Road Trip Day - Spring Break 2018

We didn't leave first thing in the morning. Carrie wanted time to go to the barn and check on all of her ponies. She needed to drive by Jenny's and deliver funds from a saddle she'd helped Jenny sell, too.

So Shane and I packed and went to TKD. 

Eventually, Carrie got home. We started to pack the cats in the car. Max didn't seem happy, but she wasn't shell shocked. She mewed and poked around.

Bucket freaked.

She started mewing and I noticed a wet spot when she climbed out of the chair Carrie deposited her in.

She climbed up on the dashboard and peed again.

At that point, I (the cat allergic guy) had Max in my lap and Bucket peeing on the dash in front of me. Bucket then fell off the dash, clung to an air vent, and peed on the floor at my feet. Carrie had gone inside to get something she'd forgotten. I didn't want to open the door and have both cats bolt in different directions when Shane was my only help. I moved sandals, books, and whatever I could out of the yellow pools.

Carrie came back outside and grabbed Bucket from my feet. She threw Bucket into the litter box at the back as we grabbed paper towels and Resolve for damage control. Bucket crawled out of the litter box and peed on a suitcase while we worked. Then she jumped into the middle of the car and peed on a pillow.

That's when we abandoned bringing the cats. Carrie threw away the pillow and we herded the cats back inside. Bucket didn't want to move from under the car and Max wanted to explore the neighborhood.

We left much later than anticipated. It was about 2:35 PM.

Last year, I restricted the cats' food and water the night before. This year, I didn't since I didn't know when we'd be leaving. That could have been the deciding factor or maybe the 'terror' of the trip and Indy Anna was what triggered Bucket's paranoia.

We left the cats with lots of food and water and clean litter, but we'll have to head back a little early 'just in case' now.

I played Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban on my phone as Carrie drove. Shane took a nap partway.

That's one way to contain and conserve your excitement. He had trouble going to sleep when we got there!

We made it to Nana and Pop's at 8:24 PM. We talked and played for a little before Shane went to his room. The trip was done and the real fun could begin in the morning.

SPRING BREAK 2018!!

Thank God! We made it to spring break! I've needed it. I haven't missed a full day of work three quarters in and I feel it. 

It was an early release day, so there was plenty of day light when I got home. Shane was already there. Carrie picked him up when his school got out early. I had to work on grades. 

The weather outside was beautiful. Shane asked if he could go out. I opened all the windows and said, "Stay in our yard."

I listened and let him play. I checked on him when I heard metal clang. Shane had decided he wanted to dig up and pot a dandelion.

My contribution was to suggest he bring the pot outside rather than carry dirt and the dandelion through the house.

I figured Raheem would have shown up, but he didn't. He may have left for the weekend to be with his father or his other step-father.

In other news, have I mentioned Shane loves Nutella? He's been crazy for it for at least a couple of months. Either it's a peanut-butter-Nutella sandwhich or Nutella on bread. He doesn't like his bread toasted. He wants it cold. He'd eat the Nutella off the spoon if I let him.

We're still working on picking up his mess after he makes a sandwich. We tried to clean up the house a bit and do laundry to be ready for our Spring Break trip.

More Soccer

Soccer may end up being Shane's sport.

He won a dribbling game twice. He threw a minor fit when he came in second for another game.

He should have been thrilled. I hadn't expected him to do so well in either game!

I thought practice was going to be cancelled for rain. The forecast predicted dreary weather from Tuesday on, but Thursday ended up nearly 80 degrees and perfect soccer weather.

Shane has never forgotten Coach Brian swinging him by the arms at the end of last season. He's asked at every practice to go for a spin!

I'd love to get him to practice some at home.....but I'm going to need more energy for that!

Some Things Don't Change

Shane was drawing tornadoes when I picked him up from school. 

Cannonball!

Last day of this round of swim lessons.

Shane has improved!

I didn't realize the far end of the pool he was swimming in was 10 ft.

I sat at the far end to get a different vantage point. I'm too far away and Shane can't hear me when he's swimming, so I don't even try to correct him. The teacher got on his case for trying to swim over a girl he caught up with. The little boy in the class and Shane started bumping each other while waiting their turn to dive in once, as well.

Shane got to end practice in his favorite way ever.

I need to sign Shane up for April lessons soon. As long as he keeps improving, I don't plan on stopping.

Independence Training

Rah hobbled up to the house and was waiting for Shane to get back from school. He cut his foot on some broken glass. Shane and Rah ended up playing a board game on the porch.

Meanwhile, I snuck inside. I figured it was a good chance to try and practice some independence for Shane. I could see and hear them through a window, so I left them to it. I made chai. I popped back outside when they started to move off of the porch.

Rah's foot may have been hurt, but it wasn't that hurt. The boys started climbing trees and wrestling around. I played a round of Kingdomino with them in between roughhousing.

I tell Rah that he'd have made a good older brother. He's pretty good about roughing up the little kids in a way that's fun and doesn't hurt them.

Shane got to make his own sandwhich for dinner after we went in.

He's got to learn to clean up his messes next. Only so much you can do in a day, though!

NOVA Day 2

I would have preferred a cheap hotel like last time, but alas. Vacancy was limited and prices were up. There was some sort of event/protest/march in town for the weekend. Shane and I found ourselves sharing a bedroom in an older couple's house in South Riding.

I heard Shane moving around at 6 AM. The kid went to bed an hour late and woke up an hour early! I ignored it and prayed he'd go back to sleep. At 6:10 AM I rolled over and saw him peeking at me over the edge of the bed.

"Go back to sleep."

"I can't!"

"Try!"

I gave up at 6:45 AM. 

Shane spent the night in a sleeping bag. He'd been really excited about it. He even chose it over the bed!

Shane went to playing with his new Transformers toys once the lights went on.

I read and planned our next move. The early wake-up call hadn't been part of the formula.

We left the airbnb around 7:30 AM. Our hosts were still sleeping. I didn't know if there would be breakfast or not, but I didn't know how long I could keep Shane contained in our room. I didn't want to roam in a stranger's house.

I also wanted coffee.

Churches have coffee. I wanted to visit our old church anyway, so Shane and I left to go to the 8 AM service at New Life.

We were running early, so I asked Shane if he wanted to see our old house. 

We drove by his preschool, the playground, and our old street. I don't know how familiar everything looked to Shane. I enjoyed the trip down memory lane, though.

It looks like the family who moved in to our house chose to attend New Life!

I doubt they were at the 8 AM service. It was spring break week for Fairfax County. Attendance was light. I wouldn't have recognized them anyway.

We left in a rush to meet Matt, Renee, and Aiden at their church. Matt texted me a warning I had the time wrong. There was an hour to spare!

I took Shane to grab a breakfast burrito at a NOVA staple.

Shane only wanted to whine and complain, though. I eventually forced him to try a bite. When he didn't like it, I audibled and went to pick up bagels (twist my arm!). 

We beat Matt and Renee to their church. Aiden had a surprise poop they changed before going out the door.

Shane was eager to meet his newest cousin.

This was our first chance to see the youngest addition to the family.

Matt and Renee stay very busy.

It was a long church service. Shane joined us for the music, but then left with the other kid's for Sunday school.

I pulled out my phone to amuse Aiden and grab a few selfies.

You'd think he'd never seen a smart phone before!

We got to talk for a little bit afterwards,...

...but then it was time for Aiden's nap.

We met up with the gang at Uncle Julio's for a birthday lunch.

Shane didn't get the Final Fantasy reference, but he knew a Charizard when he saw one!

There was a lot of talking. Sitting, talking, and eating is not really Shane's thing.

He did really well all things considered. We played some more "I Spy" and he burned the little battery I had on my phone.

I took him for leg stretch interlude after he ate. We were sad the giant chess pieces weren't out.

We hopped from wall to wall. I encouraged him to climb up the sign.

Then I encouraged him to have his fun and get out before we got in trouble.

We rejoined the group, said our farewells, and then headed out. Only then, Shane needed to poop. We said our true, final goodbyes after he made his deposit.

Jama's was next.

She wasn't home, though.

There was a USMC band performance many of the residents had gone to. Shane and I left a note at the front desk for her.

Which was not long after Carrie started calling us and saying, "When are you going to be home?" Carrie had spent the weekend working at Grandma and Grandpa's while we were out. She missed us!

We made time to stop by a certain Korean bakery on our way out of town.

Shane crashed.

He started to open-mouthed drool.

I let him nap for half an hour. Then I put all the windows down and woke him up. It took a while for the noise and cold to do it's job, but rouse he did. Monday was a school day, so screwing up the sleep schedule was a no-no.

We made it home before 6 PM. That gave us some time to rest and unwind before bed. For Shane, that meant a video game on the computer (Transformers: Devastation). For me, a recliner.