The highly-anticipated trip has finally come!
I have always loved the idea of surprises, but the build up to this trip has been SOOO fun!
Just the other day, I asked this question, “Okay guys…what is the best trip you have ever been on?” Navy said, “Mom, do we have to have already been on it?”
Since DOey was with us in the beginning stages of the YouTube Sanibel craze — she was obviously needing to come with us.
When we went to get her, Megan gave each of my kids a huge bag of goodies for the plane and trip.
And when I say huge…I mean HUGE!
And of course, there was a bag for the parents too.
How awesome is she!
Here is the airport mayhem.
The big question mark in the air about this whole trip was….how will Pippi be?
Micah and Nonnie were especially worried about the plane.
I told both of them to not be babies, because I would take her the whole time.
And check out sleeping beauty.
Her nap wasn’t long, but she wasn’t bad at all. I was impressed — and so were the two high-maintenance travelers who didn’t want to be anywhere near her on the plane.
When we landed, got our luggage, got the rental van, and then made our way to the hotel…I made everyone hop in the car for a quick “trick or treating” session. We knew it was late, but knew at least one door would have pity on five grungy kids ringing their doorbell so late.
Good thing our first house had a cauldron full of candy, where my kids stuffed their pockets.
And the other house was rad, and figured something out to put in their bags.
(I won’t go into the rager party we stopped at, where I asked the lady of there was trick or treating still going on. Her answer of, “Huh? I don’t think we are on the same planet right now” got us all walk/running back to our van.)
Day 1 was rad.
The Chili Cook Off and Trunk or Treat was a hit.
Ka was dying over “Pippi”.
We were dying over Pippi’s teacher!
Navy was dying over the cornbread muffins that Pippi was feeding her.
And Pippi was dying over catching the super fast Dash for a hug.
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And we were all dying over Scout, who came up with a game for our trunk, put it together with buckets and balls, then manned our trunk the whole time without leaving his post once. Everyone was so impressed with him — as was I when we went home and he cleaned up his whole mess.
Frick and Frack are the best of friends. They love their mornings together. And every step of the morning, I see Frick doing something, and then Frack follows. If Frick is playing magnets, Frack is playing magnets. If Frick wants cereal, Frack wants “eerio”. If Frick is whining, Frack echos those same whines. And if Frick thinks that “swimming” in the bath is a good time, Frack is swimming right beside him.
I love these little Best Friends.
Dash loves preschool!
Ms. Dianne makes it so fun, each and every day for him.
He loved this little performance he did for us. And so did Pippi, who sat as still as can be the whole time!
Because we will be gone, I had to schedule my parent/teacher conferences for Scout and Navy before school. So on this “crazy sock day”, I got out of the car with them. I told them we were all going to walk into school like civilized people — together. Notice the eyes they are making at me? That’s because they are dying to take all of the shortcuts, climb the two fences, and sneak in past the supervisors to get to their classrooms.
I won today, and we walked in properly.
But all of the days before today, and all of the days after today — I lose.
I know it, because every once in a while, I get an Email from a concerned parent or teacher.
I’ve had the busiest week ever! I am only a few days in, and I don’t have any extra time to spare. And it was today that I realized, that I dropped the ball on Halloween costumes this year. I kind of skipped over costumes this year because we will be out of town. But then I remembered we have the Trunk or Treat, and they clearly need costumes for that!
Uh Oh.
So in my 75 minute window today — between reading in the library and picking my kids up from school — I ran to the costume store. In the back of my head, I have had a rad costume idea. I knew it would be a long shot to get it together in time, and I was also hoping Scout wasn’t too old for it. But somehow, I sprinted through the store, and made it work.
Presenting….
Scout, Navy, Dash and Pippi.
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They may be my favorite costumes to date!
And Scout and the other kids love them as much as I do!
This might be a new record, for the things that come out of Scout’s pockets in a week’s time.
There is always a bunch of trash, but in this load, I found Pippi’s bow I told him to put away — and had been looking for. Also found: 2 bouncy balls, flag football flags, toy skateboard, mini skull, laser pen, 2 half-sucked push pops, and a bunch of wrapped toothpicks.
It is a good thing that I am in the habit of cleaning out this kid’s pockets…because can you imagine the mess all of this stuff would have made!?!
Pippi’s tent is like an answer to my prayers.
Now, when she goes missing for a few minutes, I know to look for her.
This time, she was doing her usual thing in an unusual spot.
Of course, she was trying to get into my make up.
This time, she was hiding out in the wrap room.
I quickly found her before any damage was done, because she was having a hard time with the zipper, so I sent her on her way to return the bag.
She muttered something along the way.
Probably, “I’ll figure these zippers out quicker than you think, and then the make up will be all mine!!! ALL MINE!”
I think it is because I work in the school a lot, but every time we go to Bergeson, Pippi and Dash are instant celebrities. This day, I headed there to go meet with Scout’s teacher, and two girls (Reese and Kennedy) ran over and begged to take Pippi to the playground. I told them they didn’t need to twist my arm, and Pippi was in babysitting heaven for the next 20 minutes.
Should I be worried?
This was the scene I came upon after my kids left for school.
At least they won’t have inflamed gums.
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