No Sleep 'Til... Bowling Green?

It wasn't bad enough that we were eating lunch at 3pm at a roadside Ruby Tuesday, dressed and smelling like people who had escaped from a mental institution and gone on the lam.

In the bathroom, Ford refused to take off his new gloves (purchased by Natalie for Saturday night's suddenly-chilly temps) and somehow managed to pee on both one of his hands and the back of his shorts. Then he locked himself in the stall by accident and proceeded to throw a fit. (In a moment of not-selfless parenting, I let Finley be the one to crawl under the stall door and rescue him.) After he flatly refused to put on his shorts, I called Seth, threw a nude-from-the-waist-down and crying Ford at him, and sprinted with Finley across the parking lot to the camper for new shorts.

When I got back to the table, the waitress there strongly recommended the 8 oz. wine pour. It was an excellent suggestion.

(Incidentally, we were at Ruby Tuesday in the first place because Finley had had a minor meltdown begging for steak. All of which she ate. Ford, on the other hand, ate this carb-heavy, completely tan-colored meal.)

The kid drama was all our fault, really. After a wild week of Chuck E. Cheese parties

and the thrilling arrival of Halloween costumes;

we had, in true Nieman fashion, gone all in a harebrained road trip (complete with camper) to see the Army-Western Kentucky game with friends.

It was absolutely worth the (incredibly long) drive, despite the Army loss to the oddly-named Hilltoppers.

In addition to a road trip on which we discovered train museums and Famous Ice Cream

the kids got to camp with their best friends,

see their beloved (now commissioned) "Army team,"

and act like real hooligans at the tailgate.

Yes, that does appear to be Finley learning to take a shot from a miniature Solo cup. I'm hopeful that it was juice, but you can never be too sure with Finley.

There was also this moment

and this hilarious late night death march. Bowling Green was responsible for no shortage of memorable times.

Thanks to the world's dumbest federal holiday we spent a final, lovely night on the shores of Douglas Lake

 which turned out to be beautiful

 and to have either very discerning or not at all hungry fish.

Waterlogged breakfast in PJs was just bonus.

All in all, it was an action-packed and unforgettable weekend, with enough late nights that Ruby Tuesday tantrums were completely understandable. Although no less mortifying.

Couple funny ones from this week are this bizarre pose F+F struck while hiking around the campground in their PJs/ leopard print dress (why not?)

and this funny one from Maggie and Ally's birthday party, in which- if you look closely enough- you'll note a very intent father-son duo.