Taking a trip

I just got home from a trip to Pennsylvania that was way more work than vacation. Let's face it - parents don't get vacation. There is no relaxation so why even expect it? We went to three different theme parks in as many days. I was drenched, tossed, bumped, jerked, pushed and pulled. My house is a mess. I have tons of laundry to do. My back is killing me and I think I still have water in my ear. I had fun, don't get me wrong, but I'm just tired! When you're a parent, you can't just do things for yourself. You have to pack for the kids, get them dressed, put on sunblock, make sure they use the toilet before you leave....then you have to deal with them in the car....then you get to your destination and you have to make sure you packed drinks and snacks. They want to play games and go on rides and get their faces painted and on and on. It's a lot of work. The kids went to sleep late (really, really late) and woke up at their normal times. So, it's not like you can even bask in a few quiet moments when they sleep late. We had four adults and four kids in my car. My GPS apparently stands for Get to Points that are Seedy because it took us through some pretty questionable places. The kids wanted to all sit near each other. They wanted their handheld devices. They wanted more AC then less AC. One wanted the radio and the other didn't. One wanted to play a game and the other wouldn't. I can't imagine how people go on those cross-country trips without killing each other. I don't think I would make it. Okay, I need a nap.