laughed at her.

My children are always amazed at how different my folks are from myself. Sometimes the differences are subtle, sometimes more pronounced. My parents have always been racist. I once even had to announce that we didn't speak like that at our dinner table and since it was my house I'd like for my wishes to be respected. But when we're on their turf, all bets are off. I understand that they were raised in a different era, ect. But still. Lately my mother has taken it to a whole new level. After one tirade~

Lu: How is it possible to hate an entire race of people?

Sean: Don't be silly Lu, grandma hates way more than just one race.

Me: It's true. She's an equal opportunity hater. I don't think she likes anyone anymore.

And my father was talking about where they might travel to next and was discussing climate in the southwest and then all the people there.~

Me: Well I don't really know where you can go Dad. I mean everywhere you go there's going to be at least one group of people Mom doesn't like. I seriously doubt any white supremacist groups are offering vacation packages, but it sounds like that might be your best bet.

At this point in time, it's easier to diffuse the situation with humor and have open discussions with my children later. And be thankful that my children are appalled by the behavior. Sometimes, I really think I'm doing this parenting thing right...

more ridiculousness and photos tomorrow,
♥Spot