A Solo Trip to the East Coast

 I am sitting in a very quiet house with Jeff in Princeton after a very busy three days and unfortunately, very busy three nights!

My primary motivation for this trip was to see J in his role as Prince Phillip in Sleeping Beauty at a community theater in Bryn Mawr.  That was worth the trip.  He did very well and avoided having to kiss the princess when a big screen was placed in front of the two of them which said "true love's kiss."

Very early morning art time

A bonus of the timing of this trip was being able to celebrate Laura's 38th birthday.  Laura and Michael went out for a birthday dinner on Saturday night; I had the kids make cards for her on Sunday; and on Sunday night we had ice cream cake.  My "gift" to Laura was three nights of getting up with A during the night and in the early morning.  She blogged that it was a wonderful gift.  I am glad it was three nights and no more!  Night two was not a problem--just a quick wake up at 2 am and a final getting up at 6 am.  Night three was disastrous.  He was wakeful from 12:30 to 1:30 and would not take his pacifier even though I had to crawl under his crib to find it.   He fell asleep in front of the door but I couldn't get out without moving him.  At 5 am he was awake for good and soaking wet because he had undone his diaper.   But I survived and three short naps during the day yesterday helped!

Thumbs down for bedtime 

There were lots of good times and there will be good memories.  J loved the regift of the Timetables of History we gave him--Jim's suggestion.  He poured over the historical events and quizzed us on them.  R picked up on any vocabulary word she didn't know.  What does "strategy" mean?  or "overcast?" or "shoulder?"  (when referring to the side of the road.)  S was eager to show me Minecraft on his Kindle and when he realized he had read a prayer at the end of the little Advent devotion guide I used with them, he wanted to read it three times.  Someone else gave the reluctant  "Pray-er" words!   And A is so cute as he is learning language.  "Sit, Grandma" he orders.  "No. thank you" he says when he realizes that a bottle means bedtime.


The kids had lots of fun on a great playground in Bryn Mawr.  They participated eagerly in the Advent Workshop at church after the service.  I did chuckle at S's writing on the offering envelope:  "Blah, blah, blah."

Transportation on my solo trips can be a bit stressful.  I took Uber from the airport to Laura's home and that took a bit of communication about where to meet the driver.  But he was very kind and helpful and it worked well.  Then taking trains from Philly to Princeton with a transfer in Trenton was also an adventure with a hostile conductor yelling, "Get on!" and then almost missing my stop when I was busy texting Susan about how to meet.

Last night was very pleasant here at Jeff's.  We had a great dinner followed by a good walk with Jeff and then apple pie.  Susan was busy updating the Ancestry.Com website and we made some corrections.  She has taken even our Dutch families back several generations.  We were checking out church rolls and cemetery lists for data.  And I slept so well--looked at the clock a few times but never even left the room.

I hope for no more adventures today and just an uneventful trip home and supper with Jim.