The Summer Story

We started off the summer by checking the kiddos out of school early on the last day and heading to the airport. We hopped a flight to Memphis. My brother in law was graduating from dental school and there was going to be a party. Of course we didn't want to miss it. We left Matt and Caveman home. Matt had to work and Caveman was invited to go camping on the lake with a friend. So they joined us on Monday. Anyways, the graduation party was great. My sister and her mother in law did a great job. But I didn't take a single picture. I did take some on Memorial Day though. We went to my brother's house for a cook out and some giant slip and slide fun.



Matt and Caveman arrived that night. The kids had about a million sleepovers over the next few days and Matt and I spent a lot of time hanging out with my sister and her husband since they would be moving away in a few weeks. We were planning to leave Thursday but ended up staying an extra night so all the grown ups could do something fun. It's so nice that our kids are getting big enough to babysit and the adults can actually go out. Good times.

So we drove home on Friday and then it was pool time! The next couple of weeks we spent as much time at the pool as we could. We have lots of friends that are members at the same pool as us so the kids always have lots of playmates. We love going to the pool!

We were undecided about taking a vacation this year. Matt has been wanting to take the kids to Utah for a while, then he heard that his uncle was having a retirement party which meant that lots of Matt's cousins would be there at the same time. We went back and forth about it for a few weeks. The timing wasn't great, but ultimately decided to go for it. So we packed our bags, checked the flights and headed to the airport on a Tuesday afternoon. We couldn't get a flight out. But our luggage made the first flight. So we headed back home. It was very late and Cowboy was so disappointed. And our suitcases were in Salt Lake with our toothbrushes and flat irons and make-up. We got up super early the next morning and headed back to the airport. We decided we didn't want to spend all day at the airport, we'd try the first three flight. The first one looked terrible. They were almost finished boarding and we were eating breakfast. But they called our name. Then said they probably wouldn't have seats for all us but to decide who would go. So I boarded the plane with Baby and the girls. I told Matt, worse case scenario, I'll get our luggage and come home. And they closed the doors behind us. Matt said as soon as they closed the doors, some sister missionaries and a senior missionary couple showed up for the flight. But I had taken their seats. I felt terrible.

I landed in Salt Lake and found out that Matt and the boys had taken a flight to Minneapolis and would arrive in Salt Lake a few hours later. So I headed out to find out luggage and rent a car. We got our bags and went to the rental car counter. Oh and did I mention that I didn't bring a stroller for the baby. Bad idea. Anyway, once we got the rental place I strapped the baby in his carseat, sat the girls down and got in line. There was an issue with us trying to pay for the rental with our debit card and I had to call our insurance company, blah, blah, blah. Then I got that taken care of and then was told that they didn't have my car, even though I had a reservation. It would just be a few minutes. Thirty minutes later they tell me they have a Ford F-150 for me. Uh, that's not going to work. So they ask me to wait just a few more minutes. The kids are getting whiny, we're all hungry and Baby is so tired. After another half hour they offer me a fifteen passenger van. No thanks. So they offer me an H3. How many times do I have to tell them I have a family of seven and what on earth happpened to my "reservation"? So I'm gettin frustrated, the girls are starving and getting impatient, luckily the baby went to sleep, so I decided to check with another rental company. Then Matt called. They weren't going to make the flight out of Minneapolis. And the next flight looked even worse. He doesn't want to spend the night with the boys in Minneapolis and although I know his cousins are perfectly delightful, I wasn't too excited about spending the night in Utah without him. So I told him to check flights back to Atlanta and that I would check on flights getting us home. There was no line at the ticket counter and the lady found a flight home for us through Las Vegas. Only catch-it leaves in thirty minutes so get your bags checked immediately. I grab our toothbrushes, some clean clothes for the kids (just in case) and change my shoes. Then we ran to the gate. And we're still starving. I call Matt and he found a flight to Atlanta. We got on the plane. The girls are so excited because they get to sit in first class. And during that 45 minute flight Baby threw his pacifier on the floor about 867 time. Roughly. We have a quick connection in Vegas and I'm worried we won't have time to grab food so I check with the gate agent as soon as we land. Our flight has been delayed. A few hours. So we explore the airport.

First we grab a salad at California Pizza Kitchen then head to the playground so Baby can climb.







And the girls had fun too,







The girls were awesome all day. I'm sure they were disappointed but they just went with the flow and were so helpful with the baby. After dinner I thanked them for being so great even though our day hadn't gone as planned. Then Sassy said, "Mom, it really hasn't been that bad. I mean, we sat in first class and we're in Vegas! I mean really!" Then they started saying maybe we should see how many airports we can hit in one day. When final boarding calls were announced to places like San Francisco and Seattle they would say, "Let's go see if there's room on that flight!"

We decided to take a picture of the mountains for Cowboy...



And since we were in Vegas, we had to get a picture of the strip...



And the girls wanted a pic with the slot machines...



Then someone threatened to fine me $200 for letting my kids touch the slots, even though they didn't. Finally it was time to board the plane for our four hour flight back to Atlanta. The girls got to sit in first class again, and Baby fell asleep on take off. He slept the entire flight. Matt and the boys landed about two hours before us. We got to our house about 1am. The kids thought it was pretty cool that our family had been in four airports in four time zones in less than twenty four hours.

We decided it was for the best that we didn't all go to Utah. The next week Matt and Kaleb had scout camp and I had a piano camp with my students here at the house. The flights were so bad we might not have made it home in time. So I guess everything happens for a reason.

The guys had fun at camp. Of course they didn't take any pictures. And my first piano camp was a success. We played lots of games, learned about the lives of some famous composers and they all learned a duet. We finshed the week off with a mini recital where they played their duets. They did a great job! especially when you consider they just had four days to learn them.

Here they are drawing keyboards on the driveway...



And showing off their paintings. They painted what they pictured while listening to Handel's Water Music...



So that was June at lelu's house. Is anyone still with me? That was a loooong post! Up next...July!