Finally... a VACATION!

We got a bus! It took another week but we are set for the year and the Princess gets on right in front of our castle! YEAH! I am volunteering in Prince 1's class for a few weeks to see why his math grades are WAY DOWN :( We kind of knew this was coming... We, the royal parents, knew P1 was skating on thin ice in math class... But he's shown such enjoyment in reading novels lately that we were watching reading and language arts ... not any more!

We are about to embark upon our royal tradition of spending several days at a cabin in the northern hills! I wish it was cooler but I'll take what I can get! The king's family holds a reunion every year in October where everyone makes their best potluck dish or two or three and we sit down for a few hours and FEAST! The kinsmen are kind of funny though ... I've taken one of my favorite dishes for years -- and for years I've come home with an almost full bowl again.. (it's a cabbage & chicken salad dish) and suddenly one year someone discovered it on the table and it was the hit of the potluck that year! I still make it and take it but I don't have to eat as many leftovers! The king has perfected his chicken and dumpling pot and it took a few years before it caught on! This royal line clearly does not explore unfamiliar foods... the years that new dishes get discovered are generally the years that the table pickin's are pretty slim to start with!!! (side note: It drives me crazy sometimes to see what some people bring to a potluck meal! They come with 5-7 people in tow and bring an 8 oz. can of heated corn or green beans... hello?? Enjoy your beans! )

It's always nice to see the extended royals though! I think it's great that even though several family lines are big enough and long enough to hold their own reunions, this one so far has managed to continue on the second weekend of October! Most of the royal clans rent cabins to stay in or bring tents and RV's for the weekend. There's always a big campfire somewhere and who doesn't love a good s'more cooked over a real campfire? Our clan rents a cabin for a few days longer than the others and we enjoy the beauty and peace of nature for a couple of days before the big cook-off begins!

I just have to get through the stress of preparing for the trip... Is the car ready to travel? What do we do with our animals? Will it be hot or cold? Who will get our daily correspondence or bring in the royal trash receptacle for us? Will the teachers let my kids make up their missed classwork? Can I hold on to the money I have set aside to pay for the trip before it gets nickel and dimed away? Will I get the castle cleaned before I leave so I don't return to a mess? Have I notified everyone that we won't be attending certain activities for a few days? and on.. and on.. and on... Our royal BFF's are preparing for a trip to Scotland in a week... I thought my to-do list was difficult! They have 4 youngsters, 2 dogs, 6 cats, a snake, and a bird to deal with as well as making sure their kilts are packed! Oh my dear, dear sister from another kingdom! Glad it's you!

The king and I debated whether to go on this outing... we have many, many reasons why we should cancel or back out... and only 2 really solid reasons for going... but those 2 reasons are what have convinced us to deal with teachers who don't want their students to miss class, pack our van with everything AND the kitchen sink, pray that the tires hold on and that there's gas to buy when we get where we're going, and call our loved ones to say "See ya soon!" as we hit the road again Jack!

Bottom line... I want to go!

See ya soon!

The Queen