Memorial Day

I really sucked it up at taking photos this weekend, but we had a fabulous time! Yesterday our friends Jon, Courtney and their daughter Caitlyn came over for a cookout and some swimming. Scott was able to use his smoker again and boy it was good! He smoked two slabs of ribs for 5 hours and they were clean the bone delicious!

He started with putting some honey dijon mustard on the ribs and then put on his rib rub:


Looks a little like something Fred Flinstone would eat, doesn't it? Then they smoked for 3 hours just like that, he put them in a slow cooker bag next with some apple juice and steamed them in the smoker for 2 hours and then opened that up and smoked them for another hour.

Even baby Caitlyn loved these ribs! Scott also made a BBQ sauce to go with it that was super yummy. After all of the food we had this dessert I made, it's a watermelon granita and was the perfect way to end the day:


All you need is 4 cups of watermelon (seedless), 1/2 cup of sugar and the juice of one lemon. Combine everything in a food processor and puree. Pour the contents into a shallow dish and put in freezer. After one hour rake the puree and then let freeze another hour and repeat. It was so good and refreshing after the ribs!

I hope you had a fantastic holiday weekend!

Our Anniversary

Scott and I had a fantastic anniversary yesterday, and thank you to everyone that left comments, you all are so sweet! We laid pretty low during the day and met up with my brother who is town.

To celebrate our anniversary we went to the Yachtsman Steakhouse at the Yacht Club. Scott and I go to a Disney restaurant every year since we were married at Disney. It's a nice way to take a walk down memory lane. But before we went to dinner, Scott gave me my present:


Amazing right?! I saw this ring around Christmas time and absolutely fell in love with it. I'd been looking for a diamond and emerald ring ever since I found out the kids were going to be born in May. Plus the ring has a double meaning, the kids were born in May and Scott and I were married in May. I'm a lucky girl, that's for sure.

Anyway, back to dinner. We went to the Yachtsman which we haven't been to since right before we got married, you know when I still ate beef.

Scott was beyond excited to finally have a steak dinner and I was more excited about the lobster bisque than anything else. They also surprised us with this bonus dessert:


Thank you Scott for a wonderful day and evening!

5 years!

I cannot believe it's been 5 year since Scott and I got married! Here's a trip down memory lane:

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Happy anniversary Scott! I love you even more today than I did 5 years ago!

Thanksgiving Thursday

For those of you that don't know what Thanksgiving Thursday is, it is the one time during the week where you stop and basically count your blessings. Even if you've had one of those weeks, I promise you can find at least one thing to be thankful for, no matter how big or small.

This week I am thankful for:

• Scott. On Friday we will be married 5 years and it seriously seems like yesterday we met. I knew the moment that I met him that he was it, granted it took me some time to get to the point, but I wouldn't change a single thing. I love you more today than I did that day.

• Aaron's version of The Angry Ladybug by Eric Carle. Basically it goes "Hey you, wanna fight?" turn page "Hey you, wanna fight?" and so on until the end.

• Jill when she gets all dressed up in her heels, her purse, her phone and her sunglasses. She's too much!

• Popsicle's and blow up pools in the backyard, it makes the heat tolerable.
  

• A nice long weekend coming up, I cannot wait!

• Family whether they are close by or back home. You guys are the best!

What are you thankful for?

Pools and Popsicle's

I already feel my brain melting from the heat and summer isn't even in full swing yet, hence the lack of posts and updates. The only thing to do at this point is sit in the pool and eat Popsicle's.



I know, it's tough, but somebody has to do it.

Lake Louisa Nature Fest

Saturday morning we headed up to Lake Louisa state park to check out Nature Fest. In all the years that we have lived here we've never been and I don't know why. The place is gigantic and full of a ton of things for us to do.

We were hoping to do one of the hikes, specifically the butterfly walk, but the kids were too young so instead we just checked out all of the tents and activities they had on the beach. The kids got to do a scavenger hunt, learn about bird houses, visit a Native American (whether he actually was one or not I'm not sure), and check out some animals.



I think the highlight of Aaron's day was when he got to pet a snake. Don't ask me what kind of snake it was, all I know is it was big and not something I would ever like to be that close to ever again. Aaron loved it though and I'm just hoping that love doesn't mean he will bring me one if he finds it in the backyard.


The whole morning was a blast and I cannot wait to go back and check out some of the nature trails. I'll pause so you can stop laughing, I know the site of me hiking on a trail with wild animals is hilarious.

Done? Ok good....anyway thanks to all the volunteers that were there that morning, it was awesome!

Don't forget to head over to BlogHer and check out my review for the BlogHer Book Club!

Girl in Translation

I'm lucky enough to be a part of the BlogHer Book Club and last month we got a chance to read Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok. Head over to BlogHer to read not only my review, but everyone elses' as well!

I'll be reviewing more books in the coming months, so be sure to keep checking back! I cannot wait to share what I'm reading!!!

Thank you again BlogHer for the awesome opportunity!

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

I was unbelievably lucky to attend an advanced screening of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Here's the description of the movie:



Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Rob Marshall, “Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides” captures the fun, adventure and humor that ignited the hit franchise—this time in Disney Digital 3D™. Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed adventure. Crossing paths with the enigmatic Angelica (Penélope Cruz), he’s not sure if it’s love—or if she’s a ruthless con artist who’s using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the “Queen Anne’s Revenge,” the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn’t know whom to fear more: Blackbeard or Angelica, with whom he shares a mysterious past. The international cast includes franchise vets Geoffrey Rush as the vengeful Captain Hector Barbossa and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack’s longtime comrade Joshamee Gibbs, plus Sam Claflin as a stalwart missionary and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid.



I've seen the other three Pirates films and honestly was worried about this one not having the majority of the same characters (namely hunk-a-licious Orlando Bloom) in it, but it was perfect. Johnny Depp is amazing as Captain Jack Sparrow, and is even better in 3D. The film has plenty of laughs and enough action to keep you on the edge of your seat. As a fair warning, the mermaids are somewhat scary and may frighten younger kids or a 28 year old woman who may or may not be me. *Ahem* Where was I? Oh yes, 3D...it is worth the $3 up-charge to see this film in 3D. You seriously feel like you are on Blackbeard's ship and that you are in the jungles searching for the Fountain of Youth. I'm going to stop there because I don't want to spoil any of the movie for you, but trust me when I say it's awesome!

The film opens today and is honestly the perfect way to kick off the summer. Thank you to my wonderful friends at Disney Studios and Moroch for allowing me to see the film early!

Are you planning on seeing this? And, after you see it, leave a comment and let me know what you thought of it!

Thanksgiving Thursday

For those of you that don't know what Thanksgiving Thursday is, it is the one time during the week where you stop and basically count your blessings. Even if you've had one of those weeks, I promise you can find at least one thing to be thankful for, no matter how big or small.

This week I am thankful for:

• Scott and how hard he works. He puts in a ton of hours and I cannot tell him enough how much I appreciate it.

• The hilarious things that both kiddos have been saying the past few days. I honestly do not know where they come up with it.

• An awesome week including an preview at the new AMC, a preview of Cars weekend, and an advanced screening of Pirates of the Caribbean On Stranger Tides. It's been awesome, awesome I tell you!

• Fantastic parents that are only a phone call away.

• A sister who can tell you a story that still makes you laugh days later.

• Blogger fixing whatever that problem was last week. Nothing like giving a girl a heart attack when posts go missing. Thanks for fixing that.

• My one on one time with the kids. Aaron and I got to bond at the store today and as I type this Jill and I are watching Glee (I know, way past bedtime she has zero desire to go to bed).

What are you thankful for this week?

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

I love blueberry muffins, like seriously love them. I think this is my third blueberry muffin recipe I've put on here, so that should tell you something. I made this is mini form, which is pretty deadly because then you find yourself eating like 4 at a time, or so I've heard....


What you need:

1 1/3 cup of flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup cooking oil
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and prep your muffin pans

• In a medium bowl combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture and set aside.

• In another bowl combine egg, milk and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture.

• Stir until just moistened

• Fold in blueberries

• Spoon batter into muffin pan

• Bake for 18-20 minutes

Like I said these are crazy delicious. I made 24 mini muffins and I think there are like 4 left from yesterday. I may or may not have eaten 16 of the 20 that have been eaten. I can neither confirm nor deny at this time....

RIDEMAKERZ

Yesterday we took Aaron back to RIDEMAKERZ at Downtown Disney since he loved the store so much when we went for the Car Masters Weekend on Friday. RIDEMAKERZ is a fun and immersive car building and customizing experience for the whole family with over 649 million ways to customize your favorite radio-control car or “RIDE.” This modern day car concept takes America’s love of cars and the massive car customizing movement to the next level. Its distinctive combination of real and online activities provides choice, unleashes creativity, encourages collaboration, fosters confidence and instills a sense of community. To help celebrate the release of Cars 2 they have an entire line of cars from the film for you to customize.

Here's how the experience (and trust me, it's an experience) works:

Customizers who visit RIDEMAKERZ, either online or at a physical SHOP, enter a dream car-customization world where they can find all the parts they need to personalize their car. There are so many body styles, engines, parts and decals that each Customizer will emerge with a RIDE that is unique. The journey toward making a dream car begins with:

CHOOZE
Customizers pick from nearly 70 body and paint styles. Models come in a variety of eye-popping colors and designs, along with stock treadz and wheelz and most have soundz and working headlights and taillights. Then it’s time to pick a chassis – either Street or Monster.

MOTORIZE
Now it’s time to choose Free-Wheel or Radio-Control.

MOBILIZE
Here Customizers select wheelz and treadz, and then build their RIDEZ in the RZ Pit Challenge, a timed and age-handicapped race against the clock.

CUSTOMIZE
Customizers can add specialty lights, spoilers, side pipes, hood scoops, blown engines, roll bars, decals and much more.

CRUIZE
Customizers load their RIDEZ into the RZ CRUIZECASE and head out for a spin.

RIDEZ are priced from $18 to $38, depending on body and paint scheme selected. Radio remote-control can be added for an additional $25 and custom accessories range in price from $2 for grille guards, spoilers and hood scoops to $15 for a deluxe “muscle kit” that includes a blow engine, spoiler, side pipes, muffler tips and roof vent. RIDEZ measure 10 to 12 inches long, about the size of a football, and range from approximately 1:14 to 1:20 scale.

Aaron was beyond excited when we told him he could pick out whichever car he wanted. He picked out the new Lightning McQueen, which happens to be the only one that has lights. Next we went to pick out which sound we wanted, and then we went to pick out the wheels. Aaron dug right into the wheels and found some awesome red ones. Then he picked out the rims from the huge wall. Next we got the street chassis and remote control motor. Finally, we headed to the pits to create the car.


I have to say creating the car was the coolest part. The crew member allowed Aaron to do all of the work, or at least all of the work that he wanted to do. There is nothing better than watching your child's eyes light up as they are doing this. I think his blurred face says it all, no?



This was definitely one of the coolest experiences we've ever had. Aaron is still smiling ear to ear ! A huge thank you to the people at RIDEMAKERZ for making this such an amazing experience and for allowing us the opportunity to make a car!

Car Masters Weekend

The kids and I got to check out a preview of the Car Masters Weekend at Downtown Disney. The weekend runs from May 13-15, 2011 from 10:30 am - 6:00 pm on the West Side. Here are the events for the weekend:

* Muscle cars will line the Downtown Disney promenade alongside the largest life-sized, radio-controlled replica cars ever built--which bring their big-screen "car-acter" counterparts to life for fans to meet face to face.

* Pixar Animation Studios' "Cars" Franchise Guardian and resident car expert, Jay Ward, has been tapped to judge the Classic Car show which takes place on Saturday and Sunday.

* NASCAR fans can get a peek at Richard Petty's racecar on display inside RIDEMAKERZ at Downtown Disney.

* The family-friendly weekend will feature special Disney-Pixar "Cars 2" merchandise --including new RIDEMAKERZ models -- and bonus entertainment.

* The 2006 Disney-Pixar "Cars" film returns to the big screen with a limited engagement viewing at AMC Pleasure Island 24 Theatres throughout the weekend. Moviegoers can even catch a glimpse of the new movie trailer from "Cars 2," which gets the "green flag" on June 24, 2011, presented in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX 3D® in select theaters.

We got to see some of the muscle cars that will be on display this weekend, and let me tell you, they are awesome! Aaron was definitely a fan of the Fabulous Hudson Hornet and I could have crawled into the Bonneville for sure.


Our next stop was RIDEMAKERZ which is this great area where you can make your own remote control cars. They just came out with a line of cars for Cars 2, check them out:


We are definitely going back to let Aaron make a car, he was in love with them. Also inside RIDEMAKERZ you will find Richard Petty's racecar (he is actually the voice of The King in the first cars movie). I was convinced Jill was going to climb in a la Bo Duke at one point. I figured as long as she didn't slide across the hood we would be ok, right?

After we checked out the cars we made our way to the event area, which is located between Wolfgang Puck and Bongo's (both crazy delicious restaurants). There are tents set up with different activities, games and contests. Also located in this area are the Cars replicas. I pretty much thought Aaron's head was going to explode when he saw these, and then they turned them on and he pretty much couldn't form a sentence. First up was Mater:


He is exactly like he is in the movie, down to all of the dents. I overheard Jay Ward say that he has a new dent, which you will see in the new movie.


Each location is set up so e-photos can be taken of you and your family with your favorite car.

The newest car is Finn McMissile:


He's a sleek spy car and if you notice, his grill is split so it looks like he has a mustache.

Finally, we got to see Lightning McQueen himself. He has a different paint job for this film and I have to tell you it's awesome!


Jill full on gave Lightning a hug and Aaron was just mesmerized. He spent most of the time checking out the wheels and every little detail about the car. I was lucky I was able to get this photo of us:

The kids had a blast and it was pretty hard getting them away from the area when it was time to head home.

I also got a preview of some of the new merchandise for Cars 2. This is a new outfit for the Duffy bear, it's not out in stores yet, but look how cute:

I had to crop out Jill's hand in this photo, she was trying to take the bear, I think she thought it was for her.

If you're local be sure to head over to Downtown Disney's West Side all weekend from 10:30 am - 6:00 pm to check out all of the activities including a video kiosk, e-photo opportunities, games and giveaways. You can also enter the "Agents on a Mission" sweepstakes, which features 18,000 prizes, including a new car.

A huge thank you to everyone who made this morning possible! You made my three year olds day, ok and their Dad's too....and maybe mine ;)

AMC Theaters Dine-In Theaters

Last night I was able to check out the new AMC Dine-In Theaters at AMC Downtown Disney 24. I will be honest, I was skeptical at first about the whole "dine-in" concept, I mean won't the food be expensive? Do I really want to eat something other than popcorn? What about having waiters running around, won't that be distracting? I'm happy to say my answers are no, yes and no. It was amazing!

The entire theater has been revamped and it literally screams fabulous. This is the new ticket counter (if you've ever been to this one, it's on the Planet Hollywood side):

In the lobby there is now MacGuffins bar which is perfect if you maybe arrived at the movie early or if you want to sit and chat (and not be out in the Florida heat) after the movie. I highly recommend the pomegranate martini, it's delicious and a great way to get your antioxidants for the day. Ok, maybe that last part was a stretch. And the price? The martini was around $8, which is about right for any bar/restaurant.

The theaters themselves are, to use my favorite word, awesome. The theaters are for ages 18 and up, unless the minor is accompanied by an adult. When we took the tour and saw the theater I'm pretty sure everyone let out a collective gasp.

The theater is split into 3 different sections with rows of 4. Each row has it's own table, call buttons, and dim lighting. The chairs are leather and to die for. The only thing missing when I sat down was my fleece blanket.

So how does this work? Well, when you purchase your tickets (which are only $2 more than a regular movie ticket) you are giving a reserved seat. You go to your seat and are almost immediately greeted by your server. Your server will then explain the entire Fork and Screen experience to you and will show you were your call button is. Then they will take your drink order and if you're ready your appetizer order. When we ordered our appetizers were out by the second or third preview.

The waiters pretty much only come when you need them to, that way they are not disruptive. About 60 minutes into the movie they will bring you the check and you are all set, it's that simple.

Now onto the food! We were able to sample an appetizer and an entree during our movie. Lani went with me and she had the double cheese batons for her appetizer and I had the Parmesan fries. We could have shared one, there was so much food! The batons are priced at $7.99 and the fries are $6.99. Both were amazing and seriously I want the recipe for the garlic basil aioli dip for the fries, it was out of this world. For our entree Lani had the fish and chips ($11.99) and I had the Bistro Chicken Mac and Cheese ($10.99). Let me tell you something right now, that Mac and Cheese alone is reason enough for me to go back. Plus, if you notice the prices are extremely comparable to a restaurant. So, essentially, you're killing two birds with one stone here and having your dinner with your movie. But if you still want your popcorn or candy, you can order that from your server as well. There are also desserts on the menu that all look amazing, but there was no way I could eat another bite after everything I had. Be sure to check out the entire menu here!

So what's my final verdict? I think I was just spoiled, rotten, and may never go back to a traditional theater ever again. The experience has all of the comforts of home, with a 5 star dining experience. Roger Ebert would give this two thumbs way up, I promise.

Still want more info? Check out this video for ABC World News about the Dine-In Theaters:


And you can always find more information, as well as locations, at http://amctheaters.com/dinein

Interested in winning free movies for a year? AMC Downtown Disney 24 is celebrating the grand opening of its Dine-In Theaters by hosting a Free Movies for a Year giveaway to the first 100 people in line on Monday, May 16, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. The first 100 guests (must be at least 18 years of age, photo I.D. required) who come to the theater will win 24 tickets (two per month for 12 months) for free admission to AMC Downtown Disney 24 as well as 12 free appetizers (one per month for 12 months).

A HUGE thank you to the people that put this night together, it was amazing and I cannot wait to do it again!

Have any of you ever been to a Dine-In theater? Did you like it? If you haven't been, do you think this is something you'd try?

Thanksgiving Thursday

For those of you that don't know what Thanksgiving Thursday is, it is the one time during the week where you stop and basically count your blessings. Even if you've had one of those weeks, I promise you can find at least one thing to be thankful for, no matter how big or small.

This week I am thankful for:

• Scott who has been busting his hump lately. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate everything he does!

• Aaron's hugs and hilarious comments.

• Jilly when she says "your majesty" when she's dressed up like a princess.

• A great Mother's Day

• Loving parents who are celebrating their 49th (yes 49th) wedding anniversary today! You two are the best example of marriage I've ever seen!

• Perks like checking out the new dine in theaters at AMC (post coming soon!)

What are you thankful for this week?

My Mother's Day

Scott had to work a crazy shift on Mother's Day so we got off to a late start. We went out to a late lunch with Mimi and PawPaw at Maggiano's.

We all had a great lunch and I am so glad we were able to spend the day together!

The Birthday Parties

Yes, parties...plural. While we were in Chicago my parents threw the kiddos a birthday party with all of our family. It was pretty awesome having everyone there and I finally got to meet my cousin Becky in person, which was pretty much the highlight of the day.


Then on their actual birthday we went out to lunch (Gator's Dockside, their choice) and came home for some cupcakes.

Finally, on Saturday we had their birthday party at our favorite indoor play place. Talk about the best decision ever, I didn't have to clean anything up or really do anything. It was amazing.


Jill did not want Happy Birthday sung to her, again, so I just have a video of Aaron blowing out his candles. He even coughed after he blew them off...he's too much!

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Thank you to everyone for coming to all of their birthday parties!

Happy Mother's Day

In honor of Mother's Day today is all about my MOM! Here's a photo of the two of us in 1983:


I pretty much have the best MOM on the planet, seriously. I can call her with anything and know she will always be there for me no matter what.

*Side note: I love that I have a different hair color in every single photo*

She's also an amazing Busia! Aaron and Jill love her to pieces and we had such a great time with her when we were in Chicago.


Happy Mother's Day to the best MOM/Busia/best friend a girl could ever ask for!

Museum of Science and Industry

Continuing with the Chicago trip...Last Saturday my sister Cathy (Tay Tay) and I took the kiddos to the Museum of Science and Industry. It's been forever since I had been there and couldn't wait to take the kiddos!

As soon as we got inside the kids saw the train and we knew it had to be our first stop. The kids loved the donkey Zeph and that was pretty much all they talked about. Oh and they said "hee-haw" a whole bunch after that as well.
Of all the amazing exhibits I think Aaron's favorite was the model trains and the tractors. Jill's hands down was the airplane. I think her and Tay Tay sat on the plane for the duration of a real flight. She also was a fan of this:

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I couldn't even get the best parts on camera. She was hilarious! We had so much fun with Tay Tay and an even better time after at Aurellio's for dinner! Thanks again for going with us!

Nothing like an Italian Polish Wedding

For real, they are awesome. My dear friend Kristin, who was my maid of honor, got married last Friday. By the way, happy 1 week anniversary Kris and Tom!

They were married at St. Hyacinth Basilica, which is no lie the most beautiful church I have ever stepped foot in. The photo I took does not do it justice at all.

Amazing, right? And that's just a fraction of the place. Kris looked gorgeous even though she was 19 minutes and 40 seconds late (Chicago traffic is a real bitch sometimes).

I also have to share a funny story about the whole Kristin and Tom situation. When they started dating every time Scott and I would come back to Chicago and would plan to meet up Tom would have a work thing come up so we never got to meet him. I used to joke with her that Tom was really a series of cardboard cutouts that she would pose with in photos. I was very happy to see that Tom was an actual person and not made of cardboard. Even better, he's Polish which was an instant seal of approval in my book.

The reception was gorgeous as well, sadly I have no photos, my niece (who was my date) took those and has yet to upload them to Facebook (ahem). Kristin's grandfather made the night, he has always been one of the funniest guys on the planet, he's actually how we met our freshman year at ISU. Really, he's how Kris and Val met the entire Haynie 4 floor.

I am so glad I could be there for Kristin and Tom's special day and I wish both of you nothing but the best! Congratulations again!

Thanksgiving Thursday

For those of you that don't know what Thanksgiving Thursday is, it is the one time during the week where you stop and basically count your blessings. Even if you've had one of those weeks, I promise you can find at least one thing to be thankful for, no matter how big or small.

This week I am thankful for one thing, well...two things...my darling babies that are 3 years old today!

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What are you thankful for?

Chicago Children's Museum

Continuing on our vacation in Chicago, last Thursday my niece Lorren and I took the kiddos to the Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier. Neither of us had been inside so I really excited to take the kiddos (Lorren is included in that part by the way).


It was pretty packed when we got there with all of the field trips, but after we grabbed some lunch everything died down and we had an amazing time! The first floor has a room where you can build forts out of furniture and sheets and a fire station. I think the fire station was the kiddos favorite by far. Upstairs there were several rooms, one was a kids town, an outdoorsy kind of room, a water room, a puppet theater and a creation lab.

I really wish Scott could have seen how much fun the kids had. It took everything for Lorren and I to get them out of there, but our next stop was just as exciting! We went to visit Auntie Tay Tay at work!


My sisters office has floor to ceiling windows and is right on the river so the kids were in seventh heaven watching everything happening outside. Jill was even the little businesswoman asking everyone what they were doing and where they were going. Nothing like having to explain yourself to an almost 3 year old, right?

Still more to come about our vacation! Lots more :)

Sweet Home Chicago

We made if back yesterday from our vacation in Chicago, hence the lack of posts. Since a lot went on I'm going to have to break it all up into different posts, so let's start with last Wednesday.

I ended up flying up alone with the kids since Scott was scheduled mandatory overtime. To be honest I pretty much sat and cried when I found this out. There was not one ounce of me looking forward to the 2 hour and 15 minute flight by myself with the kids. The last time we flew with them they were 6 months, so it's pretty hard to gauge what they are going to act like. Scott was able to get an escort pass though and it was a huge help at the airport, especially trying to get through security.

We had an early flight (6:30, sounded awesome at the time) so I was pretty sure the kids would sleep the flight up, or at least one would. They were really excited when we told them we were going on an airplane, and were even more excited when they saw their "pack packs" by the door. Security and everything was a breeze thanks to Scott, seriously I don't know how I would have gotten all of our crap through security without an extra set of hands.



The kids really got excited when they saw the airplane, they could not wait to get on, and honestly didn't even notice Scott left, at first. Once we started to pull away from the gate Aaron asked where Daddy was.

After take off I was able to pull out my secret weapons, the portable DVD players. I found headphones for them on Amazon that are kid sized, and they were perfect! Aaron wanted nothing to do with them, but Jill loved them. Aaron also fell asleep within the first half hour, so it didn't matter if he liked the headphones or not. I was honestly impressed with how smooth everything went on the flight, they were amazing!


My parents also got escort passes and met me at the gate to help out, it was awesome. After the airport we headed to a great local restaurant for breakfast and met up with my niece Lorren, or as Aaron called her, The Ren. It was soooooo good and I honestly cannot tell you the last time I had that big of a breakfast.

More to come on our adventure later.....