A Kansas Visit

Last Friday Mike left for his overseas trip for his EMBA program.  The girls and I decided to go visit my family in Kansas for a little while since Mike was going to be away!  I have flown with the girls alone two other times, but Mike was always here to take us to the airport and help us get our bags checked......oh, and I wasn't five months pregnant before either:)  The girls have flown many times and have done really well, so I just wanted to make sure getting from home to the airport would go smoothly!  

We got up early and left our house with plenty of time to get to the airport (we got there a little before 8:00 a.m.).  I had bought the girls a large chocolate chip cookie in case I needed some reinforcement for them to sit in the stroller and allow me to push them and pull our large bag!  They both did so well that we all forgot about the cookies until we were all checked in and through security!  

Everything seemed to be going smoothly until I got to our gate assignment and noticed the screen showing "cancelled" for our 10:05 flight.  I went to the counter and asked.  The lady was very nice, but just simply stated, "Yes maam it is cancelled.  Let me get you new tickets printed.  We will put you on the 3:25 flight."  Printed my new tickets and handed them to me.  I have to admit I was in a bit of shock at first and still processing what had just happened.  In my mind I was thinking, "There are clear skies all the way from Atlanta to Kansas City and Atlanta is a main hub for Air Tran so if it's a plane or crew issue I am sure they are readily accessible with a minimal delay."  And I really wanted to say, "Excuse me, I am traveling alone with a 3 year old, 2 year old, while five months pregnant and you decide to cancel our flight an hour before departure and expect us to spend the next six hours (of this incredibly gorgeous day) inside an airport, including lunch and nap time for my 2 year old.....and all you are going to say is I'm sorry here are your new tickets."   

But I didn't...I kept my pregnancy hormones in check, called my mom and told them not to start their nearly two hour drive to the airport because we were not going to make it until later.  I did then go back to the counter and politely ask why the flight was cancelled.  AirTran's response, "It was an operational decision from upper management."  Hmmmm....I'm thinking that since you were able to fit everyone from the 10:05 flight onto the 3:25 flight that is a fancy way of saying "neither flight was full so we decided to merge them together."  I once again held my composure and decided to walk away....knowing what mattered the most is that we got to Kansas safely.

So what do you do in an airport for six hours?  Of course I had plenty of snacks and little activities for the girls, but really wanted to save those things for the flight.  

The gate we were supposed to be departed from became empty quite quickly so I let the girls run around for a while.  They ran, they skipped, they hopped, they flew like airplanes and eventually got tired!

Then they started their own game of "stuck in the pink mud" and pretended Evie's blanket was the mud.

And they even climbed back and forth on a row of empty chairs for a while (I decided most "airport children rules" were off when waiting for six hours!)

The gate started to get a little busy and I had spotted some sticker and color activities in a little side store so we decided to go buy some.  Of course it costs an arm an leg at the airport but it kept the girls busy again for a while.  

Then we found a place to have some lunch, headed to our new gate location (of course in another terminal so it was back down the elevator, on the train, up the elevator and down the hallway).  Once there we were all tired so I decided to pull out the laptop and let them watch some cartoons!

I have to say I am so extremely proud of my girls and how well they did waiting for our flight!  This was Layla's first time to have her own seat, versus being on my lap.  She was very excited, until she realized it meant she had to wear a seatbelt the entire time :(   Thank goodness for lollipops!

Then Layla fell asleep before the airplane even made it in the air and Evie settled in and played on the iPod during the flight.  It was a nice, smooth flight and the first time in three years I have flown without someone on my lap!  I didn't even know what to do with myself.  I actually could have gotten a beverage or read a magazine or a book.  I wish I would have been more prepared for my mommy time! (Oh and on a side note....there was a lady behind me who was also on the original first cancelled flight and I heard her telling the passengers next to her Air Tran had given her a $10 lunch voucher!  I might just have to send a polite letter to their customer service department!)

Once we made it to Kansas we had a wonderful visit and a nice distraction from us missing daddy!

On Sunday we went to my sister's for a cookout.  My cousin Brad, his wife Suzie and their four kids came over as well.  Evie and Layla were in heaven (and right at home) when Liza showed up with a box full of princess dresses!  The girls had fun playing dress-up....and Evie and Liza kept coming in the living room telling everyone they were going to put on a show!

My parents are currently remodeling their house, which is why you see the sheetrock and unfinished floors).  The kids practically had their own basketball court too!

Fun playing with Aunt Nee!  (Jeremy and Nee came to visit for the weekend too.  We were so happy to see them!)

 Grandma Sheryl was so wonderful to save some of the toys mommy, Aunt Shelly, and Uncle Jeremy used to play with.  They always have so much fun with them, and I love seeing them play with toys I used to love as well!  

Coloring with cousin Dalton!

Playing with cousin Korbin

Puzzles with Dalton

Building with wooden blocks.....trying to keep Korbin from crashing them:)

We had a lot of fun watching Korbin and Layla!  They are the same height, but he is nearly five pounds more (yes we put them on the scale to see).    She is miss petite and he is like a little line backer!  The first night we were there he ended up hitting her on the head with a toy.  He really didn't do it on purpose to be mean I think he was just trying to interact with her and then got a reaction so he decided to keep doing it when he saw her!  It was obvious Layla was not used to being around little boys who like to throw, kick, stomp, etc.  She started running from him after a while when he came close to her!   Honestly it gave us a laugh watching the two of them, and yes, we had a lot of fun moments playing together as well!  (I think my mom said it best, "It's probably a good thing you are having another girl because I don't think a little boy could survive at your house!)  Ha!  Either that or my two princesses wouldn't survive a little boy!

For some reason they decided it was funny to show their bellies!  

Grandpa and Uncle Roger are doing most of the work on the house themselves so Grandpa had to put up all of his tools while they took the week off during our visit!  I think it was fun for our little monkeys who had their own jungle gym inside the house.

....and Grandpa and Grandma thought it was safe to leave the ladders up.....but I think they forgot our little climber was one of their visitors!

We had a wonderful visit with my grandparents (the girls' great grandparents) Grandma Bernice and Grandpa Johnny.  The girls always have fun playing their puppy, Frankie!

Layla showing her Great Grandma her locket necklace with daddy's picture!

And this is what happens when you visit Grandma Sheryl and she loves to watch her Dancing with the Stars and you get to stay up a little later (and it's on an hour earlier due to the time zone change).  I'm not sure what her ballet teacher, Miss Kate would think of these moves!

Grandpa had an audience while he was outside fertilizing and mowing the grass!

And he gained a few more members to his audience.....I like how they ended up in age from youngest to oldest :)

Korbin loves to watch everything Grandpa does and one night at dinner decided he needed to sit just like him as well!

One night we went to my Aunt and Uncle's (Diane and Don) house to see their new baby sheep.

I think you can tell by the look on the girl's face how much they enjoyed the baby sheep!  My poor city girls.  (Evie said the mommy sheep were too loud!)

Korbin enjoyed them!

We also saw some four day old baby kitties.  (That was more Evie's style!)

Sweet cousins!  I just loved Korbin's face and hand with two fingers up in this photo!  Looks like he is ready for a rock concert:)

I have a feeling these two are going to be getting into trouble some day when they are together!

 One day as Grandma Sheryl was going back to work from her lunch break she tucked Layla in on the leather rocker.  Layla decided this was going to be her spot......

.......and wanted Grandma to do the same the next day!

Then one evening we caught her like this!  She had definitely taken over!

 I think poor Evie was missing her dress-up clothes!

On Friday we watched Korbin for the day!  At one point in the afternoon I did have all three of them sleeping at the same time.  (Reassurance I can handle three kids:)

We certainly had a wonderful visit and I think it was a great distraction from daddy being gone!  The girls were definitely tired when we got back to Atlanta.  On Monday they both fell asleep at the table....Layla after finishing her snack.  And then Evie helped me make dinner then fell asleep waiting for it to cook in the oven!