Amanda: When is Halloween?
Me: Saturday.
Amanda: How many days is that?
Me: Three. Today is Wednesday. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, three days.
Amanda: I don't get it.
Me: The day after today is Thursday, the day after that is Friday, the day after that is Saturday. Three days.
Amanda: How about if you just tell me on the day.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
London
We left for London on Friday afternoon. The kids and I were flying on miles and the best city for us to fly out of was London, so we decided to make a weekend out of it. We decided to ride the train instead of fly to avoid some of the hassles of the airport, but leaving the train station was very similar to an airport. You still had to fill out a customs form, show your passports and go through security and x-ray.
The ride was fun and relaxing and the girls enjoyed getting to sit across from one another with a table in between. You barely even notice the short period of time that you are actually under water because you are in a tunnel. Unfortunately for Amanda there were no windows in the tunnel and you could not see the fish as you were whizzing by on the train.
When we arrived in London we couldn't find a cab right away so we decided to try the underground. Bad idea, at least with kids and luggage in tow. There were people everywhere walking so fast who had no patience or tolerance for us getting our bearings. So, back to find the taxi line and we finally were on our way to the hotel. Charlie found a very cute bed and breakfast for us close to a university. Our room was pretty basic, four small beds jammed into a big room, but it did the trick and we were only staying two nights. After we dropped off our bags we walked to a local pub for dinner. We got a few funny looks from the patrons and the kids thought it was a bit interesting, but we were mostly just happy that we could order and communicate with the bartender in our native tongue.
The next morning we got up ready to see London. We had one day and wanted to show the kids as much as possible. First we went to the half priced ticket booth and got tickets for that evening for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Then we jumped on one of those big hop-on-hop-off buses that takes you all over the city. Kind of cheesy, but we got to sit and listen about the history of London and we saw the entire city. We got off at the Tower of London to see the crown jewels. Andy enjoyed listening to the humor of the Beefeaters giving the tours, but we couldn't keep up because there were at least 50 people trying to listen and the girls were bored and staying in the back where you couldn't hear.
By the end of the day we were bused out and had a quick dinner of cake and ice cream before we headed to the theater. When we got our tickets our choices were way back in the balcony or for a little more the very front row, so the kids got to sit front and center. We were so close we could see the little microphones on the actors. The kids loved the play, especially Sarah who had read the book in second grade so was very familiar with the story. Our long day in London was an amazing end to a very long trip.
The next day we flew home. We didn't get home until after 7p on Sunday night and the kids had school on Monday. It took us several days to get back on schedule, and for me to get caught up on all the laundry, but it was worth it. The kids have some wonderful memories of the trip and occasionally with throw out something about Paris or Venice or London and it makes me smile. I love that we have instilled the love of travel in them.
The ride was fun and relaxing and the girls enjoyed getting to sit across from one another with a table in between. You barely even notice the short period of time that you are actually under water because you are in a tunnel. Unfortunately for Amanda there were no windows in the tunnel and you could not see the fish as you were whizzing by on the train.
When we arrived in London we couldn't find a cab right away so we decided to try the underground. Bad idea, at least with kids and luggage in tow. There were people everywhere walking so fast who had no patience or tolerance for us getting our bearings. So, back to find the taxi line and we finally were on our way to the hotel. Charlie found a very cute bed and breakfast for us close to a university. Our room was pretty basic, four small beds jammed into a big room, but it did the trick and we were only staying two nights. After we dropped off our bags we walked to a local pub for dinner. We got a few funny looks from the patrons and the kids thought it was a bit interesting, but we were mostly just happy that we could order and communicate with the bartender in our native tongue.
The next morning we got up ready to see London. We had one day and wanted to show the kids as much as possible. First we went to the half priced ticket booth and got tickets for that evening for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Then we jumped on one of those big hop-on-hop-off buses that takes you all over the city. Kind of cheesy, but we got to sit and listen about the history of London and we saw the entire city. We got off at the Tower of London to see the crown jewels. Andy enjoyed listening to the humor of the Beefeaters giving the tours, but we couldn't keep up because there were at least 50 people trying to listen and the girls were bored and staying in the back where you couldn't hear.
By the end of the day we were bused out and had a quick dinner of cake and ice cream before we headed to the theater. When we got our tickets our choices were way back in the balcony or for a little more the very front row, so the kids got to sit front and center. We were so close we could see the little microphones on the actors. The kids loved the play, especially Sarah who had read the book in second grade so was very familiar with the story. Our long day in London was an amazing end to a very long trip.
The next day we flew home. We didn't get home until after 7p on Sunday night and the kids had school on Monday. It took us several days to get back on schedule, and for me to get caught up on all the laundry, but it was worth it. The kids have some wonderful memories of the trip and occasionally with throw out something about Paris or Venice or London and it makes me smile. I love that we have instilled the love of travel in them.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Paris
We woke up really early on Monday morning for our flight to Paris. Like it's-still-really-dark-out early. The hotel was right by the train station and we didn't want to mess with a taxi or Uber so early in the morning so we took the train to the airport. I love European public transportation, it is so incredibly easy.
The only thing we had planned for Paris that day was to get there and get checked in to the apartment that Charlie had rented on AirB&B. We didn't want to schedule anything and then miss it because our flight was delayed or cancelled, and that worked out pretty well since we were arriving to our third city of the trip. The place Charlie found to stay was amazing. It was a two bedroom apartment with a room for us and a room for the girls and a double futon in the living room for Andy. It had two showers and one toilet room, although one of the showers was tiny (according to Andy it was too small for him), and a full kitchen with a good-sized refrigerator (for Europe) and a dish washer. The best part was the view from the huge living room window of the top half of the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately I didn't really get any good pictures. I took one of Charlie the day we arrived and then remembered I need to take more the night before we left but the next morning it was so foggy you couldn't see the top of the tower.
I don't want to give you a day by day run down of what we did because that's kind of boring, but I will say we did a lot considering we were only there for about four days and we had three kids in tow. I also spend about two of those days by myself with the kids, which went very well but by the end I was tired. Tired of walking, tired of the weather and tired of being in a place where English was not the first language. Mentally and physically tired.
Don't worry, we took the kids to all the hot spots. We did a fantastic Eiffel Tower tour and even Charlie and I learned new things about the tower and the surrounding area. We spend a lovely afternoon on the hill of Sacre Coeur, saw Notre Dame and the Arc De Triomphe. The kids and I went to the palace of Versailles, which they really like but by the end decided they had seen enough palaces for one vacation, and I took them to the courtyard of the Louvre to see the pyramids. We didn't go inside because they would have been bored. Heck, the last time I went in I was bored. We tried to go to the Musee D'Orsay, one of my favorite museums in Paris, but it was our last day and the line was so long we wouldn't have gotten to see much.
I did sneak in a fun kid day while Charlie was at his conference and took the kids to EuroDisney, or as they like to call it Disneyland Paris. There were a few things that were different than the park in California, like the hours and the fireworks show, but a lot of it was the same. It was a fun day of doing something totally for the kids and not making them learn anything.
The only bummer about our time in Paris was the weather. The first day we got there it was sunny and warm and we hoped that it would last the whole week, but we weren't that lucky. We got a little sun on Tuesday for our Eiffel Tower tour and then it got overcast and windy for the rest of the week. The day we went to Disneyland it was so cold I finally bought a second sweatshirt for the girls and myself to wear over the sweatshirts we brought and I bought gloves for all of the kids and myself. That made a huge difference, but I was still cold.
So, Paris was awesome minus the weather. The kids got to eat crepes, Andy ate an entire baguette in one sitting (minus about one inch of it), Andy mastered the Paris metro system and we spent so much money on vending machine candy you wouldn't even believe it. I know where I get that from, my dad. Except he hoards it and keeps it forever and the kids and I ate that stuff right up! It was kind of bad because if I had coin Euros in my pocket, even if they were the equivalent of $1 or $2, we would drop them into the vending machines like they were dimes or nickels. We rode all over the city on the Metro and there were vending machines at all the Metro stops so you can see where we might have spent a lot of money on all the amazing, delicious, different and new candies.
However by Friday I was done. Worn down and cold and tired of trying to speak my horrible 25 year old French. The fog rolled in and it started to rain and we were all just done. I was more than ready to head to London for the last full day of our trip and then on home.
The only thing we had planned for Paris that day was to get there and get checked in to the apartment that Charlie had rented on AirB&B. We didn't want to schedule anything and then miss it because our flight was delayed or cancelled, and that worked out pretty well since we were arriving to our third city of the trip. The place Charlie found to stay was amazing. It was a two bedroom apartment with a room for us and a room for the girls and a double futon in the living room for Andy. It had two showers and one toilet room, although one of the showers was tiny (according to Andy it was too small for him), and a full kitchen with a good-sized refrigerator (for Europe) and a dish washer. The best part was the view from the huge living room window of the top half of the Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately I didn't really get any good pictures. I took one of Charlie the day we arrived and then remembered I need to take more the night before we left but the next morning it was so foggy you couldn't see the top of the tower.
I don't want to give you a day by day run down of what we did because that's kind of boring, but I will say we did a lot considering we were only there for about four days and we had three kids in tow. I also spend about two of those days by myself with the kids, which went very well but by the end I was tired. Tired of walking, tired of the weather and tired of being in a place where English was not the first language. Mentally and physically tired.
Don't worry, we took the kids to all the hot spots. We did a fantastic Eiffel Tower tour and even Charlie and I learned new things about the tower and the surrounding area. We spend a lovely afternoon on the hill of Sacre Coeur, saw Notre Dame and the Arc De Triomphe. The kids and I went to the palace of Versailles, which they really like but by the end decided they had seen enough palaces for one vacation, and I took them to the courtyard of the Louvre to see the pyramids. We didn't go inside because they would have been bored. Heck, the last time I went in I was bored. We tried to go to the Musee D'Orsay, one of my favorite museums in Paris, but it was our last day and the line was so long we wouldn't have gotten to see much.
I did sneak in a fun kid day while Charlie was at his conference and took the kids to EuroDisney, or as they like to call it Disneyland Paris. There were a few things that were different than the park in California, like the hours and the fireworks show, but a lot of it was the same. It was a fun day of doing something totally for the kids and not making them learn anything.
The only bummer about our time in Paris was the weather. The first day we got there it was sunny and warm and we hoped that it would last the whole week, but we weren't that lucky. We got a little sun on Tuesday for our Eiffel Tower tour and then it got overcast and windy for the rest of the week. The day we went to Disneyland it was so cold I finally bought a second sweatshirt for the girls and myself to wear over the sweatshirts we brought and I bought gloves for all of the kids and myself. That made a huge difference, but I was still cold.
So, Paris was awesome minus the weather. The kids got to eat crepes, Andy ate an entire baguette in one sitting (minus about one inch of it), Andy mastered the Paris metro system and we spent so much money on vending machine candy you wouldn't even believe it. I know where I get that from, my dad. Except he hoards it and keeps it forever and the kids and I ate that stuff right up! It was kind of bad because if I had coin Euros in my pocket, even if they were the equivalent of $1 or $2, we would drop them into the vending machines like they were dimes or nickels. We rode all over the city on the Metro and there were vending machines at all the Metro stops so you can see where we might have spent a lot of money on all the amazing, delicious, different and new candies.
However by Friday I was done. Worn down and cold and tired of trying to speak my horrible 25 year old French. The fog rolled in and it started to rain and we were all just done. I was more than ready to head to London for the last full day of our trip and then on home.
Fish Are Friends, Not Food
Amanda: What are we having for dinner?
Me: Fish.
Amanda: Fish is for babies.
Me: No, fish is for big girls. You know what's for babies?
Amanda: What?
Me: Whining about what's for dinner.
Amanda: No, whining is for big girls.
Ugh, I really hate the whining stage. Unfortunately it's the longest one of all. Amanda is full swing and Sarah is almost out of it. Just a few more years...
Me: Fish.
Amanda: Fish is for babies.
Me: No, fish is for big girls. You know what's for babies?
Amanda: What?
Me: Whining about what's for dinner.
Amanda: No, whining is for big girls.
Ugh, I really hate the whining stage. Unfortunately it's the longest one of all. Amanda is full swing and Sarah is almost out of it. Just a few more years...
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Frankfurt and Vienna
We left on Wednesday after school for Frankfurt. The kids had Friday off and it was the end of the term for Andy, so they only missed one, relatively unimportant, day of school for our trip. Plus, all the teachers thought it was pretty cool that we were taking the kids to Europe so were more than accommodating. We got very little sleep on the plane and landed in Frankfurt mid-morning. Before we left Amanda was really nervous about having to sleep on the plane and was convinced we were going to crash and die. When we got off the plane she had decided that she wanted to live on an airplane. Tired and all I would declare that a success.
Charlie had a meeting at 1:30p so we got a room at the airport hotel so we could shower and change, but we were flying on to Vienna that night so we didn't get too comfortable. After he left for his meeting, I took the kids into town. Frankfurt was tough. We were so tired and the only words I know in German are Thank You and You're Welcome, which doesn't get you far. Plus, the trains were not as easy as in other countries like Paris or London. But, we finally figured it out, although Andy (who knows everything) was convinced I was an idiot, and hopped on a train for a few stops to the nearby town. We were looking for a certain restaurant that the concierge had recommended, but as we were walking by a different restaurant the waiter sort of made us come in to eat and I was way too tired to fight. So, our first and only meal in Germany was at an Italian restaurant, but none of us cared too much.
We only had a few hours so we walked around the cute little town, got ice cream, bought candy - you know, the important stuff. We were all back to the hotel by 7p and then to the airport to head to Vienna. The next morning Charlie left again for more meetings and the kids and I were on our own. We found a cute little pastry shop and then a park where we ran into a lady who was from Boulder (crazy!) and a group of school children that all spoke English (turns out the owner was from California and started an English Kindergarten - which there was ages 3-6). Not at all what I was expecting but kind of cool.
When Charlie got back we had dinner and then went to a music museum that was supposed to be awesome but I didn't think was that interesting. Oh well, at least we can say we've been there. On Saturday we went to a palace and then on Sunday went to a little amusement park with a thing like a Ferris Wheel where you went around and could see the whole city. This is the part that was different about traveling with the kids. You can't take them to all the stuff you want to do and expect them to be quite and good and interested. They are interested to a point, but you just have to do some stupid, fun, kid stuff too. So when people ask me "Did you have the best time?", we had a great time but it was different from every other time I have been to Europe because we had to make it more kid focused.
I was happy to leave Vienna on Monday morning for Paris for multiple reasons, but we sure did enjoy the nice big breakfast at the hotel and the candies at the front desk.
Charlie had a meeting at 1:30p so we got a room at the airport hotel so we could shower and change, but we were flying on to Vienna that night so we didn't get too comfortable. After he left for his meeting, I took the kids into town. Frankfurt was tough. We were so tired and the only words I know in German are Thank You and You're Welcome, which doesn't get you far. Plus, the trains were not as easy as in other countries like Paris or London. But, we finally figured it out, although Andy (who knows everything) was convinced I was an idiot, and hopped on a train for a few stops to the nearby town. We were looking for a certain restaurant that the concierge had recommended, but as we were walking by a different restaurant the waiter sort of made us come in to eat and I was way too tired to fight. So, our first and only meal in Germany was at an Italian restaurant, but none of us cared too much.
We only had a few hours so we walked around the cute little town, got ice cream, bought candy - you know, the important stuff. We were all back to the hotel by 7p and then to the airport to head to Vienna. The next morning Charlie left again for more meetings and the kids and I were on our own. We found a cute little pastry shop and then a park where we ran into a lady who was from Boulder (crazy!) and a group of school children that all spoke English (turns out the owner was from California and started an English Kindergarten - which there was ages 3-6). Not at all what I was expecting but kind of cool.
When Charlie got back we had dinner and then went to a music museum that was supposed to be awesome but I didn't think was that interesting. Oh well, at least we can say we've been there. On Saturday we went to a palace and then on Sunday went to a little amusement park with a thing like a Ferris Wheel where you went around and could see the whole city. This is the part that was different about traveling with the kids. You can't take them to all the stuff you want to do and expect them to be quite and good and interested. They are interested to a point, but you just have to do some stupid, fun, kid stuff too. So when people ask me "Did you have the best time?", we had a great time but it was different from every other time I have been to Europe because we had to make it more kid focused.
I was happy to leave Vienna on Monday morning for Paris for multiple reasons, but we sure did enjoy the nice big breakfast at the hotel and the candies at the front desk.
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Fall Break
A few months ago Charlie realized that he had to attend a conference in Paris over the kids' fall break. Our solution? Bring the kids! Charlie would have to be in meetings here and there, but would get to spend both weekends and a few weekdays with us. It would be better than being home all week with nothing to do and having him gone. So after weeks of planning, he put it all together and we spent last week, and a couple days from the previous week, in Europe.
Overall it was a great trip, but this is just the teaser. We got home on Sunday night so we are still jet lagged and I have spent most of the last two days doing laundry so the story will have to wait another day. I will say I am so blessed that this trip worked out and we were able to go, it is just amazing to share the world and our love of travel with our kids.
Overall it was a great trip, but this is just the teaser. We got home on Sunday night so we are still jet lagged and I have spent most of the last two days doing laundry so the story will have to wait another day. I will say I am so blessed that this trip worked out and we were able to go, it is just amazing to share the world and our love of travel with our kids.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Fifty Shades of Inappropriate
Yesterday I was having a conversation with the girls while I was driving. We have some of the best, funniest conversations in the car. I think they are just extra silly when they are sitting next to each other, strapped into the car without the possibility of escape. Amanda was asking me what's my favorite shade of blue. She's not satisfied that my favorite color is blue, she needs to know what shade of blue. Then Sarah joined the conversation.
Sarah: There's a book called "Fifty Shades of Gray".
Me: Yes, but that book isn't really appropriate for kids.
Sarah: Why is it inappropriate for kids? It sounds boring.
As I was trying to decide how and if I was going to answer that question, Amanda came to the rescue.
Amanda: I'm going to write a book called "1000 Shades of Blue". Then I will tell everybody to read that instead of "Fifty Shades of Inappropriate".
Sarah: There's a book called "Fifty Shades of Gray".
Me: Yes, but that book isn't really appropriate for kids.
Sarah: Why is it inappropriate for kids? It sounds boring.
As I was trying to decide how and if I was going to answer that question, Amanda came to the rescue.
Amanda: I'm going to write a book called "1000 Shades of Blue". Then I will tell everybody to read that instead of "Fifty Shades of Inappropriate".
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