And we're off! (again)

Tomorrow morning we are leaving to drive to Niagara Falls for a few days. We're going over to the Canadian side which is MUCH nicer than the American side. The first trip that Lincoln and I ever took together was to Niagara Falls and that was almost 10 years ago. That trip involved a bright red heart-shaped jacuzzi tub and this one involves a "Kids Love Niagara" family package. What a difference 10 years makes.

As I was packing for the trip tonight it made me laugh at how much I think in terms of air travel. I am so used to packing efficiently and with the thought of current airline security requirements. I carefully rolled all of our clothes so that Hannah and Jake can share one small suitcase and Lincoln and I share a slightly bigger one. I immediately started digging out shampoo and conditioner in little bottles no bigger than a few ounces. Then it occurred to me....we're driving. I don't have to pack like that. I can pack however I want. If I want to throw random last minute items in the back of the car I can. I can bring pillows and blankets. The kids can bring toys and games. As a matter of fact I need them to bring toys and games. It's a 6-hour car ride and that doesn't include however long it will take us to cross the border. It is such a liberating feeling to be able to pack that way.

This trip is a little "warm-up" for our trip to Iowa this summer. This one is six hours in each direction whereas when we go to Iowa we'll be doing 13 hours a day in the car for two days going out and three days coming back (we're coming back from Minnesota instead of Iowa which gives us that extra 10-hour day.)

We are taking Lincoln's laptop with us but I don't know if we'll have Internet in the room. I noticed something on the website about there being free Internet access in the lobby so I would guess they might not have it in the rooms. I'm sure I'll have lots of pictures to post when we get back although the weather isn't supposed to be too great. Hopefully we can get all the outdoorsy stuff done on the one day that it isn't going to rain and do all the indoor stuff the other two days. Wish us luck!

You can also wish us luck using the kids' passports. They've never used their passports and Hannah's picture was taken when she was 3 1/2, which isn't too bad, but Jake's was taken when he was 2 months old. Needless to say it doesn't look anything like him.