7.5 hours.

Of agony. Of torture. Of hell.

That was our trip home. Going up seems to never be a problem - 5 hours is manageable. It's going home that's always a crap shoot. As soon as we got on I-5, I knew we had problems. It was packed from San Jose all the way down to Orange County. Just as we cleared the Grapevine, it was a parking lot. I called my navigator (aka Shana) at home to check on the traffic on the computer and she said it wasn't a Sigalert. It's just a crapload of people heading home from Thanksgiving.

Adding on the long hours in the car and making it an even more memorable trip: I'm getting a cold so my nose is stuffy, my throat is scratchy, my head hurts; Malia is already sick and cranky and snotty; Mr. Ants in His Pants Kael ("For the last time... Leave those sleeping bags ALONE!!"); and Taede absolutely loathing the car seat (he screamed 90% of the way home) it was truly a never-ending trip.

We're heading back up in 3 weeks for Christmas. A thought I don't want to think about right now as I'm trying to recover from this trip. Truong suggested that I fly up with Taede and he'll meet us with the older kids in the car. Part me wants to - it was pretty hard on me.

I mean Taede. It was hard on Taede.

The other part of me wants to stick together as a family. How would Truong change DVD's while driving? Get Kael something to drink? Go to the bathroom? He'd have to take both kids to the potty at the same time!

No, most likely we'll do another road trip for Christmas. This time I'll come prepared with the help of pharmaceuticals.

Just kidding!

Maybe.

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Here are the very few pictures I took of the trip. Which pretty much amounted to one night. For about 15 minutes.


Dad and Taede hanging out, waiting for dinner.


There's a smile!


Cousin Jackie and the kids. It was Jackie who taught Malia to say "No way!" last year. This year's saying: "That's GROSS!" Thanks Jackie.

The other new thing Malia picked up from Jackie: the Head Conk as a form of greeting.
Really, thanks Jackie.


They are looking at Alfie, my sister's 6 lbs dog. The dog caused Malia to let out an ear shattering scream as she ran down a very long hallway, with the dog in hot pursuit, thinking they were playing. The scream was piercing enough to cause 3 people to run out, thinking Malia had severed a limb or broken a leg or was trapped under the piano.


My Dad and Taede


My oldest brother holding Taede. He held Taede all night. I asked if he wanted me to take Taede (No). My sister-in-law asked if he wanted her to take Taede so he, my brother, could eat (No). Truong asked if he wanted him to take Taede (No). My mom asked (No). My aunt who met Taede for the first time that night asked (No). Eventually somehow, my aunt got Taede but he started fussing due to a poopy diaper. As I took him to change, my aunt took my arm, looked over her shoulder, and whispered "When you're done with him, give him to me. OK? Me!" Sheesh. I should start charging people.


Malia working her magic and Jackie looking her finest.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I can't believe in 3 weeks we're doing it again for Christmas! Ugh.