Growing in Bursts, master builder

It's amazing how kids grow in bursts. Big Bro (4.5 yo) had a big burst this Thanksgiving break in his Lego building skills that I wanted to share. Here are his creations that he built all by himself:

Crocodile with moving mouth

Jail with bad guy

Horse merry-go-round that really spins

Helicopter with ladder. Looks just like the one in the Lego game app we have.

Snowplow dump truck

Super strong snowplow

Frustrated by losing the "mistletoe" (missile) on his Dino-helicopter, he built a new one out of Legos.

Not to be totally outdone, Lil Sis made her own creation too:

Fleeting First Snow Fun

Last Friday it snowed for the first time.today it's snowing again! But last week it was fresh and new. The kids had just eaten lunch and were having a little downtime watching a show. I was at my computer typing up a blog. I glanced out the window and saw the skies were dark and there were light snow flurries.

Kids!" I announced, "it's snowing! Let's "go outside before it stops. We can finish the show later."

The kids looked out the window and squealed with glee. Then we all jumped into action to get on our boots, jackets, mittens, and hats to go out into the flurries.

They ran around the yard excitedly, mouths agape to catch the flakes on their tongues.

They turned their boots into snowplows to collect what ever was sticking to the ground. Then they reached down and ate it. Lil Sis sampled the flakes that landed on her swing. Big Bro followed suit.

We admired the flakes as they landed on Pepper and played for as long as the snow fell. 

Then the sun came out and the snow stopped. We went inside for hot cocoa at Big Bro's request, and made a bowl of popcorn to eat while we finished the show. 

When the show was done we looked out the window and all the snow had already melted. There was no trace of the magic that had just happened. But we knew and it was such a great start to winter.

Fart Jokes

I was raised in a house occupied by all women. Manners were important, please, thank you, no intentional rude noises, etc.

Nevertheless, one thing my family always thought was hilarious growing up, and even still today, is fart jokes. 

Yes, fart jokes (and actual farts) would have us laughing, sometimes to the point where tears crept to our eyes. 

I remember one Christmas when my brother-in-law let one rip during a fancy dinner, we laughed and laughed as he turned a brighter and brighter shade of red.

Lately my kids have discovered fart jokes and bathroom talk. They enjoy putting the guilt of a fart on whoever is around even if the noise came from a chair or toy or the accuser's lips. 

You tooted! No you tooted! [Giggle, giggle].

Today they started with a round of fart jokes while I was making dinner. Being the responsible adult I am, I figured I better stop it before it got out of hand. "Hey you guys," I called to them. "That's bathroom talk. If you want to do that go to the bathroom."

Usually that ends it. But this time they stopped and started whispering to each other and ran off to the bathroom. They turned on the fan, closed the door and I could hear them talking and laughing.

I pressed my ear against the door to confirm my suspicions. Yep. Fart jokes.

"Do cows fart? Yup!" [Giggle giggle].

"Do snakes fart? Yes!" [Giggle giggle].

"Ew, there's a fart over there!" [Giggle giggle].

I returned to the kitchen smiling. They were having sibling bonding time over fart jokes. Together, shut in the bathroom, and making full use of Mommy's bathroom talk loophole. They were so happy, and so was I.

Or at least until the next morning when they started yet again.

The Great Elsa Ploy

Since holidays are always more fun with kids, I am thinking about Christmas. For me, it's incredibly early to be thinking a Christmas in early November. However, with kids I do need to start planning ahead. Doing last minute shopping Christmas week just won't cut it.

My kids are really into the movie Frozen, just like so many little kids these days. One night I went shopping on Amazon on my phone to start making a wish list. I found Elsa and Anna dolls from Disney. There were single dolls and there were sets that included both sisters. The prices range from $25 for one doll to $50-$70 for two dolls or a tiny set of sculptured figurines for all five main characters (Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Sven and Kristof). My husband, understandably, was disgusted by the prices.

Then I remembered that someone said there were Frozen dolls at Costco for $15. I had seen them when I went week or two ago but didn't buy any since the kids were with me. Plus that was before Halloween so I definitely wasn't thinking about buying Christmas presents. There was a good chance that the dolls sold out. 

Nevertheless, I thought Lil Sis and I could go check. We went to the toy aisle and I didn't see the princesses where I had seen them weeks earlier. Looking down the aisle I saw there was a display of Disney princesses. They were the "toddler" versions of the princesses with bodily proportions more accurate for very young children. Totally appropriate for Lil Sis.

There was just one Elsa doll left. No Anna dolls, but plenty of Belles, Cinderellas, and Rapunzels. I hesitated. Does Lil Sis really want this doll? Would she like something else better? Then an old couple pulled up behind me with a shopping cart. I overheard them say, "Here's some Frozen stuff! I know Frozen is on their list…"

That decided it. I snapped up the last Elsa doll and hid it in my coat. Luckily Lil Sis was looking at another toy at the time. I called to her and we went down the next aisle. I was grateful for her two-year-old lack of observation and suspicion. She didn't care that I now had a box shaped jacket. 

We looked at other toys and I made the mistake of suggesting we go back to look at the dolls one last time. As she browsed I took a picture of the Elsa doll to send my husband to get his opinion on whether I should buy the big Elsa doll or the little figurines of both Anna and Elsa.

Lil Sis had been looking at toys again but turned around and caught me in the act. "Big Elsa is in your coat!" she giggled happily.

Now that I was caught, I thought I could at least get verification of whether this doll was the right choice. "Is big Elsa your favorite?" I asked. "Yes." She answered. I showed her all the other choices again but she still insisted on the big Elsa doll.

"Good." I replied feeling a little panicked. Now what?

"We can ask Santa to bring you big Elsa!" I suggested enthusiastically.  "But for now I have to put her back."

Lil Sis was visibly upset. I secretly re-stuffed Elsa in my jacket and hoped that she wouldn't notice (again) even though she now knew something was up.

I led her by the hand up to the registers. I put Elsa, still under my coat, on the cashiers conveyor belt. "Hey, Elsa's under your coat!" Lil Sis said.

"No, I had to put her back." I answered.

Lil Sis responded with cries of I want big Elsa! I handed her my smartphone to soften her disappointment.

Thankfully, the cashier has evidently seen this scenario before. she saw the item under my jacket and immediately said, oh this must be a secret purchase. She only lifted a tiny flap of my coat so she could scan the doll, and wished me good luck. The guy manning the exit door was also experienced with secret purchases and was very understanding when I showed him my receipt and my jacket wrapped around a box.

Lil Sis fussed all the way to the car "I want big Elsa!" On the one hand felt terrible for making her sad. On the other hand I felt secure that I had made the right doll purchase and relieved that I had pulled off the great Elsa ploy.

Dino Dollars

Big Bro had a jar of change that is his piggy bank. Recently Grandma gave him a new jar that counts the change for him. After transferring his coins to this new jar we realized he had about $13.00 in change. This was a big surprise to me as I thought I had fished out all the quarters to pay for parking meters downtown when I take Lil Sis to music class. And yes, Big Bro knew and was ok with me taking money for parking.

So faced with a whole Saturday ahead of us while Dada of Ma'at was out of town, I suggested to Big Bro that we turn his coins to paper money then take him to the toy store to buy a new toy.

At first he was excited, but then he started bargaining. 

"Maybe I can give them these and still get a new toy?" he said this while squinting at a nickel and dime pinched between two fingers.

"Well, to get a new toy you have to give them all of it." I explained. "You have to trade your money for the toy, but then you can save more."

It took some effort to explain that he couldn't keep his money and still get a new toy (wouldn't that be nice), but he eventually accepted that he would have to give up his money. 

So we headed to our credit union where I knew there was a coin machine. Big Bro and Lil Sis we're excited to put the coins in the machine and pick up the Canadian coins it rejected (only 3).

Big Bro wasn't impressed with the receipt that he got. "But where's my paper money???"

So we waited in line and he hopped like a bunny when he handed his receipt to the teller, and impatiently tried to climb the counter as he waited for her to hand over the cash. Then got suddenly shy when she really did hand him the money.

We went to the toy store and I explained that big things cost more like $25.00.

Happily he settled on a toy that turned out to be only $8.33 after using our toy store card. He was a very happy boy to get a new dinosaur/robot toy and still have money left in his bank. I wish I had remembered to take a photo as he paid for his toy. This one from home will have to do.

And don't worry, Lil Sis got a toy too (with my money, not Big Bro's).

The total on the jar includes new-found change, but not the several paper dollars in it.

Catch Up Cider

I have been a total slacker on writing this blog. When I told my blogger friend Tenor Dad that I was taking the summer off from writing his reply to me was something to the effect of "I have never missed a day because I know I wouldn't start up again." I'll go back I thought.

Yet here we are at the end of October. And since school started up again I have written a measly 10 entries. My last one was a month ago. It's time to kick it back into gear. 

Last year around this time I was writing about the bounty from my garden and adventures in canning/food preservation.

Last year I canned a whole bunch of stuff. This year the haul has been smaller for canning. Our tomatoes went to making fresh salsa and one batch of delicious tomato sauce that was quickly consumed. Another reason for what feels like a canning deficit was our fruit trees didn't produce as abundantly this year. We still got a fair amount of pear slices which I did can, and pear sauce which I froze out of laziness (it was much less than last year). 

Our apple trees did absolutely nothing this year. This was extra disappointing because last year we had an amazing apple crop that we turned into cider at a friend's party. We even recently bought our own cider press and had dreams of making tons of free cider.

It was not to be. At least not for free.

I bought 2 1/2 bushels of apples from our local orchard. $20 worth. The orchard assured me that most home growers got nothing this year. After such an abundant crop last year, the trees needed a rest. The commercial orchards still did well because they hand thin all the apple blossoms so that the trees don't go through such boom and bust cycles. What a job! Can you imagine hand thinning apple blossoms from hundreds of trees?

Still, I purchased the apples and the kids eagerly watched me set up to do some cider pressing.

"Can I start now???" asked Big Bro impatiently. 

"Not yet," I replied, "I still have lots of setting up to do!" Patience is not a four-year-olds strong suit.

Big Bro threw apples in the hopper as I cranked the wheel to chop them up. 

I got my husband involved to make it go faster. 

Once the bucket was full with chopped up apple pieces we squeezed them and the cider flowed out of the press. I invited Nini to come see the process and join us in tasting some delicious fresh homemade cider. Then Grandpa wandered over from next-door and wanted to check it out. He started cranking the wheel as I fed it apples, and my husband disappeared. 

"I think I've been Huck Finned!" Grandpa exclaimed referencing the old Mark Twain story.

Really my husband was just on the upper porch with Lil Sis who was sad that she is still too little to throw apples into the hopper, and therefore fed up with being outside. Next year Lil Sis.

We turned 2 1/2 bushels of apples into about 5 gallons of cider in under two hours, including set up time and prep time.

It really was so sweet and delicious. And so fun to share the experience with my kids and the grandparents too. Let's hope next year we get our own apples from our trees again and then our cider will be sweet and free.

Big Haircut

I gave Lil Sis a haircut last night.

She was in the tub and I had just washed her hair.

It hung down in long tendrils.

I watched her play with it and dunk the ends in the water.

Is it too long? Do you want it shorter?

"Uh huh, shorter." she answered.

I got out a brush and scissors.

I cut the first bit.

Then another.

No turning back now.

It wasn't her first haircut. 

She got a couple inches off at the start of the summer too.

"This is fun!" Lil Sis giggled.

Definitely the first time she declared a haircut "fun."

Big Bro begged me to cut his hair too.

Many, many times.

I finished up.

Her hair was so much lighter.

She looked like her baby self.

Dada of Ma 'at was less amused but held his tongue.

I was glad to lighten Lil Sis' load.

I was glad to not define her by her pigtails, though they are beautiful.

I was glad to let her be 2.

To let her play not be bogged down by long, thick hair.

To relieve myself of some hairdressing duties too.

You don't need long hair to be beautiful.

You don't need long hair to be feminine.

Her grandma did love braiding it though.

The good thing is, hair grows back.

Mr. Independent

This morning I told Big Bro to go get dressed for school. "It's picture day today," I said. "Do you want to surprise me and pick out something to wear?"

Big Bro started to do his normal whine but suddenly stopped short. He ran into his room and actually got dressed. He came back a couple minutes later with a proud look on his face happy to show off his new shirt and jeans.

Who is this kid? I asked myself. I don't know, but I like him.

We went downstairs. I asked him what he wanted for breakfast. He answered yogurt.

Before I could do anything he asked me, "Mommy, is the dishwasher clean?"he had already looked in the basket for our very limited collection of kid bowls. Yes it is I answered.

He got his bowl out with a small assist from his father. He got out the yogurt from the refrigerator.  He even got two spoons, one for him and one for Lil Sis. He scooped his yogurt himself, then he got a cup by himself and went to fill it with water in the bathroom sink.

After eating breakfast he asked his father "can we go to school now?"

WHO IS THIS KID???

I don't know, but I hope he sticks around.

Adventures in Gendered Childhood

I was reading a story book with Big Bro and Lil Sis a few days ago. It's a sweet story about how much parents love babies soon as they're born and what they can do and how they grow…

It started when the story talked about preschoolers learning to do new things by themselves. Big Bro saw the illustration of the little boy and said it looked like himself. And it does. The little boy has blonde hair and was wearing a blue shirt and khaki shorts just like a Wild Kratt.

Then the book started listing occupations that preschoolers might want to grow up to be. Big Bro pointed out how he wanted to be a builder or an explorer, just like little boys in the books.

Lil Sis pointed at the picture of the little girl as a pet shop keeper and said "that's me!"

I told her how it would be fun to be a shopkeeper, she loves animals (though not in person so much, she thinks they're a little scary). But then it dawned on me. In this innocent, sweet little story about kids growing up what do you notice about the boys and girls depicted in this book?

Boys are doctors, builders, and explorers. All rather active professions. Girls were painters, dancers and pet shop owners. All rather passive professions.

So I asked Lil Sis, "Would you want to be an explorer? Or a doctor? Or a builder?"

"No. The pets!" She said in her adorable 2-year old voice. She was willing to consider the painter too.

I was suddenly mad at this cute little story. I had read it several times already and just thought it was sweet. Now, because of my kids, my eyes were open and I saw that it was contributing to the not-so-subtle ideals of what boys and girls should aspire to be. Did she not want to even consider being a doctor, explorer, or builder because the drawings were a little boy? A drawing of a little boy that my son identified so strongly with? Could she just not see herself in those roles because of the drawing?

I resolved that I should do something. I don't know what yet. Just something so that she really knows that she can do anything. There's nothing wrong with being a pet caretaker, but I want her to know that she can do more than that if she wants.

But then Big Bro said something that made me feel just a little better.

"Mommy, I want to be an explorer and a daddy when I grow up!"

Rock on little dude. Well Lil Sis is two years behind Big Bro. She has more time to learn. She already plays with Legos, dinosaurs and trucks as well as dolls and stuffed animals. They both do. I think we will be okay dealing with this whole "gendered childhood" kerfuffle. This story book was just a small reminder to keep doing what we are already doing: promoting gender equality.

Child Labor is Fantastic

Do you have kids in your house who are bored? Are they perhaps a little whiny? Here is the solution for you!

Take them to the garden to help you pull out the bean plants. Then have them pull the dried pods off each plant and put them in a collection pot. Next set them up in the kitchen to open each pod and capture all the delicious black beans.

Doesn't Big Bro look happy?

Now Lil Sis wants to help too? No problem! Move the bean collecting pot to the floor to ensure that no one will fall off their chair while reaching for new pods to open. Now everyone can be part of the fun!

In no time all your beans will be neatly sorted into containers. Twenty-five feet of bean plants turned into 8 cups of delicious black beans for soup and chili!

Disclaimer: the kids actually only helped for maybe five minutes. They were responsible for producing 1/8 cup of beans...maybe.

Big Bro & the Twin Towers

By the time you're reading this blog it will be September 11, 2014. 13 years after the World Trade Center was demolished in a terrorist attack on the United States.

I remember September 11, 2001 well. I was at home at my mom's house. I was working and waiting to depart for my study abroad trip to Ireland just one week later.

I was still in bed when she came upstairs looking shaken and told me to come watch the TV with her. I saw on TV when the first tower collapsed and then the second one.

It was like a bad dream. Totally surreal. My uncle and cousin were living in New York City at the time but we couldn't get through on the phone lines to hear any news of how they were doing. We found out later though they were thankfully okay.

Later that day I went to work my shift at the local grocery store. All the staff was shocked, and the customers too. It was weird that everyone was going about their business even though everything for our country and world had just changed.

A silver lining occurred though, as I was bagging groceries I looked up and saw a friend and I hadn't seen for two years. It was Des, from Ireland of all places. He had been trying to cross the Canadian border and couldn't get through since it was shut down. So he stayed with me and my family instead.

I remember returning to my college campus a few days later. I didn't go to Ireland for study abroad. My mom wouldn't have it. I wasn't totally sure I wanted to be so far from home with all the political uncertainty either. I remember there were yellow ribbons everywhere. I found myself hating those yellow ribbons. I just wished I could wake up from this bad dream. Or at least fast-forward to a time when the world was less distressed. 

*****

Just a couple weeks ago the kids and I were looking for things to watch on Netflix. I came across a series of shorts called Scholastic: Tall Tales. It has 4 animated books, one of which is the story "The Man Who Walked Between The Towers." It is the true story of Philippe Petit who, in 1974, pulled off a daring stunt and walked on a wire between the Twin Towers for over one hour. 

At the end of the story it explains that even though the towers are not there anymore, they are still there in memory. 

Of course Big Bro then asked, "why are the towers not there anymore?" I just wished I had read the story description better beforehand.

"Because some bad guys knocked them down." was my only answer. I want to protect him from the adult ailments of war and terrorism.

I love the innocence of children. In their world war does not exist. In their view human suffering doesn't go beyond not getting exactly what you want the precise moment you want it. I want to hold on to that childhood innocence as long as we can.

In the meantime I will work and pray for a more peaceful world.

Not Truly Ready for Fall

This week feels like fall. The temperatures are a bit cooler and the crickets are chirping louder lately. Some of our maple tree leaves are turning orange but they always turn early.

It was a tough day with the kids. So I was constantly looking for something to keep them occupied. I get tired of playing "you be a person and I'm a kitty/doggie."

I had a bag of apples that needed to be used up so the perfect project was to make an apple crisp. I intended to have the kids help me peel and cut the apples using our apple peeler-corer-slicer. It looks like this:

The kids have had a lot of fun with in the past. However it wasn't working right so I had to abandon it much to Big Bro's chagrin. I started peeling apples with a knife while explaining that he's too little to use knives. He told him he should go play until I'm ready to start mixing things.

(Photo by Big Bro with lots of filtering because the original was so dark)

As he often does in his four-year-old way, he persisted that he really, really, really wanted to help. After a couple minutes my smart mom hat came on and I realized the apples are soft enough that they could be cut with a butter knife. So I peeled pieces of apple and gave them to him to cut into chunks.

He loved it. He was really good at cutting the right size chunks and was very exacting in his approach.

Lil Sis got in on the action by pouring in the sugar, then she and Big Bro stirred the apples, cinnamon, and sugar together.

I made the crumble and let them help put the last bits of it on top of the apples in the pan. They enjoyed taste testing it too.

I'm not convinced that I'm really ready for fall and cold weather, but it was a great project to pass the afternoon, and the apple crisp tasted delicious.

The Disappearance of BIG Pepper

This spring I wrote about how Lil Sis' best snuggly friend "Baby Pepper" disappeared. She was later found in our house.

But did you know that last summer Big Pepper also disappeared?

It was early summer. The kids and I were expecting my husband home within an hour or so. Suddenly I noticed that Pepper was not hanging around with us in the backyard as usual.

Pepper has nearly 5 acres of land to roam so I wasn't very concerned. I whistled for her and shouted her name while clapping my hands. Normally this brings her running, but that time: nothing.

I called Grandpa on the phone and asked if he would help with the search. Still nothing.

Now I was getting worried and decided the next step was to drive around looking. I left the kids with Grandpa so I could find my dog. As I opened the driver door of my van I looked in the backseat and there she was. Pepper. She had been lying on the back third row bench seat the whole time. She wagged her tail and was so happy to see me. 

Turns out, when the kids and I got home that afternoon I inadvertently left one of the sliding van doors open. At some point Pepper climbed into the van and made herself comfy in the third row. Then, a couple hours later Grandma came to visit and closed the van door. She didn't tell me that she saw the door open or that she closed it. Pepper being the docile dog that she is didn't even think to bark when I was calling for her. I just thank the universe that it was not a hot day!

From that day on I made a conscious effort to close the van doors immediately or check the backseat for Pepper before closing the doors.

So tonight, more than a year later, suddenly my husband asked "Where's Pepper? She wasn't hanging out with us in the backyard like usual."

"You're right. Oh no." I answered and proceeded to go outside to call and whistle and stomp and clap for her. A minute later I realized, the van is in the garage. The doors had been left open for a while before I closed them. I had better go check.

There she was again. Lying in the third row. Wagging her tail and happy to see me. Thank goodness it was not a hot day and thank goodness the van was in the garage instead of full sun.

She came inside for dinner and a drink and is now sleeping peacefully on our couch.

I've got to be extra vigilant about the van doors again.

Pepper in one of her favorite spots

Kratt No More

"He's not wearing his Wild Kratts today!?" 

This is a statement I have been hearing often from friends and family.

It's true, and let me assure you it is not by choice. After nearly 6 months of wearing the same two shirts and two shorts every day (and even wearing them both at the same time  in a few silly moments), Big Bro has officially worn out both his Wild Kratt shorts. 

Exhibit 1:

Exhibit 2:

His green Wild Kratts shirt even has a tiny hole in the front as well. You can see my fingertip through it below.

Exhibit 3:

Only his blue shirt has remained unscathed.

Exhibit 4:

Pre-school has started up again so the agreement is he can wear his hole-y pants at home but not to school. He has reluctantly agreed. I even offered that he can wear his Wild Kratt shirt and different pants. His reply? 

"That would be silly."

Too bad no one is selling cargo shorts in fall.

And by the way, as soon as he gets home he changes back into his hole-y cargo shorts (exhibit 2 only) and Wild Kratts shirt.

Back to school blues

I've got a case of the blues today, but it's not the kind you might expect. I know so many kindergartners this year. It seems like half of the kids that we socialize with are starting kindergarten this year!

Today is the first official day of school and while their parents are posting cute photos of them getting on the bus or walking into school, my kids are home screaming their heads off. The first major tantrum was due to a fight over sharing their grandmother's iPad.

I got them to calm down from that tantrum by going outside for a while. Then we came back inside for lunch. While they were happily eating I thought to myself I will just sneak out quickly and put the trash into the bin.

I did, and all was well. 

Then I decided to take a second load of recycling out. But this time when I got back I heard lots of raucous noise and saw the kids flinging noodles and spitting their milk and water at each other.

I swooped in and grabbed their cups and ushered them to the sink, "No, you do not spit your drinks at each other." I declared trying to be calm but firm.

Lil Sis recovered quickly with a pout and an "I'm sorry" and then went to the playroom to play. Big Bro was a different story. He howled and cried and said "no I want my cuuuup!" A huge, lengthy tantrum ensued.

Last Wednesday when all the FB posts were about kindergarten orientation my kids also decided it was the perfect day to have lots of tantrums.

So as my friends lament about how their kindergarteners are reaching the beginning of independence, and wondering where did the time go? I look at those pictures with a sigh and wish that my kids were going to school too. 

The time with our children is short when you look back on it. When you are in the thick of the 0 to 5 years and marinating in tantrums, it can seem like the school years will never arrive. 

"It goes so fast!  Enjoy it while you can!" 

"Be careful what you wish for, your time will come soon!"

That's what some parents will think as they read this. Heck, it's what parents have told me and every other parent alive.

And I know....

Next year Big Bro will start kindergarten, and Lil Sis will start preschool. Part of me is hugely grateful for all these kindergartners going ahead of Big Bro. In the midst of my daily frustrations those families are reminding me to slow down and enjoy this last year when both my kids are home.

But come next year, I think you might see me looking a little bit like this:

Photo from Glennon Melton's blog Momastery http://momastery.com/blog/2014/09/02/it-gets-better-2/

10 hours to myself a week? I look forward to it. But who's counting? ;-)

2 new ways to vacation

If you asked me what the most memorable thing about this summer was I would have to say all the trips that we went on. Not only did we travel to new places, but we also traveled in new ways.

The first trip was our seventh wedding anniversary trip to Ottawa, Ontario. I suppose the way we traveled wasn't really new. It was just my husband and I for three days and two nights of kid-less time. It was the first time that my husband and I have taken a night away from the kids together. Big Bro is 4 1/2 years old now so it was kind of a big deal!

We stayed at an independently run hotel near the Byward District. We walked all over the city without pushing the stroller, we ate at fancy restaurants and didn't have to ask for an order of buttered noodles, we took a tour of Parliament without whines about "I'm not having fun," we went on a sunset boat cruise without worrying about bedtimes and tired, cranky kids, we went to see a movie without a second thought about babysitters or G ratings.

We didn't get to sleep in like we hoped we would. It seems like we have forgotten how to do that! We did Skype home every day to check in with the kids and grandma and grandpa. We did shop for cute souvenirs to bring home to the kids. We did remember what it was like to be a couple and not just mommy and daddy. We did pledge that we should do this every year somehow.

And away we go!

The second was a trip to Story Land in New Hampshire. We went with two other families. Between us there were six adults and five children. Big Bro had another four-year-old boy to play and go on rides with, which he loved. We also had two 2-year-olds and a seven-year-old. Three members of another family rode in our van to New Hampshire. The kids entertained each other which made the three hour ride easier.

When we were at Story Land we had plenty of adults to help cover the rides and the kids. When I felt like going on another spinning ride with Big Bro would make me throw up, one of the other dads took both 4 year old boys on it for the second time. Meanwhile my husband was able to bring two-year-old Lil Sis to something that she wanted to see. Later that afternoon when Lil Sis fell asleep in the Ergo carrier, the other mom with a 2 year old chatted with me while the others went on another ride (it was not a ride for 2yos). How nice not to be alone with a sleeping baby strapped to my aching back while everyone else was off having fun.

I took the seven-year-old on a water ride that her parents had no interest in going on. Two other parents joined me with their son and mine so we were able to have a 1:1 adult:child ratio. The three remaining adults and two children could do whatever they wanted. Just think of all the disappointment-induced crankiness we were able to avoid! Plus there was always someone available to take family pictures for the others...even on rides. 

When we went out to eat at restaurants the kids once again helped entertain each other. We got to speak with other adults which was great. The shared experience made it feel more like vacation instead of work. We got to choose when to be together as three families and went to be alone as a nuclear family. It was a good balance.

We have done some great single family vacations with the kids, but this group family vacation was a nice change of pace. We will definitely have to do it again.