Pittsburgh
We left our hotel early the next morning, eager to begin our voyage to the midwest. First, we had a lot of business to attend to (aka - a lot of driving around). We needed to condense luggage yet again and find a good storage place, it was nine when we checked out. Unfortunately, no one was open yet so we looked for a place to get phones. Verizon wasn't open there yet either... sigh. By that time it was ten and the storage facility was open for business so we drove back. It was the first time since she's worked there that people needed storage for suitcases. It was nearly lunchtime when we set out to find a Verizon (the only cells that will work in the boonies where we live). We got our new touch-screen phones and data plans. How exciting!!! As if that much "America" wasn't enough, we hit the drive thru at chick fil a on our way back to Dulles airport to exchange the rental. Exchanged just as the sun was starting to really get ridiculously hot. Off to Pittsburgh by oneish in our flex fuel ford edge. The chick-fil-a did not sit well with us... at all. Though Im sure all the traveling didn't help either.
Our first stop: Pittsburgh, PA to see Ben and Nate at Cannon Coffee... best coffee I've ever had (and I lived in Spain). We didn't tell anyone we were on the way and got to the shop at around five. Nate was there, Ben had the day off, but showed up shortly. We had coffee and chatted until the shop closed at eight while the boys banged on the piano.
Ben, me and the boys visited some city steps while Nate and Josh booked the hotel in Greentree. Poor Noah puked a couple times on our walk, even after the mint/chamomile tea he drank.
Noah was still sick so Uncle Nate offered to stay with him at the house while we all went out for a late dinner. Brennan slept the entire time in a wicker chair. Tristan was sleep eating. We collected our sick child and went to our hotel. There was some eagles convention taking place so a bunch of drunk white ladies were oohing and ahhing over our little zombie boys. Noah puked again right outside in the mulch. We were hopeful some shut-eye would heal his ails.
Morning came and Noah was still feeling sick. We took it easy all morning... or tried to... it was ridiculously hot. We stumbled upon a "puppy walk" being hosted by Panera Bread and the Humane Society. It made us really miss our own dogs. Noah was able to keep down an organic fruit smoothie and started feeling well enough to try eating some lunch. Ben met us out there at Panera Bread and then took us to a great spot to photograph Pittsburgh's skyline.
Noah wasn't doing well, being in the heat out there. We thought it best to go back to Ben's. Josh wanted to cook Pad Thai for everyone so we left the kiddos on the couch to rest while we went grocery shopping. The prices shocked me on certain items (produce especially... however, we went to the wrong place to shop). When we got back Noah was finally feeling well enough to get back on the road. We ate our delicious homemade pad thai, hit the coffee shop one more time for a brew, and away we went. We were glad to have been able to spend so much time with Ben and Nate. Usually Ben is so busy working, but we really lucked out and caught him on a very rare 2 days off.
Josh had already booked us a hotel a few hours away in Groveport, with a pool and free hot breakfast (Holiday Inn Express rules)! We were in bed by midnight. Our plan was to go to COSI in Columbus in the morning.
Our first stop: Pittsburgh, PA to see Ben and Nate at Cannon Coffee... best coffee I've ever had (and I lived in Spain). We didn't tell anyone we were on the way and got to the shop at around five. Nate was there, Ben had the day off, but showed up shortly. We had coffee and chatted until the shop closed at eight while the boys banged on the piano.
Ben, me and the boys visited some city steps while Nate and Josh booked the hotel in Greentree. Poor Noah puked a couple times on our walk, even after the mint/chamomile tea he drank.
Noah was still sick so Uncle Nate offered to stay with him at the house while we all went out for a late dinner. Brennan slept the entire time in a wicker chair. Tristan was sleep eating. We collected our sick child and went to our hotel. There was some eagles convention taking place so a bunch of drunk white ladies were oohing and ahhing over our little zombie boys. Noah puked again right outside in the mulch. We were hopeful some shut-eye would heal his ails.
Morning came and Noah was still feeling sick. We took it easy all morning... or tried to... it was ridiculously hot. We stumbled upon a "puppy walk" being hosted by Panera Bread and the Humane Society. It made us really miss our own dogs. Noah was able to keep down an organic fruit smoothie and started feeling well enough to try eating some lunch. Ben met us out there at Panera Bread and then took us to a great spot to photograph Pittsburgh's skyline.
Noah wasn't doing well, being in the heat out there. We thought it best to go back to Ben's. Josh wanted to cook Pad Thai for everyone so we left the kiddos on the couch to rest while we went grocery shopping. The prices shocked me on certain items (produce especially... however, we went to the wrong place to shop). When we got back Noah was finally feeling well enough to get back on the road. We ate our delicious homemade pad thai, hit the coffee shop one more time for a brew, and away we went. We were glad to have been able to spend so much time with Ben and Nate. Usually Ben is so busy working, but we really lucked out and caught him on a very rare 2 days off.
Josh had already booked us a hotel a few hours away in Groveport, with a pool and free hot breakfast (Holiday Inn Express rules)! We were in bed by midnight. Our plan was to go to COSI in Columbus in the morning.
