Vacation and Mom, Are We There Yet!

Pictured above, Perry's synchronized swimming debut.

Yes, even Larry thinks it is weird that at a gas station I stop and peel a few ears of corn and nibble on a cucumber but with the salad monster and the three bigs, what can a parent do? We have been in the car an unbelievable amount in the past two weeks. I am talking to Lake Placid, Quebec, Tadoussac, Maine, NYC, Maryland and all the way to Florida...that is a great deal of time with my children. So, would I want them to be all sugared up or chock full of processed oils? Not so much.

For long car rides, we do plan our gluten free vegan meals pretty well. I packed up some car ride snacks which were vegetables, fruit and Lara Bars for the most part. I stuck with starting my days with a Vega and Amazing Greens drink and a little green tea. Yesterday, for our fourteen hour ride to Florida I did bring Whole Foods brown rice vegan sushi to make it bearable. I also had great cucumbers, corn and salad...the last of the Maryland summer farmers' market vegetables.

But, of course, for full disclosure, on the actual vacation, (we are in it for the culinary adventure) especially the Quebec portion, the kids did indulge in the regional delicacies. Why is it that french fries in Quebec are so far superior? The food was pretty amazing and even with our quirks, we managed to fill up on mostly satisfying local fare, although admittedly there were compromises, gluten galore, and I think butter and eggs and an ice cream or two got in the mix as well. And, mussels, hmm. So, while we aim for vegan, the kids seem happy to fall short and relax the code once in a while but I stuck with it, vegan and gluten free except for beer. I just can't resist a Blanche de Chambly. For me, Cafe Boheme in Tadoussac had the best salad ever, just right after hours of hiking.

I miss the hiking and the scenery and the total isolation of the remote parts of our journey (yes, there were moments when Dad's blackberry had no reception) but glad to get us back on track while we get ready to prepare for school...this year I am making lunch every day for all four, yikes.