"Get Me Out of This Crazy Van!"

Mr. Graff and I try to let our littles know what is happening, but life has been happening at such a fast pace recently that, sometimes the messages get a little boggled. 

We told Rae that we were going to get in the car to go see Grandma. "NO. We have to fly to Gwammas," he told us. 

So, we tried to explain our complicated itinerary: to this Grandma's, now to a wedding, back to Grandma's, no, not that Grandma, the Grandma who has fish. Now to the beach for a few days, back to the Grandma with fishes. Now to an airplane. Now to another airplane. Now to Grandma and Grandpa's until Daddy comes and gets us.  

After that long winded explanation, we loaded up and left. 

A few hours down the road and Rae started saying, (then saying louder), 

"Get me out of this cwazy van!" 

"We got a long way to go," says Mr. Graff. 

It's a lot of upheaval, and routine changes, and time zone changes. Overall, everyone has done well. I'm glad we are settled for a little while and hoping for routine to kick in (and the tired headache to leave). I'm rather proud of my littles. 

We got to spend time with a lot of family (it's amazing that twenty people can live together peacefully with only two toilets, seven of those twenty people being under the age of four). 

So here are some highlights: 

Aunt Squid introduced Caleb to the pool. She even gave him his face in the water experience.  

Rae, uninterested in flotation devices, held fiercely onto the side of the pool and made his way around the edges. He would then pull himself up and run (I mean, walk) back to the stairs and go again.  

I love it when Aunt Squid reads to my babies. I think she's reading "Go, Dog, Go!" 

We got to take a ferry ride to see a Ft. Fisher, a Confederacy Civil War fort. It has a large earthen works fortification and was THE port for the South during the Civil War. Because it was so well fortified, it was not taken until the Civil War was almost over. 

The beach was wonderful. I loved hearing the waves while we slept, and the cool breezes off the ocean. I liked collecting seashells and strolling after the boys went to sleep. Caleb would wake up stupid early, so we'd go watch the sunrise on the beach and walk to the pier. 

Rae loved going to the beach with Grandpa. He has a raccoon sunburn and a fearlessness about the salty waves. Well, at least if Grandpa is holding him. 

Joe, my child that holds himself rigid and screams during baths, loves the ocean. He grabbed my hand and had me walk in him as far as I would go. He loved the waves and giggled and stomped on the foam. 

Most of Caleb's beach days were in the wicked early morning hours, but here he's napping on the sand. 

I like Joe's hair. 

We made it safe to Grandma and Grandpa's house, on two flights with three adults, three small kids, and a dog. There was so much luggage and logistics, but I am super grateful for all the people that helped us along the way! 

And now we are out of that crazy van and on to new adventures.