Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Are We There Yet?


Oh it's the sound and question that most parents dread hearing from the recesses of the seats behind you, the question, "Are we there yet?"

I understand a child's inquisitive nature to such things because for them looking from their perspective of sitting in a seat sandwiched close to their sibling they have no choice sitting close to but do, and staring at the back of their parents heads for miles on end, can become somewhat boring.

Besides the occasional glance from their sibling that includes a smirk or sticking out their tongue at you to provoke a round of who can tease each other the most without mom or dad seeing us, to the point at which they begin to elbow each other harder and harder until the car begins to sway from side to side. This is usually when mom and dad notice, because when we turn and look over our shoulder, all we see is innocent smiles of heavenly angels. The only other distraction for them is the landscape that whizzes by too fast for one to actually see what is really going on.

Sometimes drivers in other cars will take pity at the passengers in yours and wave as they pass by, or make faces at one another or even the old game of trying to get the big rig to honk their horn by holding your hand out and gesturing to them by pulling your hand in the same motion.

Cheers of "Yeah!" and "OH did you see that?" come from the successful blowing of the air horn and which point dad looks over to see if he had drifted into their lane or just why he was being honked at to begin with.

However children get to the point where the question just begs to be asked and parents cringe at answering because it's only been 20 minutes since they left the house and there is still three more hours to deal with the repeated asking from the rear of the car the same question every 20-30 minutes out.

It is usually followed up by the next question of "Well, how much longer before we get there?"
Depending where you are in your journey, your skills as a mathematician come into play and you are required to figure based on your current average speed and the number of miles you estimate are remaining on your trip, calculate by the number of minutes in our hour, you mumble something out that sounds like, "Around another 2-3 hours or so."

More groans from the back seat and they now begin to count the number of hairs on the back of you head, press their faces to the windows, or tune you out completely with an electronic device of their choice Ipod or Nintendo DS. For some of us, portable DVD players work well as long as mom and dad don't have to listen to the movie, so please plug your headphones in, so they can continue to talk about the issues going on at work and why life just happens the way it does.

So today, we head out on the similar drama today as we pack up our car with beach chairs, towels, ice chest, boogie boards, and other miscellaneous stuff and head for the coast. For us, the closest beach is 2 hours south of here.

Where in, once arriving, we will unload the car, and beg children to at least carry some of what they begged so much to bring and attempt the long walk across the sand to the sound of water. It's there somewhere, we can hear it so I know we are in the right place. However once you look at the landscape, you don't see it, the beach expanse is that big before it dips down to the ocean blue waves below.

I plan on taking lots of pictures, gathering lots of sea shells, walking along the cooling waters just along the break point of the waves, and close my eyes and just take it all in. These are the days where we all wish we lived much closer to the beach so days like today would just happen more often.

The good thing is that on the way home, we don't have to hear that question, because we plan on staying late enough that they will all simply fall asleep and we will have peace and quiet to reflect on the day and just enjoy the silence.

UPDATE: In regards to the caption contest on my blog that began on Friday, the family secret picked a unanimous winner and we would like to congratulate Sharlyn at Dancin on Rainbows for her winning caption of, "Stop with the Charlie the tuna jokes, man: you're making my belly ache!". Her surprise bag will be on it's way to her this week, so stop by and congratulate her.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Kat, for visiting my blog.

This is such a lovely photo!

I have been very busy and have not read blogs for 2 days, and now I feel way behind, especially when kind people leave comments for me and I have not gone to see them in return. It is difficult to balance the blog world with the world around me. My husband doesn’t really like me to blog when he is home, and when he is not home, I have other thing I need to do. So I try to find a bit of time here and there to read blogs. I never have enough time to post a week’s worth of scheduled post, like others do. I think I am ahead on that, and then I find I am behind again.
However, I do enjoy meeting women who think alike, and that is why I blog. Why is it that I cannot find such friends around me in my daily life?
Anyway, I usually like the weekend mornings to get caught up on reading blogs. Most people do not blog much on the weekend and that is when I finally have time to blog a bit. I do my blogging early, before my family gets up.

See you!
♥Hope

Anonymous said...

Oh, by the way, Kat, I did read this great adventure post and didn’t just skip over her to leave a comment.

Those trips to the ocean are so delightful. We live about the same distance from the closest ocean spot, but we love going to Monterey (which is about 3½ hours away) for a weekend when we can, which is not more than once a year.

I always wish our stay could last longer. The ocean is so exciting!

♥Hope

Mari said...

The photo is beautiful! I hope you have a great time and the traveling goes well. I love the caption too!

RCUBEs said...

Got something for you, my way of saying "thanks"...

momstheword said...

Oh, what a lovely time it sounds like. I know what you mean about the travel.

When the kids were little we used to travel to my husband's sister's house. We would leave late for the trip back, that way the kids would sleep and then we'd just put them right into their beds.

Make it so much easier and quieter than trying to amuse a cranky preschooler or a newborn.

christy rose said...

Love the picture Kat! We live no where close to the beach! It looks so inviting, peaceful, and serene. I hope you have a wonderful time and post some more of these wonderful pictures when you get back. I think all of the "how much longer's/" will be worth it. :)

Elle Bee said...

Congratulations to a very funny Sharlyn! That was a fun contest Kat! I enjoyed reading all the silly/clever entries.
I'm excited about trips to the ocean when the twins get a little bit older. (or trips anywhere for that matter!). It will just be fun to go someplace as a family to relax and have fun.
Elle

~*Michelle*~ said...

Gorgeous photo!

I would rather pluck out every eyelash than do long road trips with wide awake children, LOL. My limit is three hours and the destination better be worth it!

Leaving late and praying for passing out sounds like a great plan....I hope you had a safe travel.

Laurie said...

Have a great trip with your family! Wish mine were there too:)
You deserve the get away!!! And, I hope the car ride went well!

Andrea said...

We do the same with GOD on our journey's ...He calls us to knew places and we keep asking, "are we there yet..how much longer?" I guess we never grow up!
GREAT POST!
Blessings, andrea

Mich said...

Have a great time!

My hubby as a dad and a youth minister on trips, when asked "how much longer?" always answers with a "15 more minutes." Eventually they stop asking or he is right. :)

Five Moms & A Blog said...

Oh good, I'm not alone then, lol! I try to be more careful putting on my makeup nowadays!

~ Nan

Loren said...

Kat,

I trust you all have a wonderful trip and time together before everyone gets back into the "routine" Praying for Joy unspeakable, laughter and bonding in a very special and unique way that only the Lord can do in and through your family and of course refresh refresh refresh!

I love you my friend and I LOVE my blog of the week award....it has been insane since I got back and i have had VERY BRIEF moments on the computer but I will hopefully have some time very soon......

I cherish you and am soo glad you are able to take this trip

Crown of Beauty said...

How beautifully you describe the preparation, the packing up, the travel, the scenery... and the getting there. You are a good story writer.

I will look forward to the pictures.

I hope the car ride will not hurt you newly healed tailbone, dear Kat.

Congrats to the caption winner. That one is a winner, I agree.

Thanks for faithfully visiting my blog site, and being interested in my life stories. That is so encouraging.


Love
Lidj

Collette@Jesuslovesmums said...

Love that photo! My eldest is just starting the "are we there yet?" questions and "how long will it be until .....?". It is hard to explain to him because he can't tell the time yet!
Collette xxx

Joyce said...

Have a wonderful time...the beach is my favorite place on earth....how can anyone look at the ocean and doubt that God is real?

Beth Herring said...

I can remember saying that to MY dad when I was a kid and making the drive from North Dakota to Louisiana every summer.

Now I can recall MY kids saying that same thing and MY grandkids. My husbands gamous words were "30 more minutes" and he would say it like 3 times or more!


Somehow my dashboard is saying I am not following ANY blogs so I am having to go back and add them all again!

Bentley Boutique said...

I hope you have a wonderful time at the beach!! Sounds fabulous. We started asking the kids "Are we there yet?" and it became a joke.

Charlotte said...

Kat, Hi from Hilton Head! Hopefully it's not as hot where you are as it is here in the Sunny South Carolina. The kids are having fun feeding the turtles and playing I spy Alligators hiding in swampy lagoons. I'm so glad to hear that your feeling better and I do hope that you lovely time with your family.

Joyfully,
Charlotte

Näna said...

Hi Miss Kat!
Mom said you didn't recieve the invite. I'll try resending it. It was sent to stevenkat27@hotmail.com is that the correct adress?
Nana

Näna said...

Oh. Also, could you give me your daughters email? I couldn't find it on her blog. You could email me at arts_chili@yahoo.com.
♥ Nana

Dandy said...

What a great blog you have!!

Heidi said...

Love the playing in the surf shots! I came to visit on Steve's recommendation- his blog says to be sure and visit here. Wonderful photos overall!

Come see me sometime. Fun to meet new bloggies.
Heidi

Kat said...

Kat,

We never hear the "are we there yet" deal. Our kids love car trips. Maybe because we have done them so often? We go to Georgia every year and we drive 12 hours straight. We stop no more than minutes two times for gas and necessary rooms. We never hear the kids back there. We listen to books, sing, read, play games...it is always fun. Even when we go to Florida, an 18 hour straight drive, they just have fun. I am usually the one getting itchy by the end of that drive.

Hugs,
Kat

COUNTRY MOM said...

Kat, I loved this post. It sounds exactly like my family:) They ask are we there yet, before we even leave our small town. My younger son gets the diesel trucks to honk their horn ( Something I taught him ...Smile...) and my older son just shakes his head lol. We take DVDs for them to watch or we listen to music. We do Bible trivia too. I LOVE shelling and the beach. Thanks for all the great things you shared. Congratulations to your winner also. I enjoy guessing/naming games, just for the fun of it. Many Blessings,