Bike Race

This past weekend we headed to Greenville, SC to see the US Pro Cycling Championship Road Race. Chris is asked every year to attend and we never can go, but this year it was going to work. We also scored a great deal through a friend on a hotel room. Let's just say we fell in love with Greenville. It is a great city with so much going on. I will let the pictures explain the trip and make sure you read the end for the real story of our trip! The boys were so excited to stay in a hotel. We are adjoining rooms so the big boys got their own room and thought it was the coolest thing. Everything was in walking distance from our hotel. Once we got there we never got back in our car until we left. How great it that. Once we arrived we spent the afternoon exploring. They had this great park call Falls Park. Walking over the suspension bridge. Playing by the river. We found fountains for the boys to play in and of course we weren't prepared so they just played in their clothes. Looking over the park from the street. After exploring we had dinner at a fun restaurant in downtown and headed back to the hotel. The next morning we woke up and headed out by 8am to get some breakfast and scope out everything for the race.

The boys at the start/finish line before the race. The boys had their faces' painted for the race.
Cows bells ready to cheer on the riders.
Watching the end of the race. It was an exciting race and a long day. We were outside all day and it was 95 degrees. So, this leads me to the not so great moments behind the pictures. The trip up wasn't bad and everyone was super excited when we got to the hotel. The night before we left Kyle came down with a cold and was up most of the night so he was pretty fussy, but not bad. We got settled into the hotel and headed out to explore. All was going well and we were really enjoying our time, but Kyle seemed to be getting worse. After we were done exploring we found a fun place to eat on our way home to the hotel. Kyle was asleep in the stroller so all was good, until someone bumped the stroller and woke him up. Kyle started crying and wouldn't stop, nothing would make him stop. I finally had to take him out of the restaurant and got him back to sleep. I couldn't sit down because he would wake up so I had to have my dinner packed up! It was a little frustrating, but nothing too bad. We got back to the hotel and got everyone settled for bed. Thankfully Kyle slept great and we all woke up in the morning ready to go. Well, the day was long and everyone started off strong, but as the day progressed they all started to fade. It was hot! At one point each one had some kind of break down. It also seemed that they all needed something all the time. I don't think Chris and I sat down at all during the day. All I heard was "Mom, can you? Mom, can I? MOM!!!" At one point I thought I was going to cry. The last hour of the race Kyle cried the WHOLE TIME! We finally got back into the car and headed home. Kyle cried on and off the whole trip home and the boys were overly silly. By the time we walked in the door Chris and I were so exhausted! I mean beyond exhausted! So, when you asked me if it was a good trip I will tell you yes! Doesn't it sound like it? I am not lying, it is just that my expectations of a mother for things like this have changed. As I have said several times it is about creating memories. It was a lot of work for us, but it is something they will remember. The boys will tell you how much fun it was and how it was to watch the race. It is hard to travel with them right now, mostly because of the different ages, but we are not going to do stuff as a family just because it is difficult. It is hard, but worth it and I will look back on this trip and remember it being fun! Constant adventure!