summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Sunday, September 25, 2022

ahhh, home!!!!

 So Florida for the weekend, what warmth and fun!  

We left here on Thursday morning, all snug in the car with Paul driving us to the airport.  Molly and Kathryn, both married and mamas to young children, Camille, and I...looking forward to a few days away.  As we prepared to go up to security at the airport, we got our boarding passes on our phones, and took out our ID...and oops, Camille hadn't brought any!   I had thought a few different times to remind her, but then never did, and oh dear.  Molly called her husband, he was heading over to my house to pick it up, then would bring it to the airport...it would take just under an hour, if all went well...we were going to be cutting it close.  Molly and Kathryn went up to go through security, and were going to tell them at the gate that we would be coming, as if they would wait a plane for us.  

As we sat there helplessly waiting, I flagged down a nice TSA lady, and asked her about a minor flying within the U.S. with a parent, and no I.D.  She recommended we go on up and ask them, so we did...I have TSA preCheck, so Cam does too, and we were able to go right up and ask someone...it was FINE.  As long as I had my passport and she had a boarding pass, right through we went...we were through before Kathryn and Molly, and when we called over to them, they were shocked to see us...we let Josh know that we appreciated his efforts (he was already at my house), but we didn't need it...ahhh.  stress.

Soon it was time to board, and more stress!  We flew Frontier Airlines, and they are cheap.  Direct flights from here, not expensive, but they get you on the extras:  even a carry-on bag...you can bring a personal item, but it has to be small.  Well, we've flown them before, and not had any issues just each bringing a backpack.  Well, this time they had each and every passenger with a backpack, line up and drop the backpack into a bin...if the passenger even had to use one hand to push it down, the lady sent them over to pay ninety nine dollars.  $99.   Camille's backpack isn't tall, but it was fat, as everything smushed down, so it wouldn't go in, thankfully Molly brought her to the back of the line and put some of the stuff into her own backpack. 


 

It was just a little bit of stress.

(We decided to just go online and pay $64 for an carry on, and bought a duffel bag at Walmart, to put extra things in, so we didn't have to stress on the way home)

Anyway, once we got there, the fun began!  We got to pick out our rental car, chose a Jeep.  We stopped and got some food on the way from the airport, and ahh, got to Grandmas and could relax, what a day.  She was so glad to see us.  

Friday morning...we sat around solving the world's problems and catching up with grandma...it's sad, because she is sharp and smart and capable, but her short term memory is not always there.  She is 93, and does tire out, so around eleven, we headed for the gulf coast, and the white sands of Clearwater beach...the sun was shining, the ocean was warm, the waves were fun...ahhh.



Iced Americanos on the way home, then Chilis for dinner, catching up with Grandma...

Saturday morning:  coffee, and talking with Grandma, and some shopping...the beautiful heated pool...then Starbucks, burgers from Five Guys, the quick trip to Walmart, and back to the pool...ahhh.

We had to stop at Publix!  Molly Rose, me, Camille, Kathryn...


We did take a quick trip up to Culver's for ice cream too...we ate it outside in the beautiful warm weather...and laughing until our stomachs ached...

This fine morning, I had time for two cups of coffee on Grandma's porch, before we packed our stuff and hit the road, for the Orlando airport.   Security was a breeze for Cam and I, with preCheck, it took Kathryn and Molly a good half hour to get through.  Once we were off the tram and close to our gate, with time to spare, the girls got sandwiches.   The rest of the trip was smooth sailing, we watched Alice in Wonderland on the way home, then Paul was there to pick us up...home, ahh home.  

All the stress of travel is worth it, and it's interesting how in the moment, how intense things can be, but later, it's easy to see it's just another trial.  It was a short trip, but so much fun...now, back to reality.  



4 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Della!
It was so lovely you could get away and I totally messed up with the hurricane as it hasn’t landed yet and hopefully it blows out before it does. Your little get away sounds marvellous!! How is Camille’s rash? And I’m sure the lovely warmth was good for the soul. We are supposed to get 27C on Tuesday!! Yay!!

Glad you are home safe and sound 😊

Marilyn from Canada 🇨🇦

Brenda said...

Next time you are at Clearwater, don’t miss Honeymoon beach…I live here…

Anonymous said...

I feel like I am going to need a study course in travel when it comes time to do it again (kids grown)! So many things to consider! I just realized I need to make reservations now for my daughter's commencement in MAY, that is how early every Airbnb is getting snatched up. Yikes. Fortunately, we'll drive for that, no flying needed. Glad your trip went well!
Valerie

16 blessings'mom said...

Marilyn, we did have a nice time, it was hard to leave when a hurricane is approaching and Grandma lives alone. We got her some flashlights, a gallon of water, (she is so well stocked with Pepsi, her favorite!). Her next door neighbors will take care of her. Camille's shoulders are healed up, her dr. appt. got moved to next week, so hopefully she's fine!
Brenda, I have not heard of Honeymoon beach, and wow, you live in a beautiful area if it's anything like Clearwater beach...that white sand!!!!
Valerie, glad your trip will be driving and not flying! We never could have afforded to fly with our kids when they were all younger, not until the three youngest, and they saved up for their own tickets. Most of our Florida trips when we brought more than a few of them were driving, which took like 20 + hours...ugh. We started taking trips when Camille was two, and the older kids could hold down the fort, we went to Jamaica for five days...amazing. Don't wait until they're all grown up, go for a few days when you can!