Night before

Funny to think back a year ago - this was the night we had one of our nicest late-night cookout dinners - Buffalo Chili in the Badlands. Such wonderful memories. Hopefully we're about to make some more.

Tomorrow off to Frankenmuth and Mackinaw City for a week and a half. Quite a modest trip by Specter standards but fun nonetheless. I again am reminded of a previous trip - in 2006 we went to Mackinaw, back in our freewheeling days of discretionary income. We had a great time and while we knew we wanted to come back, we never thought it would be with 2-year old twins in tow.

I can remember that on that trip, while we were walking back from viewing Tahquamenon Falls, we passed a family going the other way...not sure how many kids, but at least four, all probably 8 and older, up to mid-to-older teens. They were impossibly happy and pleasant, the Stepford Family if you will - no trace of teen angst or annoyance, no sibling rivalry deteced...and we only saw them for a few seconds...but it seemed genuine.

I often think about that family and make them a goal for our own. How are we matching up? Well, we ain't from Pleasantville. Seriously. We got issues. But then again, we're Specters. We're not going to making any magazine covers for anything. But, in our own way, I'm pleased with how we're doing. Our kids can go 12 boring hours without watching movies in the car. Faith gets excited about finding license plates. They've been to more National Parks than I was at before I was 30, and...even the twins in their own way, are becoming good traveling Specters. Tonight when it was time for bed, they both resisted as they sometimes do...but then I told them we had a trip tomorrow, and they both stopped short...you could see them thinking about it...and then they happily went to bed, with Hannah saying "Go on trip, go on trip."

So I think...we're doing okay.

Stuff is all ready to be loaded in the trailer tomorrow morning - not a crazy early start, but hopefully on the road by 8. Check in in the coming days for updates from the road. Admittedly we have one minor problem...I can't find Rumplestiltskin anywhere - this is actually a cause for concern.

Matt