Catching Up (Part One)

Wow, what a whirlwind couple of weeks it has been!

First, despite the fact that we were going to be gone for nearly two weeks and I was going insane trying to get everything ready for leaving the kids, we decided to take everybody for a day at the House of Mouse. We left the baby with my sis and I have to confess, I think it was a good deal all around. He got to stay in a nice air-conditioned home and be Grandma's center of attention and we got to do the Magic Kingdom without a stroller or arms full of a sleepy, bored baby. We covered a lot of ground and rode all of the "big rides", or in other words, everything with "mountain" in the title. Even the four-year-old is big enough for most of that stuff and is pretty fearless. My favorite moments of the day include all of us paired up riding the Grand Prix Raceway and my two older daughters passing hubby and me and making the "L" for loser on their foreheads at us. Also, when the four-year-old was lagging behind us going to the next ride, his seven-year-old sister (who is barely taller than him) would patiently shepherd him back to the group.

It was a very enjoyable, though brief trip. We came home Saturday night and midday Sunday, hubby, #1 son and I set out for Miami to register for college. Sonny spent the nights on campus (an option for the parents) but instead we opted for a luxury hotel over looking the inter-coastal waterway and all of the high rise buildings: gorgeous!

The main goal of the trip was met when, after several tries, hubby got #1 signed up for his 18 hours of specifically chosen courses. He will (hopefully) graduate with a double major by taking a mere one extra course per semester.

We came home on Wednesday evening, were home Thursday and Friday morning left for Asia, via Houston. I made it out the door with most of my sanity, but it was tough to leave because the baby was sick with a viral sore throat (I had to take him to the pediatrician on Thursday when I noticed he had a fever.) I knew he would be okay, but as badly as I wanted to go on the trip it really ripped my heart out to go with him being so puny. (Needless to say, he did fine with mom-in-law.) Once the door to the plane was shut and we lifted off, I finally felt like I could breath again.

Houston meant breakfast/lunch (did I mention we left here REALLY early and with the time difference, it was still early when we got there) and walking laps around the terminal in anticipation of sitting for 15 hours straight.
The flight itself wasn't too bad. We managed to sleep a good bit which made it easier. Oh, and thank goodness for being married King of the Frequent Flyers. Miles equal better seats!
The thing I find humorous on these flights is the amount of food! There you are, sitting on your bottom, sleeping, reading, watching movies, etc., not exactly working up an appetite and they feed you a three course dinner, ice cream sundaes later on, a mid-flight snack, and a 2 course breakfast toward the end. Sometimes there are even chocolate chip cookies! Hubby and I had a bunless burger before boarding and I turned down all but the eggs the next morning which greatly concerned the flight attendants. They were sincerely concerned I might starve to death.
Anyway, we arrived without incident. I will continue the saga in the next post.