I think I've been blogging about our family reunion ever since I started blogging and this isn't the year to kill a tradition and so -- here we ARE.
Reunion time!!
GG and all her great grands.
The kids were so so so SO excited about going that they had their bags packed (the girls even had their flight outfits laid out many days in advance) for days beforehand and multiple drafts of cards for, "GG" (Great Grandma) were drawn before they settled on the one to actually bring. Abe and his perfectionism -- he comes by it honestly.
Our trip was a lot shorter than other years but we packed a lot in and had the exhausted kids to prove it the day after we got home (Julia slept in until 11 -- sorcery? perhaps).
on the flight home. before we landed and went to get the car to find it had a flat tire. at 11pm. Fun for all - and for all a fun night.
I was nervous about flying with everyone as we no longer fit in two neat rows of three and knew someone (child or adult - Simon took one for the team) would have to sit separately and didn't know how that would go but it was fine and the kids were shockingly content with the 8 trillion snacks I packed and the laminated safety brochures in the seat pockets in front of them.
The captain invited the kids up to the cockpit where Simon repeatedly said, "please don't touch ANYTHING, kids" while the captain simultaneously said, "fly us anywhere you'd like!"
I was the most worried about Bosco since 2 year olds are such wildcards and panicked momentarily when I realized I had packed exactly zero toys/distractions for him but he was thrilled to have his blankie out of his crib and happy to pound the snacks and spill the ones he didn't eat.
it wouldn't be a trip to the Quad Cities without a Whitey's run. I got him a scoop in a cup but it wasn't lost on him that EVERYONE else had cones. So, I gave him mine. Best/worst mom - depending on how you spin it.
We stayed in a hotel where they had a room with bunkbeds along with a pull-out couch and another bed which worked out perfectly and the front desk only called up once to ask if everything was okay because, "we've been getting a lot of calls from your room ... "
the calling culprits with their bubblegum cones x 4
Abe was thrilled to meet lots of aunts and uncles and Nana and GG and great aunts and second cousins galore.
super thrilled.
Cousin Sydney brought the kids the sweetest and most thoughtful gifts (and a gorgeous rosary for me!) from Mexico where she's been doing mission work ...
The first thing Julia did when we got home was hang her pig purse right above her bed - close to her head.
We got to check out GG's soon-to-be new digs which was bittersweet because we have so many wonderful memories at her condo but know she'll have a lot of fun with all her new friends at her new place.
Theo was REALLY wanting to board the van headed for a group trip to Target.
And finally! As promised - a report back on the K'tan. I was a fan! A big fan. And more importantly - so was Abe. I'll be curious to see how he likes it once he gets a little older but it was so great for being truly hands-free through security and boarding etc. Did I pack the manual to reference the first five times I put it on? Yes - but I'm a slow learner ...
... and an expert selfie snapper. No eyes + one eye at your service.
We got home and the kids started school almost immediately so look for a post all about THAT coming at you in a flash. Only the sexiest of subject matters around here.
Happy Thursday.
Reunion time!!
GG and all her great grands.
The kids were so so so SO excited about going that they had their bags packed (the girls even had their flight outfits laid out many days in advance) for days beforehand and multiple drafts of cards for, "GG" (Great Grandma) were drawn before they settled on the one to actually bring. Abe and his perfectionism -- he comes by it honestly.
Our trip was a lot shorter than other years but we packed a lot in and had the exhausted kids to prove it the day after we got home (Julia slept in until 11 -- sorcery? perhaps).
on the flight home. before we landed and went to get the car to find it had a flat tire. at 11pm. Fun for all - and for all a fun night.
I was nervous about flying with everyone as we no longer fit in two neat rows of three and knew someone (child or adult - Simon took one for the team) would have to sit separately and didn't know how that would go but it was fine and the kids were shockingly content with the 8 trillion snacks I packed and the laminated safety brochures in the seat pockets in front of them.
The captain invited the kids up to the cockpit where Simon repeatedly said, "please don't touch ANYTHING, kids" while the captain simultaneously said, "fly us anywhere you'd like!"
I was the most worried about Bosco since 2 year olds are such wildcards and panicked momentarily when I realized I had packed exactly zero toys/distractions for him but he was thrilled to have his blankie out of his crib and happy to pound the snacks and spill the ones he didn't eat.
it wouldn't be a trip to the Quad Cities without a Whitey's run. I got him a scoop in a cup but it wasn't lost on him that EVERYONE else had cones. So, I gave him mine. Best/worst mom - depending on how you spin it.
We stayed in a hotel where they had a room with bunkbeds along with a pull-out couch and another bed which worked out perfectly and the front desk only called up once to ask if everything was okay because, "we've been getting a lot of calls from your room ... "
the calling culprits with their bubblegum cones x 4
Abe was thrilled to meet lots of aunts and uncles and Nana and GG and great aunts and second cousins galore.
super thrilled.
Cousin Sydney brought the kids the sweetest and most thoughtful gifts (and a gorgeous rosary for me!) from Mexico where she's been doing mission work ...
The first thing Julia did when we got home was hang her pig purse right above her bed - close to her head.
We got to check out GG's soon-to-be new digs which was bittersweet because we have so many wonderful memories at her condo but know she'll have a lot of fun with all her new friends at her new place.
Theo was REALLY wanting to board the van headed for a group trip to Target.
And finally! As promised - a report back on the K'tan. I was a fan! A big fan. And more importantly - so was Abe. I'll be curious to see how he likes it once he gets a little older but it was so great for being truly hands-free through security and boarding etc. Did I pack the manual to reference the first five times I put it on? Yes - but I'm a slow learner ...
We got home and the kids started school almost immediately so look for a post all about THAT coming at you in a flash. Only the sexiest of subject matters around here.
Happy Thursday.
I always ask for my kid scoop cones in a cup. Tip for next trip up here! Glad your journey experience was good and that you blogged it. Grace Patton keeping the Quad Cities from being completely unknown from blog readers everywhere.
ReplyDeleteBosco and the cone!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, how fun for the kids to be in the cockpit! And you have on such a cute outfit in your selfie. Black and white ensemble with baby head accessory. ;)
ReplyDeleteI just had a baby, and want to get a k'tan wrap, but I'm afraid of ordering the wrong size. XS or S? Did you have trouble with sizing?
ReplyDeleteHow is the sizing for the k'tan? I wanted to order one but unsure if I should get an XS or S?
ReplyDeleteI went with an XS after reading reviews saying to size down! Glad I went that route as the fit is perfect :)
DeleteHere's my tip for flying with kids when one of you has to be separated; put your oldest kid alone instead of self sacrificing Dad. My kids reserve all their bad behavior for me, for strangers AKA flight attendants, they're angels. As long as I'm out of earshot they're perfect.
ReplyDeletehaha makes sense! unfortunately, Julia didn't want to sit next to a strange man - and I didn't blame her :)
Delete