East Coast Tour '12

Our annual East Coast tour started on July 6th, Friday at 11a as we departed the parking lot of Randy's office a few hours behind schedule due to a mishap with our brand new van.  Yes!  We finally got a brand new Toyota Sienna.  We had it 30 days when Randy ran it over a garden rock.  This is a story for a different day.  It was not safe to be driven and had to be fixed before I was able to leave.  They made it road worthy enough for me to drive but this took until 11a on Friday.  It was about 102 degrees by 11a and we had to transfer the luggage, bikes and bike rack from the truck to the van but were finally on the road.  Well, me and the kids.  We made it across the boarder into IL before we had to make our first pit stop.  Out of the blue, Chris announces he is really sick.  I had to carry him into the rest stop.  He was just a ball of moaning goo.  But, he did say he was hungry.  After he ate a few slices of pizza he said he was fine.  OK then ... moving on.  We stopped in OH but probably should have carried on another 2+ hours.  I was just afraid we would hit the mountains of WV and then be stuck with no place to stay.  The hotel was fine and the manger let the kids swim (even though the pool was closed).  We left leisurely Saturday AM and arrived at Emme and Nono's around 11p (after a very stressful detour less than 30 miles from their house!!)    The kids were great although they kept telling me to drive faster ... as "no one was looking".

We were greeted by the entire Berg family, Emme and Nono and Yoli and Manny!!  Then it was bed time for everyone!!  We spent the week beaching and pooling and eating!  Great Nani got sick midweek so we had a hospital trip mixed into the works but she was home a few days later.  Over all it was a great visit.  We celebrated Julianne's birthday at the Melting Pot and everyone got their fair share of sloppy kisses and fist bumps from Manny!

Click to see slide show of Emme and Nono's '12

After a week at Emme and Nono's, I packed up the van with the kids and headed north to Nags Head, NC. We arrived at the Learish family beach rental just in time for pizza! This year EVERYONE was there. Every sibling, spouse and off spring, even doggies! We spent another week beaching and pooling and eating. We tossed in a few mini golf adventures, some go cart racing, shopping, movies, real golf, wild ponies, biking, climbing the dunes, ice cream and ZUES (the local ice cream shop dog that Chris fell in love with and we visited nearly every night!)  

Click to see slide show of Kitty Hawk '12



Chris LOVES Zues!

After a week in Kitty Hawk, the four of us drove back to Emme and Nono's as Acacia got to spend another couple weeks with Emme and Nono and her Berg cousins.  We arrived Saturday evening.  Nani was back in the hospital having her gall badder removed and this created a bit of timing issues and a few sleep deprived adults ....  Emme continued to insist that having the girls there actually "helps".  I don't think I learned the definition of "helps" from my mother as I just did not see how having 4 additional girls there ranging from 6-11 was helpful.  But, not my house, not my rules.  Chris, Randy and I left Acacia there and departed for Chattanooga, TN Sunday night.  We drove through the night and arrived at Randy's aunt Melanie and uncle Greg's house.  Having driven through the night, I slept in the car in their driveway for a little while.  We had breakfast and then all went into Chattanooga to the aquarium.  They are members of the aquarium so we were able to get better tickets and also go behind the scenes and see them feed the fish and baby penguins and stuff.  After a full day at the aquarium we checked into our choo choo car train hotel room.  VERY cool!  Well, actually it was freekin' hot!  A big metal box on a train track, sitting the sun all day!  We ended up trading cars after finding one that was cooler.  It really was a very beautiful resort built up around these train car rooms. 

The next morning we headed to Nashville.  We spent the day walking around a truly amazing resort called the Gaylord Opryland.  It was the size of a college campus!  Just huge!  We took Chris to Dave and Buster's where he won 2,000+ game tickets.  Enough to get a cool electric disco ball!  After bribing him with Dave and Buster's we all went to the Grand Ole Opry.  We saw some pretty good bands, even a few that we has heard on the radio.  In fact, Eden's Edge played and they will be performing in Madison later this month.

 

Chris got some floam and spent the time in the car creating crazy stuff.  Here, he had created a gun and was stealing my purse!

Click to see slide show of Chattanooga and Nashville '12

We spent the night in a more affordable hotel after the Opry and headed home to Madison a little earlier than planned but that is the beauty of having your own car.  You can come and go as you wish!  Chris was thrilled to be home and see his friends!  Acacia will return home later next week having completed her 2+ weeks with Emme and Nono doing some pretty amazing things, like rip lining in the NC mountains and learning how to serf!!  Click the play buttons below to see the video footage!

Acacia is in the green and black rash guard shirt.