Seen and Heard: A Weekend in Cincinnati, 2011

On the back of a truck somewhere south of Toledo, Ohio:  "Deer Beer:  Quit Yer Whining!" (?)

On the back of a truck somewhere around Dayton, Ohio:  "I'd Rather Be Stroked Than Rammed!" (??)

On the back of a tricked-out van just north of Toledo:  "Detroit Van Riders:  DoingIt.Com"

On a billboard somewhere in central Ohio:  "Christ is Coming!  May 2011."

*****

Jemma, to me, while wearing a wet bathing suit:  "Mommy, I hafta go potty."

Nate, overhearing, to me:  "Ahhhh.  Now it's officially vacation."

*****

Annie, relating the story to the rest of the group about how Jason spotted p-o-o-p in the wave pool and flagged down the lifeguard:  "He was like, 'Um, I don't think those are Lincoln Logs!'"

*****

Jemma, disembarking from the scariest tube ride we went on, fist pumping, jumping up and down, and yelling, "Fun!  Fun!"

*****

Annie, at the pizza place we went to for lunch, while blowing on her slice:  "There's three kinds of hot.  There's hot like the temperature, hot like spicy, and hot like really fancy dresser."

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Finn:  "Yellow!  Yellow!  Yellow!"

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At Zingerman's (detoured to both on the way to Cincy AND on the way back, ahem):  "Girls, stop whining and eat.  Daddy's about to take a bite of his very favorite sandwich in the whole world."

*****

Me, after listening to a song about a map on a Dora DVD, the entirety of which was, "Map, map, map map; Map, map, map map!":  "Wow, you must really have to have what it takes to be a writer for Dora movies."

*****

Annie and Jemma, eating cereal in their "Wolf Den" while wearing their wolf ears and howling at each other.

*****

Annie, Jemma, and Evie alternating between calling and running away from Shiloh the dog.

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Annie, Jemma, and Evie holding hands and running down the sidewalk in the 60-something-degree sunshine downtown.

*****

Annie, Jemma, and Evie standing on chairs to watch the pizza dough being tossed and stretched and laughing hysterically when they got flour thrown at their faces in the window.

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Cousins, all grown up, toasting a weekend together with Sonoma Chardonnay and local beer on a Saturday afternoon before taking a sweet dog for a walk and wandering to the book store.

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Little cousins, the next generation, clanking glasses of milk and water bottles together, saying, "Cheers!" and giggling every time.

*****

Me, stepping out of the car at 7:00 p.m. tonight after nearly 800 miles this weekend:  "What's the name of Clark's wife in the Griswold movies?"

Jason:  "Ellen."

Me:  "I feel like Ellen Griswold, station wagon and all."

Jason:  "Am I Clark in this scenario?"

*****

This: