Filling up my iPod with stories galore, checking out books, stuffing crafts in bags, stacking the cooler with every variety of car friendly food imaginable, and filling up ALL the water bottles.  These are my tasks for the weekend.  We are preparing for a really long road trip; Just the boys and I.  And honestly, as daunting as it seems, I am so very excited.  The prospect of having no chores to handle, and having everything new and unexpected is refreshing rather than a burden.  I can’t wait to listen to Farmer Boy again (it has really good homesteading tips!),  or catch up with my favorite sparkle stories!  And now that I have an avid reader it will be lovely to sit up in a hotel room knee to knee reading books after a good swim in the hotels pool.  Oh sure, there will be chaos and quarrel.  But when is there not really?  I am choosing to pick up the excitement my boys are throwing out there, and go for it.

Amongst our stops to see very good friends, the stop that has the boys jittering with excitement is Niagara Falls! Five amazing years ago, (click on link for that blog post) two of my three babies got to feel the energy of such an amazing rush of water.  I believe they are old enough for this trip to sink a little deeper into their memories this go at it.

It will be terribly hard to leave this little crook of our hill.  I have carefully instructed my husband on the art of squishing both bugs of potato and squash, taught him where extra watering is required, batted my eyelashes in hopes of heightening the possibility of weeding now and then, and given the rundown on how to concoct hummingbird food while we are away.  The piggies will miss their thrice daily dose of delicious cows milk and will have to settle for a mundane two I am sure.  The neighbors will have to survive without their weekly serranading of “MONARCH HILL ITEMS!!!!” on Wednesday.  Mostly, we will welcome this green magical spot even more so upon our return.  For even though it is only a week, it will be well missed I know.   (Enjoy the rare picture of me, courtesy of my sweet Rowan, as per requested by my sweet brother)

Any tips for a long solo adventure with three boys?  I am up for any advice!