6 Flying Tips for Traveling with School Aged Kids

Ah flying, one of the most fun activities in life, especially with kids.  Not!  Unfortunately it is still a necessary way to get from Point A to Point B.  The good news is there are ways to make it more pleasant for everyone.  Well except for that one grouchy guy sitting near you that refuses to smile and will complain about EVERYTHING.  That guy is on all flights, just try not to sit near him if you can. 

6 Flying Tips

1. Sit near the restroom and behind/around other families.  They most likely won't complain about seat-kicking as much as the grumpy man in front of you!  Being near the restroom you can have an eye on your child without having to actually try to squeeze yourself into the itty-bitty bathroom!  And if you have more than one child then you can stay with one while watching the other.

2. Pack headphones for everyone and at least 2 different electronic devices (kindle, iPad, etc).  You never know if your plane will have programming or if it's age appropriate.

3. Bring a bag to put trash in.  You would not believe how much trash your little people can make in a flight, even a short one!

4. Pick airlines that allow children/families to board early.  This is super helpful in these days of not being able to reserve seats together ahead.  I prefer Southwest because their policy allows families to board between A and B as long as one child is 6 or younger.

5. Bring layers.  Even if it is hot where you are planes get cold.  Make sure to have a sweater or jacket for each child and consider a light blanket as well.  Also socks!  Tiny feet get cold in sandals on planes. 

6. Bring wipes.  Yes, your kids are diaper free now that they're school age but wipes are a must!  Use them to wipe down the table seats (b/c on the flight before you a diaper might have been changed on it......), sticky hands after snacks or spills, etc.  Trust me, wipes are still important. 

So there you go, 6 last travel tips.  I have to say that traveling is MUCH MUCH easier now with my older girls.  There was a time (babies, toddlers, cough cough) that I swore we'd never fly again.  I remember one trip where I actually threatened to stay in Hawaii because I refused to fly back home with my crazy toddler.  Ah, those were the days. (ha!)  But now my kids are great travelers both in the car and on a plane.

So if you have younger kids my advice is to hang in there, it will get better!  But here are some links to my travel tips for younger kids.

Road Trips with Babies & Pre-Schoolers
Traveling with a Toddler - Airplane Activity Kits
Drugging Your Kids and Other Ways to Survive a Red Eye Flight
Disneyland with Small Children - Tips and Tricks

And more for older kids

Road Trip Bags for School Aged Kids
Disneyland with School Aged Kids

Disneyland Take 2!

We finally made it back to Disneyland/CA Adventure, three years after our first visit.  I think it took us that long to forget how challenging the first visit was, ha!  But seriously a trip to Disney for us is more about our kids having a good time than us.  My joy was seeing it through their eyes.  I know many adults who LOVE Disney and go, even without kids.  But....the rides and lines just aren't my thing.  I do love the characters though!

Now back to this trip.  We did a quick 4 day trip.  One day to drive out, 2 days at the parks (Park Hopper passes) and one day to drive back.  We chose Sept 5th-6th to be at the parks because the attendance calenders projected that those would be LOW attendance days.  This was crucial because hey, no one likes long lines!

The upside to this timing was that the park was only at 50% capacity, so the lines were very doable.  Many rides we just walked on or waited <10 min. The longest wait was for the Star Wars ride which was about 40 min.

The downside was that the park was HOT.  Now we may be from Arizona but our heat is DRY.  CA heat was humid and..uncomfortable.  It was much better by the evening but if there was any line waiting in the direct sun it was unpleasant.  The worst was waiting 20 min in the SUN to meet Minnie Mouse.  

Tips for Sunny Days

• Powder sunscreen - This stuff is fantastic, easy to pack, easy (non messy/smelly) to apply/reapply and the kids don't complain.  It's pricey but perfect for this type of occasion.
• Layers - Make sure you can take something off.  Wear light breathable fabrics.  Perhaps re-think having the kids dress up in costumes, I saw quite a few sweaty and miserable princesses walking around those days.
• Frozen water bottles - Bring your own water bottles from home.  My $1 Dasani bottles from home cost over $4 at the park!  Freeze them overnight in your hotel room and carry that bottle with you.  You can also get ice water (for FREE) at the restaurants/kiosks, just ask.
• Backpack - This collapsible backpack comes in handy for so many adventures, including Disneyland.  I had the (frozen) water bottle on the outside so everyone could reach it.  Inside I carried our own snacks, etc.  It was comfortable all day!

My girls were 6 and 9.5 for this trip and this was their/our assessments of some of the ride highs and lows.

Disneyland

Highs (favorites)

• Peter Pan
• It's a Small World
• Star Wars
• Finding Nemo
• Teacups 

Lows (never go on again)

• Mr Toad's Wild Ride (uggg)
• The Matterhorn (too bumpy, gave us a headache)

I did most of the Disney rides with my girls as my husband only made it 3 hrs into the 2nd day before going back to the hotel.  I didn't mind most of them but was happy to get out of the sun in the afternoon by hopping back to CA Adventure for an (indoor) show.

Parade

Before we left parks we made it to the Disneyland parade.  It was fantastic and my girls LOVED all the characters, dancing and music.  

Tips

• Sit in front of the ice-cream parlor.  During our parade they brought out FREE ice-cream to give someone in the crowd.  
• Try to find a seat along the route where you can sit, as the parade can go a little long.

CA Adventure

Highs 

• Cars Ride (we walked right on!!)
• California Screaming (note: only my oldest and husband rode this one, 2x in a row)
• Toy Story
• The Little Mermaid (kids loved it)

Lows

• Bugs land Bumper Cars (too easy)
• Swinging Chairs (made me nauseous)

My bummer for CA Adventure is that so many of the rides are tea-cup type, so they spin around.  This is a no-go for me as I get nauseous.  Fortunately their dad was able to take them on rides.  My oldest could have gone alone but my 6 year old couldn't.  The rules are 7+ are okay alone but under 7 needs a 14yr old + to go with them.  Tricky.

One of the best parts about CA Adventure was the shows.  We saw the live Frozen show and were very impressed with the lighting and special effects.  Pretty awesome for a show that's included in your ticket price!  Remember to get their at least 30 min early (that was for a non-crowded day) to get in line for seats.  

The other show that we saw was the night World of Color light/water show.  We made sure to get fast-pass tickets that morning (doesn't effect other Fast Passes) so we could have better spots.  It's a standing show and you may need to put small kids on your shoulders to see.  Also, many areas are "splash zones" so you'll get a little wet.  We didn't mind a bit this time, it felt like rain here and there.

Tips for Night Shows

• Bring your own glow sticks or wands.  Light up toys cost $$$ at Disney so plan ahead and buy yours at Target or a Dollar Store.  
• Wear layers.  It can get cold or wet, pack a poncho for water shows.

Pin Trading

Another fun activity that we tried for the first time this visit was Pin Trading.  Disneyland (and other parks/places) sell Disney pins.  You can buy/collect your own of course but you can also trade them!  In the parks you can trade with Disney Cast members that are wearing lanyards, or you can ask for trading boards at the stores.  If that store doesn't have a board they'll tell you who does.  

Pin Trading Tips

• You can only trade real Disney pins.  They're supposed to check the back for authenticity.  
• If you don't see pin traders ask a Cast Member.
• Trading Pins happens in Downtown Disney and both parks.
• Buy (real) pins ahead on places like eBay for much cheaper so you have pins to trade.  We found some cute pins at a local Antique mall for only $1.50-$3 each.  At the park individual pins start at $8.99 each!
• If you can't buy ahead get the pin collections, at $30 for 8 they end up being less than $4 each.
• Check the backs frequently while wearing the pins, they often slip off and you'll lose the pin!  My girls had pins fall about 6x during our visit, and 1x we never found the pin. :(
• If you do lose a back you can buy a package of replacements, but also as if the stores have just one back. We were able to get 3 backs (separate times) that way.

Character Autographs

Remember how I have been working on decluttering and minimizing?  Part of that process was going through childhood boxes at my childhood home.  This summer I discovered my Disney Autograph book from 1986.  Oh yes, it's a beauty.  I used it on my first visit to Disneyland in 1987, although the autographs are less Disney and more random.  For example the pilot who flew us to Burbank, CA, my grandparents, etc.

We brought the book back to life by bringing it to Disneyland this trip.  The girls had SO many characters sign it, and many of them noted the unusual (old) design and asked about it.  Anna and Elsa from Frozen took time to thumb through and look at who signed it. 

They ended up getting the signatures of:

• Anna & Elsa
• Chip & Dale
• Minnie
• Mickey
• Tinkerbell 
• Cinderella
• Ariel
• Snow White
• Rapunzel & Flynn Ryder 
• Pinocchio
• Doc McStuffins

Not too shabby for only 2 days in the park.  The highest concentration of signatures are available in the Royal Hall in Disneyland.  After waiting a few minutes we were able to meet 4.  They also met Gaston but he refused to sign their book saying that he couldn't read or write. 

Signing Tips

• Find a book ahead, they cost more at the park.  Some books have space for photos on the side, which would be lovely if your kids did a photo op/signature.
• Bring a pen (and an extra)!  We lost ours and were able to borrow but it was challenging sometimes to find one quickly.
• Have your kids ask for the signature instead of you.  The characters were more apt to talk to a child than a parent.  

Disney Grand CA Hotel

My last tip has to do with where to stay.  Once again we stayed at the Disney Grand California hotel and spa.  It is the closest hotel to the park and even has it's own entrance to CA Adventure.  This was a HUGE perk for running back to the hotel if we forgot something and for my husband who didn't join us all day each day.

The Disney hotels offer Magic Hours each morning at the parks (alternating).  The extra hour is really lovely to get your morning off to a good start.  The day we visited CA Adventure we walked right onto the Cars Ride!

Staying at a Disney hotel also gets you a few freebies like a lanyard with Resort pin.  Our package had a certificate for a free photo (we did the Cars Ride) and discounts on Downtown Disney restaurants.

Tips

• If you are getting a standard room try to get one closest to the front lobby.  That gives you quick access to the Downtown Disney entrance.
• They are phasing out bunkbed rooms (Sigh), but there are still a few left if you're traveling now.  You can request a bunkbed room.
• Use the pool your day of arrival, you'll probably be too busy to use it on park days.  Or plan to stay after checkout at the pool for a bit, they'll happily store your luggage for you.
• You do not need to bring your own flotation device for your kids, they have life jackets available.
• Don't refuse the turndown, they give you chocolates! :)
• The Storytellers Cafe restaurant in the hotel had great healthy options and a nice atmosphere for lunch and dinner.  You many need reservations if you are visiting at a busy time, we were able to walk in.

Hope this information is helpful!  We're feeling pretty Disney-ed out right now but are considering a Disney Cruise sometime in the future. We'll see. ;)

2014 Disneyland Tips and Tricks

For information on Disney's Hawaii Aulani Resort Check out:

Disney Aulani Resort Review Part I

Disney Aulani Resort Review Part II (Dining & Spa)

Camping + Disneyland = Fun and Fatigue :)

My blog has been pretty quiet lately, we've had quite a few adventures here in the last week!  

First I went tent camping with my youngest for the Labor Day weekend.  It had been over a decade since I camped and it was her very first time in a tent.  Let's just say our usual "camping" style is more lodge and less tent. :) We both had a wonderful time and are already looking forward to doing it again!  Our favorite parts of camping were:

• Getting out of the Phoenix heat, it was 30 degrees cooler up there! 
• Spending lots of time with our best friends.
• Sleeping in a tent snuggled up under the stars. 

The day after we got back home our whole family drove to CA for a Disneyland adventure.  Two fun filled days at the parks and another to drive home and I'm ready to rest. Whew. 

I'll be back to share our highs/lows as well as tips/tricks from Disneyland so stay tuned.  But first I need to catch up on laundry and sleep.

Family UTV adventure near Zion Park

A big highlight of our family vacation to Zion National Park was a UTV tour as a family.  The girls and I had never been on a ATV or a UTV so this was extra exciting for us.  

After researching the options my husband chose UTV Adventure Tours.  Located about 45 minutes from Springdale (Zion) this company had good vehicles, prices and reviews.

Our vehicle fit all four of us and we were securely strapped/buckled in.  The tour company provided snacks, water bottles, goggles, a booster (for my little) and offered helmets.  Note: We chose to skip the helmets but in hindsight (and at the advice of my UTV rolling nephew) this was perhaps unwise.  Next time safety first!

My husband and I took turns driving the UTV, although I had just as much fun being a passenger.  Our tour was led by a UTV Adventure Tours guide, we just followed his UTV after a quick lesson on how to drive the vehicle.  

We scheduled a 3 hour excursion but ended up extending it to 4 because we were having so much fun!

Our 4 hours were spent in the Hurricane Sand Dunes.  We used those hours to race up and down sand dunes, climb over rocks, stop at the shore of the Sand Hallow Reservoir and visit/explore rock formations.  Fantastic!  

The girls loved the ride and squeeled with delight.  By the end my youngest had actually fallen asleep!  Kids.

By the time the tour was over we were covered in a fine film of red sand.  Our guide said it was a free facial. ;)  I found dust in my hair, teeth, ears and inside my socks.  This was due to a couple quick turns in the dunes where a shower of dust came into the vehicle. Oops. Totally worth it though!

Remember:

• Put on sunscreen ahead (NO fun once you're sandy/dirty).
• Bring sunglasses and hats.  
• Bring a washable dark colored bag to hold your extras/valuables.  I used my handy-dandy packable backpack and although it was completely covered in dust by the end it washed clean.
• Make sure your camera is in a zip tight bag or you'll be sorry.
• Consider wearing tighter shorts.  I had jean cut offs and my iphone fit perfectly inside my shorts leg while we were driving.  Easy to get access but kept dust-free and didn't slide around.

For more information:

UTV Adventure Tours
1430 East Washington Dam Road #3
Washington, Utah 84780-2154
Phone: 435-313-4040
https://utvadventuretours.com 


More about our Zion Trip:

Where to stay and eat in Springdale/Zion with Kids
Zion Hikes with Kids

Dry to Lush (visit to WA)

The girls and I are having a little respite from the oven that we love.  We are spending time in lush/cool oh-so-green Washington.  The weather here is 30-45 degrees cooler than back home.  So basically it's fantastic.  I'll be ready for the hot pool weather in a bit but for now we're enjoying wearing sweatshirts and pants. 

Columbia City in Seattle

The tiny beach cottage :)

It's lovely for the girls to have a bit of change and to spend time with their cousins and grandmother.  Tomorrow we will bury Dad's ashes as a family, something I've talked to the girls about for awhile now.  

But today we have more beach walks, flower picking, sea-air breathing and memory making to do!

Tiny Beach Cottage

Tiny Beach Cottage Part 2

Zion Hikes with Kids

Our summer break started with a family road trip to Zion National Park.  I wrote about where we stayed in Springdale, Utah and now onto our family hikes.

Zion National Park is a well maintained, well orchestrated and organized machine!  They have (free) shuttle buses in the town and inside the park.  During the busy season the shuttles are the only way into the park to hike/explore unless you are staying at the Lodge.

My girls love the shuttles and although they are slow going the views are amazing from the windows on the side and even in the ceiling.  You can think of it as a free guided tour bus!  Especially since the driver shares facts about the different sights and stops.

During the busiest times of the summer you will need to queue up at the Zion Canyon Visitors Center just to get on a bus.  Our wait was between 15-30 min, then another 45 minutes to get off the bus at the last stop.

Our family did a total of 3 hikes over two days.  We picked easier family friendly hikes since my girls have little legs, medium energy and high whining skills. ;)  First up was the Riverside Walk.  This walk was the longest but easiest with partially paved trails and limited hills.  

The Riverside Walk is familiar to us, we have traveled it two times before.  This time was the easiest since I didn't need to push a stroller or carry a baby! The walk is my favorite as it winds along the beautiful river with lots of shade, weeping rocks and tons of overly friendly rock squirrels. 

The Riverside walk leads to the mouth of the famous and not-as-family-friendly Narrows hike.  We plan on doing this much longer and water logged hike someday, but not this trip.  Especially since this time of year the water was often chest high and only 50 degrees!  We'll save that for another year.

The Riverside walk has full bathroom facilities (running water) and a water bottle fill station.  It is 2.2 miles roundtrip and takes about 1.5 hrs.

Weeping Rock was our second hike.  This is another familiar hike and this marked the first time I didn't have to carry a baby up the steep (but short) trail.  This trail has a bathroom at the bottom (port-a-let).

After a quick steep hike (.20 miles) there is a beautiful look out with a very satisfying view.  Also naturally a weeping rock that drips down on hikers as you pass.

Here is a little trio of our Weeping Rock family photos.  Visits in 2012/2014 and now 2017.  All the feels!

Since Weeping Rock is a short hike I wanted to add another one that day.  I had originally planned on the Grotto Trail, another easy hike that is only 1 mile round trip.  However, my little hikers started complaining even before we started that particular hike.  So we hopped back on the bus intending to return to the Visitor Center.

However....a small miscalculation on my part ended up bringing us to a much longer new hike that was 1.75 miles (3.5 r/t). Oops.

Pa'rus Trail is 3.5 miles round trip between the Zion Visitor Center and Canyon Junction.  The trail is paved, mostly flat and follows along the river with spectacular mountain views.  There is very little shade however and I will admit that it was quite a journey for my little hikers in the almost 100 degree weather.

They started out strong and excited but by the end my hot, tired and hungry hikers were whiny to be sure! But I am glad that we went and have photos to prove we survived. :)

There are no bathrooms until the Visitor Center, very little shade and no water fill stations.  So plan ahead!  This trail is perfect for bikes or strollers as well.

Remember:

• They do not sell water bottles in the park.  You will need to bring your own containers (we love our Sip by S'well, keeps water cold all day!).  They do have many filling stations all around the park to fill up your bottles and for the most part the water was cold and delicious.
• This is most likely obvious but remember sunscreen, hats and sunglasses!  I brought a foam and a powder sunscreen for this trip.  They were not messy/sticky/greasy like regular sunscreens so perfect for hiking.  My kids have lightweight folding camping hats.
• If you need a lightweight/foldable backpack I highly recommend the Hikpro.  It is washable, light and comfortable.
• Make sure to have your kids get a National Park stamp at the visitor's center.  If you don't already have a National Park Passport book get one!  It's fun to add stamps and stickers when you visit the parks.
• Another tip: They sell National Park postage stamps at the Visitor's Center, a beautiful collection and worth purchasing.

For more on Zion and road trips check out:

Where to Stay and Eat in Zion with Kids
Cable Mountain Lodge at Zion Review
Road Trip Activity Bags
Zion Views
Summer Storms in Zion
Road Trips with Kids - Tips and Tricks


 

Where to stay and eat in Springfield (Zion) with Kids

We're almost half way through our summer break and we've already had a few adventures.  First up was our family road trip to Zion National Park!  I planned ahead for the many hours in the van by making activity bags.  They pretty much got us smoothly to our destination(s).  Now for where we stayed when we got there!

Our favorite resort (Cable Mountain Lodge) was booked so this time we had to try someplace new.  We ended up staying at two different hotels/resorts during our week there.

We spent the first two nights at the La Quinta Inn & Suites at Zion Park/Springdale.  We stayed in a Family Suite that included two rooms and a kitchenette (small fridge & microwave).

Pros

• Kids got to sleep in bunk beds (built in) which they loved.
• The bed was comfortable.
• FREE Breakfast!!  I liked the waffle maker, kids loved the cereal.  
• New (4 yr old) hotel in a great location in the middle of town.
• Kids LOVED the swimming pool it had water features, shaded areas (not in the pool) and amazing views.

Cons

• No elevator.
• Balcony/Patio area isn't private, people walk right by. Same with the windows looking out, all have people walking by.
• Limited views from the rooms.
• Coffee is not-so-great.
• Wi-fi isn't very strong.

As a result of the lack of view, tiny fridge and wi-fi we switched accommodations after 2 nights.  My husband found us a sweet last minute deal on a beautiful vrbo in town called the Watchman Villas.  It was quite luxurious compared to the La Quinta and we were comfortable for the next 2 nights. 

Pros
Beautiful huge 2 bedroom condo with full kitchen (and another 1/2 kitchen), 2 bathrooms, private balcony, free laundry and faster Wi-fi.

Only Con is that it would have normally cost 2x what La Quinta did.  So look into last minute bookings when possible  It also didn't have a pool but we could have used the pool at a sister property.

Both properties were right on a Zion Park/Springfield shuttle bus line.  You can catch a bus that takes you to the park entrance (for free).  My girls enjoyed the bus and it ran pretty frequently.  The were usually packed, so be prepared to stand.

While we stayed in Springdale we explored the shops and found a few fun things to do.  Our kids are really into rocks right now so we looked at a few of the rock shops in town (there are at least 3!). Our favorite was Zion Prospector: 694 Zion Park Blvd, Springdale UT.  

We spent over an hour looking around the shop at all the different rocks, fossils and beautiful stones.  They have the biggest selection!  Then as if that wasn't enough fun we paid for the kids to have a "sloush-jar".  They had the best time sloushing and looking for treasures in the jar.  We ended up with so many beautiful stones and objects (shark teeth).  The kids LOVED it.  

And of course no trip is complete without an ice-cream cone!  We found ours at the Springdale Candy Company.

Family Dinners

There aren't many restaurants in Springdale, especially family friendly with gluten-free choices.  We're a bit picky. :)  These three had options for us and at each dinner at least 75% of us were happy!

• Bamboo Chinese Restaurant: Had lots of options and we ended up with leftovers!  The water was tasty too.
• Blondies Dinner: This kitschy diner had a relaxed atmosphere and lots of comfort/diner food.  My kids appreciated the chicken tender/fries (ah kids) and I had yummy sliders.  There were also salad choices for the gluten-free.  An aside, they introduced us to "Utah Sauce" a popular condiment that is a mixture of ketchup and mayo.  We are all about it now!
• MeMe's Cafe: My favorite restaurant!  This lovely restaurant had all day crepes (savory and sweet), wine, fresh squeezed OJ, espresso and regular food too.  The kid's meals included fresh fruit and the crepes could be gluten-free.  Love love!

For more Zion trip information check out our favorite family Zion hikes and also our family UTV adventure!

Road Trip Bags for School Aged Kids (aka how to reduce travel bickering)

Do you have summer road trip plans?  Ready to pack up your family and hit the open road?  It's all fun and games until the kids keep whining and the radio won't pick up a decent signal.  Or maybe that's just me?

I've shared other traveling tips in the past and now my sweet angels (ah-hem) are both school aged (5 3/4 and 9 1/2 yrs old). In preparation for a week long trip this summer that includes 3 separate (!!!) days of driving I prepared the following keep-em-busy-organized-and-fed bags.  Perhaps I should call it a KEBOAFB instead.  Hmm, still not working.  I'll have to think about that some more.l

Anyhoo, I have been preparing these bags-of-fun (ooo that's better) for a while now; picking up goodies at the Target Dollar Spot, dollar stores, clearance sales, etc.  

The bags are personalized for each of my precious pumpkins from Shutterfly using free codes so I only had to pay shipping.  They ended up costing $5.50 each.  Well worth it to me as they're:

1. Adorable
2. Fold able
3. Reusable
4. Easy to figure out which goes to which child! (aka no fighting)

Inside each bag I included (so far)

-new book(s)
-activity book(s)
-candy
-art supplies
-sticky note books ($1! on clearance)
-activity to do at the hotel (growing dinosaur eggs)
-a couple child specific goodies

Other things to remember/consider packing for road trips include:

*Game player packet w/charger (or extra batteries) and games.
*Headphones 
*pillows/blankets to get cozy
*ipods/ipads with individual playlists and games

I found this fantastic road trip book a couple months ago and put it away for this trip.  It has activities and car games to help make the trip more interactive.  You could also get car bingo or other road-trip specific books/games for travel. 

 

And don't forget snacks!  I made bags for each day of travel that were clearly marked.  And yes, I'm keeping Day #2/#3 somewhere else since my kids are awesome but not super-human.  If they had all the snacks in a bag they would eat them!

For travel friendly car snacks I recommend:

-Apple Sauce
-Snack Bars (I'm all about fruit/nuts lately, protein for the win!)
-Gummy Bunnies
-Hard candies (they can take awhile to eat, careful with the smaller kids for choking hazards)
-Pretzels (less messy than crackers)
-Nuts
-Fruit Tape
-Jelly Beans
-clementines

And don't forget to pack in a separate cooler:

-Cheese Sticks
-Yogurt Sticks (freeze them first if possible)
-sandwiches
-juice boxes/water bottles
-cubed meat chunks
-apple slices

You get the idea.  The more you pack ahead the less junk you'll be tempted to buy at a random 7-11 with questionably clean restrooms and selections that only included beef jerky, cheese in a can or candy bars that are most likely expired.  Just saying.

Now I'm not a travel scrooge, we'll plan stops for Slurpee's and M&M's here and there, I just prefer that the snacks be more healthy and less $$ if possible.

I plan on putting the bags-oh-fun in their carseats the morning that we take off.  I'm excited to see their reactions but preparing myself for the inevitable "no fair she got _____".  Sigh.  

ETA: Guess what they were a hit and I didn't hear them say "no fair"!!  Hooray. 

For more travel trips check out:

Road Trips with Babies & Pre-Schoolers
Traveling with a Toddler - Airplane Activity Kits
Drugging Your Kids and Other Ways to Survive a Red Eye Flight
Disneyland with Small Children - Tips and Tricks

A day in the airport, puke and almost a head-on collision: The Vacation is Officially Over

We just got back from a wonderful family vacation full of beautiful beaches, warm breezes, WAY too much food, friends, pampering and lots of time together.  It could have been a rough transition going from the cruise boat to the airport.  Especially when my anticipated 6 hrs in the airport (which by the way is already a REALLY long time but sort of unavoidable with the flight options/disembarking procedures) turned into 10 hrs at the airport, plus another 5.5 hrs on the plane!

All together it ended up taking 17 hours for us to get home, which meant it felt like 3:34am to us (1:45 local time) before the kids got to bed.  Yikes!

And did I mention that my 5 year old started throwing up 10 minutes from home?  Oh yes, that was a unexpected challenge. :)

But, despite all the delays I am thankful.  I am thankful that we were safe in that airport, as the delays were due to severe storms and storm watches that occurred in other parts of the country.  Storms that took lives.

I am thankful that we made it home, so so many of the travelers around us had to spend the night in the airport as they couldn't make connecting flights.

I am thankful that we found an electrical outlet early on in our airport stay, we kept that thing busy all day and once the terminal was standing room only and more and more stranded travelers streamed in I was especially thankful that we were able to sit together.

I was mindful that the very same airport (Ft Lauderdale) was closed with stranded passengers only 2 weeks before for a horrific reason, and was thankful that that day we were all safe.

My kids kept busy with game players, homework, Netflix, reading and even napping.  We were crowded but the terminal had food and even a Starbucks so I was happy too.

But I am mostly thankful because this morning, only a few miles from home we had a close call. I was driving our van home from the airport on a freeway going the speed limit (65 mph) when a Jeep came out of nowhere going the wrong direction right towards us in the lane next to me.  

It all happened so fast and was so disorienting, as you don't see cars coming at you on a freeway very often (or never in my case).  I've heard of this happening, unfortunately it is rather common in my area, usually late at night/early in the morning and almost always because of drunk driving.  

It was 1:20am and we were distracted by my puking 5 year old in the backseat but I was aware enough to stay in my lane and not collide with him.  We called 911 immediately to report it but found out later that he had collided with another vehicle shortly after passing us.  He also caused another accident by cars swerving to avoid him.

I read that it wasn't a fatality, and the wrong-way driver had the worst injuries.  Partly because there were no passengers and they both swerved at the last second so they collided on the passenger sides of their vehicles.  The jeep looked totalled in photos.

That could have been us. 

I'm tired, feel like I'm still on a moving boat and have piles of laundry (plus a sick kid home) but am thankful.  So thankful. Thankful for a wonderful family vacation and getting back home safely!

I'll be back with photos and a review of our trip on the Holland America Koningsdam boat soon.  Well as soon as the room feels like it's not swaying back and forth. 😳