Ryan continues his streak

Well, we made it to NC. No pictures yet, but we arrived at 10 this morning and it is 11:30 and Brooks already came to tell me that he caught a big catfish. Great photo opportunity already! For some reason, this trip was very difficult for me to stay awake. I fought off sleep while I was driving continuously, and I slept a ton while Ryan was driving (which never happens.) It was hard for Ryan too. I think we were both exhausted to start with. At 2 am, we finally pulled over and slept at a service plaza and lost some driving time, but it was well worth it. I didn't care if we slept there all night- I needed some sleep. We left home last night at 8:30 and at 8:47, Ryan got pulled over. He rarely drives here without getting pulled over (hence my title of this post). Neither one of us has ever met such a ding-dong for an excuse of a cop that pulled us over. He was psycho! He pulled Ryan over, and Ryan said, "I have a gun sir." The guy didn't acknowledge that comment, but instead asked, "Do you have cruise control?" Okay- he asked if we HAD it, not if we were using it. Weird! (which Ryan wasn't, but I still didn't get the point) So Ryan repeated, "I have a gun." (That is usually his opening line to say he is a cop that is why he has a gun.) The cop acted like he was disgusted with Ryan and said, "I know!" rudely and STILL never asked why he had a gun. The cop then asked how old our 3 kids were. Ryan answered. No lie. The guy asked if we had cruise control (what new car in this age doesn't???????) and how old our kids were and then walked off. Never said anything else. He was gone for about 5 minutes, came back, and handed Ryan's license back through my (the passenger) side window quickly and walked off, backed his car up and went in the opposite direction down the highway from us. HE NEVER SAID ANOTHER WORD TO US!!!!! I was freaking out! I kept saying to Ryan that we should get his name, etc. so we could complain how utterly rude and weird he was, but of course, Ryan said the guy knew we wouldn't complain b/c he didn't give us a ticket. All this without him ever knowing Ryan was a cop and never wondering why Ryan had a gun?????? We laughed about the whole incident for a long while. I can still laugh when I think about how weird the experience was. Anyway, another pull-over and no ticket. I couldn't afford to a) be married to Ryan or b) come visit my parents with Ryan if he wasn't a cop. We would never be able to afford the many tickets he would have received over the years of traveling to/from NC.

Anyway, after that experiece (17 minutes into our trip), the trip was pretty uneventful except for the tired eyes of the adults. The boys watched a movie, then shut 'er down for the rest of the trip. Sadie was out immediately because she never napped yesterday. Ryan went to bed immediatly upon arrival, but I am still reading a series I am addicted to (Thanks Lynette!!!). I even read in the car on the way here- which I can never do b/c I get so car sick. But the books are that great!!!! Lynette mentioned this series (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn all by Stephanie Meyer) weeks ago, but once she said they were about a vampire, I didn't think I"d be interested. Boy was I wrong!!!! I read Twilight in a day and a half, and just finished New Moon which I started yesterday. EXCELLENT reads- can't put them down. And of course, I feel like I know the characters and that I am missing out on their lives when I am not absorbed reading the book. I keep wondering what they are up to, etc. Haha I think they are written for a YA audience, but I don't think I would want my young kid/pre-teen reading them- a little too much romance and too gruesome in some parts. And intense as well! Perfect for me though! If you are a reader, I would RUN, not walk, to your nearest bookstore/library to get a hold of this series. You won't be disappointed.

Okay, I have now missed the photo op for the catfish, because Brooks said my dad threw it back in the water, but my mom got a pic, so I'll post hers later.

I am off to sleep, start reading Eclipse, take a shower, eat some yummy food, go for a walk, lay out on the pier and not necessarily in that order! We will be here at the lake until Saturday, then we are heading to Emerald Isle, NC for a week as well. I grew up going to the beach every summer (the ocean, not the "beach" at Lake Michigan of course!), so it is an experience I have always wanted my own kids to have as well. There is nothing like a week's vacation on the coast of North Carolina. My whole family (us, parents, brothers/wife, nephew) are all going as well as Ryan's family is driving down from MI (brother/wife, sister/ husband, their kids and his parents) to meet us there on Saturday. We will be staying in a big house with a pool that is one street from the ocean. Can't wait for that part of the vacation either! WHOO HOO!!!