Three airports, a few delays and we have arrived! The kids and I are spending two weeks visiting family and friends in our old neck of the woods. It's the first time in fifteen months that the kids have been here and nearly a year to the day since they've seen their grandparents. I made a quick visit by myself in April to visit my mom.
When we moved 1360+ miles away last May our lives changed dramatically. We had spent the previous seven years living just two hours from my parents. My kids even spent some time living with them over the last two years- though it's not something I've talked much about.
It was a weird year trying to navigate life far from family. It wasn't new to me-I'd grown up that way and we lived on the West coast for the first six years of our marriage. But it was new for the kids. The holidays were the most difficult but we did our best to create new traditions. We've been incredibly fortunate to make the kind of friends that are like family-without the dysfunction!
StinkBug was a bit nervous about the trip since his last flying memories involve a traumatizing visit to the emergency room and stitches for the puncture wound near his lip. He did his best to convince me to drive and while I may be a tad crazy I am NOT insane enough to attempt a cross country trip with three hoodlums and yours truly as the solo driver.
Luckily our flights were fairly uneventful and StinkBug was in AWE of all things airplanes. He plans on being an air traffic controller so he was truly in his element. Einstein shed his typical twelve year old attitude and impressed me by attending to little brother's needs since we were sitting in different rows. It was good for both of them.
Also I deserve some kind of award for my mad packing skills. I managed to pack four people for a two week vacation in ONE checked bag--and assorted carry ons! I am pretty sure I just won Traveling Mom Survivor.
Do you solo travel with your kids? What are some of your most memorable travel adventures?
Luckily our flights were fairly uneventful and StinkBug was in AWE of all things airplanes. He plans on being an air traffic controller so he was truly in his element. Einstein shed his typical twelve year old attitude and impressed me by attending to little brother's needs since we were sitting in different rows. It was good for both of them.
Also I deserve some kind of award for my mad packing skills. I managed to pack four people for a two week vacation in ONE checked bag--and assorted carry ons! I am pretty sure I just won Traveling Mom Survivor.
Do you solo travel with your kids? What are some of your most memorable travel adventures?
8 comments:
You deserve an award for the packing, as well as for courage in battle. I would never, cross that - never say never, probably travel alone with more than one kid. Kudos to you.
As for being away from the grandparents, my heart goes out to you. This is our reality and I write a lot about the grandparents being in a different continent. It breaks my heart for 4 Year Old that the perception he's forming about extended family is an endless parade of people who step into his life for a moment (when they come for a visit) and then always leave. I haven't found a solution for that.
I have a hard enough time traveling with just my boyfriend. Last trip we forgot my bridesmaid dress! I can't imagine traveling with kids- you are a champ!
Good job, mama!!! The packing is always the worst. You might need to dedicate a blog post to packing tips. :)
I travel a lot to see family alone with the kids. Now it's just two of them most of the time with the oldest in college. I am IN AWE of your packing prowess. That is truly my downfall. My husband and I (just two of us) went to Chicago last fall and I checked two bags. eek. When I found out how much, the next time we flew in the spring I managed to get us into two carry-ons. $$$ is a great motivator. Have fun with your parents.
Being far away from gparents stinks but if I don't travel alone with kids then we don't go so I do what I have to do. In some ways it gets easier as they get older and in other ways it is more challenging.
Oh I totally suck at packing ..but would be a great idea for a post...or how not to pack! :)
I think I've become a better packer since having kids..though I'm still not great! Laughing about the bridesmaid dress b/c I was on my way to a wedding and forgot to bring a dress to wear. It was the last SAturday before Christmas and I had to stop at a mall to buy something and my credit card was maxed out so a friend had to buy for me....
My reality is traveling alone with the kids..or not visiting family. Husband told me it was $50 a bag but it only ended up being $20 but still glad I didn't pay more $$.
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