Travel with Tots

We are taking some parenting tips from my brother and sister-in-law and starting them early with the college visits. 

College focused coffee shops count as a college visit, right? This one is ranked in the top 50 of all college coffee shops in the US.

I really love this picture as it captures so much and about this experience.  This is how the morning played out--this is a typical morning:

1. We are going to go get coffee before Paul goes to the meadery. Williamsburg is beautiful and we are in the colonial center.  Perfect morning.
2. We walk into the coffee shop--there is a line.
3. Soon the kids are crawling on the floor playing--next to the line with people with hot coffee.
4. I ask them to stop and stand by me--this request makes them want to crawl around faster on the floor.
5. I catch Paul's eye--with the look of a parent on the edge.  He comes and gets the kids and takes them to a table.
6. I wait in line for coffee and snap this photo as Paul shows the kids a map and they are completely engaged in looking at the map--it is adorable.
7. I get the coffee and we go to leave--Neil does not want to leave the map.  He proceeds to cry/protest our leaving and knock over a chair as we are leaving--carrying him and our coffees.
8. We go for a walk in the center of town-so quaint and a perfect fall morning for walking sipping a coffee. The kids are skipping in the leaves.  
9. The kids find a dirt pile and proceed to sit in the dirt and play in the street.  They really could just play in dirt and be satisfied.  They don't want to walk anymore.
10. We leave--perfect, crazy, dirty, annoyed and peaceful morning all in less than an hour. 

Repeat this scenario every waking hour.  This is travel with the kids.