This Bridge is Old, Like You! - A July 2017 and April 2018 TR *Completed + New TR Link Posted

We love Supernatural in our house! We didn't necessarily name him after Dean but the name would have never been in my mind without the show.
I tried to convince DH we should name DD Samantha or Cassandra but he didn't go for it.

Can't wait to read all about your trip!


That's awesome. Well, obviously I'm a fan of Evie, but those are pretty names, too!


Great intro!
Can't wait to hear more!

Thanks for reading!


I'm here!!! Looking forward to another adventure with Landon & Evie!

Glad to see you. Hard to believe both our kids are getting so old! I feel like we're going to blink and they will be teenagers in our reports.


Following along!

Thanks for joining in and following along!
 
Cheater, cheater pumpkin eater here. For my travel day update, I am going to pull it straight from my blog. It seemed pointless to rewrite my experience, so while it will read a little differently than my usual updates due to being more informational than entertaining, it will still cover the important details. So for anyone who has already read the post, I apologize. When you reach the end of a deployment, you tend to latch on to the easy route. But the following update will be new and crisp like freshly laundered sheets. Promise!:thumbsup2


Travel Day: July 11th, 2017

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It seemed an impossible task. Fly international with a four year old and an one year old. How would I keep them entertained? When would I nap? Where would I hold my passports? The questions and potential disasters floated around in my head for weeks; an open wound I couldn't cauterize no matter how much I tried. I'd lost my mind, believing I could corral the children through multiple security checkpoints, survive the endless hours in uncomfortable airline chairs, and make it to my connecting flight.


Fortunately, I had a couple advantages in my corner. The biggest being the help of my mother. She was on the same flights as myself and the kids and while not seated near us, she was an aide in the airports.

The second tool that really saved my butt was my propensity for organization. I would have been lost without my spreadsheets and calendars. About a month before my flight, I created a highly in-depth to-do list that listed all my deadlines and important tasks. For example, I recorded and set an alarm to administer Buster's dog medicine as well as set a PURCHASE NO LATER THAN date for additional dog food. My chart reminded me to use Alex's car and leave fresh towels out for the housesitter; it told me not to forget an appointment and reminded me to take the kids to certain events. A daily planner is something I've had with me for the last ten years, but this really kept me on track.

No reason to stress unnecessarily. Everything was written down and allocated a specific time. Heck, during those crazy pre-trip days I even reminded myself to enjoy a hobby such as finish a book or free write for half an hour.

My luggage spreadsheet was just as detailed:
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For the kids' toys, I had purchased several zipper pouches and separated their items into each one.



I wanted to be able to find their toys quickly and keep them in manageable amounts. The red pouch held crayons, coloring pages, and writing worksheets. The black one contained Doc McStuffins mystery pouches and stickers, and the pink pouch held board books and a play phone.

This was one of my better ideas and something I'll utilize again in the future.



By the time the morning of our flight rolled around, we were ready to roll.

We woke up at three in the morning.

3 a.m.

I'll let that sink in for a second.

It was an ungodly hour, but the time worked in our favor. I made four peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cut carrots into sticks, and packaged blueberries into plastic containers while the kids got dressed and split a banana.
Then it was time to load the car, walk the dog a final time, and take out the last bag of trash. We pulled out of the driveway at 4 o'clock.


During normal hours of the day, it takes about two and a half hours to reach Frankfurt airport, but since there was hardly any traffic on the road we made it in two hours even.


Hooray autobahn driving!


I had booked an early bird rate online that allowed me to park right at the terminal. Taking into account it was peak summertime and I was leaving my car for several weeks, the 140 dollar price point was well worth it. The QR reader gave me trouble when I found an empty row to enter - I really hope it doesn't do that when I'm leaving, other vehicles might not appreciate the hold up - but when I did get the gate to raise, grabbing a spot was easy.


It was on the walk from the car to the entrance to the airport that I almost made a huge mistake.

I had forgotten my baby carrier in the car!

Thankfully, my mom was there to watch the kids while I jogged back to retrieve said item. It would have been a long, miserable travel day had I forgotten it.


The check-in desk for my airline wasn't clearly marked at the entrance, so my mother and I spent a few minutes looking around for the correct location. Naturally, it was at the end of the room.

One thing I wasn't keen on was the layout out of Frankfurt. The building has check-in areas on the left and right hand sides of the room, leaving the middle area for arrivals. This caused a huge bottleneck and a constant mix of folks trying to get to their airline desk and others attempting to head to their cars.

I didn't understand why the areas weren't separate, but I'm sure they had their reasons.


Checking in was tedious but uneventful. I was prepared to show special documentation proving I could take the kids out of the country without my husband present, but the agent I got was fine with my passports. She talked to each kid briefly, checked our one suitcase in, and made sure the three of us were all seated together. I asked about getting my mom a spot near us, but unfortunately the flight was full and there wasn't room.


The kids and I were in Row 7 while my mom was back in 22.


I was on my own.


Next was going upstairs to the first security checkpoint. The elevators weren't working, so I had to pull Evie out of the stroller and fold it up to get up the escalators; fortunately my City Mini single is extremely easy to fold and carry.

Best baby investment I ever made.

There was a moment of scrambling at this checkpoint due to passport fun, (we each actually have two passports) but I'd been forewarned about the possibility by a friend who'd traveled earlier in the month and knew to expect it. Once through that area, we were dumped in a section of the airport devoted to restaurants and shops.

It was about 7:30 a.m. by this point (check in had taken almost an hour) and my mom and I decided to stop and let the kids eat the breakfast I'd made the day before.

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Granola bars and hard-boiled eggs. It sounds like the strangest meal to bring with us, but the kids devoured the food. Landon ate two. I knew they weren't going to eat the food on the plane, so I wanted to ensure they had some protein in their bellies, and it was a good decision.

So. If you've got an early morning flight and eggs that need to be eaten, boil them and bring them for the little ones!

Once finished with breakfast, it was nearing eight o'clock and time to go through security.


The part I dreaded most.


It was chaotic, but I survived.

I kept Evie in the carrier and threatened Landon with all the Mom-threats in my arsenal while I unloaded the Ipads and phones and passports and hand sanitizers into a bucket, then I threw my backpack on the belt followed by Landon's. I took Evie out of the carrier and set her down, then proceeded to throw the Tula on the line. I had forgotten I'd worn a belt with my jeans and had to shuffle to get that sucker off. (A slip up on my part.)

The agent wanted the stroller folded up, so I did that really fast.

Then I picked Evie back up and walked through the detectors while Landon followed after me.

The unloading was the easy bit. Getting all the crap while keeping an eye on the kids was a stressful time. I unfolded the stroller first, then threw my backpack and the carrier in the seat. Landon was getting upset because he couldn't put his bag back on and didn't want to wait, but he had to suck it up and be patient, because I was shuffling the devices, belt, passports, and liquids in one hand and Evie in the other.

I walked us out of the way and got everything back in its spot and got that blessed belt back on.

(I bought new pants yesterday to ensure I don't have to deal with a belt on the return trip.)


We waited for my mom to get through her line, then we all stepped into yet another line at the gate. There were agents checking passports and boarding passes to get into the seating area, and it was there I received a gate check sticker for my stroller.

Once through that, my mom and I found a section of empty seats to park ourselves in while we took turns using the restroom and watching the kids run around and burn off energy. We stayed like that for about half an hour before they began boarding the plane.


If you've flown on one airplane, you've flown on them all. There's nothing I can really say that will set my plane apart from the other transports taking off that morning. We were the second row behind the bulkhead seats, which I really liked. It was almost more ideal than that first row, because I was allowed to stow our bags under the seats, meaning easier access to our stuff. But we also got the added benefit of not feeling like we were cramped and surrounded by bodies. Only one row of heads in front of us then a nice flat wall to look at.


Over the course of our nine hour flight, the kids watched a ton of television shows and movies on the provided screens. They both ate all the snacks I had packed in addition to two packets of airline pretzels. Evie napped for forty five minutes in my lap, and all three of us made two trips to bathroom.

You don't know Mom skills until you've helped your four year old on to a disgusting plane lavatory then changed a toddler's diaper on the provided table.

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Upon debarkation, I hit a snafu at the gate. The attendants couldn't track down my stroller. It was nowhere to be found, and eventually a worker told me (and another mom who's gear was MIA) I'd have to file a lost claim at the counter.


Surprisingly, I took the news in stride.

New strollers could be bought.

Sick kids, lost passports, sleep-deprieved induced mistakes....those are the situations that would have sent me into a tailspin.


But a misplaced stroller?

Easy fix.


And fortunately, my lost item was on the belt at baggage claim. It somehow got shuffled in with the rest of the luggage. Alls well that ends well, plus the extra time I spent waiting by the plane allowed almost all the other passengers to get through customs. The line was virtually empty when we walked up.


The customs process was very straightforward and easy. Once through the forms kiosk, I spoke with an agent for a minute or two, then went to drop my suitcase back on a conveyor belt. One more agent check and I was walking into an extremely long security line.

Whew boy, that wait was a doozy. I was really scattered by that point, too, and remembered at the last minute I had an unopened water bottle I needed to chug before reaching the front.


Time for some fast hydration!


You would think the second security checkpoint would have been a breeze, since I had already done it once. However, I was a lot more tired this time around and the larger crowd frazzled my nerves. I dropped my belt and almost forgot my cell phone in my pocket. This airport had a special metal detector that they opened for me and the kids. An agent did a fantastic job sending the kids through one at a time by holding out stickers for them to retrieve. It was a small touch I appreciated.

The downside to waiting for them to open up that special line was that all my carryons were creating a backlog at the end of the conveyor belt. I had to hussle to grab everything, because there were three or four other people already through the line, waiting on their things.


That was the second hardest moment of my day.

Our connecting gate was about a ten minute walk apart, and it was sweet relief to stretch our legs. I pushed the stroller with my carry on and the carrier in the seat and held Evie and Landon's hands. Our legs were crying sweet tears of joy at the exercise. Those international legs are long and cramped, definitely not something that's easy on one's body.


Our last flight didn't leave for almost an hour and a half, so I bought the kids some chicken fries and french fries from Burger King.


Snack of champions, I know.


Weren't on American soil sixty minutes and we were already indulging in terrible food.


When in the U.S., right?



The second and last flight was the worst part of our traveling day. The kids were sooo tired; it was eleven o'clock at night in their minds. Landon fell asleep minutes after buckling into his seat. Evie took longer. She was that stereotypical crying baby on the plane. It was such a relief when she eventually gave up the fight and passed out, allowing me to grab a short fifteen minute nap mid-flight.

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When we landed, I put Evie in the carrier and my mom carried Landon until we got to our stroller. Which was actually waiting for us during deboarding this time!


We were in Florida!!!


Twenty one hours after waking in Germany, my little group was at our destination.

The adventure wasn't quite finished yet, though. We stopped at a Chick Fil A located near our gate and grabbed some dinner, then met up with my father who was picking us up, and ate our dinner.

I was so delirious with sleep I ate about half my sandwich then gave up. I couldn't even tell you how the food tasted.

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We retrieved our bags (after being paged to do so because we'd taken too long) and then traveled the hour to my parent's house.

By the time I got the kids in their room, I had been awake for twenty four hours and the kids thought it was morning time. It was a stressful hour, getting them to settle down and rest, and we all ended up awake at three a.m., but our traveling was officially over for the time.


Overall, the flights weren't terrible. A million more things could have gone wrong, nothing but a Lightning McQueen toy was lost, and everyone I had to encounter was patient and willing to work with me. Nobody was upset that I was wrestling two young children by myself, and the poor girl stuck sitting next to Landon was very kind; she was thoughtful enough to throw away our trash while we were in the bathroom.


The experience was not something I'd rush to do again, but it also wasn't so impossible I couldn't manage if needed. Evie was restless throughout most of the first flight, but the one thing I have learned through experience is to stop caring what other people think.

So she's antsy.

So she is frustrated she has to remain buckled for landing.

She's one. She's going to fuss.


I'll never see these people again and their lives will move on past my loud baby.


And it wasn't like I walked out unscathed.

The guys in Row 10 might not have been able to hear their movie because of my daughter, but I endured nine hours of kicking and pushing from the two year old sitting behind me.


Patience is the most important carry on you gotta pack when traveling.


Up Next...Fun in the Sun and Eating my Way through Florida.
 
You did amazingly well handling such a long travel day with two tots. I'm glad you had your mum to help with the airport logistics at least. Sounds like everyone did great on the journey even if wee Evie fussed a little. Sure if you can't fuss when you're 1 when can you fuss? Laughed when I saw that you'd stopped for a Burger King before collecting your bags.:goodvibes I'm always sending text messages home the day before we leave Florida reminding whoever is looking after my house to stop by the bakery for potato and soda bread and the butchers for sausages, back bacon and eggs so we can have an Ulster Fry as soon as we're through the door :thumbsup2:rotfl:

Home comforts and familiar foods are the best!!:thumbsup2:thumbsup2
 
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Whew - what a long travel day! Glad for the most part it was uneventful. So nice your Mom was along for the ride. Hope you were able to get some sleep - the lack of sleep would have done me in. I don't do well with sleep deprivation. Anxious to hear about your time in FL/WDW!
 


Whew, crazy long day! I'm impressed at your organization and ability to wrangle two littles through 2 flights and multiple security checkpoints--I can barely handle international flights when it's just me! Anyways, looking forward to hearing about the fun part! :)
 
I'm a little late to the game, but I'm here and excited to hear all about your adventures!

Congrats on surviving travel day - considering the long flights and potential for hassles with the kiddos, sounds like it went pretty well, which is awesome.
 
Amazing act - wow! I don't know how you managed all that. It makes me tired just reading it. It's too bad they couldn't have moved your mom closer to you on the flight. I hope it wasn't difficult on the return trip all by yourself. Comfort food now that you are home is what you need, and sleep! Sorry to go off topic, but commenting on luvpoohandcompany - I was born on Belfast, but raised in Canada. We always had a "fry" on Sunday morning, but I've never heard it called an Ulster Fry. I still make soda bread (soda farl) and we have it occasionally. My Canadian family also love it.
 


Amazing act - wow! I don't know how you managed all that. It makes me tired just reading it. It's too bad they couldn't have moved your mom closer to you on the flight. I hope it wasn't difficult on the return trip all by yourself. Comfort food now that you are home is what you need, and sleep! Sorry to go off topic, but commenting on luvpoohandcompany - I was born on Belfast, but raised in Canada. We always had a "fry" on Sunday morning, but I've never heard it called an Ulster Fry. I still make soda bread (soda farl) and we have it occasionally. My Canadian family also love it.

Lol we call it a Fry too but when we see it on menus in some restaurants/cafes it seems to be an Ulster Fry so i thought maybe others might have heard of it that way lol We have ours mostly on Saturday afternoons because my youngest son loves his American pancakes on Sundays!! :goodvibes
Where in Belfast were you born? So many from here emigrated to Canada, USA or Australia including many of my friends ( I would have too but my husband is a home bird and I fell for him more:rotfl:).

Good to know you are carrying on your traditions from home :thumbsup2
 
What a feat! You managed so well!

For the kids' toys, I had purchased several zipper pouches and separated their items into each one.


This is SUCH a good idea.

I had forgotten my baby carrier in the car!

Thankfully, my mom was there to watch the kids while I jogged back to retrieve said item. It would have been a long, miserable travel day had I forgotten it.

Thank goodness you got to go back for it! That could have made for a miserable trip.

An agent did a fantastic job sending the kids through one at a time by holding out stickers for them to retrieve. It was a small touch I appreciated.

This is awesome! There are little bits of magic in places you wouldn't expect on a Disney trip.

the one thing I have learned through experience is to stop caring what other people think.

So she's antsy.

So she is frustrated she has to remain buckled for landing.

She's one. She's going to fuss.

Absolutely! And as much as it might not be enjoyable to listen to a crying baby for long periods of time on a plane, I'd much rather it be a baby than an adult who's misbehaving and who knows better. We've seen more than a few of those on our travels.
 
Such a long travel day for you guys but it sounds like you made out well all things considered! I can't imagine how tired you were when all was said and done!
 
For my travel day update, I am going to pull it straight from my blog.
If you don't mind sharing, where might one find this blog? And if you posted before and I missed it, I apologize.

No reason to stress unnecessarily. Everything was written down and allocated a specific time. Heck, during those crazy pre-trip days I even reminded myself to enjoy a hobby such as finish a book or free write for half an hour.
That is some expert level planning! But you'd definitely have to plan on that level for a trip like this.

By the time the morning of our flight rolled around, we were ready to roll.

We woke up at three in the morning.

3 a.m.

I'll let that sink in for a second.
So why did you even go to bed?

I had booked an early bird rate online that allowed me to park right at the terminal. Taking into account it was peak summertime and I was leaving my car for several weeks, the 140 dollar price point was well worth it.
Oh, definitely worth it! You'd have spent more than that if you parked at the "cheap" long term lots that you access by bus at most US airports.

(I bought new pants yesterday to ensure I don't have to deal with a belt on the return trip.)
:rotfl2: Good idea!

Over the course of our nine hour flight, the kids watched a ton of television shows and movies on the provided screens. They both ate all the snacks I had packed in addition to two packets of airline pretzels. Evie napped for forty five minutes in my lap, and all three of us made two trips to bathroom.
You don't know Mom skills until you've helped your four year old on to a disgusting plane lavatory then changed a toddler's diaper on the provided table.
That's actually pretty impressive. 9 hours and only 2 trips to the bathroom? Our kids would probably make 9 trips in 2 hours.

Upon debarkation, I hit a snafu at the gate. The attendants couldn't track down my stroller. It was nowhere to be found, and eventually a worker told me (and another mom who's gear was MIA) I'd have to file a lost claim at the counter.


Surprisingly, I took the news in stride.
I'm impressed. I wouldn't have handled it so well. That stroller could be a lifesaver in getting 2 kids through the airport. Not having it when you need it... well, I'm glad you were mentally prepared and tough enough to deal with it in the moment!

Our last flight didn't leave for almost an hour and a half, so I bought the kids some chicken fries and french fries from Burger King.


Snack of champions, I know.
Kids love the chicken fries...

Evie took longer. She was that stereotypical crying baby on the plane. It was such a relief when she eventually gave up the fight and passed out, allowing me to grab a short fifteen minute nap mid-flight.
Yikes... at least she finally gave up.

I'll never see these people again and their lives will move on past my loud baby.
Good attitude.

Patience is the most important carry on you gotta pack when traveling.
::yes::

I'm glad to see that it wasn't a nightmare. Of course some parts of the trip could have been smoother, but all things considered it wasn't too bad. I can't imagine trying to fly internationally with 2 young kids like that. I don't even want to fly domestically with the kids just because the airports can be such a hassle.
 
Wow, I'm so impressed with your organization and patience. You did great. I find if you attach something with a positive attitude and not think about what you can't do it helps. You definitely had a can do attitude and a much stronger person for doing it. I'm looking forward to more of your trip.
 
You did amazingly well handling such a long travel day with two tots. I'm glad you had your mum to help with the airport logistics at least. Sounds like everyone did great on the journey even if wee Evie fussed a little. Sure if you can't fuss when you're 1 when can you fuss? Laughed when I saw that you'd stopped for a Burger King before collecting your bags.:goodvibes I'm always sending text messages home the day before we leave Florida reminding whoever is looking after my house to stop by the bakery for potato and soda bread and the butchers for sausages, back bacon and eggs so we can have an Ulster Fry as soon as we're through the door :thumbsup2:rotfl:

Home comforts and familiar foods are the best!!:thumbsup2:thumbsup2


I'm still a little surprised at myself for managing the international flights!
An Ulster Fry sounds delicious, and I agree. You want something familiar like a meal after being away from your home for so long.


Whew - what a long travel day! Glad for the most part it was uneventful. So nice your Mom was along for the ride. Hope you were able to get some sleep - the lack of sleep would have done me in. I don't do well with sleep deprivation. Anxious to hear about your time in FL/WDW!

The sleep deprivation was by far the hardest part of traveling. The kids just didn't understand why I was a zombie and couldn't give them the attention they were looking for. The way back was harder, unfortunately, because I was working off little sleep and then had to make the two and a half hour drive home. But, that's all in the past now and next time Alex will be tagging along to help.


Whew, crazy long day! I'm impressed at your organization and ability to wrangle two littles through 2 flights and multiple security checkpoints--I can barely handle international flights when it's just me! Anyways, looking forward to hearing about the fun part! :)

My kids were such troopers on our trip. I think they've become somewhat accustomed to traveling, which helped.


I'm a little late to the game, but I'm here and excited to hear all about your adventures!

Congrats on surviving travel day - considering the long flights and potential for hassles with the kiddos, sounds like it went pretty well, which is awesome.

Yeah, it was a successful travel day, all things considered. It wasn't exactly fun, but it was worth the lack of sleep to be back in Florida for a few weeks.


Amazing act - wow! I don't know how you managed all that. It makes me tired just reading it. It's too bad they couldn't have moved your mom closer to you on the flight. I hope it wasn't difficult on the return trip all by yourself. Comfort food now that you are home is what you need, and sleep! Sorry to go off topic, but commenting on luvpoohandcompany - I was born on Belfast, but raised in Canada. We always had a "fry" on Sunday morning, but I've never heard it called an Ulster Fry. I still make soda bread (soda farl) and we have it occasionally. My Canadian family also love it.

The lack of sleep was the hardest part. I was surviving off caffeine after being awake for fifteen hours or so. Even with the difficulties, I'm so glad I decided to go because I ended up having a wonderful time. And thankfully, next year Alex will be with me so I won't be watching the kids solo!
 
What a feat! You managed so well!

This is SUCH a good idea.

Thanks. I was pulling all my organizational and past traveling experiences from my arsenal. I think having gone on so many trips in the past year really helped the kids understand what was happening. We had flown to Rome about 4 months prior, so the airport protocols were still in Landon's mind, I think.


Such a long travel day for you guys but it sounds like you made out well all things considered! I can't imagine how tired you were when all was said and done!

I was one tired lady, I won't lie. :rotfl2:When I was able to close my eyes and try to sleep I actually ended up struggling to fall asleep, because I was just SO tired. My body was like, "All right, we're never resting again. Better keep the body buzzing even though we're lying in a comfy bed."



If you don't mind sharing, where might one find this blog? And if you posted before and I missed it, I apologize.

Not sure I've ever shared it on the DIS before, I usually just post about it on my facebook.
It's here: An Awfully Big Military Adventure


That is some expert level planning! But you'd definitely have to plan on that level for a trip like this.

Oh, definitely worth it! You'd have spent more than that if you parked at the "cheap" long term lots that you access by bus at most US airports.

Technically, this cost me a lot more than the offsite places. They were running about 80 dollars for the length of my trip, but I just didn't want to deal with a shuttle to and from the airport. I guess over here parking is a lot cheaper because people fly a lot more than in the states. If you can catch a good deal, you can fly from Germany to Italy for about 50 bucks. Which is wayyyy less than the ICE train or paying for gas and driving yourself.



That's actually pretty impressive. 9 hours and only 2 trips to the bathroom? Our kids would probably make 9 trips in 2 hours.

I've got one of those kids that can go to the bathroom once or twice throughout the whole day. At school, his teachers are always telling him to take a potty break even though he swears he doesn't need one.:confused3


I'm impressed. I wouldn't have handled it so well. That stroller could be a lifesaver in getting 2 kids through the airport. Not having it when you need it... well, I'm glad you were mentally prepared and tough enough to deal with it in the moment!

Kids love the chicken fries...

Trust me, when you've been stressing about keeping your kids safe and taken care of throughout the airport and international flight, a little thing like a stroller seems like a small issue. Plus, I was finally back in the states where I could easily buy a new one. If the situation were reversed and it had been lost in Frankfurt, I would have been REALLY upset because I couldn't have shipped that brand to my home.

The kids hadn't had Burger King in over a year; they had forgotten about the amazingness of chicken fries!


Wow, I'm so impressed with your organization and patience. You did great. I find if you attach something with a positive attitude and not think about what you can't do it helps. You definitely had a can do attitude and a much stronger person for doing it. I'm looking forward to more of your trip.

That is true, your attitude can really determine what kind of day you're going to have. I just kept telling myself that whatever I encountered along the way would bring me one step closer to my vacation and time with my family. It also helped that I didn't run into too many hiccups. From other people's stories, I was expecting a little more trouble getting the kids cleared to fly with me (I had to get special power of attorneys and copies of Alex's deployment orders) but luck was with me that day and none of those issues arose.


Whew... what a travel day. You are super mom!!!!!

Haha, hardly, but I was really proud of myself for taking a risk and making the trip. It gave me a new sense of courage and now I'm even more excited to travel in the future. If I can fly internationally with two toddlers, what are the possibilities once my husband rejoins us and I have help?!:goodvibes
 
Pre-Disney Fun:

As I mentioned before, the kids and I spent 8 days at my parent’s house before heading down to Walt Disney World. The reason for this was twofold; the first being I wanted to give us plenty of time to get over the jet lag and adjust back to U.S. time. The second reason was a little more obvious. I wanted to spend time with family. Before we moved to Germany, Alex and I lived in the same county as my parents for close to five years, so my roots were in that area. It’s where I consider home, where we might eventually retire one day…

The time flew by! I had such an amazing time, it was arguably better than Disney. But ssshhhh, I didn’t say that.


That first day back, I put the kids to work in my dad’s garden.



And went to dinner at the restaurant my brother worked at, which is was owned my mom’s best friend’s brother. The jet lag won that evening, and Landon ended up passing out shortly after the entrees arrived at our table:

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I got to eat steak that night! A delicious filet accompanied by fried okra and unlimited refills on my drink. Hot dog! I hadn’t had a filet since I got to Germany. That’s not exactly a popular item on menues here. Truth be told, the only steak I’d had since our relocation were the few Alex grilled the previous summer.


American food, man….I miss it.


There wasn’t a lot of sitting around the house doing nothing for us. We visited our local aquarium (called the Gulfarium).






Had a shopping spree at Target.

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Oh, Target… I miss this store so much. I actually put money aside specifically for this store.

And I still ended up going over that amount.

By a lot.

When I told Alex over the phone to guess how much I’d spent, he threw out a number he believed to be exorbitant.

And I had to tell him he was off by a hundred bucks.

Whoopsies.


I have no regrets, though. The kids have to have clothes, right?



We went to a local zoo, where poor Evie got sprayed by a lion.

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I think the kids and my mom got tired of the Florida heat and humidity pretty quickly but gonna lie, I didn’t mind it. After spending the last winter battling snow and ice for months on end, I was basking in the warmth. Sure, I was a hot sticky mess all month, but it never bothered me. I was just grateful to feel the sun on my skin again.



When we weren’t running the roads or eating Chick Fil A or accidentally telling confused cashiers Danke when handed receipts, the kids stayed occupied in inflatable pools.




Enjoying big cookouts with aunts and uncles and taking evening walks with my younger brother.




We were also able to squeeze in two playdates with some of my friends. One was at a friend’s house where the five kids got to run around in a sprinkler, which is kind of a quintessential summer activity if you ask me, and another was at a splash pad/park.



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The amusing story behind this photo is that there was a father at the park with a kid around Evie’s age, and he was so nervous watching Evie climb on the structures. I couldn’t figure out why he was constantly standing guard near her, then it clicked in my brain that I have just grown accustomed to German parks which are like mini death traps. Seriously, that ladder Evie is climbing up in that picture is nothing to the rope walls, tall slides, and long bridges with no sides that are at the parks here. This little realization amused me to no end.


Our last day before our Disney trip had to be my favorite. More fun than my Disney days, even. I know, I know that’s blasphemous but it’s the truth. We all woke up early and went to our favorite beach, which ended up not being crowded yet and not too humid and was everything I remembered it to be and more.

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Landon was a beach bum from the day he was born and didn’t hesitate to dig into the sand and play. Evie, naturally, hated it. She screamed when I set her down and clung to me like a monkey when I attempted to take her in the water.

A beach fan she is not.

She spent most of the trip on the blanket under the umbrella, glaring at me and wishing she were back inside a house.

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In this picture, you can kind of see the fat lip Evie gave herself the day before. She decided to take a nose dive out of one of those collapsible camp chairs she was sitting on in the garage. She ended up busting her mouth open pretty good and chipped both her front teeth.

Guess she figured she needed a more permanent souvenir from her time in Florida…

Thank goodness that was the worst of the injuries/accidents that occurred. No hospital trips (for the kids) were necessary, which I always consider a win…


Meanwhile, over in Alex’s neck of the woods, he found out he was promoted to the next rank in his career. That was a huge deal and much cause for celebration.

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After the beach, we went to my favorite fast food place.

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Moe’s.

That queso.

That burrito with the chipotle mayonnaise.

Oh my gosh, I want one so much right about now!

I don’t know if you’ve been able to pick up on this yet, but I really miss my chain restaurants. Don’t get me wrong, the food I eat here is good; Alex and I get doners at least once a month. But there’s not really an abundance of fast food places and the ones we do have I don’t frequent. We go to restaurants, sure, but like when we lived in Florida, that wasn’t an everyday occurrence. Birthdays, date nights, get-together with friends, etc.

I forgot how convenient and how many options there were back home! I could get myself some Panera Mac and Cheese and then go a block down and grab an Oreo blizzard without leaving my car.

The epitome of decadence.



Overall, those eight days were packed full of food, family, and fun. I did all the things I missed, saw old familiar faces, and basked in the summer sun. The days flew by, which made me a little sad but not for too long.

Because with the first part of my vacation ending, so began the next stage.


Disney!


Up Next…I Think the Bellhop Got Lost
 
I loved this last update. You all look so happy to be back home. Have to say the photo of you and Evie in target is priceless :goodvibes and as for that beach- wow!! Such perfection!!
Jetlag is the pits isn't it! Poor Landon is out for the count:faint: My older son fell asleep on the table waiting for our food at ESPN a few years ago and the youngest concked out standing up in Martha's Vineyard when we'd called in to catch up with friends on our arrival day at the Yacht Club! He had put his wee head on his dad's lap and was softly snoring instantly lol:rotfl2:
Needless to say we didn't stay long with our friends for fear of winning the "parents of the year award":confused3:rotfl2::rotfl:
Wise move to get over your journey before your Disney trip.
Funny how you mention the dad at the park worrying about safety. My son-in-law is Danish and he thinks we are nuts as we are so cautious compared to the Danes :eek:
 
Alex and I get doners at least once a month.

I read this sentence and it instantly took me back to my German exchange program from high school! Pretty sure we got kebabs every other day and I would love one right now!!

Sounds like it was a great family vacation. I'm from the Midwest and my husband and I were down in Disney in early September and it was so hot I felt like I was melting. I don't know how you did it in July but I'm excited to read about your Disney adventures!
 
Congratulations to Alex in his promotion:banana:
Meant to say that in my last post but got distracted by your photos of gorgeous children, happy mum and wonderful beachs plus add in food and I'm off track lol
 
Your time home with your family sounded amazing! You guys really got to do a lot of things (Target of course is a must!!). I'm with you on chain restaurants, I have so many favorites!

I'm glad it was a wonderful time :-D
 

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