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Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Jan 9, 2012
Dec 25, 2011
Veterans
The flight home, even with a delay at the gate, was smooth and pleasant. The kids knew what to expect and exceeded expectations the whole way.
But no matter what, flying with multiple toddlers is exhausting.
But no matter what, flying with multiple toddlers is exhausting.
Dec 23, 2011
Breaking Dawn
We hopped a ferry over to Olympic National Park today. It was some gorgeous terrain, but I kept thinking a sparkly vampire was going to jump out at any moment.
Also came across a store that sells crap cheap.
Also came across a store that sells crap cheap.
Dec 22, 2011
Dec 21, 2011
There's Something on the Wing
If the kids get noisy at a restaurant, we can go to the car. If they start fighting at the movie theater, we go home. If all hell breaks loose on an airplane, we can... well... we're screwed.
We left Chicago and flew to Kansas City. We stayed on the plane in K.C. and then flew to Seattle. In total, we were on the plane for about six hours.
I'm happy to report, getting on and off the plane was the biggest challenge of the whole flight. Julie had Eliana and a huge diaper bag full of supplies and snacks. I had an equally large backpack full of "entertainment" plus Darwin's heavy and bulky car seat. Luckily the kids shined at this point. They walked ahead of me, single file, to the back of the plane. They looked like seasoned business travelers.
Bringing Darwin's car seat, while cumbersome, was great. It basically made him a non-factor on the plane. He's used to his seat, was comfortable, could easily sleep and didn't complain about getting out of his seat. It was basically like a long car ride for him.
As for everyone else, they did amazingly well. There were a few moments of bickering here and there, but nothing noteworthy. We had a good rotation of entertainment including iPhones, the DS, coloring books, sticker books and the DVD player.
One thing I learned: Be proactive about bathroom breaks. The kids wait until the last minute to share their bladders' intentions and Murphy's Law says they will have to pee as soon as there are four people waiting in line for the loo. Also, about 30 minutes before landing is a good time to make everyone take a potty break. Otherwise it could be an hour before you have access to a bathroom again.
We left Chicago and flew to Kansas City. We stayed on the plane in K.C. and then flew to Seattle. In total, we were on the plane for about six hours.
I'm happy to report, getting on and off the plane was the biggest challenge of the whole flight. Julie had Eliana and a huge diaper bag full of supplies and snacks. I had an equally large backpack full of "entertainment" plus Darwin's heavy and bulky car seat. Luckily the kids shined at this point. They walked ahead of me, single file, to the back of the plane. They looked like seasoned business travelers.
Bringing Darwin's car seat, while cumbersome, was great. It basically made him a non-factor on the plane. He's used to his seat, was comfortable, could easily sleep and didn't complain about getting out of his seat. It was basically like a long car ride for him.
As for everyone else, they did amazingly well. There were a few moments of bickering here and there, but nothing noteworthy. We had a good rotation of entertainment including iPhones, the DS, coloring books, sticker books and the DVD player.
One thing I learned: Be proactive about bathroom breaks. The kids wait until the last minute to share their bladders' intentions and Murphy's Law says they will have to pee as soon as there are four people waiting in line for the loo. Also, about 30 minutes before landing is a good time to make everyone take a potty break. Otherwise it could be an hour before you have access to a bathroom again.
Dec 20, 2011
The Waiting Game
Again, I think our early arrival was extremely advantageous. Time to sit down, eat, use restrooms... play Angry Birds. 
Putting the Fear of God in Southwest Passengers
The smartest thing we did was getting to the airport three hours before our flight. I don't remember the last time I wasn't rushed at an airport. Not having to scream, "HURRY UP!" even once at the airport probably added seven years to my lifespan.
There was a line at the ticket counter, but it was smooth, efficient and moved quickly. We were a bit of a spectacle in terms of our volume of luggage, equipment and childrens. Jameson, Truman and Amelia each had a wheeled suitcase to pull. That arrangement actually served the dual purpose of lightening mom and dad's load as well as keeping them occupied. Julie had a duffel bag, a diaper bag and Eliana in her stroller. I had an oversized backpack, a car seat, and Darwin on my shoulders. The looks we received ranged from admiration to sympathy to Dear-God-I-will-give-up-a-testicle-if-you-put-me-on-any-plane-but-theirs.
Checking in was relatively effortless. Our only mistake was not tagging our bags before getting to the airport. Oops.
The security line was a bigger challenge. I was mentally preparing for it for weeks but was still dreading it when we walked up to the line. The security line is slow, boring and unavoidable. I knew the kids would get restless at this point but I didn't count on Darwin requesting to be carried and then promptly falling asleep in my arms. That left me trudging through that miserable line lugging a 30 pound car seat, 25 pound child and a 20 pound backpack. My back nearly burst into flames.
Once we reached the actual security checkpoint it was time for the mad scramble. Removing shoes and jackets, folding up strollers, unpacking laptops, loading up the conveyor belt -- all while juggling a ten week old infant. Christmas came early, though, in the form of a sign that read, "Children 12 and under are no longer required to remove their shoes." Hallelujah. That eliminated twelve steps of our process. The shoe bonus was slightly negated by the fact that our bag with (empty) sippy cups had to be opened and rescanned.
Overall, we got through just fine and with no searches of body cavities -- we'll put this in the win column.
There was a line at the ticket counter, but it was smooth, efficient and moved quickly. We were a bit of a spectacle in terms of our volume of luggage, equipment and childrens. Jameson, Truman and Amelia each had a wheeled suitcase to pull. That arrangement actually served the dual purpose of lightening mom and dad's load as well as keeping them occupied. Julie had a duffel bag, a diaper bag and Eliana in her stroller. I had an oversized backpack, a car seat, and Darwin on my shoulders. The looks we received ranged from admiration to sympathy to Dear-God-I-will-give-up-a-testicle-if-you-put-me-on-any-plane-but-theirs.
Checking in was relatively effortless. Our only mistake was not tagging our bags before getting to the airport. Oops.
The security line was a bigger challenge. I was mentally preparing for it for weeks but was still dreading it when we walked up to the line. The security line is slow, boring and unavoidable. I knew the kids would get restless at this point but I didn't count on Darwin requesting to be carried and then promptly falling asleep in my arms. That left me trudging through that miserable line lugging a 30 pound car seat, 25 pound child and a 20 pound backpack. My back nearly burst into flames.
Once we reached the actual security checkpoint it was time for the mad scramble. Removing shoes and jackets, folding up strollers, unpacking laptops, loading up the conveyor belt -- all while juggling a ten week old infant. Christmas came early, though, in the form of a sign that read, "Children 12 and under are no longer required to remove their shoes." Hallelujah. That eliminated twelve steps of our process. The shoe bonus was slightly negated by the fact that our bag with (empty) sippy cups had to be opened and rescanned.
Overall, we got through just fine and with no searches of body cavities -- we'll put this in the win column.
Ready or Not, Here We Come
Some people have called us crazy for having five kids in six years. I say, "Ha, I'll show you crazy! I'm going to take those five kids and fly them across the country in the middle of the holiday travel season!"
The crazy has begun.
Monday, we drove to Chicago. That was a solid six hours in the car. We topped that off by confining everyone to a hotel room that was slightly bigger than our minivan, for another 18 hours. Once everyone was good and stir crazy -- the at each other's throat variety -- we headed to the airport.
The smartest travel decision we made was getting to the airport three hours before our scheduled flight. I don't remember the last time I didn't feel rushed in an airport. The lack of pressure makes all the difference in the world in managing five youngsters in a busy airport. Not having to yell, "HURRY UP!" may add seven years to my lifespan.
The crazy has begun.
Monday, we drove to Chicago. That was a solid six hours in the car. We topped that off by confining everyone to a hotel room that was slightly bigger than our minivan, for another 18 hours. Once everyone was good and stir crazy -- the at each other's throat variety -- we headed to the airport.
The smartest travel decision we made was getting to the airport three hours before our scheduled flight. I don't remember the last time I didn't feel rushed in an airport. The lack of pressure makes all the difference in the world in managing five youngsters in a busy airport. Not having to yell, "HURRY UP!" may add seven years to my lifespan.
Alien Hoosiers
The ancient wind towers of the Indiana Plains. No one is exactly sure when, or by whom, they were erected. Some suggest they were totems from a mysterious, now extinct, tribe of Native Americans. Others believe they are hundreds of thousands of years old and were installed by whale-loving aliens that visited Earth. And then there are the conspiracy nuts who are convinced the structures are part of a secret government project called "Electri City."
Jun 2, 2010
Tennessee - A 3 Part Miniseries (3)
A photographic recap of our family trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains.
Part 1 - Cabin Life
Part 2 - Gatlinburg
Part 3 - The Smoky Mountains
Gatlinburg is nice, but where we spent most of our time was hiking in Smoky Mountain National Park. What a great park. It's absolutely gorgeous. It's well designed and managed. The natural features are diverse and awe-inspiring. There are trails for everyone from toddlers to hardcore hikers. It's no wonder it's the most visited national park in America.
Part 1 - Cabin Life
Part 2 - Gatlinburg
Part 3 - The Smoky Mountains
Gatlinburg is nice, but where we spent most of our time was hiking in Smoky Mountain National Park. What a great park. It's absolutely gorgeous. It's well designed and managed. The natural features are diverse and awe-inspiring. There are trails for everyone from toddlers to hardcore hikers. It's no wonder it's the most visited national park in America.
The first day we hiked along a gorgeous mountain stream to a neat little waterfall.
It was a very kid friendly trail and tossing stones in the water was quite popular. Each morning after this, Truman woke up chanting, "I got togo throw the rocks!"
A rare mountain wood faerie. Or imp. I get confused.
Jameson insisted on being photographed as if he was an explorer who discovered this waterfall.
Are you still considered a hiker if your feet never touch the ground?
Our second, more ambitious, day of hiking took us much higher into the mountains. Um, breathtaking?
This was the easy part of the trail.
Luckily we had an experienced guide with us.
The kids were excellent. Especially the one that got to ride the whole way strapped to my chest.
Gotta stop for sammiches along the way.
Like Nike always says, "If you're going to get eaten by a bear, look good doing it." Kip and Corey, the world's best dressed hikers, are now affectionately known as Todd and Margo.
Doug and Caroline - We were going to hike up to New Hampshire to see you, but we weren't sure if we had packed enough peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
It was a very kid friendly trail and tossing stones in the water was quite popular. Each morning after this, Truman woke up chanting, "I got togo throw the rocks!" A rare mountain wood faerie. Or imp. I get confused.Jameson insisted on being photographed as if he was an explorer who discovered this waterfall.Are you still considered a hiker if your feet never touch the ground?Our second, more ambitious, day of hiking took us much higher into the mountains. Um, breathtaking?This was the easy part of the trail.Luckily we had an experienced guide with us.The kids were excellent. Especially the one that got to ride the whole way strapped to my chest.Gotta stop for sammiches along the way.Like Nike always says, "If you're going to get eaten by a bear, look good doing it." Kip and Corey, the world's best dressed hikers, are now affectionately known as Todd and Margo.Doug and Caroline - We were going to hike up to New Hampshire to see you, but we weren't sure if we had packed enough peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.Jun 1, 2010
Tennessee - A 3 Part Miniseries (2)
A photographic recap of our family trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee and the Great Smoky Mountains.
Part 1 - Cabin Life
Part 2 - Gatlinburg
There are countless touristy things to do in Gatlinburg and nearby Pigeon Forge, but the main thing we got around to was a visit to Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies. The aquarium was excellent (voted number one aquarium in the U.S. according to TripAdvisor.com.) We also got the obligatory "Old Time" photo. And Kip threw away a few dollars on "Earthquake! The Ride." Seriously, Kip, I expect better from you. Why don't you come to the pool with me this weekend and I'll charge you twelve bucks to go on "Flood! The Ride." And then you can stick your head out the window while I drive you down the highway for "Tornado! The Ride."
Part 1 - Cabin Life
Part 2 - Gatlinburg
There are countless touristy things to do in Gatlinburg and nearby Pigeon Forge, but the main thing we got around to was a visit to Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies. The aquarium was excellent (voted number one aquarium in the U.S. according to TripAdvisor.com.) We also got the obligatory "Old Time" photo. And Kip threw away a few dollars on "Earthquake! The Ride." Seriously, Kip, I expect better from you. Why don't you come to the pool with me this weekend and I'll charge you twelve bucks to go on "Flood! The Ride." And then you can stick your head out the window while I drive you down the highway for "Tornado! The Ride."
When I roll with my kids I roll deep.
"And if you don't do what mommy says, the sharks will come get you."
"OMG!"
Always the pensive one.
Kid friendly exhibits! Righteous!
The puffer fish. Always my favorite.
To this day, old school diving equipment always reminds me of the opening credits of Scooby Doo, Where Are You!
Creepy. Cool.
Wow. Amelia looks like she's actually busted a few caps in her day.
"And if you don't do what mommy says, the sharks will come get you.""OMG!"Always the pensive one.Kid friendly exhibits! Righteous!The puffer fish. Always my favorite.To this day, old school diving equipment always reminds me of the opening credits of Scooby Doo, Where Are You!Creepy. Cool.Wow. Amelia looks like she's actually busted a few caps in her day.May 31, 2010
Tennessee - A 3 Part Miniseries (1)
We loaded up the minivan and took the kids down to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for a five day vacation with my family. Gatlinburg is an interesting place. It's like one part Dolly Parton, one part state fair, one part "as seen on TV" and seven parts gorgeous -- all wrapped inside a pancake. Gatlinburg itself is like the Daytona Beach of the Appalachian Mountains and probably isn't for everyone, but the Great Smoky Mountains are something everyone should see at least once. (As a matter of fact, Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the most visited national park in America.)
I took some 400+ pictures. Threw out half of those. And then whittled it down to some post worthy shots. I'm breaking them up into three posts. As always, you can click on the image to view the larger Flickr image (and to see more images that didn't make the cut).
Part 1 - Cabin Life
We rented a cabin from Jackson Mountain Homes. It was located just outside of Gatlinburg, high up in the mountains, with a gorgeous view. The cabin was clean, comfortable and well laid out for our large group. There were five kids aged 4 and under with us and they all loved the accommodations. There was a huge dining table for our breakfasts of bacon, sausage and whatever else you can fry in bacon grease. I still miss your cooking, Kip.
I took some 400+ pictures. Threw out half of those. And then whittled it down to some post worthy shots. I'm breaking them up into three posts. As always, you can click on the image to view the larger Flickr image (and to see more images that didn't make the cut).
Part 1 - Cabin Life
We rented a cabin from Jackson Mountain Homes. It was located just outside of Gatlinburg, high up in the mountains, with a gorgeous view. The cabin was clean, comfortable and well laid out for our large group. There were five kids aged 4 and under with us and they all loved the accommodations. There was a huge dining table for our breakfasts of bacon, sausage and whatever else you can fry in bacon grease. I still miss your cooking, Kip.
Corey earned her keep with plenty of time spent distracting the kids.
Of course, the kids think Corey is way cooler than their own parents.
Though I'm thinking she doesn't really know the rules of Sorry!
This is right after the part where you have to take a shot of Jägermeister.
Four of the five kiddos on the trip.
View from the main room.
View from our bedroom.
"If I had some teeth I could chew my way outta here."
A Lego addict.
"Lay off me, I'm starving!"
Truman's refrain the whole trip: "I got togo to Tennesseeee."
Relaxin' at the crib.
"Don't think for a minute that I'm not the toughest one of all."
Say cheese!
Of course, the kids think Corey is way cooler than their own parents.Though I'm thinking she doesn't really know the rules of Sorry!This is right after the part where you have to take a shot of Jägermeister.Four of the five kiddos on the trip.View from the main room.View from our bedroom."If I had some teeth I could chew my way outta here."A Lego addict."Lay off me, I'm starving!"Truman's refrain the whole trip: "I got togo to Tennesseeee."Relaxin' at the crib."Don't think for a minute that I'm not the toughest one of all."Say cheese!
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