take off

This is my fifth attempt to blog about our beach vacation.  not sure where to begin or which pictures to upload first.  I've decided not to take bigger bites than I can chew, so I will document a little at a time.  Tonight I am going to write about our departing flight.  This I can do.

Two years ago Aaron and I vacationed in the Florida Keys for our tenth anniversary and it was dreamy.  While we were on the beach in Ft Lauderdale we talked about bringing the kids back to this beach--  and since then we've talked about it dozens of times.  Funny thing is, I've pictured us playing on this very beach for the past two years.  I just knew it was going to happen sooner than later.  So glad it happened sooner!

We always watch for cheap flights to Florida.  I usually calculate how much it will be for six of us to fly.. and it's always too much.  A few months ago, we came across a deal we couldn't pass up. Nonstop flights from Vegas to Ft Lauderdale for $40 round trip, per person. We booked without thinking about it ($237 for the entire family) and we've been counting down the days ever since... yes, with a paper chain.  Simon is the only one in the family who hasn't flown on an airplane and he was by far the most excited.  If you've talked to him in the past two months, guaranteed he told you he was going on an airplane to Florida.  Anyone standing behind us in the grocery store knew when and where we were flying because Simon told them all about it.

The downside to cheap airfare was the time of day it left.. red-eye flights!  Who takes 5 young kids on an airplane ride in the middle of the night?  We do, of course!  Simon did not have a nap that day and he was tired and wired.  We got to the airport around 9 PM and we were the only people with kids on the plane.  The terminal was crowded.  Our kids were in pajamas and Simon's pant legs were hiked up to his knees.  I quietly told him to pull his pant legs down, and he misunderstood me and pulled his pants and underwear down to his ankles- mooning everyone behind him.  He smiled and screamed, "I'm naked!"  I was close enough to pull them up quickly, but the damage was done.  Everyone around us was giggling, including our older boys..  It took Aaron and I few minutes to think it was funny.  This kid is something else.

The older boys were excited to fly too and it was fun to see Vegas lit up in lights from the airplane.  I know they are only 6, 9 and 11, but they remind me of teenagers (in a good way.)  They do their own thing and have funny inside jokes. I love that Zack is one of the big boys.  They are the best of buds.  

  They watched Gremlins on my laptop the first part of the the flight and then fell asleep. I wish I would have taken a picture of their body parts draped on top of each other... it looked uncomfortable, but they slept like babies.

This baby did not sleep like a baby.  She was a big fat stinker and cried for the first hour or maybe even two.  We passed her back and forth and she squealed and hit and pinched.  Eventually I took her to the back of the plane and held her tight and she finally gave up the fight.  Poor baby no likey red-eye flights.  

Simon slept great and cuddled right up to Ro once she was asleep.  These two slept on Aaron most of the flight and poor Daddy had no room to move.  I was afraid to move her and wake the monster baby inside.  It was not a great flight, but at one point I looked over at miserable Aaron and we both busted up laughing.  Then we talked about our first trip to Florida (two months after we were married.)  We didn't have a care in the world.  Amazing what can happen in 12 short years.

We landed at 6 AM in Ft Lauderdale.  Everyone was happy to get off the plane, Aaron and I most of all.  We had to take a shuttle bus to get the rental car.  Simon (whose pant legs were still hiked up to his knees) was SO THRILLED to be on the bus.  The airplane was nothing compared to this 5 minute bus ride. We were all giggling over Simon's excitement.  I need to get him on a bus more often.

Just before this picture below was taken, Simon pointed to people outisde the airport and said, "Ha Ha!  they can't ride this bus.  We are beating them!"  Zack thought that was so funny and kept repeating it throughout the day.  Zack is so easy to entertain.

We picked up our brand new white dodge grand caravan (thankfully we still fit) and went to Denny's for breakfast.  Wish I had a picture of the van and of the amount of pancakes we ordered. Our waitress was from New York, looked and talked like a man, and she was floored that ALL of these kids were ours.  Ben was starving and was so annoyed she was talking to us instead of making our pancakes!!!  I was giggling that he was so impatient..  He hardly ever gets annoyed about anything so it was awesome to see it.. especially because I wasn't the one he was angry with.  No pictures of Denny's or our waitress :(

The sun came up while we ate breakfast.. I wanted to be on the beach already!  After everyone was finished eating, we hit CVS for some sand toys, water and a few snacks to tide us over til lunch.  And then we drove to Dania State Beach park... 

We were the ONLY ones there.  We did not see another soul.  The waves were shallow and the water was warm.  We climbed the rocks, saw crabs and starfish and swam with the fishes.  I regretted not getting snorkeling gear... This would have been the ideal spot.  Oh well.  Maybe next time.  We stayed until we were ready for lunch..

While sitting here with my darling family, I had butterflies in my stomach just thinking about the days ahead.  Since returning home, I keep wanting to go back to this moment-- when we had just arrived and we had only a taste of what was to come.  

quarantined

I am smiling big as I try to think of a way to explain the last couple of days for our family. We have been so miserable. So miserable, in fact, it's hilarious. I was totally babying Aaron on Friday... letting him sleep all day, bringing in food and teasing him about needing me to spoon-feed him. I was also saying how when I get sick I never get that kind of treatment.... when I am sick, I still have to roll out of bed and take care of the massive amount of people living in this house.

Aaron got slightly better, he sounds terrible, but his temp isn't 105 anymore. Zack grew more chickenpox, but bounces around the house anyway. Simon and Ro have fevers and are so needy. While holding my 20 pound baby, my shoulder (the one I injured last week and thought was getting better) went from bad to worse. Last Sunday I was paralyzed. This weekend, I have been moaning in my sleep and crying when I'm awake. I went to see a doctor and physical therapist today. Going to doc #3 tomorrow morning... I've got to get better or else. You should see the way I walk, sit, lay down in bed. I am crippled.

Aaron has been babying me like you wouldn't believe. He woke up at 3:00 am to get me some ibprofen and water. He has been making meals and grocery shopping and playing with my hair and taking care of the kids. He's teasing me all the while, but I will take it. He came home from work early and went with me to the doc (made the appointments too). This is huge, people. He hasn't been to the last few ultrasounds of our babies... and he only came to their births because they were delivered at home :) He bathed the kids tonight and put them to bed. I am loving it. He would make the BEST single dad.

We didn't go anywhere this past weekend. We were all sick, but it was probably the best weekend/Sunday ever. But we need to get better asap. we are supposed to get on a plane in less than 48 hours. I seriously cannot even hold my purse, let alone carry luggage or kids. I have done zero packing. Every time I look at Aaron with my crippled neck, we both bust up laughing. It's pathetic and hilarious.

Grateful to deal with these kinds of trials with an upbeat, helpful handsome guy. it makes it seem less like a trial and more like an adventure... Next time I check in, I hope I am blogging from the beach. We cannot cancel this trip. Painkillers or bust.

infected

two weeks ago, my family came down with a bad fever/cold/croup. Everyone was hit accept for Aaron. It was a miserable time, but we got through it. Aaron has been busy traveling back and forth from Vegas to Reno (trying a case in federal court/state capital). Most of his traveling has been day trips, but it's been exhausting nonetheless. (why is nonetheless one word?)

Yesterday he spent most of the day at the airport waiting for delayed flights. He got home after the kids were sleeping and he looked like death. The fever/cold/croup finally caught up with him. He crashed in the bed and when his alarm went off this morning, he didn't move. I was worried that he might be cold (and dead) but even before I touched him, I could feel the heat coming off his body. Poor guy. He spent the day in bed. I brought him some chicken noodle soup for lunch and asked him if he wanted me to spoon-feed it to him. He pinched me.

If seeing him sick wasn't bad enough, Zack came home from school today with red spots all over his body. Most of them are on his face/neck and armpits. Hello Chicken Pox. Ben and Luke had them together a few years ago. Zack and Simon have been vaccinated so I am sure the case will be mild, but I am praying my baby girl doesn't get struck down. Yesterday she had a slight fever and she hasn't been her happy self today so we'll see what hits this weekend. Nothing like a daily countdown for a family vacation only to have the Pox hit days before take-off. Last time we bought plane tickets for the whole family (Chicago/Detroit) we canceled the day before. Tying really hard not to be annoyed tonight, but I just can't help it.

In other news, I mopped my kitchen floor this afternoon while listening to Michael Buble's Christmas album. odd, but way good. And in the background as I type this, "The Holiday" is playing. It's one of my absolute favorite movies.. So excited for the next three months.. this is the BEST time of year.

oh em geez, I'm tired.

I just looked at the clock in Ro's nursery as I was putting her down for the night. It said 7:06 and I thought for sure it was wrong... It must be hours off. It cannot only be 7 pm. But I've checked several others since and it really truly is. oh boy. it's been a doozy and Aaron won't be home for a few more hours. But overall, it's been a good kind of exhausting day.

I woke up with an empty tank of gas. The school is only 7 miles away and I could probably make it there, but I didn't want to be stuck on the side of the road with a van full of kids. I texted Kate to see if she could switch carpool with me. She's cool like that. The boys wanted to ride their scooters to the "bus stop". There is a busy road to cross so I followed them there to make sure they made it safely. I laughed the whole way because I was sure I looked like a predator in my passenger van.. going 3 miles an hour on the side of the road, stalking three little boys.

After spending $105 in gas and getting our pantry stocked with cereal, I spent the afternoon organizing a bunch of junk. My house is full of random things everywhere and I feel like I am drowning in the chaos. But today I helped dig myself out of the majority of the mess. Amazing that it's only takes a couple of hours to turn your life around.. but for me, a couple of quiet hours don't usually come consecutively.

I picked up carpool and there's no downside to driving out to Blue Diamond. It's beautiful, wild donkeys and all. Jane and her mom were there hanging out at the park too. Jane's mom is named Bev and she reminds me of my sweet mom named Bev. I love me some good grandma/mom talk! I am getting anxious to see my own mom!!! After playing at the park for a bit and getting candy at the post office, I filled my van with 14 hot & sweaty kids. Not a single free seat belt. I have to turn up the music LOUD to stay in a good mood for the entire drive home.

We went to the library after school and on the way in, an older lady stopped to ask me if I was voting for Obama. We had a short conversation and when I was finished, I looked at my older boys and saw they each had these scary/demon-like grins on their faces. I busted up laughing and asked them what was going on. We have a vacation countdown chain where each day we do an "activity".. it's basically some kind of chore to get ready for our trip. Today the link said, "Smile at a stranger" (I had a hard time coming up with enough things to do, okay?) Anyway, they all made sure to SMILE at this poor old lady outside the library... still laughing about their psycho grins.. I need to get a picture of Zack's snarl. that kid.

The boys set the table for dinner, but before it was ready, they had a few minutes to kill. So, they had a dance party in the living room with their shirts over their heads. I was giggling because they couldn't see each other.. and also, the television was pulled out (I found our missing library CD underneath it, but didn't have the strength to push it back in it's place. I will put Aaron to work the minute he walks through the door.) The vacuum was also out because I made the boys suck up all the dirt and dust behind the TV. I took a video to capture the chaos... baby covered in broccoli screaming in her high chair + Simon hitting everyone with a balloon + sweet dance moves by the boys = my reality. We know how to Get Jiggy Wit It.

During dinner, I cracked open our first bottle of canned peaches. They tasted better than dessert. Ben was gobbling them down and Luke turned to him and said, "I know they are delicious and all, but could you please stop making those noises while you eat them?" Funniest comment of the night, for sure. Ben literally groans and moans when he's eating/drinking... especially if it tastes good. Hilarious.

Simon and I had a good conversation earlier too-- (copied from my facebook status)

Me: why are you putting your socks in the freezer?
Simon: Cuz they gots to get freezed.
Me: No. The freezer is only for food.
Simon: but mom! They are making my feet too hot!

He is such a bossypants lately. After dinner, he was ready to get out of the bath/kitchen sink and said, "Get me a towel! I am really, really, really naked." I told him I would get a towel if he would talk nicer to me and he said, "Well, I AM super, super wet." not just wet. super, super wet. I should discipline him for being so direct all the time, but I can't. I admire it and basically think he's awesome.

** had to take a break to read to the boys and put them to bed. I need to shut this thing off and get my beauty rest while I can. I am not just tired, I am super, super tired. It's 9 PM and in exhausted mom hours, 9 PM is equivalent to 3 AM in the single, carefree world.

Keep on keepin' on.

little sisters rock!

once upon a time, on a lazy summer morning, I dressed baby Ro in a onsie that said, "Little Sisters Rock". Ben took one look at her shirt and decided to set up a rock concert in her bedroom. They rocked out like you wouldn't believe..



It makes me a tiny bit sad that summer is over. The boys hair has grown much longer and Ro's tummy is too round to fit into the shirt anymore. But I am thrilled about the fact that I captured this memory on film... and it will never be forgotten. It may have taken me a couple of months to open the picture files and another hour (or three!) to upload the video on youtube, but I did it. These are the kind of mornings I want to remember about my early mothering years.

There never was a baby girl that has been more loved than this one.

Little sisters rock!