It has been two months since the kids and I traveled to Hawaii to meet my family for a week. I've been meaning to post pics and stories forever, but I didn't know where to begin. So I didn't.
I'm going to give it a go now, in small bits and pieces....
Getting There-
In mid-February my parents invited us to join them and the rest of my family at their timeshare in Oahu for a week. Unfortunately, Travis and my niece Kayla weren't able to make it. Travis was taking an intensive grad class that week and Kayla was in the midst of her final semester of college. We were bummed Trav wouldn't be going, any family adventure is ten times more fun when he's with us. But he graciously sent us off and wished us a good time.
The kids and I kicked off the vacay by staying overnight at the La Quinta in Sacramento since we were flying out early the next morning. The energy was through the roof when we got into our hotel room. Remember how exciting it was to stay in a hotel as a kid? It's really amazing to live the other side of that as a parent.
The kids tore up the room with tickle fights, wrestling, and leaping from bed to bed when they thought I wasn't looking. Finally someone's head smacked a headboard, I'm pretty sure it was Davey, and they all calmed down when I informed them we might miss our plane if we had to visit the ER.
The kids love a great breakfast buffet, and took their time perusing the choices the next morning. A kind fellow traveler complimented me on how well behaved they were. I couldn't help thinking, "You should have seen them last night lady."
How cute are my kids? They are strapped in for the shuttle ride to the airport.
Once again the energy was high.
After getting to the airport, getting our tickets, and making it through security, I finally started to relax hanging out at the gate before it was time to board. Jonah sensed that and kicked up his stress level in response. He paced back and forth in front of me that last hour, "Come on Mom! The plane's leaving! We're gonna miss it!" He couldn't help himself.
At the gate, I was relieved to see the number of families traveling with young children. With a crowd this big, we would blend in with the masses. My kids were definitely not going to be the best kids on the plane, but they weren't going to be the worst either. They'd fall somewhere in the middle. Hopefully.
Payton and Davey sat together by the window, and I kept my Jonah tucked in tight beside me in the middle aisle. Jonah has a mind of his own, and I just felt better having my busy boy next to me. He visited the airplane restroom 4 times, a highlight of the flight for him. He also got a hold of my phone while I was sleeping and snapped some pictures.
Aside from a large circle of crumbs around us on the floor and a wad of gum stuck to Davey's seat, our flight was pretty smooth and the kids did a great job.
The kids ran squealing into my parents arms when we found them in baggage claim. I didn't feel stressed on the flight, but as soon as I saw my parents I felt it melt away. I had been stressed keeping track of my three by myself over the last 24 hours of our hotel and air travel. Once I saw my parents and knew I wasn't on my own anymore I was so relieved. The odds were so much better 3 adults/3 children, than me to my 3 kids. I knew we were joining my three sisters and their significant others, so the odds would only be increasing in my favor. We were set.
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