What's better than a 10-hour car ride with a 3-year-old and a 19-month old to visit your in-laws? Well nothing, obviously. [...] Oh, sorry. I'm back. Got hit by lightning there. No more lies, I promise. No, but really, it wasn't as bad as you might think. I actually had a good time. I ate entirely too much and was sadly reminded how much I love and miss Chattanooga, but, on the whole, we're calling it a win.

We left after Harper got out of school on a Thursday and drove to Atlanta to have dinner with a buddy. By about 9PM we made it to Chattanooga to spend the first night with my aunt and uncle. Penelope played the piano for the entirety of the next morning.

We ate well, as to be expected when you hang out with Aunt Brenda, and then we traveled to Nashville to meet Vickie the mother-in-law for some lunch.

With Harper's brithday fast approaching, we had to do some family shopping at the local Toys-R-Us ("where Eric can be a kid"). I found lots of stuff for me, but Jennilyn said we couldn't buy it. I pouted a little, but straightened up when she told me I couldn't have ice cream later if I was bad at the store.

Penelope found this little number while Harper rode around the entire store on the bike she eventually wound up with.

We spent two days in/near Jennilyn's hometown and had an awesome bonfire and weenie roast at her family farm as an early birthday party for Harper. My two kids played harder in those two days than I've seen them play in weeks at home. They had a great time playing with cousins they rarely get to see. 

Harper really enjoyed her awesome dinner. She was fascinated that Daddy managed to cook her food on a stick over a fire. Oh yeah, Daddy is a cavemen. Watch out!

Ultimately though, tiredness overtook poor Penelope, who fell asleep, yes, fell asleep, leaning over a cooler.

She had a juicebox in her hand. As she would drift off and lose her grip of the box, she would jump a bit and grab it tightly. Poor little thing was all tuckered out.

It was awesome getting to see family again that we usually only get to see about once a year. The girls had a good time, and Jennilyn was excited to walk her old stomping grounds and force me to eat at her favorite restaurants. (Are you noticing that food continues to be a major theme of the trip?)

We had a great, safe trip. That said, my head was really happy to lay down on my pillow, and my body was thrilled to sink into my bed. Gotta start ramping up for next year's trip.

Trip Totals:
Distance: 1,221 miles 
Travel Time: 20 hours 51 minutes

Some parents sleep. We do not. In fact, we spend so much time awake that we might as well just not try sleeping at all. My wife and I have the privilege of raising two wonderful girls. However, one skill neither of them possess is the ability to enjoy a long meaningful sleep - meaningful to their young bodies and meaningful to their poor parents' sanity.

Like most things though, when you leave the kids alone, they seem to sleep just fine. They never sleep when you want them to, but they seem to have no problem sleeping on their own accord.  See incriminating evidence below.

Penelope sank into a comfy beanbag and had a little nappy-poo. Harper did the same exact thing the very next day.  

It would seem that there is a lesson to be learned here. There is always a lesson. Parenting is actually the best way to find out that you know nothing. It is a sure fire way to have any feelings of superiority yanked right out from under you. Children are smaller than us, not as smart or experienced, and less physically capable. Why is it that they can instantly make us feel so completely inept?

Like Little Boo Peep, who lost her sheep, if we leave them alone, we may just find that they end up doing what we wanted them to do in the first place. That's obviously not a hard and fast rule, but I've got to file this back in the folder for things Dad needs to think about on a regular basis.

Man, I'm tired.  Where's my beanbag.  I'm takin' a nap........