On our way with a few false starts

After a very lovely Christmas during which we did not start to pack, everyone got to sleep happily and well. The boys insisted on sleeping in their new Batman sleeping bags on their floors which was very cute, and both slept well.This morning, however, was not an auspicious start to our trip. Oliver was on fire in a terribly annoying way and has been licking his lips so often and seriously that he has a clown-like chap pattern ringing his mouth. At one point, frazzled and sweaty for whatever reason, I ended up sitting in front of my empty suitcase crying and irritated. Jack then attempted to comfort me by being a perfect helper child in every way which was kind but also made me feel badly. T became an uber-packer which never happens and was great although no, I don't know where your boot wax is. We got Percy to the dog-sitter, gave Nutmeg a ton of extra love and felt sad about leaving him (though friends are checking in on him until family friends arrive tomorrow to stay in our house while we're away and will love N to pieces) and packed up essentials like 2 pounds of our favorite bacon, cookie dough and cutters, wine and a muffin tin and ingredients and finally got in the car. Not twenty feet away, I noticed that the liquid laundry detergent we'd put in a plastic bag was nonetheless leaking into one of our food bags. Back home. More kisses for Nutmeg. Back on the road. Oliver is now playing Fish Farts, some ridiculous video game in which you tap on swimming fish and they then fart (different farts each!) and Jack is reading. The nastiest mix of rain and hail is showering the highway but at least we're on our way!