In a desperate attempt to feel apart of the big Internet community I love so much, I am launching a blog! My first intended post never made it on this blog. It went old fashioned e-mail. And, because parents' are always strapped for time, that "post" (e-mail) actually happened in February. So, here is where it will begin--our family vacation, two months ago....
Top Ten London Family Vacation Moments
#10--Our taxi did not arrive. Despite calling hours in advance, our taxi did NOT arrive. With great anxiety we rushed at the last moment to the car to drive. Upon arrival, the parking ramps were completely full. The nice folks at MSP allowed us to park in short-term because we have kids. But, unwilling to pay short-term rates, we lugged our stuff in....Dane took the car home, and our wonderful neighbor, Wendy, took him back to the airport. We made the flight. No problem.
#9--Annique being the MOST excited to see Mickey Mouse at Magic Kingdom, and hearing the countdown to park opening on our first day. Who was this trip really for? And, didn't Annique WORK for Disney once? I guess it was like seeing an old friend. Sort of.
#8--After being schooled in "family theme park etiquette" from my own family....remember the answer to your children is always "yes".... regardless of how stupid the souvenir is, no matter how much staining the Mickey Mouse ice cream bars are, no matter how late it is for swimming, if the question is "Can I eat chips for breakfast? Can I have that with pop?” ... the answer is yes, yes, yes YES! That is your job as the parent...say yes on vacation.
#7--Terrorizing Anya with pre-planned Character Lunches and Breakfasts. Excited to get the kids photos with Pooh & Friends and Donald Duck and friends, including Mickey & Minnie....Anya got perpetually worse as the days wore on when Characters came ANYWHERE near her. The full torture treatment culminated with us becoming "that family you never want to be" at breakfast on our last day with Anya underneath the table, crying hysterically, screaming at the top of her lungs...oh yes, and still wearing her Minnie Mouse ears. How cute! NOT!
#6--Drinking $6 bottles of beer, with your husband, in your hotel room, in the dark, whispering to ensure you don't wake the children. This is vacation life with the "under 5 years old" set.
#5--After an afternoon break at the hotel which was intended for naps for the kids (which of course did NOT happen)...then, a decision to go to Hollywood studios for the evening...then, the bus taking over 30 minutes to arrive, then getting to the park to have the children finally fall asleep 10 minutes after arrival. Dane and I enjoyed a romantic dinner together eating lukewarm cheeseburgers, cold fries, cokes...and some pretty good chocolate and carrot cakes. Our recommendation if you go to Disney World.....take advantage of Dining plan...the desserts are very yummy! OK, not all was lost. We did get to see the Little Mermaid show...which Anya loved. Ariel has now surpassed Mulan in her heart as the “numero uno Princesa”.
#4--Realizing that no matter HOW HARD it can be traveling with little kids anywhere, let alone the happiest place on Earth....I did remember to keep my perspective. Some families come to Disney World because their children are terminally ill. Mine are currently healthy, normal, thriving pains in the butts. We are thankful our memories are ones that we hope aren't meant to be the last.
#3--Walking off all the calories you are taking in. Honest to God, I wish I had taken a pedometer. I think I may have even lost weight! The resorts are huge...the walks to the buses are long...the walks from the buses are long...the walking in the parks is plentiful. It felt great to walk so much! I failed to feel in the least bit guilty about the excess of crap food eaten at the parks....bring your walking shoes if you go!!!
#2--Nightmare on Elm Street. The story is potentially too long to tell here...but, Sasha, not feeling well was crying on the last night. Anya, who was beyond delusional and exhausted awoke from Sasha's cries...but, not really fully awakening. After convulsing in her bed (really, I was on the verge of calling 911)...she stood up in her bed and proceeded to pee all over the bed....on the floor...to the bathroom, and all over the tile. After putting Sasha down screaming (what other choice did I have?)...I changed Anya…put her back to bed (she immediately fell asleep)...then, rubbed Sasha's back. Where was Dane? Well, lucky him...I had sent him to get gas medication for Sasha...he missed the whole thing. Surely, he was convinced I WAS the delusional one..upon arrival back to the hotel room, all said crazy children were soundly asleep for the night.
And...the grand daddy of them all.....
#1--Two hours after arriving home, we realized we had left our camera bag with over $500 in new cameras (both digital and video) and ALL OF OUR VACATION memories IN THE F***ING CAB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I nearly had a nervous breakdown. After multiple phone calls to the MSP Taxi Dispatch booth....phone calls to the cab companies...I sent Dane to the cab dispatch area on Post road at the MSP airport. He snuck through a fence, started befriending all of the Somali cab drivers....visited the Taxi dispatch Mosque...witnessed evening prayers...was escorted around in search of our driver. Meanwhile, I had gotten in touch with a taxi driver from the company we had used. I had Dane on my cell phone, the taxi driver on my land line...........foreign languages in the background.......discussions, conversations, craziness, my heart is beating....and in the end....A MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dane found the driver!!!!!!!! We got the camera. God Bless those Somali Taxi Drivers!!!!! All is saved. We collapsed in bed that night. And, we are looking forward to the next London family adventure.
Top Ten London Family Vacation Moments
#10--Our taxi did not arrive. Despite calling hours in advance, our taxi did NOT arrive. With great anxiety we rushed at the last moment to the car to drive. Upon arrival, the parking ramps were completely full. The nice folks at MSP allowed us to park in short-term because we have kids. But, unwilling to pay short-term rates, we lugged our stuff in....Dane took the car home, and our wonderful neighbor, Wendy, took him back to the airport. We made the flight. No problem.
#9--Annique being the MOST excited to see Mickey Mouse at Magic Kingdom, and hearing the countdown to park opening on our first day. Who was this trip really for? And, didn't Annique WORK for Disney once? I guess it was like seeing an old friend. Sort of.
#8--After being schooled in "family theme park etiquette" from my own family....remember the answer to your children is always "yes".... regardless of how stupid the souvenir is, no matter how much staining the Mickey Mouse ice cream bars are, no matter how late it is for swimming, if the question is "Can I eat chips for breakfast? Can I have that with pop?” ... the answer is yes, yes, yes YES! That is your job as the parent...say yes on vacation.
#7--Terrorizing Anya with pre-planned Character Lunches and Breakfasts. Excited to get the kids photos with Pooh & Friends and Donald Duck and friends, including Mickey & Minnie....Anya got perpetually worse as the days wore on when Characters came ANYWHERE near her. The full torture treatment culminated with us becoming "that family you never want to be" at breakfast on our last day with Anya underneath the table, crying hysterically, screaming at the top of her lungs...oh yes, and still wearing her Minnie Mouse ears. How cute! NOT!
#6--Drinking $6 bottles of beer, with your husband, in your hotel room, in the dark, whispering to ensure you don't wake the children. This is vacation life with the "under 5 years old" set.
#5--After an afternoon break at the hotel which was intended for naps for the kids (which of course did NOT happen)...then, a decision to go to Hollywood studios for the evening...then, the bus taking over 30 minutes to arrive, then getting to the park to have the children finally fall asleep 10 minutes after arrival. Dane and I enjoyed a romantic dinner together eating lukewarm cheeseburgers, cold fries, cokes...and some pretty good chocolate and carrot cakes. Our recommendation if you go to Disney World.....take advantage of Dining plan...the desserts are very yummy! OK, not all was lost. We did get to see the Little Mermaid show...which Anya loved. Ariel has now surpassed Mulan in her heart as the “numero uno Princesa”.
#4--Realizing that no matter HOW HARD it can be traveling with little kids anywhere, let alone the happiest place on Earth....I did remember to keep my perspective. Some families come to Disney World because their children are terminally ill. Mine are currently healthy, normal, thriving pains in the butts. We are thankful our memories are ones that we hope aren't meant to be the last.
#3--Walking off all the calories you are taking in. Honest to God, I wish I had taken a pedometer. I think I may have even lost weight! The resorts are huge...the walks to the buses are long...the walks from the buses are long...the walking in the parks is plentiful. It felt great to walk so much! I failed to feel in the least bit guilty about the excess of crap food eaten at the parks....bring your walking shoes if you go!!!
#2--Nightmare on Elm Street. The story is potentially too long to tell here...but, Sasha, not feeling well was crying on the last night. Anya, who was beyond delusional and exhausted awoke from Sasha's cries...but, not really fully awakening. After convulsing in her bed (really, I was on the verge of calling 911)...she stood up in her bed and proceeded to pee all over the bed....on the floor...to the bathroom, and all over the tile. After putting Sasha down screaming (what other choice did I have?)...I changed Anya…put her back to bed (she immediately fell asleep)...then, rubbed Sasha's back. Where was Dane? Well, lucky him...I had sent him to get gas medication for Sasha...he missed the whole thing. Surely, he was convinced I WAS the delusional one..upon arrival back to the hotel room, all said crazy children were soundly asleep for the night.
And...the grand daddy of them all.....
#1--Two hours after arriving home, we realized we had left our camera bag with over $500 in new cameras (both digital and video) and ALL OF OUR VACATION memories IN THE F***ING CAB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I nearly had a nervous breakdown. After multiple phone calls to the MSP Taxi Dispatch booth....phone calls to the cab companies...I sent Dane to the cab dispatch area on Post road at the MSP airport. He snuck through a fence, started befriending all of the Somali cab drivers....visited the Taxi dispatch Mosque...witnessed evening prayers...was escorted around in search of our driver. Meanwhile, I had gotten in touch with a taxi driver from the company we had used. I had Dane on my cell phone, the taxi driver on my land line...........foreign languages in the background.......discussions, conversations, craziness, my heart is beating....and in the end....A MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dane found the driver!!!!!!!! We got the camera. God Bless those Somali Taxi Drivers!!!!! All is saved. We collapsed in bed that night. And, we are looking forward to the next London family adventure.
