On Friday we travelled to Atlanta for the annual
Catholic Homeschooling Conference which I've attended yearly since John was a lap baby, except for last year when Margaret a couple of weeks old. This time, three of our friends from Charlotte also travelled to the conference, so we got to visit with them, making it that much more fun.
Stopping for lunch on the drive to Atlanta
John is now old enough to entertain the baby and Margaret is now old enough to be entertained, at least sometimes. The first three hours of the drive to Atlanta were blissful; the last hour, the baby screamed.
A silver lining to Chris traveling for business so often is that we have many hotel points to use for free personal travel!
We started Saturday with Mass as a family. I resort to tying my chapel veil under my chin like a Russian babushka, an awkward fashion "statement" that results from no other reason than that I always have a baby yanking off my veil. But little Mary, who started wearing a veil some months ago, knows no better, so she
requests, "Please tie my veil under my chin." So sweet!
My friend S.'s baby is about six weeks younger than Margaret. The two of them entertained each other well during one of the sessions, which was a nice break from chasing Margaret around.
At the end of the fantastic day, whose sessions and shopping left me excited and rearin' to go for next year, Margaret and I were tuckered out. (Chris had spent the day with the kids, Grandmom and Pop-Pops, and Uncle Mike: playing at the playground, eating lunch out, and not one, but two!, sessions swimming at the hotel pool.)
Chris is the one who suggested I blog about this humorous turn of events or I wouldn't have done it: Mary got food all over her dress at lunch, so Chris dug through the suitcase and found a clean dress for her. He showed up with the kids to take all of us to dinner after the conference and I took one look at Mary (who wears size 4 and 5 dresses) and asked, "Why is she wearing Margaret's dress?" This is a dress I sewed for Mary about two years ago. Chris actually thought it fit her. I had giggle fits throughout dinner looking at Mary.
This is what the dress looks like fitting a sweet 13-month-old baby.
On our way out of town, we enjoyed a delightful visit with the children's godparents. God-daddy even walked John down to the lake where John reported breathlessly that snakes live, but he didn't see any.
The drive home was far less than ideal. Starting from the far side of Atlanta, it took us five hours, during which Margaret screamed for several hours. Finally she fell asleep and only a few minutes later, Mary woke up with a night terror (which happens on nights she is seriously overtired from travel) and she screamed inconsolably and unawares for about half an hour . . . which, of course, woke up the baby and started her going again. We got home after eleven at night, so glad to be home!
What kind of deals did you score at the conference? And you brought Margaret? I am totally impressed. I had reservations about leaving my kids for four days for the GHC in Cincinnati, but in the end it was well worth it.
ReplyDeleteThe dress episode reminds me of something my husband would do. One time I came home to find Henry wearing jeans that only went mid-calf and had heart pockets on the bum. Hubby had grabbed them from the dryer and assummed they fit him. Obviously they were little sisters!
Jessica:
ReplyDeleteI rotated Margaret among her stroller, my back, and letting her run free while I chased her in a confined area. It was work, but worth it. :)
I really enjoyed the used book sale.
Two sessions were my favorites: The keynote session was by the founder of Institute for Excellence in Writing--during which he didn't even mention his product. He described the history of the development of the current educational system and that it is trying to produce docile workers, not people who can think.
My other favorite was by a widower who continues homeschooling his children and whose family runs a chastity ministry. He distributed the most excellent worksheet. I hope to do a write-up of his ministry on my blog.
http://www.thinkchastity.com/aChastity_Chax.html
A fun product I bought were faith rings at the excellent price point of $5.
http://www.lapbooksforcatholics.com/frings.html
The awesome thing about dresses is that they really do last for years. If you buy (or make) them long like Margaret's, they will last through long and mid length and then can become a tunic over leggings, sort of like what Mary is wearing. In theory it could be really economical but then you wouldn't have the fun of new clothes.
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