Off to America

Lexie our Ford Flex is packed stem to stern.

Family Road Trips!

Love em' or hate em', 'tis the season to set off to explore designations unknown.

(Read: a jaunt across the U.S. border to shop outlet malls and visit waterslides.)

For we Carmichaels that means farming out Zoe the Dog to Grandma Carmichael, Pink and Floyd the Gerbils to Granny, and Billy the Beta Fish to Grandpa Dave. Yes, it takes many grandparents to allow us to flee the city for five nights in the metropolis known as Minneapolis.


Ah America, our southern neighbour, how shiny and exciting you are to our soon to be nine-year-old and twelve-year-old daughters. The Lego Store, American Girl, Valley Fair and more, a mere eight hour drive
away.

When I suggested this adventure I was absolutely sure The Drew loved long car rides.

I personally would avoid them like mosquitoes in a bog, but I was certain he had a passion for them. Who doesn't want to sit crammed in a stuffy car, slowly losing all feeling in your buttocks, while your patience flees as quickly as a mangy dog flees a bath under a garden hose?

Apparently, I was wrong. In fact, he thought I had a yearning for a Carmichael Car Trip, because as kids my brother and I spent every summer at our cottage at Brereton Lake and never partook in this Canadian tradition.

Yes, yet another classic Three's Company Moment Ala Carmichael Style.

So, wish us luck as we cram ourselves into Lexie tomorrow at 7 am and head south.

First stop: Timmy's for two extra large double-doubles, followed by a Xanax chaser. 

No need to judge, people.

Coffee = Happy Mommy

Santa, Can You Hear Me?

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I know it's only July but the kids are building their Christmas list. I guess they paid attention last summer when I stuffed the van top to bottom with "just in case, utter emergency" supplies.

Perhaps they took notes as I repeated, yoga mantra style, "It never hurts to be prepared."

Of course I ignored my husband's frequent references to my OCD-like attention to every possible road trip crisis. Come on, doesn't everyone pack 48 markers, a 64 pack of crayons (with built in sharpener), two back up pencil sharpeners, 3 boxes of Kleenex, GPS, CAA maps, and a cooler of food.

Did I mention the cutting board and knife?

appletreebulkherbs.ca

Okay, so apples may not fall far from trees and I definitely have two mini-me apples; one a Granny Smith the other a Gala. Totally different varieties but still the same fruit. My little apples are just planning ahead. Making sure Santa has enough supplies for their present order of Lego.

Not just any Lego, but the new "girl" line - Lego Friends.

Yes, it's mostly pink, but there's nothing weak about it and from my brief stint as a "Lego Lady" I see the wisdom in their early Christmas order. Lego has a history of running out of the most popular sets and in Canada this is even a greater risk.

For my over planning pommes, a Lego deprived Christmas is too horrible to consider. Hence, the 6 month early Christmas list.

For the past two days the girls have played Lego; building cars, helicopters, and houses with impossibly tiny doors. And the best part? They never argue when they're Legoing. Not one snarky comment. Nada. Zilch.

So, as I sit writing quietly in my cottage living room with tiny powder pink and celery green bricks wedged into my heels, I have to say, "Pass me a stamp."

This is one letter that must get to the North Pole before the December rush.

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*This could totally be me. Joyfully writing while the girls build cities of Lego.
Except for the "bigger-than-my-head" veggie burger.
Definitely would've gone for the Smokie dog.
Just sayin.'