Anniversay Celebration! (Pt.1)

What made me imagine that my family could embark on adventure without the 'adventure'? Who knows. It all began with the idea of Hubby and myself going overnight someplace - without the Zoo. The sitter search began. It didn't take long. We have wonderful, generous friends that actually like us and enjoy our children. We had two places to split up six kiddos. There's where the adventure really begins.

One of the sitters fell ill. These things happen, no hard feelings. BUT - now what? The sitter that was left bravely (and maybe foolishly) offered to take all six. Well, she has a daughter with some physical challenges that prove nighttime to be difficult. The idea of having all of those kids, with two of mine still two and younger possibly not sleeping well away from home, gave ME nightmares!

So, again, I put out the call and three more people responded almost immediately. Angels!
The kiddos are all delivered, parents see the smallest ones successfully tucked in, and go home to pack up and sleep before the early morning departure to a tranquil lakeside retreat.

We got up around 5 am, stopped for coffee, and took off. Conversation, lovely, uninterrupted, fully thought through conversation! Oh, how I have missed my husband! Yes, he comes home every night. We just don't often talk to one another.

About this close >-< to the top of a rather long incline, we encounter snow. Loads and loads of snow. Snow falling, snow on the ground, snow piled up 7 feet on either side of the road. But, we saw snowplows going down, so they must be headed back up, soon. We fishtail and slide and get stuck. It's fantastic riding along in Hubby's little rollerskate.

After several tries, including an attempt to drive behind a snowplow, we turn around and head for home.

Here we are, Hubby is putting the snow tires back on the van, a bucket of chains in the back. I am making breakfast. We are giving it another go! Wish us luck. Lots of it, please!

(to be cont'd...)