They're Coming to Take Me Away...

The drive from Billings to Salt Lake is very, very, VERY long. It went as well as could be expected. My final analysis:

• 5: the number of kids I started with.
• 7: the total number of stops we had to make.
• 11: the number of hours it took us to make what would normally be a 10 hour trip. Note: we didn't even stop to eat...just ate in the car.
• 1: the number of band-aids needed because pipe cleaners are dangerous toys.
• 2: the number of trips through the McDonalds drive thru I need because I can't seem to figure out that six people need six hamburgers and not five.
• 5: the number of objects playing noise all at once that will make me lose what little brain I might have left. Those five objects were: my music (essential noise), a movie in the back of the van (pretty essential), a little toy radio that plays the same little clip of music over and over (should have been tossed in the garbage when we moved), 2 cell phones (both of which are not mine and were being used by the seven and nine year old because "the ring tones are cool").
• 200: the number of times I was asked "are we there yet?"
• 30: the number of minutes that all four youngest kids were asleep at the same time!!
• 500: the number of times I questioned why I was doing this.
• 5: the number of kids I ended up with at the end of the trip.
• 0: the number of shots I need now that I'm no longer driving.
• 3: the number of kids I'm glad I have permanently. I can't imagine any more than my wonderful three!!

Even though the trip down went well, please, please, please, don't encourage me to EVER do this again!!!