Katie and Mommy's Big Adventure - Background and Preparation

When my mother first got the call about a family reunion in Baltimore in June, she just added it to her busy travel calendar. Then, I started asking about maybe coming to Colorado for the a week or so with Katie. She just mentioned the Baltimore trip as a time that I should come. Then she got to thinking, "Hey, everybody would love to see Kim (also my name, it's a long story) and Katie at the reunion, they should come!" So, she invited me to come to Denver and Baltimore as one trip. If I tacked Baltimore on the beginning or end of a trip to Denver, they could buy my ticket and entertain Katie for one of the flights to or from since we would all travel together. Then, when I started looking at times I started thinking that I would love to go to Denver and Baltimore BUT, if I went, I would end up being gone for two whole weeks and I have a lot that I need to get done this summer. I was starting to think nothing would get done if I planned on being gone too much.

THEN Jim suggested an impromptu adventure trip. Drive up to Baltimore and stop places on the way up and/or back and just have fun with it. See a few sights and spend some QT with Katie. I liked the idea and Katie and Mommy's Big Adventure was born.

What I thought was going to be a couple extra days is now a week of stops and sights including Baltimore, DC, Williamsburg, Virgina, an airplane park in Hampton, VA, Virginia Beach, and Rocky Mount. We started Friday, June 26 and won't be back for a whole week. Jim is a great trip planner and helped me find things to do, places to go, and hotels to stay in. I probably wouldn't have thought to take this trip without his encouragement and coordinating abilities so this trip is all thanks to him. Thanks honey. :)

After making a plan and booking hotels, I decided at the very last second that my old Powershot camera that takes a full minute to take 2 pictures in a row was not enough to document this trip, so we hastily researched cameras and ended up with one I've wanted for years: the Canon Digital Rebel T1i. I was worried about the price so we decided this would be a shakedown cruise for the camera and if it wasn't working for me I could return it when I got back. It's really nice.

My pics will be hit and miss as I put it through it's paces and figure out how best to use it. Here's my first trial picture the morning we left before the hair police got to work.

I'm going to have SO much fun!!! Pics and stories of our adventure will be posted as time and internet access allows.