The Road to the Middle of Nowhere

Some of my blog posts may interest other people and some posts may leave people wondering why I felt I needed to share.  I write my blog to record our family memories.  If someone happens to enjoying it along the way, that is great!!  I had an experience yesterday and when I mentioned that I was going to write a blog post Rachel said, "This is really one of those You-Had-to-be-There-Moments."  I told her that was fine.  When I look back a few years from now and read this post, I will remember how funny it was for me and the kids.

Our friends Becky, Matt and their two girls are visiting for Spring Break.  One of the things on Becky's list of "Things to Do" was to visit the Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain.  The kids and I love going there so we tagged along.

We had planned to be on the road around 8:45 a.m. in order to make it to the park around opening time.  Becky sent me a text about 6:45 a.m. (Yes, she texted me when we were both in the same house.  It was really a great idea.  As we have people scattered in different sleeping arrangements throughout the house, I didn't want to get up and wander around the house and needlessly wake someone up.  She sent me a text when she got up to see if I was awake and we had some quiet coffee time before anyone else was up...I digress.)  About 7:30 we discussed waking everyone up to get ready to go, but we were enjoying our quiet so much, we decided to wait. 

By the time everyone was up, had eaten breakfast and got ready to go, it was 10:30.  That meant we would get there about lunch time.  Our big decision...did we want to pack sandwiches or just grab something when we got close?  Feeling lazy, we decided we would just grab something when we got close. 

We were in two separate vehicles.  Rachel texted Becky (Relax...Matt was driving...no texting and driving here) and we decided we would stop just before getting off the interstate.  Who would have known it was going to be a scenic highway with nothing in sight?  We both checked out the GPS and found a Subway about 5 miles away.  It was past the animal park, so really only about 2-3 miles out of our way.  Here are the text messages that followed.

Rachel: Cool. We found one and it's our new destination.

Becky:  Shake Rag Rd?  We will follow you.

(Oh, yes.  It was really on Shake Rag Rd.)

After driving, and driving and driving...

Becky: Is this Subway in AL?

Rachel:  Ha, ha.

We finally turn onto Shake Rag Road.  As we were turning, I was quite certain there would not be a Subway this far in the middle of nowhere.  When the GPS said we were arriving at our destination on the left, all I saw was a cow pasture.

Becky:  Is the Subway in some Hillbilly's garage?

Then we passed this large pink stucco shack.

The next thing that looked remotely interesting and/or close by (according to the GPS) was the Purple Cow Cafe.  This took us on some more middle of nowhere roads.  When we passed the sign that read, "Prison Detail" I locked the doors.  We didn't see any prisoners.  Matt told Becky they must have escaped.  By this time we were already slap happy. 

Rachel:  The whatever colored cow thing better be open and have a bathroom because my mom needs to go potty.

We came to a four way stop with signs directing us to the highways.  I made the decision to follow the GPS toward the Purple Cow. 

Rachel:  That stop sign was probably our only road to civilization.

Becky calls and says, "Why didn't you turn toward the highway."
The road that the GPS told me to turn on did not exist where it said to turn.  At this point we were back to the highway.  I pulled over and called Becky.  She said, "Well, why don't we just take the highway until we find something."  I asked her if she wanted to try north or south.  She suggested south.  Worse case scenario, we will hit Columbus.

Rachel: How could driving this far out of the middle of nowhere still leave us in the middle of nowhere.

Becky:  Matt's doing an I told you so.  He voted to go north.

Rachel: Mom says she didn't vote.  She just followed your advice.

Becky:  Yeah, I know.  But seriously, this has got to be the only stretch of interstate in America without some sort of fast food every 5 miles.

Rachel:  Hannah says, "If we would've gone to the animal safari we would have been done by now and could be getting something on our way home.

We passed a couple exits that had only gas stations.  We finally saw a blue sign that had three hotels listed on it.  I thought for sure with three hotels, there would be at least one restaurant.  We had been thinking fast food, but after searching for an hour backwoods of Georgia, Cracker Barrel or something similar would have been fine. 

The next sign had a title for gas stations and listed two or three.  Underneath the gas stations was a title for food and then it was blank.  Again, tears from too much laughing.
We were on the outskirts of the Columbus before we found a Burger King.  I'm thinking taking the two minutes before we left to grab the cooler and throw in some turkey and chips would have lost us a lot of laughs!!

BUGZ

That was the title of Hannah's second grade play.  They were the cutest bunch of bugs ever!!  The music teacher did such a great job with simple costumes.

Some of the bugs spotted in the garden were...

army ants

roaches who of course sang, "La Cucaracha"

a bumblebee played by one of Hannah's BFFs, Bess

dragonflies

and our own little maggot played by none other than Miss Hannah.

Alien Heart

Hannah has been studying the human heart in her Target class.  She has learned the different parts and their functions.  To wrap up the unit, the students were assigned the task of creating an alien heart.  They were to use supplies they could find around the house.  The alien heart had the same basic parts as a human heart, but in different numbers.

I have a hard time with projects like these that are done at home because many come back with more than a little help from parents.  Hannah designed and created her own heart.  My part was to use the hot glue gun.

After Hannah drew her sketch, she went through the house to find items to represent each part.  The only items we purchased were purple tissue paper to fill up the lung and a bright colored sock to use as the chambers.  The lung is a recycled container cheese balls came in.  It was perfect because it gave a sturdy base and surface to attach the parts of the heart.

I was worried that Hannah's teacher wouldn't realize this was a totally student created project, but she came up to me at school the morning Hannah turned it in and told me how much she loved it.

Tender Heart

Aaron has been reading the Harry Potter series.  He can't seem to put it down.  He finished book three one night in bed.  He came into my room almost in tears and said, "That was such a good book."  I asked him if someone died and he said, "No, it was just a good book."  He went and told PK and then went to bed and just bawled.

I am reading the series along with him and finished book three a couple days behind him.  There was nothing that was really sad, so I started talking to Aaron about the end of the book.  Without giving away too much of the story line, as a baby Harry is saved from evil by his mother's love and readers find that out in book one.  Aaron said, "It is just nice how love is so powerful."  That is why he was crying.  So stinkin' sweet.   

The New "F" Word

There is a new "F" word in our house.  It didn't even occur to me that it was a "not so nice" word until I had to use it to describe myself.  Actually, I think the first person to use it in actual reference to me was my husband.

Today is my birthday.  We started celebrating this past weekend.  We went to my new favorite Mexican restaurant and to a movie.  The first sign of old age may be falling asleep in the middle of a movie that started at 7:15.

PK got the kids up


a bit early this morning

and they set up a little party for me.

There were cards (this one was from Hannah)

 

and cake (the same husband who used the "F" word also called this cake a campfire due to the number of candles)

and a present!!

What could have possibly been in that big ol' box?

My brand new KitchenAid!!  I've wanted one for quite a while, but I couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of money.  They were on sale on Black Friday and even with the additional coupon I had, I still couldn't do it.  PK did!!!  Now all I have to do is decide what to make first.

As we are celebrating and eating cookie cake for breakfast (that's just the way we roll), my husband says, "Well, you are (wait for it...think of it in slow motion) fffff.....oooorrr.....ttttyyyy."  He didn't really say it in slow motion, but that is how I remember it.  I looked at him and said, "That is now the new "F" word and we will not say it in this house." 

Arrow of Light

Aaron is in his fifth year of Cub Scouts.  He and PK have enjoyed many scout activities together.  Aaron just received his Arrow of Light award.  This is the highest award a boy can earn as a Cub Scout.  He technically has the rest of the school year to finish up as a Cub Scout, but he and the other members of his den have chosen their new Boy Scout troops.  We will have even more scouting adventures in the not too distant future.

Aaron receiving final awards from his den leader.

PK and Aaron with his Arrow of Light award.

Aaron being accepted by the Boy Scouts.

Aaron with his old den.

Lovin' Ray Style

There was a time when I would make the kids a hot breakfast several times a week.  When Hannah was in kindergarten I would get up and make homemade muffins and send some to the teachers.  I lost my mojo somewhere along the way.  Now they grab PopTarts, cereal and instant oatmeal.

I got motivated for Valentine's Day and got up early to make them a special breakfast.

I got out our heart shaped plates.

Then I made pancakes and used my handy dandy heart shaped cookie cutter.

They each received a little heart Pez.

Then all four of my Valentines enjoyed.