Flying with Four Children

 Brent's Grandpa died last week.  It was really sad.  He has had cancer for more than a year, but until last week he was fighting it, but then we found out it had gotten worse and he was going to die. 

I'm sad because he was honestly my favorite member of Brent's family.  Sorry to everyone else, but I bet you would agree with me anyway, so don't be offended.  He was also the person who checked this blog the most and honestly I wrote posts a lot of the times just for his enjoyment, so my motivation for doing this blog has dropped significantly.  

Brent was really close to Papa so here are some pictures I dug up.

A four generation picture with Brent as the baby.  I really need to get this printed off.  We took one when MC1 was born too.

 I know he was super excited about MC1 because he is the first born son of the first born son of the first born son, etc.  We're not sure how many generations it goes.

When Brent and I were newly weds his grandparents flew us to California to visit.  It was an awesome trip.

 It is on this trip I learned the phrase, "Zowie!"  Papa said it all the time and in this deep deep voice.  I think more people should use the word, but it was just one of the wonderful things about Papa.

So Brent's Grandpa was dying and I told Brent he could go.  I would love to have been able to hang out with my mom one more time before she died.  We decided at the very least he would go to the funeral even if we had to break the bank, but we were surprised to find out how Grandma wanted us all there and was willing to pay for it. 

Honestly my reaction was, "Really?  We'd love to come, but I wouldn't be offended if she flew everyone else and left us out because there's six of us!"  Anyway, we decided to go and found tickets and I had 24 hours to pack, clean, and get the kids ready to go.  It was insane.  We left on Brent's birthday at 6:00 AM Iowa time and got in at 7:00 PM California time which was 9:00 Iowa time.  All I can say about that trip was that it was a very long day, but the kids did great.  We miraculously got to sit by each other on every single flight.  It was almost always the very back row of the plane.  When we needed someone to switch us seats so we could sit together they were always more than willing.  On the first flight Brent sat with MC2 and MC1 and GC1 sat together and I sat in a different row with the baby and a strange long limbed man.  He looked extremely uncomfortable the entire flight and I had to nurse the baby so her legs were in his lap practically 1/2 the flight.  I decided after that if someone had to sit in a row with a stranger it should be MC1 which was what we did.  He ended up loving it.  He got to talk to someone who couldn't get away!  He actually ended up sitting by really nice people each time.  Also, thank goodness for the IPAD.  It saved the trip. 

The first real day in California we all woke up at 4:00 AM.  That would be 6:00 AM Iowa time but it was still painful.  We decided to get out and go see somethings before other people woke up.  So we went to Mt. Diablo.  It was a little chilly and we weren't prepared for it but it was fun to see and MC2 got a nap in the van.  GC1 got car sick, but she was a trooper about it.  

Okay, before I get ahead of myself.  We stayed in the nicest hotel!  Seriously I didn't want to go home and our rental van was amazing.  Our van doesn't have power doors but the kids got really used to the rental and when we got home MC2 kept yelling, "Where is the button?"

This trip was fun because it was fun to see Brent showing the kids all his childhood haunts and telling stories.  He was super excited to be there.

MC1 was super excited to do things his dad had done as a kid.  Here they are in the same tree.

Here are the kids asleep in the hotel.  I have to say my kids are not perfect and they drive me crazy a lot, but they were so great on this trip!  Especially since they were extremely sleep deprived most of it.  I've never seen them beg for bedtime before or fall asleep so quickly.

Girl Child one decided to do yard work on the trip.  Brent's Grandma has a great back yard and so GC1 decided to pick up seed pods for her.  She got a little obsessed and ended up trying to knock them out of the trees.

The baby wasn't a huge fan of all the strangers.  She was extremely unfriendly which is sad because everyone wanted to hold her.  I think it was just too overwhelming for her.

Brent loved being with his cousins and siblings.  Here they are making Greek symbols.  I forget which one.  Delta Gamma?

The funeral was amazing.  Brent spoke and I'm glad I was there to hear it.  The stories about Papa were awesome.  I hope I'm as a great a parent and grandparent as he was.

The kids loved seeing their two cousins.

I honestly don't know who took these pictures.

The kids at the hotel.

More pictures to come in another post or two.