Day 1: Home to Albany

We did it!  We successfully packed the car and made it out the door in time to get to a noon mass to pray for safe travels (and children to sleep).  We stopped for lunch (at Panera, of course), then got on the road by 1:45.  145 miles later we pulled into our hotel east of Albany shortly after 4pm and found a Cracker Barrel to eat a great dinner.  Children were asleep before 8, and we won't be far behind.  Hoping for a good night's sleep tonight since tomorrow will be twice as much driving.  On to Buffalo!  But first, some pictures...

Oh, and this will not be the first time I say:  we love the Honda Odyssey.  LOVE.  (And here I was that person who didn't want to be a minivan driver!  It's not a minivan.  It's a swagger wagon (sorry, Toyota.  I'm stealing your line.))

God bless the minivan

I made these nifty little tags to indicate the contents of each bag.  This one is waaaaaay in the back.

I love plastic bins

Did I forget to mention that there would have been NO WAY we'd have left on time if it hadn't been for my dear mother who came to our house to entertain the kids for two hours while we finished packing?  I even got to shower!!  Thanks, Mom!

Made it to Albany.  Eating at Cracker Barrel.  She will slay you with her eyes.

Someone's got her Daddy wrapped around her finger.  I think her shirt actually says something to that effect.

KISSES!

Cuteness abounds

Danny and his baby are hard at work on the coloring front.

Sweet boy enjoyed the first leg of the trip.  Thanks to the DVD player (which I SWORE we didn't need nor did I want.  Don't mind being proved wrong once in a while.)

Playtime!

Daddy: tackled

I hope these pictures don't all take too long to load for y'all (I went to Cracker Barrel.  I can say y'all now.)  Let me know if they do and I will adjust.  Or if they're too small.  I didn't have any photo-editing tools at my disposal for this post, so the baby's little pimple or bug bite above her lip will have to remain.  I hope you enjoy them regardless!

Here's a quick quiz for you.  During our 145-mile drive, who's the only one who fell asleep:
a.) The 9-month-old baby girl
b.) The 4-year-old boy
c.) The 31-year-old father
d.) The 32-year-old mother
e.) None of the above
f.) All of the above  (Look out!!)

The answer will be revealed tomorrow.  Until then!