As I write this, I'm sitting in a hotel room in Shreveport, Louisiana. The rest of my family is asleep right now, but not for long. I will be attending RE Tech South on Thursday and Friday in Atlanta, and Pam and I decided to make a vacation out of it. We're taking a few days to get there, then spending five days in Atlanta, then a few days to get back. We are hitting a different set of towns on the way there and back, so as to maximize the things we do and see.
I am hoping to share some of our interesting experiences here on my blog over the next ten days or so, but it really all depends on how tired I get. :)
Yesterday was our longest day in the car with the kids (about 5.5 hours or so of actual driving, but we stopped several times, too). Things went well overall, although our almost-four-year-old daughter Abby was relatively whiny until she finally took a nap. I am proud to report that the baby (11 months old now) only cried about 20 minutes or so during the whole day. My wife planned our itinerary to front-load the driving somewhat, so that on the last day in each direction, we'll have very short trips.
During the front edge of yesterday's trip, I started to wonder if we would see ANYTHING charming, since it felt more like a tour of sad little towns that were on a downhill slide. Frankly, it seemed as though the headstone and funeral businesses were the sole thriving enterprises.
Things changed as we got further into east Texas. Somewhere around Palestine the towns and land both just seemed prettier.
The kids were excited about how many trees there were, since portions of the drive felt like we were in the middle of a pine forest. My son remarked, "I can't even SEE the tops of these trees!" I heard several echoes to that effect from the younger kids, too. "WOW!!! SO MANY TREES!!!" As evidence of their homeschooling, they also mentioned that it seemed like we were entering Lothlórien, which is basically where the Elves live in the Lord of the Rings series.
Cutest quote of the day (from Abby): "Dad, maybe when I grow up I can be a gardener and plant a tree." When we responded with, "Sure you can" she said, "I need to get some tree seeds. Maybe I can plant an apple tree." It was such a sincere expression of interest in this task that I told Pam that I might just help her plant that tree when we get back home.
Thanks for reading!
Next stop: Jackson, Mississippi
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Hope you folks have a great trip!
Hi Jason,
Sounds like you're off to a great vacation. LA, MS & AL have some beautiful old cities, lots of history and homes. Looking forward to your updates.
Take care and have fun!
Jason, no doubt you will have fun. Just being with the family is enough.
That comment by your daughter was perfect.
Jason, now that is a road trip! I remember when I was young taking a "family" road trip from MA to AZ. One way. 21 of us, 5 cars, and oh boy, let me say that I still don't relish the thought, LOL. We took 3 weeks to do it, one cousin got married along the way, and the rest is top secret info. But your family is nothing like mine so I KNOW it will be a wonderful trip.
Have fun, enjoy, take some pictures for us and I am waiting for your next installment!
May you have an enjoyable trip, free from stress and with minimal "potty stops"!
Jason, sounds like some real quality time, I love the planting idea, wouldn't it be nice to years from now sit under that tree you two planted and enjoy an apple or two from it. You know (enjoy the fruits of your labor) ouch, sorry couldn't help that one...
Have a nice trip Jason. May I suggest you take a side trip to Vicksburg?
Jason: Your daughter sounds precious. Brings to mind a story about trees and a Texan I showed homes to here in Northern Virginia. This guy was not at all used to trees. Of course, to me, that's the surroundings I'm used to. For him, he kept remarking that he almost felt claustrophobic. In Houston he said he could see in any direction for miles. Not so in Northern Virginia. He kept feeling like something was going to jump around a corner and surprise him. Makes me understand why your kids were so enthralled with all the trees. Travel safe!
Road trips with the kids are great. I remember ones from my childhood as among the best memories of all.
You are a braver man than I. My three year old is content for MAYBE 2 hours on a road trip. Thank goodness for DVD's. Have a fun trip.
I have many fond memories of our family road trips! I'm excited you are headed to Atlanta.....I'm going too and look forward to seeing you!
Enjoy your family vacation Jason!
Jason, ENJOY! My family always took road trips when I was growing up and they are the best memories I have.
Jason...
If I can get away, I'll come and say hello to you and Jeremy. My schedule is tightening up, though,
Jason - Great idea to share your road trip with us! Do include some local dining with photos - that is always interesting.
Jason,
Sounds fun! We have built up road warriors - most trips we take are 8-11 hours, with our big summer trip at 15-16 each way! Now that they are older, it's gotten easier.
I'm hoping Atlanta will get some more blooms before you get here.
Looking forward to meeting you at RE Tech South.
All the best, Michelle
My favorite family vacation was a month-long road trip when my parents moved from New York to California when I was nine. The memories are still vivid and I hope the same for your children. Safe driving!
Jason, soounds like a great time for the kids and family.
As for your daughter, try this, (I did this with my boys) take and apple or orange, take the seeds out and let them dry, about 2 weeks or so. Then in some good soil, have each of the kids plant a seed. They should sprout in about 2 weeks or so. start with a small pot and then transplant into a larger pot.
A large pot works right away, but the transplanting will keep the interest up. Then in about 2 years, it can be panted out in the yard.
I did orange trees with my boys. To cold for them here, but we kept them for 10 years in a pot. Have fun!
my sister lived in Shreveport for a spell. nice place.
Hi Jason
You're making some great family memories.....
I remember taking trips with my parents......Really memorable.
Have fun
Jason, it's good to start the kids on road trips when they're young. We started traveling by car when our kids were very little. They have become great road warriors. We took the ultimate road trip several years ago and lived in an RV for almost 2 years. Now that's an education--one of the advantages of homeschooling. Have a great trip.
Tammie - You make an excellent point. We are actually heavily considered buying an RV for that very reason. We love homeschooling the kiddos.
Planting the tree with your daughter ought to be a fabulous treat for all of you and a great memory evey vacation from now on when you see the tree growing over the years. I know you're cherishing each minute of being together. Have a safe trip.
Nothing quite like the innocence of a child's words to bring a smile to your face. Enjoy your trip. Drive safely. And keep the Crouch Road Diaries coming!
Enjoy the trip. I'm glad that you guys are able to build in some vacation time around it. If you get a chance, check out the GA Aquarium.
Be safe Jason. :)