A Perfect Balance, Adult Time and Family Time Part 2

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We've taken enough road trips with our kids to know how to keep them entertained and upbeat while hitting the open road.  Some of our good friends had moved to Pittsburgh over a year ago and it was time to reunite the kids and adults!  
Blankets...captivation tiny travelers for hours
We departed early Friday and drove straight thru with the exception of one stop to fuel-up and take a tour of the gas station restrooms.  I had visited the local dollar tree prior to departure day and stocked up on sticker books, stickers, and travel sized magna doodles.  I spaced out the "prizes" by a couple hours.  It kept the kids on their best behavior and they had something to look forward too!  We also utilized our baking sheets which the kids used to color and snack on.  
Focused
My husband sort of tricked me, un-intentionally.....so I am not a fan of driving.  I'd much rather be in the passenger seat for hours then spend any time behind the wheel.  We had just passed through Louisville when Scott said he needed to do some work and would I mind to drive?  Of course I wanted to be a good and helpful wife so I willingly switched seats.  I ended up driving the next 6 hours, thru the traffic of Cincinnati and into Pittsburgh.  He really did have work to do but the last hour of my driving he had moved into the middle row with the kids and was watching McGuyver.   I made sure he knew that he owed me after that.  
Happy to be out of the car with friends!!!
We pulled up to the home of our friends and it was so good to see their faces!!  We unloaded our suitcases and the kids were running around and playing within minutes. The men settled on the back deck grilling dinner while Kate and I caught up on life.  
Happy Boy
Saturday was cold and windy, a perfect day to visit the Pittsburgh Children's Museum.  The kids loved the water features and the space to run free and explore exhibits.  It was nice to have adult conversation while we watched our children have fun.  
Tiny Diners
After spending the morning at the museum we headed to a local pub to grab lunch.  The kids were excited to get their own table and I was excited to be introduced to a Pimm's Cup.  I remembered hearing about Pimm's while reading Sophia Kinsella's Shopaholic books.  It's a British drink and oh my gosh it was delicious.  So delicious in fact that we had to go buy the ingredients to make more that evening!!  I felt so refreshed and very British!  
Tub of Fun
Back at our friends home the kids swam in the tub and we packed up our bags in preparation of our trip home the following morning.  Our host and hostess made sure we felt at home throughout our time with them and prepared snack bags for us for the drive home.  It was tempting to extend our trip by an extra few days...but Scott has this thing called work that he needed to return to on Monday morning.  
Space Cat and Lila at Pamela's
Morning came too quickly and we ventured out to breakfast at Pamela's, a diner that was hailed as the  best place to eat breakfast in Pittsburgh in 2010 by the Food Network.  I enjoyed a western burrito and their specialty fries.  It did not disappoint!  After all our bellies were full, we said our good-byes and long lasting, promising to see each other again soon.    
On the Road Again
The car ride home started at 32 degrees with ice pellets hitting the windshield.  Scott was behind the wheel and less then a mile down the road the kids were asking when we could take another road trip to Pittsburgh.  That was my sign they had an excellent time.  Eight hours later as our eyes landed on the farm, the weather was a warm and windy 63.  Hello springtime!!
Until next time dear friends...
Spending 2 weekends out of town sure didn't help stay ahead of the house work or keeping the laundry under control, but both weekends provided something valuable to each of us.  The kids enjoyed the mix of staying with grandparents and taking a road trip to visit old friends.  Scott and I enjoyed a night away in the city with friends, and also road tripping East to visit old friends as a family.  Life is all about balance and I feel these past 2 weeks were just about perfect!!


It's that day I link up with the fabulous Polka-Dotty Place 
http://polka-dottyplace.blogspot.com
and other ladies of Tuesday Talk!!  

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