Our 3rd day on the road

First I would like to say that time changes really mess me up. I thought I was waking up at 6:45 so we could get showered, have breakfast and then on the road....but no dang central time zone had me waking up at 7:45 and by the time 7 of us showered (we didn't get in until after 11 Mountain time last night), had breakfast, got me a coffee fuled up we got on the road right before 10. It was only 77 miles to Iowa. About 50 miles into Iowa we saw a Bass Pro shop. We saw it, I said quietly to Clint we can stop if you want he said ok and went a little further up until the exit. Once were getting off the interstate we hear "where are my shoes" "I have mine on"... Bass Pro was not the only store in this area. There were a ton of places to stop. When we asked the boys were we were going they said "bass pro" at this time Clint or I hadn't even mentioned the stores name. We asked how they knew we were going there Noah said "I saw it and we started to get off on the exit so of course we were going there".



We had an extended break in Bass Pro then had lunch at Red Lobster. Once we got back on the road we called Clint's parents to find out where there were. They had told us the day before that they would also be headed to St Louis today. They were only a few minutes ahead of us and we met at a Wendys. The boys got to enjoy a frosty with Papa Jimmy for his birthday before they had to get back on the road.



Poor Mason has a problem with constipation and today it the day he finally has to go. It has been rough. The prunes, juice etc obviously isn't working so next stop I'm going to walgreens to get some Miralax.



We are now in Missouri this is the last state for the day. Tomorrow we go to Six Flags. Yay I love roller coasters!

Day 2

Today has kinda been a long day. We got up at 8 had a very good continental breakfast (I didn't know they could be so good) had to re-pack some of our things so it would be easier tonight and we won't have to bring in so many bags, fueled up and found me a latte we left Billings at 10.



We have since left Montana, Traveled though Wyoming and are trying to get across South Dakota. South Dakota has a lot of road construction so it is taking a little longer then planned. The crazy thing is that there seems to be a lot of orange cones and slower speed zones but rarely have we actually seen any construction occurring. Clint did get to visit with a very nice police officer in one of these areas. There was a sign that the left lane was going to close then a 55 speed limit sign. (Previously 75). Clint slowed and was right above 60 (right on the other side of the sign) and got pulled over. We owe the great state of S. Dakota $85. I'm sure they will use it to buy more orange cones. There are a few miles of interstate that all of the lanes are open and I'm sure they would like to make some sort of fun diversion......

Anyway fun things we did : Wall Drug. Always something fun to see there. We drove almost 700 miles. It will be one of our longer days (thank goodness it is over). Mason was very good and is turning into a decent traveler. The other boys spent the entire day watching movies, playing the ds and even took a nap. Clint and I played the "I'm going on a trip and I'm going to bring..." game. I started with an acorn and he decided to bring a bra (maybe to hold the acorns? no sure).

It was a long, but good day!

Day 1

Yesterday was Day 1 of our trip. I got home from work at 7:30 and we left our house at 8:10. We then drove to Billings. It was after midnight when we checked into our room. Noah, Jake and Ethan watched racing stripes on the way to Billings and giggled throughout the movie. (I LOVE giggles). Mason was tired since we left after his bedtime and when I came home from work he wanted me to put him night-night. He cried for a good portion of the drive. He finally got to sleep but would wake up crying whenever a car would pass up going in the opposite direction.

Since Mason kinda took a nap when we got into our hotel room he didn't love the idea of sleeping. Day 1 is done!

Almost There!

The summer has just flown by! We are getting ready for our very big trip to Georgia. I have tomorrow off, then work 12 hour shifts Thursday-Sunday and then we leave Sunday. I am hoping that each of those shifts really is only 12.5 hours long and not a minute longer, you never know with nursing what is going to happen. A girl can only hope...

Saturday my mom is coming over to help with last minute things. She is crazy enough to be excited about coming along with us. Sunday when I get off of work we are going to drive to Billings, MT and spend the night. Then Monday we will cross South Dakota. Most days we will go about 600 miles.

When we took this trip 2 years ago I took notes each day of what we did and everyone told me what they loved about the day. It is still sitting in a notebook waiting for me to compile it into some sort of scrapbook. This year I am hoping to blog as we go. If not everyday then hopefully every other day.

A few of the many things I am looking forward to: making wonderful memories, taking TONS of pictures (I'm guessing I will take close to 1,000. Clint thinks it will be closer to 1,500), going to Six Flags in St Louis, the zoo in Atlanta (the boys are already excited to see the monkey exhibit I told them Nana lives there. Clint thinks she lives in the warthog exhibit). I am excited to see family, play at the beach, the unplanned stops to "check something out". Going a few hundred miles out of our way to sample some yummy BBQ. Yay!

A few things I am not looking forward to: scary bathrooms in gas stations, scary bathrooms at rest stops, scary bathrooms at restaurants. Jacob and Mason getting car sick (at least Jake will warn us, Mason will sometimes cry then puke, sometimes just puke...a lot). Not being able to read in the car because I get car sick (I think about this often while we are driving I would LOVE to be able to read!). Listening to Mason cry he HATES being restrained in the car seat and I am a crazy woman when it comes to being buckled in the car.

The excited part of me definitely out weighs the bad listed above. I am thankful that I have boys who can stand and pee and don't have to touch a dirty toilet seat. I have lots of Dramamine and the safe dose memorized for my kids by how much they weigh (in kilograms). I am covering the car seat with towels and the seats with sheets, lots of walmart bags will be packed for potential puke. For Mason's severe hatred of car seats we will stop...a lot.

Keep checking back for updates of our trip! We are almost there!

Sweet boys

For the last few months we have had this sweet little girl has to come to the hospital for a medication. Today was her last day of the scheduled treatment and so we decided to have a party. One of the nurses made a little bag for her (very cute) and we all pitched in to pack if full of fun girlie things. I also had promised to make her cupcakes, she requested yellow cake with chocolate frosting.

So today the boys and I were there to deliver her cupcakes and it was so cute. They played with her in her room for a long while (almost 3 hours). Taking turns pushing her in the cozy coupe (she is perfectly capable of pushing herself but they wanted to push her). They waited while she got her IV (worried about how much it was going to hurt her). It was so sweet. On the way out Noah said "are we ever going to see her again?" Jacob replied "I sure hope so".

On the way back to the car they fought and whined but I didn't even care. I am so thrilled with the sweet boys that I am lucky to call mine.

Where has the time gone?

I love blogging. I think about it all of the time what I should be blogging, what I could be blogging etc. Like everyone the day just gets away from me. All of the sudden it is the last weekend of June. Ugh. So what have the Cannon family been up to since I last blogged.

Clint - finished up his second semester of college. Although it was difficult he has balanced school with 4 boys when I've been working. In May he went with my dad and my sister's husbands to Nevada. He got to see where I grew up and enjoy some fun central Nevada activities. He took Noah to a fishing tournament and then went on a weekend fishing trip with Jude. He then tore his hamstring, MCL, PCL, and meniscus playing softball. Big bummer. There went his good knee. He is in a lot of pain and has to wear an immobilizer and is on crutches....thank goodness no surgery (we hope)!

I am sad to say that Noah is now a big 4th grader. He got to go camping with the big boys for the fishing tournament (heaven only knows what they taught him) and he caught 6 fish. One was a 3lb 14 oz sturgeon that was big enough to win him a bike. He wanted to put the trampoline up so badly that one evening he did it almost entirely by himself while I was cooking dinner. He also is to big to think my stupid jokes are funny anymore and I have to bribe him to let me take his picture.

Sweet little Jacob is now in the 1st grade. He is such a sweet boy that on all of his Kindergarten papers he would write "I Love my teacher" or "I love Mrs. Petrini forever". Very sweet. He is looking forward to school in the fall. He has been wanting to get a "log on his head" so today he got his first mohawk. He told me "now I just need some cool shades". He is the avid reader. It is so sweet to hear him read his books he starts giggling during the funny parts and then he explains it, just in case you aren't sure what just happened.

Ethan loves the camera. He got a very nice camera from his Papa Jimmy, Grandma Dawn and Grandma Jean for his birthday. He loves taking pictures. He also loves being in pictures. When I have the camera out he poses and as soon as he hears the click he does a new pose. This will go on as long as you will let it. He is an amazing big brother. The things he will do for Mason (including eating a half eaten bite of food that Mason is trying to share). He will then say "thank you Mason".

Little Mason....where to begin. He stopped nursing a few months ago. It was bittersweet. I was glad to finally be done, but bummed that I will never nurse another baby. It really made if final that we are FINALLY done having children! Mason has a mouth full of pearly whites. Unfortunately he uses these often when he becomes frustrated. He becomes frustrated very frequently because he does not talk. He says Daddy, Mama, Sam, Cat, Jenny, Uh-oh, Outside, Down, Shoes, and this week he learned NO! He has these beautifully shaped eyebrows that he uses very well to express himself. Usually in anger with his brow squished together. This along with his love for the trash can bear a strong resemblance to Oscar the grouch. He has learned to open the sliding glass door and wants to come and go as he pleases. Mason is already very independent and fearless. He is going to keep us VERY busy!

I recently moved to a day shift at work. I LOVE it! I love that I get to know my patients and families. I also love that my shifts are busy. The times goes so quickly and then I get to spend the evenings home with my family. In May my sisters, the boys and I took my mom to Fairmont hot springs for mother's day weekend. It was a great time. Then in June my Grandma took my sisters and I to see my very cute aunt who is expecting her first little boy. I loved New York city and hope to go back in the fall!

For Father's day weekend we went camping. We got Clint a raft and we had a great time on the water. It was fun to go bike riding and fishing also. We have just a few weeks left before our big summer vacation. Road trip to Georgia here we come!

(Pictures to come later)

Family Night

Either Friday or Saturday night we have family night at our house. This tradition is done every weekend except for the weekend I work. So for the last 3 years every 3rd weekend I worked nights and would have to go to work at 7. That meant after dinner I missed out on the family fun event. This weekend is my first weekend of NO NIGHTS!!!! Yesterday I had an early shift and got off at 3 so I was so excited to get family night started. We couldn't decide what to do but cabin fever helped us make the final decision. We made sandwiches and filled the cooler with drinks and grabbed some snacks and headed for the open road. We drove up Monarch and enjoyed going down memory lane. The kids had fun in the back of the Excursion singing, dancing and being incredibly silly. We wanted to get the kids out and run but we were surprised at how much snow was up there! The unanimous vote was to eat in the vehicle. The camera decided not to accompany us on the trip but if it had there would be some great pictures. One of a road sign that had so much snow up it that you could only see the words "watch for high", Mason "driving" and turning on the blinkers while we were stopped to eat our dinner, multiple shots of the yahoos in the back dancing, singing etc.

It was an awesome evening!