Last week, we did the circle tour. If you’re not from the Midwest, or maybe even Michigan you might not know what that is. The circle tour is the trip around lake Michigan. We start in Chicago, travel up the Michigan coast, cross “the bridge”, traverse the UP, move into Wisconsin and back home to Chicagoland. It’s a long trip. About 19 hours when it’s all said and done (more in traffic and was there EVER traffic).

Let me start off by saying that if you live in the Midwest, Michigan is a fantastic vacation destination. I could go on for weeks about places to go and things to do in Michigan and that’s just on its west coast. Our first destination was a small town about an hour southeast of Traverse City, but you can skip that, though you can Kayak on a lovely little lake were you so inclined, but my first focus is on Traverse City itself. Can I talk about how beautiful it is? And how it’s parent AND kid friendly? Best of both vacation worlds. Here’s why:

1) Tons upon tons of kid friendly activities for varying prices.

• Great Lakes Children’s Museum ($6/person with under 2 free)
• Traverse City Beach Bums Baseball team (ticket prices are $8 and $10 with an “event” happening nearly every night including fireworks
• The Children’s Garden@the TC public library (free)
• Ride the miniature steam train ($3 for adults, $2 for kids two to twelve, free for under 2)
• Cherry Bowl Drive-In

2) There’s that little winery thing for the grown-ups.  It’s not kid unfriendly, either, and tastings are either free or super cheap.  Most of the tasting rooms have lovely outside areas that you or your partner could entertain the kids in.  My favorite winery always has families wandering up and down the rows of grapes.  Just make sure you have transportation in place.  No good getting tanked and driving with kids in the car.

3. Adorable downtown section with fun little shops.  Admittedly, you can find tourist trapesque places where you can get a sweatshirt, but Traverse City is a neat little enclave and the downtown area is full of little botique shops.  My favorite is American Spoon. I always leave with a jar of their awesome mango habenero salsa and we love to eat at North Peak Brewing Company, but that’s just one option.  You can spend as much or as little as you like (there’s a subway on the main drag) and have the experience of your choice.  Additionally, if you go in August, Traverse City hosts a film festival that has a huge turn out.

My point?  It’s not really BFE.

And the beaches?  Oh the beaches.  Michigan has fantastic beaches. Midwestern folks, you do NOT need to drive to the shore in the summer to have a good beach experience with your kids.  Michigan boasts so many, they’re lovely, the water is blue (so so SO blue) and you’ll shave 10 hours off of your drive time.  My favorite beach in TC is at the end of the Old Mission pennisula.  It’s not the prettiest beach in regards to clear sand, but it has the lighthouse…and a lovely state park (with not too icky outhouses).  We love to stop along the way and pick up food from the farm stands along the path; usually some fresh fruit and a loaf of fresh baked bread.

We just got back from our spring vacation with the girls. It was a long ride in the car, logging about two thousand round trip miles to travel form the cold Midwest to the sunny beach. This trip was actually made more difficult by some poor weather conditions and hellish traffic in Atlanta, outside of Charlotte and outside of Indianapolis. Except for a little bit of melting down on Littlebit’s on our first leg home (which was soothed by a stop for a late dinner, running around a rest area and some favorite lullabies when we got back into the car) our road trip was, from the standpoint of the kid’s behavior, a success.

We do a lot of car traveling and with the rising cost of airfare, air travel for a family of soon to be five really isn’t in our budget. Well, it could be in our budget, but it would severely limit our vacation options, Since I feel travel with kids is something that we’re successful at, I’d like to share a few tips we’ve found to make car trips easier.

1) Be willing to stop.

I know this seems like a no brainer and I know that most travelers are desperate to get to their desperation, but road trips work easier for everyone, including little ones, if Mom and Dad are willing to take the time to stop. We normally stop every two hours for 15 to 20 minutes, giving everyone time to go to the bathroom AND stretch their legs. For active little ones, like Littlebit, these fifteen minute breaks that we’re willing to take makes a big difference on outlook. Some states have fantastic rest areas with open spaces (bring along a ball or a Frisbee) and some even have playgrounds. Not only do these trips stretch the legs, but they can help tire out restless little ones into a nap.

Additionally, we’re willing to stop for a longer, sit down meal about half way through our trip. Obviously these stops add time to your trip, but an hour and a half extra time on the road for peace is worth it. And, if you’re traveling to a warm climate from a cold one, the trips to the rest stops are usually your first hint of better weather and everyone seems to relish them

If we intend to travel long distances we break the trip up into two, one day legs and try to arrive at a time that allows time for play after the travel. This year, we stopped in Nashville. We let the girls play at the beautiful Centennial park and walked around downtown at dinner time. A little bit of beforehand research can help you pick a destination that will suit your family.

2) Bring your snacks.

I normally pack a reusable grocery bag with juice boxes, pretzels, crackers, cookies, string cheese, apples and nuts. I try to include the protein as they can help stretch a hungry traveler a little longer and the apples, nuts and string cheese give good balance to normally less than healthy road food. I find the one bag of food feeds us for a two day leg and I replenish the bag before we head home. The Princess likes helping select the snacks and we all like having something there to stretch us through from breakfast to a later lunch. It’s also helpful if you have kiddos that melt down when their blood sugar gets low.

3) Use technology to arm yourself.

I’ve totally been one of those parents turning up her nose at DVD systems in cars, but on long trips, they really can be useful. Yes, I know I went on road trips without DVD players. I was one of the unlucky ones who got car sick and couldn’t read. Sure, we played some games (mostly, a wholly unwholesome game of mocking fellow drivers), but if you’re asking your kids to withstand long days in the car, why not make things a little bit pleasant. On-board DVD systems are nice and much preferable, IMO, to portable car devices (they operate better, for one. Our Chrysler Pacifica also featured wireless headphones and a six disc DVD changer. We loaded the changer with car trip only discs and they stayed safe, always in the car and in good shape). But, if you don’t like the idea of shelling out for an on-board system or even a portable system, consider an IPod. Yes I know, they can be pricey, but they’re multi-functional (mine not only provides entertainment to the kids, but stores our music AND serves as a photo backup device as well). For about $2/each you can download episodes of popular children’s shows and Itunes is always running $10 movies deals as well featuring at least a movie or two your kids will like. Rentals run a little cheaper, but you can only watch them for a limited amount of time on your Ipod. Video podcasts are great to download too. They’re free and feature some of your children’s favorites like excerpts from Drake and Josh and ICarly, musical excerpts from Dora the Explorer and some full episode shows like Super Why and Lazy Town. Littlebit also adores They Might Be Giants free kid offerings as well. I like owning the electronic copy only. It makes for less junk around the house and you’re guaranteed that little fingers won’t ruin your DVDs.

4) Old Favorites.

Never underestimate the usefulness of a bag of toys and books. Older kids can choose with guidance (The Princess constantly makes poor entertainment choices and ends up bored). Word Searches and coloring books are other good choices and we’ve had good luck with magna doodles and aqua doodles. Color Wonder Crayola products are good if you’re worried about kids being loose with a pack of crayons in your back seat. Spending a few dollars on new backseat distractions will usually be worth the cash. The trip, Littlebit enjoyed a small toy set that featured a doll on a metal tin that came with clothes on a magnetized sheet. She dressed and undressed the dolls for hours and they’re easier stored for next time. In fact, I typically leave a bag of toys and books in the car for Littlebit. We have the space, it saves packing time and sometimes you need a bag of toys.

You can do a quick google and find lots of posts on how to make muffin tin or chunky crayons.  I used the instructions from Make and Take and a saved bowl of crayon pieces.

Littlebit likes to “pop” crayons, meaning she colors with them once and breaks them. I buy crayons on sale cheap, but I hate throwing the broken pieces away.

Littlebit and I sorted the colors into tins and then I allowed her to combine the left over pieces to make an uber crayon.  I threw the pan in the oven while we finished baking our zucchini bread.

Littlebit is overjoyed.

If I hadn’t already done favors for her party this Saturday, we would totally do this for a cheap, but really cool favor.  In a cute little bag with some bright ribbon?  Fantastic!

Also, they are far less breakable than the stick crayons and Littlebit’s uber crayon makes some awesome results on paper so don’t be afraid to let the kids combine.  They actually don’t turn brown. ;)

Depending on the day, this is very attractive.  Big Daddy says he’ll hunt me down, but I call bullshit.  I don’t know what I would DO at the circus though.  No beard, not interesting appendages, not that flexible, not into heights or sticking my head into large carnivores mouths, so that’s probably out, but I like to think about it

2. Put the baby down to sleep over night on her tummy

I’m afraid of SIDS.  Really afraid.  Super afraid.  I was worse when the Princess was little.  Nearly hysterical. Now, I’m just passingly afraid, but scared enough that I won’t put Baby Bee to sleep over night on her tummy.  I wish I could.  She sleeps so well on her tummy.    So, instead of getting more sleep, but being afraid, I wwait with baited breath for the day that she starts rolling over so I can put her down to sleep peacefully on her tummy with less concern.

Not NO concern.  Just less.

3. Ban Football

I don’t hate football, per se.  It’s okay.  It’s really just a fall interlude to distract us on weekends before hockey comes on, but the reason I really don’t like football?  It screws up m DVR’ed shows.  I hate watching 45 minuts of “60 Minutes” and 15 minutes of “The Amazing Race” because the Raiders game ran over.

However, one thing I DO like about football is Brian Urlacher’s name.  I get great phonetic satisfaction out of saying his name and since you can’t just ru around yelling out “URLACHER!” in the summer, football season is a great excuse to do it.

4. Never have to do laundry.  Throw out dirty clothes and buy new

Not that i like new clothes or clothes shopping that much, I just hate doing laundry.  You could also add toilets and showers to the list because I don’t like cleaning them either.  Disposable toilets and showers would be so great.

Some bird and what are probably some weeds at Peninsula Cellar’s vineyard and tasting room on Old Mission Peninsula.

Check out more mostly wordlessness at 5 Minutes for Mom

He was taken to the hospital, intubated and on Thursday afternoon we were told that he had no brain function.  He was brain dead.

And so on Friday, today as I write this (though it will post in my absence on Monday) we are waiting for the news that the doctors have allowed my Grandfather’s body to go (as I believe his spirit has already left).  There are lessons here, in my Grandfather’s life but ultimately in his death.

He, Papa (pronounced in such a way that no one who isn’t related to him can’t seem to do it.  Maybe you southern readers will have better luck with it) wasn’t a fan of modern established medicine.  He treated himself through diet and herbs and other holistic treatments (including building his own inversion table a few years ago).  Despite this distrust and dislike (he was non compliant in regards to treatment when they discovered the condition which was ultimately the cause of his demise) he never made out a living will.  As I write this, we are waiting for him to jump through the hoops protocal dictates he must to be allowed to die.  Which is  NOT what he would have wanted.

And so I’m back to waiting for someone to die. Can I just say how absolutely surreal that situation is. Maybe surreal isn’t the right word? Freaking weird? That’s closer. There are, of course, situations where you pray for the dying to have every availble moment with those that love them. Praying for every minute and every second. My last two experiences, this one and the one before, were marked by people so ill that there was no only no chance of recovery, but no chance for meaning to anyone anymore. There would be no conversations, no last minute goodbyes, no waiting for someone to come. It just was just pain and anguish for those left and the shells of the people who were still here.

The clock ticks. Time seems to stand still. Has it only been 10 minutes since I last checked the clock. It feels like an hour. Did I hear the phone? Should I call and check? Call and ask? Wait, wait, wait, wait.

I’m not patience. It’s my biggest struggle. I LACK patience. I hate this wait. Wait. Wait. Wait.

My Papa passed away on the evening July 24th, 2009. We were due to see him at a family party in a week where he would have met Baby Bee, his fifth great-grandchild. He informed me a few weeks ago, when he called to congratulate me on Baby Bee that he was emptying out his leg so he could put more booze in it. Yes, I have THAT kind of family. When we travel north for our vacation, we will be raising a glass. Godspeed, Papa. I’m sure they have guitars in Heaven.

This is the Princess last October on the Old Mission Peninsula. Not exactly my Dad’s, but still pretty darn good.

Sunday Brats on the grill with corn
Monday Trader Joe’s delicious cheese enchiladas with corn
TuesdayFish Stick Po’ boys and cole slaw
WednesdaySlow cooked chicken djion with rice and sugar snap peas.
ThursdayEasy chicken scallopini with orzo veggie toss (yeah, we had it last week, but I liked it and think I can make it BETTER).
Friday on the go
Saturday on the run

Big Daddy, my geek in residence, installed a new theme for me a couple of days ago and it always takes time to get your new page right. Something about codex and rights and blah blah blah. I just want my twitter feed in the side bar. And my about page to work.

I’ve also been tweeking a project for Baby Bee. Her moses basket.

I bought this basket at a yard sale when Littlebit was in utero. It’s from Pier 1 and I got it for under $20. It was buck naked, so I bought a pattern and some toile and sewed up a liner for Littlebit.

It was a little ugly, but served Littlebit well. Particularly since Littlebit had jaundice and spent probably two feel weeks on the biliblanket (aka glow worm) and she needed a place to lay and be on the blanket. Before I packed it away my cat (who was nice enough to die the week after my Mom and Grandma) peed in it. In the midst of the trauma during that few months after Christmas and before June, I didn’t have the mental capacity to deal with washing the lining and shoved the basket in the closet with the good intentions of washing the basket.

Yeah, I didn’t. I know. It’s gross. I just kind of forgot about it and then when I pulled it out for Baby Bee I realized that the lining needed to be washed. And I did. More than once. But it still smelled like cat pee. And that was nasty and wrong, so I ripped the lining out, tossed it away (feeling kind of sentimental about it. Not only did Littlebit sleep there, but, well, the cat’s dead and her genetic material was hanging out there). That meant, a new lining needed to be sewn and hopefully before Baby Bee showed up. That didn’t happen, but the project did and I finished it up this week.

It’s actually LESS ugly than the one I made with the pattern.  I’m not sure if that’s because patterns sometimes are sized funny and don’t work or if I’m better at sewing now so things turn out better.  Anyhow, here it is with Baby Bee sacked out inside.

A lot of people claim that moses baskets are a waste of money.  I suppose if you’re playing around $100 for a basket with a fancy schmancy lining it could be, but overall I found for the price that moses baskets are useful.  Maybe it’s becuase I have more than one kid and a dog and fat cat, but having a safe contained place for the baby to sleep wherever we happen to be that is portable, light and easy to store seems to me to be a VERY good purchase (much more so than, say, designer hospital gowns and baby towels).  Thus far, the basket breaks down to about $20 a kid with supplies and materials.  The basket is big enough that LIttlebit can still climb inside, giving baby a lot of growing time.

I’m still considering whether or not to embellish the outside around the handles or just to leave it as is. It certainly serves it’s purpose as it is.

(sorry, camera batteries are dead. Need to charge and upload!)

But first, the preschool scramble has begun. I know, I’m probbly late and if I had been more on the ball I’d not be scrambling now. I’d be scrambling in July. I hated this so much with the Princess. Trying to decide which of dozens of local schools were the right choice. I picked one for the Princess based on location and nothing else and loved the program. I wanted Littlebit to go there as well, but I was too late to get her into their 2-year program (Littlebit has a September birthday and will be in a two year program this year due to cut offs) so then the scramble was on again.

I loved the idea of a local Montessori option, but the tuition for Littlebit’s twice a week, two hour a day program cost nearly as much as the Princess’s elementary education and I just. couldn’t. do. it. I have one school I’m hoping to tour that’s accredited, has a good program and a more reasonable monthly price tag. I hope I love it so I can be done with the preschool scramble. Until 2011. When I’ll do it all over again.

But….enough. It’s time for some love

Well, we’re Geeks, so it makes sense that I would enjoy 100 Geeky Places to Take Your Kids This Summer from Wired Magazine. Lots of national and international options and some places I want to check out.

I’m sure I’m the last one to discover it, but I LOVE the Simply Recipes Food and Cooking Blog. It’s beautiful and well organized with tons of recipes. Well photographed too.

Have you seen The Tasty Kitchen? It’s a foodie community fronted by The Pioneer Woman.

So many great ideas and beautiful pictures at The Idea Room.

Make and Takws featured a cool post on One Chicken, Two Meals
which appeals to me from a time and money saving aspect. Googling for more, similar ideas took me to Cheap, Healthy Good and making 17 meals from one chicken and $30.

I am so making these adorable lady bug slippers for my girls. I love them! And while I have my needles out, i’m making this awesome circle cloth too.

My adorable Mama in 1958.  She looks kind of crosseyed in this picture.  I can assure you that she wasn’t.  The funny thing is I haven’t looked at this picture in a long time.  REALLY looked at it.  I can really see the resemblance between my Mom and my daughters.  Now that Littlebit is older, I find comfort in the fact that she wrinkles her forehead like my Mom did and this picture of Baby Bee was pronounced to not only look like my Brother, but my Mom as well.

Keep in mind that Baby Bee is much younger.  As you see, my Mom was old enough to rock the bitchin’ dairy queen curl.  It always leaves me just a little teary-eyed and breathless to think about how my Mom was like Baby Bee and my Grandma was like me.    I love that connection, not just in how we all sort of look alike, but to know that they were like me (and we were like them) once.  It makes them feel not quite as far away.