"I'm coming traveling buddyyy!!!"

Like this guy here,

I am going to be taking a traveling buddy on my trip with me.

However, it is not going to be a caterpillar like Khalil.

Excuse me... That's not entirely true.... Khalil's mother was a caterpillar, his father was a worm. But he's ok with that now.

My travelling buddy will be one that has already gone on many adventures... To the Congo, to Sourth America, to North America, to Tibet...

His name is Tintin.

Tintin the Beanie Baby.

He will be accompanying me everywhere I go and will be posing by all the places we stop at. Look forewards to pictures of him in DC and New York and other places!

For now, though, his journey starts at my front door:

The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.

This guy auditioned for the spot of "Travelling Buddy" but just wasn't the right fit. He was too small and sneaky.

We leave tomorrow.
Today has been Abbey-tries-to-pack-everything-she-can-into-a-small-bag-and-Mom-gets-angry-and-tells-her-to-leave-the-kitchen-sink-behind day. AKA Packing Day.
I tend to over pack. Who knows, I might need the kitchen sink for something someday!

I wasn't able to take along everything I had hoped. For example, I wanted to take both Jane Eyre and Sherlock Holmes Illustrated along but since they are both big books, Mom told me I could bring one. Sorry Jane, Sherlock is more important. So I replaced Jane Eyre with my handy dandy Thesaurus and am taking Sherlock Holmes and The Fellowship of the Ring along (shhh... I might stick The Two Towers into the bag as well. After all, we're going to be gone until late June and I might finish The Fellowship before then--NO! No overpacking!)

I stuck everything in this bag (see my Traveling Buddy?):

My novel, a notebook, a travel journal, Sherlock Holmes, and my best friend The Thesaurus are in the big pocket, along with my Traveling Buddy. (my way of packing things-to-fit is, stick the big things in first, then the smaller things, then put anything soft like a stuffed animal or a jacket on top).

The Fellowship of the Ring, CD's, CD player, retainer case, and a pencil sharpener in the smaller pocket.

And of course, you HAVE to have candy for a long car trip (did I mention we were driving all the way to the East Coast? Scary!)