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Across Country With Three Kids, a Dog, and Our Sanity {Part II}

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The Road Trip Saga Continues

If you’re just joining my crazy saga “Across The Country With Three Kids, a Dog, and  Our Sanity” you’re catching me halfway through Day 2 of our road trip across America.

Not All Who Wander Are Lost| Mrs. AOK, A Work In Progress

Day 2

I held it together.

My husband rolls up in a Chevy Silverado. I love trucks. I love my husband. I love seeing my husband in a truck, but in an about an hour after seeing him drive up in that truck, I’d curse it (and I’m happy to never see my handsome honey in that truck ever again).  We loaded the kids, our luggage, and shhhh the dog into the Silverado. We headed over to the shop that had our SUV and U-Haul, we had to figure out a way to unload everything we had in the U-Haul and in our Nelly (SUV) into the Silverado with three kids, two adults, a dog, and the luggage we already had.

******

I’m going to pause here because what I forgot to tell you is: I didn’t sleep well, but you probably already knew that. I felt like shit- you probably knew that too. I had the worst puffy dark circles of life, I had a cut on my neck and I just wanted to look pretty. I wanted to put on jewelry, mascara, and put my hair up real nice and look good for me. I did that. That was dumb. 

 

Have you ever played Tetris?

Yes. Well, this was scarier! Because we had to unload our stuff from the U-haul and load it into the truck bed and keep us safe and other people on the road safe (my precious was also in that U-Haul, my Mac). We had to get rid of things right there on the spot. We had to throw away coolers with healthy snacks & drinks; I so proudly packed for the babes. I had to give away a TV! That had to count as some kind of good karma, right? My husband and I loaded up the U-Haul in the sun and dirt. I was wearing my leather chanclas (flip-flops) my feet were heavily dusted in the dirt, my jewelry is no longer cute, it’s annoying and I wanted it all off. I think my husband and I gave the fellas at the tow shop a good show. 🙂 We finally got the truck loaded up, but how on earth were we going to keep everything from not falling out?

junk in the truck

Okay, we weren’t that bad, but we weren’t much better. The gentleman that we gave the TV to helped us figure something out, he grabbed some rope and we made a tarp out of a blanket we had. That’s right, we were about to set off in a truck with boxes, luggage, and randomness secured by rope and a blanket! To say I was scared would be an understatement. I did not fear for just for my family, I was fearful for the other families on the road; what if we were the cause of an accident.

We had to get the heck out off Smalltown, USA

It was scary once we were on the highway, our blanket started waving and boxes started shifting, the one empty cooler we held on to opened up and kept flapping. We had to stop on the side of the highway, my husband had to make sure everything was secure enough to keep going, my heart was beating so hard. I began to cry, but not an ugly cry where I had a meltdown, that comes a little later.

You mad, bro

When we finally see a gas station we stop there to rearrange our stuff and look for some ratchet straps to secure everything better. My husband found some, they did help a little. While he was searching for the straps, I was searching for a UPS, thank goodness for good WiFi. I could NOT travel the whole way to Washington with all that craziness in the back of our truck. The closest UPS was still a while away, but we were going to get there and pay whatever we had to. 🙁

*******

I’m hot and sweaty, any makeup I may have had on my face is gone, my toes are dusty, and there I was at a UPS delighted. Well, until I had to unload the truck once more -in the parking lot, with the sun beaming down on us-, that wasn’t really fun. My husband and I purchased two huge boxes and started emptying tubs filled with clothes, crafts, and games; you know, the things you need when you’re going to stay a month or so in corporate housing. We filled the boxes and then had to take them into the UPS. (We gave away all of our plastic bins and the cooler, does that count as good karma?) Pretty much we worked out that day for at least a week’s time. Thank goodness we were doing the whole Crossfit thing before we left.

Can I toot my own horn?

Yes? Cool, remember that U-Haul we pulled? Well… before we filled it and before we left South Carolina, I had to pull it up the driveway with my own two bare hands when it started to roll down the driveway.  Yeah… that’s right.. me. 🙂 (Which maybe, I should have taken as a sign as the shit storm that laid ahead.)

Back at UPS

Not only did we have to pay for the two big boxes of stuff, but we also paid to ship my precious, the grand total was over $400! I wanted to cry, but I didn’t, because:

  1. We were alive
  2. We didn’t have to worry about that stuff flying off the truck
  3. And moving expenses deductible. We got back on the road with a slight sigh of relief. We still had stuff in the back of the truck, we were still depending on a rope and a few ratchet straps, but we were getting a little more excited.

Over the Rainbow

Then we got super excited!!!

(I have a fun video of us driving into Chicago listening to this song, but for some reason, it’s not loading. 🙁  )

***Road trip update*** We’re alive! And I DO NOT say that lightly. We were in an accident in Indiana on Wednesday- our truck is probably totaled, per our insurance. (Thank goodness for USAA). We were heading to Chicago, but ended up staying in Indiana (the smallest town there) trying to figure out our next step. There was a lot to do before we could leave Indiana: we had to find a car rental (which was 30 min. away),we had to empty our Nelly (my Expedition) and the U-Haul, tie down all our stuff in the only rental that could work for us, a Chevy Silverado, we unloaded at UPS (when we finally found one). And this is us happy to be alive and entering the great state of Illinois! We are excited to be back ? Cue Kayne’s Homecoming?? (Yes we did!) We got into town a little late, so sleep was all we could think about. But today…today will be good & more adventure & life & happiness!!! Sending all of you love & happiness ? Stay safe, m’friends! p.s. Thanks for all the well wishes on our travels, I seriously feel like your love & thoughts (positivity) showered over us while we were traveling. ? #ThankYouNotes #HappyFriday #friyay #abmhappylife

A photo posted by Mrs.AOK (@mrs_aok) on

I cannot wait to share some pictures from our short time in Illinois, but that will be for next time.
-Safe travels!

Have you had any crazy road trips?

XOXO

 Part 3,  Part 4 , end of the road.

Thanks for following along!!

XOXO

38 thoughts on “Across Country With Three Kids, a Dog, and Our Sanity {Part II}

  1. Tamara

    October 6, 2015 at 5:50 pm

    Yes, every road trip is a little crazy, right? I remember driving to Orlando with my sister’s boyfriend and he lost the fancy gas cap to my dad’s BMW and we actually went back through SC and tried to get it back! (didn’t work)
    Also, when I moved to San Francisco, it cost $300 to ship my stuff, but my husband’s company had a fancy Fed-ex account.. and let’s just say.. I never did get that bill. But I got my stuff!

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 9, 2015 at 6:07 pm

      Yikes!! Did your dad get upset? That was commitment from your sister’s boyfriend to drive back to SC to look for it. 🙂
      I wish somebody would pay that $400+ bill… where do I route this account? 😀
      XOXO

  2. Karen

    October 6, 2015 at 5:54 pm

    Oh. My. Gosh. I think I would have gone into full on ugly cry way sooner than you did! What a story! I’m so glad you guys ended up making it there okay. There must be some kind of mommy-adrenaline that kicks in during moments like this. I’ve never moved across country so I can’t even imagine having to unpack and re-pack these trucks. Like I said, I really think I would of had an anxiety attack on the side of the road. Looking forward to hearing about Chicago!

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 9, 2015 at 6:12 pm

      I did cry plenty. I think I cried more when we actually got here, it’s like I felt I could let it out. I over heard my son say… “Papa is mommy crying again?” Yikes! I guess the hotel walls were a lot thinner that I had imagined.
      XOXO

  3. Chastity

    October 6, 2015 at 6:57 pm

    Oh my – I can’t believe you’ve had such an ordeal on your hands. I’m sure that you never want to move again! Can you believe how expensive it is ship and mail things? Outrageous! I can’t wait to see you Illinois photos. xoxo

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 9, 2015 at 6:13 pm

      You know what I don’t… but I know I will. However, I think I’m good with cross country road trips. 😀
      XOXO

  4. Lex

    October 6, 2015 at 8:37 pm

    Oo, girl, you are way better than me. I told my husband right off the bat, I am not helping you load/unload a dayum thing. I would have been a hott mess in your situation…and he would have paid the price HAHA.

    Anyway, I can’t believe you pulled a U-Haul with your bare hands!! You betta treat yo self!! Wow, just wow. I guess kiddos make us stronger and more pulled-together in the tough times…they must be so proud of their mama =) And YES you will be so rewarded in your new home for the freebies you gave away and the strength you exuded (I’m claiming this for you right now!!!).

    Looking forward to reading about your stay in Illinois…we wanna know what neighborhoods to haunt and where we should move when our lease is up! 😉

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 9, 2015 at 6:27 pm

      Thank you, Lex!! I need all the good karma!!
      If you don’t mind taking the Metra into the city, I suggest Aurora/Naperville. Naperville has the best downtown and events for kids. In the past I’ve posted some pictures of downtown here. I will next week too 😉
      XOXO

  5. Sonya

    October 6, 2015 at 10:23 pm

    Wow!!! Your trip was super crazy in the beginning. I’m really hoping that things got better.

    I went to college in Atlanta and I’m from Arkansas, so every year we would load my stuff into my mom’s pick-up truxk

    1. Sonya

      October 6, 2015 at 10:26 pm

      I accidentally hit submit. But we would load my stuff into my mom’s truck. We would cover it with a tarp and make our 8 hour journey. Luckily, nothing crazy ever happened 🙂

      1. MrsA0K2001

        October 9, 2015 at 6:36 pm

        Oh thank goodness! I’m sure your haul didn’t look as crazy as mine. 🙂
        XOXO

  6. Sarah Nenni Daher

    October 6, 2015 at 10:56 pm

    You have strength if you didn’t break down and cry right there in that UPS store. 🙂 I would have, no lie.

    Although I have some great road trip stories and even one in which I broke down in the backwoods middle-of-nowhere kind of town, I didn’t have nearly the trip you all have had so far!!

    I can’t wait to read what’s next.

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 9, 2015 at 6:43 pm

      I actually started chatting it up with the ladies who worked at the UPS, they were my friends for the whole… I guess hour we were there. I gave one of the ladies all of our plastic tubs, and she was so excited- she was young and was about to move into her new place. See, I got to know about their life. 😀
      TRUST ME there were plenty tears shed later that night in the confines of the hotel shower.

      Yikes! Nobody likes to break down or get into a wreck in a backwoods middle-of-nowhere kind of town… I know this. I’m glad your trip wasn’t as bumpy as ours.
      XOXO

  7. SMD @ Life According to Steph

    October 7, 2015 at 2:17 pm

    Gah! It’s always something. Thank God for the Internet and a close-ish UPS.

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 9, 2015 at 6:52 pm

      Right!?! I don’t know what we did without the internet, we would have been lost without it.
      XOXO

  8. Bev

    October 7, 2015 at 3:45 pm

    Oh goodness, I can’t even imagine. The craziness of all that stuff on your truck. I would have been terrified!

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 9, 2015 at 6:54 pm

      I was extremely terrified! I think I may have bruises on the left side of my chest from my heart pounding. Never. Ever. Again.
      XOXO

  9. Akaleistar

    October 7, 2015 at 9:55 pm

    Oh, my goodness, I’ve had moves like that, too. Scary and frustrating. Giving away a TV is worth a lot of good karma 🙂

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 9, 2015 at 7:06 pm

      Hopefully the two of us with have smooth moves in our future. Yay!! I need the good karma.
      XOXO

  10. Healing Mama

    October 8, 2015 at 9:15 am

    Wow, what an adventure! I send you positive vibes for the rest of your trip!

    -Also it looks like you guys stopped in my neck of the woods!

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 9, 2015 at 7:09 pm

      Things did get better for us, I mean we made it to our destination, so that’s great. 🙂
      What part of the woods are you in?
      XOXO

  11. Kristy Mauna

    October 8, 2015 at 10:05 am

    Oh girl – you are a lot stronger than me! My anxiety would have had the best of me and I would’ve been a wreck! Crying right away! So you rock, it’s the little things and I hope all that good karma comes back and blesses you! 🙂 xxo

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 9, 2015 at 7:11 pm

      I’m not. I promise, you and everyone else here is just as strong. I did cry, a lot. My anxiety was at an all time high, but it didn’t react as usual. I’m thinking it’s catching up to me now. :-/
      XOXO

  12. Nina

    October 8, 2015 at 11:12 am

    Haha Tetris is the best analogy! I have an uncle who DJs weddings and he always says putting all his equipment into the van is like mastering the art of Tetris.

    1. Mrs. AOK

      October 11, 2015 at 4:34 pm

      🙂 I feel your uncle’s pain… 😀
      I was actually wishing we would get a van, but in the end I guess that wouldn’t have worked with our boxes.
      XOXO

  13. Thank You Notes: Cubs & Seattle - Mrs. AOK, A Work In Progress

    October 9, 2015 at 1:11 pm

    […] Across Country With Three Kids, a Dog, and Our Sanity Part II […]

  14. Joanna @ Motherhood and Merlot

    October 10, 2015 at 10:38 am

    Oh my gosh what a crazy trip! So glad that you guys made it safely and no one was hurt in the accident.

    1. Mrs. AOK

      October 11, 2015 at 4:35 pm

      It was super crazy! I’m so glad we made safely too 🙂
      Thanks for stopping by, Joanna.
      XOXO

  15. Heather @ Simply Save

    October 11, 2015 at 4:07 pm

    Oh my gosh, what an experience! I hope the rest of the trip is safe and smooth! Thanks for sharing on #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup!

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 13, 2015 at 11:30 pm

      It does get smoother, thankfully 🙂
      XOXO

  16. Jessica

    October 11, 2015 at 10:25 pm

    I wish I could show you the picture of our last cross country move. It was completely stupid. We had things packed in the back of the truck that were taller than the truck itself, and the trailer we were towing was just as overloaded.We looked like a joke. We were a joke. I can’t believe we made it safely. Luckily, being a military family, too, we knew plenty of people along the way for pit stops, and we were very lucky to be traveling at a good weather time of year.

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 14, 2015 at 4:27 pm

      Yikes! I’m glad your “Jenga” truck made it safely. I was so afraid we were going to lose one of our pieces.
      Family & friends pit stops are AWESOME!

  17. Tiffany

    October 12, 2015 at 9:59 am

    OMgoodness girl!! I think I would have had a total meltdown cry for sure! I can’t believe you pulled a uHaul..you go! Maybe I need to get some crossfit in my life because I nearly dropped a chair…a CHAIR moving this week…LOL Our craziest road trip had to be when we were going on vacation to somewhere USA and one of the babies (can’t remember which one – blame it on momma brain) earled…yup earled…all over the back of my head in the passenger seat. Yuck!

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 14, 2015 at 8:11 pm

      I need to get some crossfit in my life too. I finally have the gym up, but haven’t use it to it’s full potential. I don’t know why I didn’t have a full on meltdown then, but it came later, and it was u g l y!

      YIKES!!! That stinks!! I would have cried over that.
      XOXO

  18. BritishMumUSA

    October 15, 2015 at 12:16 pm

    So very grateful you are all safe!!!! Holy cow!!!!!!!

    xoxoxo

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 16, 2015 at 3:07 pm

      Me too!
      XOXO

  19. K. Elizabeth @ YUMMommy

    October 16, 2015 at 12:58 am

    Being from the country, it’s not uncommon to see trucks piled high with stuff secured with only string and blankets back in my hometown. It takes some serious rope skills. I think the most I’ve ever roped to a car was a king sized mattress and a table and we only had to drive it 3 miles. Although, it cost a small fortune, I’m glad you all were able to mail some of your stuff via UPS.

    1. MrsA0K2001

      October 16, 2015 at 6:23 pm

      I’m glad we found a UPS, I hated saying good-bye to that money, but I didn’t mind seeing some of craziness lessen. 🙂
      I’m always afraid to drive behind trucks piled high with things, I always think of that movie Final Destination.
      XOXO

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