The ABC Game

I remember that as a child on long trips we would play the ABC game ... usually to pass time, I imagine!  Our family now plays this same game on long trips.  However, we have adopted it on our way to school as well.  To curb the contention that sometimes arises from not getting to go first, or having to sit in a seat they don't want, I have started finding the ABC's.  One day Kelsey, Spencer, and I found the ABCs twice from Cody's school to theirs.  We laugh that we are going to paint the 'hard' letters on trees about the places we need to find them.  But we always seem to manage the entire alphabet.  Just yesterday we were trying and we had everything but 'z.'  That illusive letter always stumps us.  But we have found that a lot of trucks have it as their last letter.  So when the signs get slim out in the country, we turn to license plates.  With 3 sets of eyes we can usually do it.  And since seeing them as we, and they, rush by each other is difficult...I can't be the only pair of eyes on the license plates (obviously).

Well, we had all the letters but 'z' and we were scrambling....no trucks were passing us and there were no signs on the sides of the road.  Kelsey began to lose hope.  Of course, my eternal optimism at 'winning' or accomplishing that which I set out to do came out with "Never lose hope...we'll make it!"  Spencer chimed in saying that last year a Jeep Trailblazer was always parked at his school and we would get the 'z' there.  However, this year that silly car hasn't been there!  Darn!

But....as we pulled into the parking lot and Kelsey's hope was just as good as shattered, around the curve was a license plate PAZPA!!!!  Yeah...see, never lose hope!  Kelsey was all smiles!

Our morning ritual is sometimes strained with contention as we try to get ready and to school on time, but it is also laced with a few smiles and laughter and fun.  Today, sadly, was not one of them....the fun part that is.  I took Kelsey and Spencer BEFORE Cody and that was a mess up on my part.  Cody just wasn't in the mood to play the ABC game.  I drove home alone pondering how to make the ride more fun for ALL and around the corner was a truck with a 'z' on its license plate.  A smile warmed my face and heart!  I really need to start the ABC game AS SOON AS WE GET IN THE CAR!!!  Maybe we could get it 3-4 times along the way.