On The Road Again

A half hour each way to and from school - 5 days a week. We spend a lot of time in the car. I am thankful that, for the most part, my kids don't mind riding in the car. I have heard friends bemoan about how their children scream when they get within 5 feet of their carseat. Thankfully, we don't have that issue. Not to say that all of our car rides are dreamy, far from it. We have our occasional battles over toys and whose window the ambulance is in and I will say that I have seen more than one toy being thrown from one side of the car to another. I am happy to report that the phrases "If you don't stop I am going to turn us around" and "I am going to pull this car over right now!" have never left my lips, though I have wanted to say them a million times. All in all our car rides are generally peaceful which I attribute to the fact that they are strapped in and as of this point in time can't quite reach other to do bodily harm. I am sure that that will change in due course.

We used to spend our rides listening to the radio but recently that has been banned for two reasons. The first being that my children were becoming all too familiar with the musical catalog of Britney Spears and the second being the constant battle over whether a girl or a boy was singing the song. A boy would cause Quinn to burst into tears sobbing for a girl to sing and Greyson would pout every time a girl belted one out. So now we enjoy that age old art of conversation:

Me: Kids, what did you do at school today?
G: We played in the sandbox. (pause). Mommy I think I have sand in my shoes.
Me: We can check when we get home.
G: (very excited) Look Mommy I do have sand in my shoes!!!! (cue sound of pouring sand onto the floor of the car).
Me: Why don't we keep our shoes on, OK??
G: Do you think I have sand in my other shoe?? Look Mommy more sand!! (cue more sand pouring out).
Q: Mommy, look at the picture I drew!!
Me: Tell me about it Quinn, I can't look because I am driving.
Q: MOOOOMMMMYYYYY - you have to LOOOOOOKKKK at it.
Me: I can't sweetie. What did you make?
Q: But - MOOOMMMMMYYYY look PLEASSSSEEEEEE
G: Mommy, why does that truck not match??
Me: Sometimes the front of the truck doesn't match the back.
G: Why?
Me: Because truckers carry different loads and different loads have different colors on them.
G: Why?
Me: Because they come from different places?
G: Why
Me: Because they just do.
Q: Mommy, look!!! I have sand in my shoes too!!!! (cue more sand)
G: Mommy who is in that red car?
Me: I don't know sweetie?
G: Where is he going?
Me: Perhaps to his house?
G: Why?
Me: Maybe he is going to have a snack.
G: I think he is going to have an apple.
Q: I don't want an apple.
Me: You don't have to have one.
G: Yes you do Quinn.
Q: MOMMMEEEEEEE, Greyson says I have to have an apple!!! I don't want an apple!!!!
Me: Quinn you aren't going to have an apple. We don't even have apples at home right now.
G: Yes you do Quinn.
Q: MOMMMMMEEEEEEE!!!!
Me: Quinn - who are you going to believe - me or Greyson.
Q: (sobbing) I don't want an apple!!!!!!

(are we home yet?)