Fall 2008 Travels: Claxton Family Reunion, Trip to MI

Claxton Family Reunion:  Mary Frances Claxton Lawson's branch

(not pictured:  Ginger and Jamin.  Ginger was in the car with Lora)

Aside from our vehicular snafus, we had a great trip to Michigan.

The family reunion was nice, as always. Daymian and Jordan collected so many railroad spikes from the railroad behind the Claxtons' house. They also put pennies on the train tracks, to smash as the train passed. Liam fared well. He was "well-held" all week / weekend. Aunt Jean had us over for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. On Saturday night she gave each of the girls a cake pedestal or dish that has been in the family for some time. She is so sweet! On Sunday morning Aunt Jean came to the hotel where we were staying. We had "church" before everyone went their separate ways in their cars. It's pretty neat to have so many generations of Lawsons in the same room, together praising and giving thanks to God. It puts "long term" in perspective. The kids did AMAZINGLY well for the car ride. I couldn't have asked for better travelers.

We were able to go to Yates Cider Mill on Monday with Grandma Pam, Aunt Sherry, Daymian and Jordan. Ava gobbled up the doughnuts. We also went to the park with Grandma Pam and Grandpa Bill. We met a friend at the park, as well. It was a little chilly but we stayed warm by playing.

We got to visit Great Grammy's new condo on Tuesday. It's SO nice! Jamin visited Grammy (Grammy to Ava and Liam, Grandmother to me) while we were there. We were all in the next room trying to find a box of family pictures when LIAM ROLLED OVER! We caught the little sneak on his belly when we came back into the room. So, Liam was 13 weeks + 1 day when he first rolled over. :) Since then, he has been perfecting this skill as soon as we lay him down on any flat surface!

We had dinner with Grandpa Dean, Grandma Dolly, Great Aunt Freda and Uncle Dave (also Great! :-), Rachel, Paul, Troy, Luke, Adam, Kristen, Rebecca near Lake Orion on Tuesday night. It was so good to see everyone. They gave the kids the sweetest Detroit Tigers outfits. Thanks so much! I can't wait for the kids to wear them soon!

On Wednesday Olivia, Sophia and Uncle Chris came over to Grandpa Dean and Grandma Dolly's for dinner. We ate Halloween cupcakes after Olivia, Sophia and Ava decorated them. Uncle Chris snuggled-up to Liam. The kids also made some fun Halloween cards. Ava partied hard all week long in Michigan. By the end of the week, she was wiped-out!

On Thursday we went to Chuck E. Cheese with Grandma Pam, Grammy, Daymian and Jordan after I signed the paperwork for our mini-van. Grandpa Bill came over to play that day, as well. Crazy... we saw the Flanigans at Chuck E. Cheese. The entire crew! Molly and I wanted to get together at one point during the week, but it just didn't seem to be working out between schedules... We couldn't have planned this "dinner" better. Not that we got to have any in-depth philosophical conversations with the kiddos in tow, but it was GREAT to be able to see each other!

On Friday, we went to Bronner's Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth with Grandpa Dean and Grandma Dolly and also ate some really good fish at DaVinci's. Ava loved all of the Christmas ornaments and seeing Santa. She was interested in the ornaments and handed a few of them but did so very gently. :-) Ava enjoyed watching Grandma and Grandpa's "Dora" movies, too.

When Doug came into town on Friday, Grandma and Grandpa Carey picked him up and they all came to Grandma Dolly and Grandpa Dean's. Even being away from the kids for just a few weeks (since they came down to visit us in GA a few weeks ago), Grandma and Grandpa Carey said Liam had grown so much! We were all able to visit Aunt Tracy's house in Royal Oak with Grandma and Grandpa Carey on Saturday and went to eat at Mr. B's in downtown Royal Oak. This was the first time Aunt Tracy was able to meet Liam. Ava enjoyed running around Aunt Tracy's backyard and having Grandpa and Aunt Tracy read a Dora Halloween book to her.

Sunday we headed back to Atlanta in two cars. It took 14 hours, but we arrived back in Atlanta safely. Nothing beats Michigan in the Fall. We really enjoyed our visit with everyone. It's never enough time, it seems, to soak in all the special moments with family. We savored every moment!

Our love to you all,

Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam



A sweet picture of Liam taken at Grandpa Dean and Grandma Dolly's house.  This boy loves bananas.

 

Planes, trains, automobiles, rental cars, buses and mini-van test drives

We drove up to the Claxton Reunion on October 3rd. The reunion is always held in Faber, KY. When Ava was born, I took advantage of already being on maternity leave and spent a week in Michigan. We thought it might be nice to do the same with Liam (and Ava) this year. So, we drove two separate vehicles to the reunion, planning on Doug driving back to GA on Sunday to continue working during the week (due to limited vacation time) and I would continue driving north to MI, to spend the week with the kids and grandparents. Doug was going to fly up to Michigan on Friday night and we would all drive back to Georgia together, IN ONE VEHICLE, that Sunday.

Let’s just say this trip turned into planes, trains, automobiles, rental cars, buses and mini-van test drives for Doug. No joke! On Friday, October 3rd, on the way to Kentucky, the Taurus (my good ole “Mommy” car, as I like to joke…:-) started smoking. I’m looking in my rear view mirror and turning the wheel slightly, to see if I can determine from where the smoke is coming. Doug calls me from the F-150, which he is driving ahead of me. He also notices the Taurus is smoking. We pull over at a gas station. Car is GUSHING transmission fluid. Two guys pull up and offer to help, stating they have a shop across the highway. We drive the car across the highway. Pile everything from the Taurus into the F-150, praying these mechanics will fix our car before Doug is to return back to Atlanta on Sunday. We continue on our way to Kentucky in one car. Saturday (my 32nd birthday) Doug was tasked with dealing with the car shop. They hadn’t even looked at the car by 3 p.m. the next day. One of the shop employees suggested we have the Taurus towed 15 miles away, to a shop in Athens, TN, so a certified mechanic can work on the repair. So we do. We scratch our heads trying to figure out how to get Doug back to Atlanta without me driving him the four hours there (and then turning around and driving an additional 11 hours from Atlanta to Michigan with two kids). We figure out that Doug can travel by BUS! We attend the family reunion on Saturday (and had a great time). We drove Doug one hour to Knoxville (on Sunday) so he could ride back from there to Atlanta by bus, rent a car for the week and begin looking for a car before he flew up to MI on Friday night. Doug has interesting stories to tell about his bus ride… We were thinking the transmission on the Taurus might be bad. The car was only worth $2500 (tops) and a transmission would’ve been $1700 (on top of the seal repair of $600)... Not worth it.

Poor Doug thought he was going to have a week of the bachelor life and he ended-up searching car lots for new-to-us mini vans for the right price… We both liked Siennas and Odysseys but not the price tag on new vehicles. My Dad, working for one of the Fox automotive dealers, found a used Toyota Sienna with low mileage for the right price. I test drove it and really liked it. Doug and I both talked (five states apart), trying to figure out which vehicle might be best, which features, what price, what year, etc. We ended-up choosing the 2005 Sienna with 33,000 miles on it. Thanks, Dad! Doug didn’t even get to see it in person before we bought it, so I hope it lasts a while! :-0 When he arrived on Friday he checked it out and agreed it was the right vehicle for us. So, it meant we had to drive back to Atlanta in two vehicles, but we made it back safely. Usually a 10 ½ - 11 hour trip, we made it back in 14 hours (after stopping in TN to remove our belongings from our Taurus). The certified mechanic in Athens, TN offered to buy the Taurus from us. Rather than towing it back, we agreed to sell it. Never did I think we would be walking away from that car as quickly as we did, but these things happen. We did own the car for 8 years and haven’t had a car payment on it in six years. And we had just spent $1000 on a new catalytic converter for the Taurus. Ugh. At least we got out of it when we did… And considering we had to find a car in a pinch, I think we ended-up with a great vehicle. So, we’re now part of the family of mini-van owners. Having owned a “Mommy” car (the Ford Taurus) and my ‘Vette (Che-vette, that is), my identity hasn’t been entirely wrapped up in my cars in the past. I guess the jump from a Taurus to a mini-van isn't a huge identity shift! One day I/we will buy a beautiful old beefy car (an old Chevelle, Camaro or an Impala...in my dreams). For now, practicality reigns. Bring on the soccer ball decal.


















We love how much storage this van offers. It handles really well and has lots of nice features. It had only one owner before we bought it. I have a cd player in the car (instead of a six cd-changer in the trunk, which wasn’t so convenient)! We will no longer need to take two vehicles everywhere we go when we have visitors in town. The third row bench seat folds down and is flush with the floor of the van. Huge storage! Two sliding doors! Telescopic steering column! Gas hole on the driver side (unlike the Taurus)! So many cupholders! (The Taurus only had 1.5.) Never did I think I would be so excited about a mini van… What’s next for us…an Econoline BUS? ;-)

More to post about the family reunion and trip to MI later…

Happy to be home safe and sound,
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam