Drop Off in WV

Since Jon is going to be gone on his mission trip for 10 days and the partner that I work with a lot is going to be on vacation for a week (with 2 deals that need "running"), I decided that Hannah needed to do her week with Grandma & Grandpap Folger this week. Last summer during Jon's trip, his parents stayed at our house and watched Hannah during the day so I was able to have a "not empty" house (although I ended up working a ton that week, so it may not have mattered).....but this year they already got a week with Hannah at the beginning of the month, so to keep things fair, I'm going to have an empty house all week with Hannah in WV....but I am keeping Abby with me, so it won't be totally empty!

Last year when Hannah went to WV, my parents came and got her....this year, after dropping Jon at the airport, I drove Hannah (and Abby) myself. Due to recent potty training and the post-lunch naptime, I was trying to figure out how to do this trip with stops (because one of the long sections of road at the 1/2 way point has few places to stop and the rest area is closed). I decided to stop at Buckeye Lake and get McDonald's, and then take Hannah (and Abby) to the rest area down the road to eat. It was WAY too hot to even consider leaving the dog in the car. So, we ordered our lunch and then headed to the rest area.

At the rest area, the picnic tables were too far from the cars to feel comfortable taking either Hannah or Abby over and then going to get the other. So, I was trying to carry food for us, hold Hannah's hand, and Abby on her leash. Abby was excited to be out, so she was pulling....Hannah was trying to run. Needless to say, we had at least one adjustment on the (short) walk to the picnic tables and Hannah was "helping" by carrying some stuff. Three feet from the tables, Abby lunges, my drink falls to the ground and splashes Hannah. Hannah starts crying because she got wet....Abby received a beat down and was told to lay down. What a way to start lunch.....trust me, it didn't get better. Hannah didn't want her chicken nuggets, so we swapped for my cheeseburger (I always drive Jon crazy by getting the 95 cent regular cheeseburger and not the $1 double - he says it doesn't make any sense, but I don't want a double...). Then, she spilled her milk all over her shirt because those milk containers don't have foil underneath the lids so you can just poke a straw through. More tears. We were at lunch FOREVER. I used every single napkin we had cleaning up my drink and Hannah's milk and in the end was using the bag to sop up some more spilled milk. I got everyone back to the car and left Abby while I took Hannah in to the potty. I left Hannah's shorts on, but down at her ankles and she proceeded to pee on them by splashing out of the potty somehow. More tears. We washed our hands and I turned on the dryer -- MORE tears. Back to the car for a change of clothes and a baby wipe bath.... Great. Hopefully she'll nap, since it's nap time, right???? WRONG. No nap. She talked and talked the whole way there. By Marietta she was starting to get tired, but she wasn't about to "give it up." When she saw the bridge into St. Mary's, she said "we're almost to Grandma's" and got an extra dose of energy. By the time we got to my mom and dad's (HOURS after dropping off Jon), I was exhausted and she was ready to run and play with Grandma! How in the world did my mom regularly travel with the 3 of us (all born within 3 1/2 years of each other) by herself?!?!?!

I managed to enjoy getting spoiled by my parents until Saturday night (they watch Hannah, they feed me great meals), when I had to leave right after bathtime so I could be home to do a client meeting SUNDAY afternoon at my office (that was conveniently scheduled during my drive to WV). I hadn't planned on leaving until Sunday morning, but it would have been hard to get Abby home and me back to the office on time for the meeting (especially having to be dressed presentably), so I went ahead and did the evening drive. It wasn't bad, but I've been spoiled by having Jon chauffeur me everywhere since we've been married ; )

Here are some pictures I took on Saturday while Hannah was playing with Grandma:

Jon has always said he's going to be forced to watch years of low-scoring, no dunking girls' basketball....he may be right. Hannah loved playing ball with Grandma. Grandma got Hannah a tricycle to ride, but Hannah's legs aren't quite strong enough to make it go...(but you should see her hang from the monkey bars - that's where her muscles are!)
Hannah and Grandma in the creek...with Hannah leading the way!

Hannah waving at Mommy (I'm up on the bridge)

Hannah loved throwing rocks - especially the big ones that made a splash!

This is my parents' chow chow, Bear.

I've always grown up with big outdoor dogs (my dad used to famously say that he had 3 kids and didn't need any other pets in the house). When I was little we had german shepherds and some sort of lab mix (that we had for over 15 years - my parents got him before they had me). We also had a beagle and an assortment of mutts, as well as farm cats, rabbits, horses, cows, pigs, and a chicken or two. Needless to say, my parents have downsized in the animal department and Bear is the only dog right now. Bear's getting pretty old, so Mom was careful to make sure she was in between Hannah and Bear at all times....because Hannah wanted to hug and pet Bear like she does Abby. Although Bear may have enjoyed that a few years ago, these days (he's at least 12, I think) it is better to play it safe since he isn't around kids and is getting to be a grumpy old man. Most of the summer he is hiding out underground in an old canning cellar (which Hannah always wanted to go investigate) because he is so hot, so at least it's not a constant battle to keep Hannah away from him.