It is quite an ordeal traveling with little kids. I always tell Brad that I feel the weight of having THREE little ones the MOST when we travel somewhere on plane. There is nothing easy about it.
And in an effort to save us money, I make it even more difficult for us. For one, we do not check any luggage. That 's right! We go to visit family for 6 days with all carry-ons. I am quite proud of us for accomplishing that feat, but what it means is that we are left with 10 small carry-ons, a stroller, two large car seat bags that we are lugging through the airport, PLUS the kids. Add to that, security lines, taking off shoes, jewelry, belts, putting all of your liquids in a bag, hungry kids, traveling during nap time, it is a true miracle every time that we make it. :-)
How we make it happen is we leave at least three hours before our departure for the airport. Brad drops the girls, all of the luggage, and me at the airport and then he "runs" to drop off the van. The girls and I, in the meantime, eat a light lunch, read books, and color while we wait for daddy.
An hour later, Brad returns, and we give each of the older girls their backpack and pull-suitcase (Jillian pulls Anna's too). Then, I put Anna's diaper bag on the stroller, Brad's backpack on my back, and pull my small and personal suitcase while pushing the stroller at the same time. Meanwhile, Brad is my super-hero and has one of our car seats on his back (back-pack style), pulls one suitcase, and then tries to carry another large, heavy car seat bag too!
We are quite a sight, you can not help but notice us. Some people look at us like, "I sure hope those crazy people aren't on my plane!", while other parents look at us with admiration, one mom even said to me, "You are my hero! I don't know how you do it with three." At the time, I was thinking, I don't know how we do it either. :-) But in retrospect, I think we are doing pretty good, or at least we are doing as well as can be expected.
But it helps a ton that we have had a lot of PRACTICE! Jillian in her six years of life has gone on twelve round-trip plane rides (9 times to Texas, 1 roundtrip from Maryland to England, and then another couple of trips from England to Germany and Italy).
We are all tired by the end of they day. But for the most part, the girls embrace, the long, long day and think of it as an adventure.
I was very thankful at the end of our plane ride this time that Dad Holmes was waiting for us. He took our luggage off our hands, met us at the car-rental place, and then entertained the kids for a couple of hours while we tried to find the "perfect full-size vehicle" to fit all five of us comfortably.
It took Brad installing the car-seats into THREE different vehicles before we got it all worked out. But in the end, it worked out, and we did it.
Then we went home to Dallas! Mom Holmes prepared the girls some of their favorites (chicken nuggets with fruit!), while the adult enjoyed a delicious dinner of chicken salad, pasta salad, fruit salad, and zucchini muffins! It makes all the difference to know we will be so well taken care of when we get there. THANK YOU again and again!!!!
I love Jillian's hand-drawn photo of an airplane. Jillian says, I am cheerful... "when I go to Texas to see my family." :-)
And in an effort to save us money, I make it even more difficult for us. For one, we do not check any luggage. That 's right! We go to visit family for 6 days with all carry-ons. I am quite proud of us for accomplishing that feat, but what it means is that we are left with 10 small carry-ons, a stroller, two large car seat bags that we are lugging through the airport, PLUS the kids. Add to that, security lines, taking off shoes, jewelry, belts, putting all of your liquids in a bag, hungry kids, traveling during nap time, it is a true miracle every time that we make it. :-)
How we make it happen is we leave at least three hours before our departure for the airport. Brad drops the girls, all of the luggage, and me at the airport and then he "runs" to drop off the van. The girls and I, in the meantime, eat a light lunch, read books, and color while we wait for daddy.
An hour later, Brad returns, and we give each of the older girls their backpack and pull-suitcase (Jillian pulls Anna's too). Then, I put Anna's diaper bag on the stroller, Brad's backpack on my back, and pull my small and personal suitcase while pushing the stroller at the same time. Meanwhile, Brad is my super-hero and has one of our car seats on his back (back-pack style), pulls one suitcase, and then tries to carry another large, heavy car seat bag too!
We are quite a sight, you can not help but notice us. Some people look at us like, "I sure hope those crazy people aren't on my plane!", while other parents look at us with admiration, one mom even said to me, "You are my hero! I don't know how you do it with three." At the time, I was thinking, I don't know how we do it either. :-) But in retrospect, I think we are doing pretty good, or at least we are doing as well as can be expected.
But it helps a ton that we have had a lot of PRACTICE! Jillian in her six years of life has gone on twelve round-trip plane rides (9 times to Texas, 1 roundtrip from Maryland to England, and then another couple of trips from England to Germany and Italy).
We are all tired by the end of they day. But for the most part, the girls embrace, the long, long day and think of it as an adventure.
I was very thankful at the end of our plane ride this time that Dad Holmes was waiting for us. He took our luggage off our hands, met us at the car-rental place, and then entertained the kids for a couple of hours while we tried to find the "perfect full-size vehicle" to fit all five of us comfortably.
It took Brad installing the car-seats into THREE different vehicles before we got it all worked out. But in the end, it worked out, and we did it.
Then we went home to Dallas! Mom Holmes prepared the girls some of their favorites (chicken nuggets with fruit!), while the adult enjoyed a delicious dinner of chicken salad, pasta salad, fruit salad, and zucchini muffins! It makes all the difference to know we will be so well taken care of when we get there. THANK YOU again and again!!!!
I love Jillian's hand-drawn photo of an airplane. Jillian says, I am cheerful... "when I go to Texas to see my family." :-)
Flying with kids is soooooo stressful! Cooper is right on Jillians heels though with 6 round trips (wa twice, fl 3 times, and az) in his 3.5 years. He's 1/2 way to a free ticket already! :)
ReplyDeleteI got very, very tired reading this post :) Just kidding. I like how you always end on the positive! Really! It's great. I need to work on that. Great to hear about your adventure. Miss you!
ReplyDeleteOh and btw...they make an attachment for car seats that gives it wheels. Your child can ride in it as you push it around the airport (or you can stow your bags in it). It eliminates the need for a stroller. It. Is. Awesome! We used it for a few trips before we decided it was well worth the cost of renting a car seat at the other end instead of lugging them around!
ReplyDeleteReading Thur night--love all the pictures and stories. We too loved your visit to Dallas. Jillian you draw really good airplanes. See you soon!
ReplyDeleteMimi and PawPaw