Monday, October 17, 2005
Well, we did it! We traveled to St. Louis two weeks ago towing a Fiat sports car! We went to the "Live and Learn" Unschooling conference 2005, in Fairview Heights, Illinois. It was a blast!
The trip started Wednesday night at 10:00 pm, the 5th of October. We figured Naomi (16 mos.) would travel better at night. She really did, she slept all night! We were in the hills of Tennessee and Kentucky at 2-3:00 am. Wow, is Kentucky dark at that time of night. I woke Elizabeth up to see the grand city of Nashville, TN. We stopped in the hills for a brief shut eye for only ten minutes. Other than that, we really drove straight through the night. Our van towing the Fiat convertible really drank the tank.
We entered Illinois at 6:00 am. The kids woke up around 8:00 am, they were tired, but excited! We stopped at Cracker Barrel somewhere in Southern Illinois, eating breakfast out was a BIG treat and yet a big disappointment. Jeff's biscuit by Southern standards, was not a biscuit. It was the size of a half dollar, worse yet, it had a quarter size slab of hated ham, it was suppose to be sausage! Jeff dispises ham. His bowl of grits, if you want to call them that, a small saucer of about two tablespoons of crunchy, Midwestern grits. So pitiful a breakfast to Southern standards!
Baby had enough of traveling at about 10:00 am. She cried for a few exits before being entertained by siblings. Jeff's brother, Greg was to meet us in St Louie. We arrived at our destination at 11:00 am, Greg showed up ten minutes later. Both brothers got the trailer and car switched to Greg's car in minutes. All went like clockwork!
After Greg treated us to Taco Bell, we made it to the conference to check in. It was amazing walking in, we were treated to all colors of hair on the teens. The adults were "my" type of clothing; Birkenstocks, shorts and tie dyed tee's galore! Baby's, toddlers, tweens, teens and more! My kids fit right in immediately. Bo found the conference director's son, Duncan, they live in Columbia, SC with us!!! Kelly Lovejoy is wonderful! She has a "Big picture" mind that I can't even fathom!! She arranges these conferences yearly, all over the country.
We stayed and listened to a couple of speakers even though we were bone tired. (Actually, I wasn't very sleepy from inhaling Coke's all night, caffeine really affects me). Bo and Hope made a beeline to the Yu-gi-ho dueling lounge. Baby went to the toddler room with Hannah. Elizabeth opted to stay with us. The speaker talked about "Mindful Parenting." I'm not too sure Jeff got it, but I have had a Paradigm shift, I'm a no spanking mother now. I can't believe I did spank my older kids. Naomi is a new start. Here is Sandra Dodd, the speaker, http://sandradodd.com/peacefulparenting
After the talk, we went back to the hotel. Bo ended up staying with Kelly Lovejoy and Duncan the entire conference! There!! Our dilemma of sneaking 7 people into a 5 a room was solved. We figured if asked, surely the baby wouldn't count. The baby and I flopped on the bed...we were dead to the world. The rest of the family slipped out to the mall across the street to eat in the food court.
End of day one.
The trip started Wednesday night at 10:00 pm, the 5th of October. We figured Naomi (16 mos.) would travel better at night. She really did, she slept all night! We were in the hills of Tennessee and Kentucky at 2-3:00 am. Wow, is Kentucky dark at that time of night. I woke Elizabeth up to see the grand city of Nashville, TN. We stopped in the hills for a brief shut eye for only ten minutes. Other than that, we really drove straight through the night. Our van towing the Fiat convertible really drank the tank.
We entered Illinois at 6:00 am. The kids woke up around 8:00 am, they were tired, but excited! We stopped at Cracker Barrel somewhere in Southern Illinois, eating breakfast out was a BIG treat and yet a big disappointment. Jeff's biscuit by Southern standards, was not a biscuit. It was the size of a half dollar, worse yet, it had a quarter size slab of hated ham, it was suppose to be sausage! Jeff dispises ham. His bowl of grits, if you want to call them that, a small saucer of about two tablespoons of crunchy, Midwestern grits. So pitiful a breakfast to Southern standards!
Baby had enough of traveling at about 10:00 am. She cried for a few exits before being entertained by siblings. Jeff's brother, Greg was to meet us in St Louie. We arrived at our destination at 11:00 am, Greg showed up ten minutes later. Both brothers got the trailer and car switched to Greg's car in minutes. All went like clockwork!
After Greg treated us to Taco Bell, we made it to the conference to check in. It was amazing walking in, we were treated to all colors of hair on the teens. The adults were "my" type of clothing; Birkenstocks, shorts and tie dyed tee's galore! Baby's, toddlers, tweens, teens and more! My kids fit right in immediately. Bo found the conference director's son, Duncan, they live in Columbia, SC with us!!! Kelly Lovejoy is wonderful! She has a "Big picture" mind that I can't even fathom!! She arranges these conferences yearly, all over the country.
We stayed and listened to a couple of speakers even though we were bone tired. (Actually, I wasn't very sleepy from inhaling Coke's all night, caffeine really affects me). Bo and Hope made a beeline to the Yu-gi-ho dueling lounge. Baby went to the toddler room with Hannah. Elizabeth opted to stay with us. The speaker talked about "Mindful Parenting." I'm not too sure Jeff got it, but I have had a Paradigm shift, I'm a no spanking mother now. I can't believe I did spank my older kids. Naomi is a new start. Here is Sandra Dodd, the speaker, http://sandradodd.com/peacefulparenting
After the talk, we went back to the hotel. Bo ended up staying with Kelly Lovejoy and Duncan the entire conference! There!! Our dilemma of sneaking 7 people into a 5 a room was solved. We figured if asked, surely the baby wouldn't count. The baby and I flopped on the bed...we were dead to the world. The rest of the family slipped out to the mall across the street to eat in the food court.
End of day one.
