Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Time to ask for your help!

http://www.fearofflyingdvd.com/photos/Ch9/1a.jpg

I'm no stranger to trips with small children, not just car trips but airplane ones too.....BUT.....it will be our first time doing such a long and exhausting international trip with the kids.
They are really good for the most part and they do enjoying flying but this is a treacherous flight, it's horrible enough for us adults and believe me, by the time we get to Europe I'm DONE and don't want to step foot in another airplane, so I can't even begin to imagine how this will be on the children.

I need your help, I need your advice, your tips, whatever you have to offer I'm willing to take and believe me, every single comment will be greatly appreciated.

Just to give you an idea of how long this is....we will be taking 3 flights, the first one is about 2 hours, then we have a 5 hour layover, then an 8 hour flight to Europe and then a 3 hour layover and the last flight to South Africa is 10 hours long. My eye is twitching just typing this out LOL

So I beg you, please please help a stressed mommy out????

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I finally got some sleep last night, after two nights of tossing and turning and this horrible cough keeping me away, I was able to get some rest.....I won't say it was a full night's sleep or that I slept like a baby, but it was something and I already feel much better just with the small amount I got.

At least today I can smell and taste. Is there anything worse than trying to eat or drink when you're sick and everything tastes like cardboard???? For someone who loves food the way I do, it's just torture.

I was so sick yesterday, fever, chills, cough and sore throat and my voice was pretty much gone. By the time dinner rolled around I was just done in and didn't have the energy to get up and cook so we had frozen tv dinners......it bothers me. I'm serious, it really really bothers me having to serve it to the kids. They love it, they don't care but for some reason it just downright annoys me LOL I guess there comes a time when I have to say "look, you're sick and you're doing the best you can, just deal with it".

So they had kids meals and cake for dinner and they were happy....I was all proud of myself for getting through dinner time and thanking the Lord for giving me the strength for it when all I really wanted was to crawl into bed and not move an inch.......but Curt is working those weird hours which mean bedtime falls on me, sick or not, rain or sunshine.

I LOATHE bedtime. You think I'm joking but I'm dead serious, it is the one time of the night that I completely utterly LOATHE. The excuses they will come up with not to go to sleep are just ridiculous.

I'm thirsty
I need to go to the bathroom
There's a weird sound in my closet
What's that light on the ceiling
Where's my favorite teddy bear
But why didn't you read me a story tonight, I can't go to sleep without a story
Where's daddy, I want him to put me to sleep
I'm hot
I'm cold
I need another blanket
Take the covers off of me
Can I have a snack
But I'm dying of hunger
But I really need a drink of water
Can you turn on the radio
I don't like the dark
I don't like the light

I could just go on and on and on and you would think after doing this for years they would have figured out that no matter what they say they will STILL be going to bed, but no. Every night they push the envelope a step further and every night they try to come up with yet another excuse. Lord give me patience LOL

Anyway, I need to get going, we have to run to Walmart to get some last gifts for Jasmine's birthday on friday. She's actually upset because there's no school that day due to some Teacher Meeting or something, so she's insulted that on her birthday she has to stay home with us. Now I'm the one feeling insulted, are we not good enough? LOL

I tried to get her some stuff at the BX (Base Exchange) yesterday but again they were moving shelves and departments around so I headed for the toy section and ended up staring at lamps and comforters. Weird!

They had all the toys in carts and boxes so there was no way I could find anything.

Hope you're all having a great day, please keep me and the passport issue in your prayers, I am truly hoping it comes in soon, there's not much time left now until we leave.

God Bless,

25 comments:

Cheri said...

I feel your pain with the long flights. Coming home with the girls from Russia was nerve wracking.
Maybe you could bring along little presents- nothing expensive- but something for them to look forward to every so often. Lots of coloring etc....

Jen B said...

DVD player, with new movies if possible for the trip home. Lots of books, snacks, and maybe a way for the kids to count down the time. (a stop watch that they start at take off and they know how long of a flight it is...)

I have a 1 year old so he is still thrilled watching people... not much help for your kids,

Erika said...

Portable DVD player is a must!! Any small toys, books, crayons that can fit into a backpack the kids can carry. Pack some snacks!! That will occupy the mind and body too. Good luck and safe travels!!

Anonymous said...

What about a ninetendo ds for them both. Our library here has books on tape/cd and I know there are some online libraries to download from. And of coarse colorbooks. New toys they have never seen. I am sure you have already thought of these but just thought I would see if I could help.

Jerri

Jill said...

I have no suggestions about travel, sorry. My eye was twitching reading your itinerary, too. I know for me, I'd take a sleeping pill or shot of whiskey and call it a day - ha! Hope you're on the upswing with feeling better. I remember TV dinners as a kid and LOVED them. We didn't have them often but I considered it a treat!

Mike Golch said...

Sandra,I'm sorry that I don't have any whitty advise or for that matter any advice,since I neve had children.

Knit-Wit said...

I'm all about the portable DVD player with a set of comfy headphones. Also snacks are a great idea and some little travel games.

I hope you enjoy your trip!

Bonnie said...

OK ! I just did this last year. Except it was just me and the kids who were five and three at the time ! We traveled from Australia to Colorado via Japan ! Same as you on the flight times. A couple of things that worked well for me. I packed each of them a small (baby blanket size) blanket in their carry on bags ( just enough for them to spread and sit on in the airports when I needed them to stay in one place ! The blanket was the boundary for them and their toys !!) Pajamas in the carry on bag. At bed time, we got into pajamas and they slept, NO PROBLEMS ! I was wishing I had brought MY PJS !! I filled a pencil case for each of them with NEW coloring utensils. Bought them each a new coloring book and a sketch book. Spriral bound. They each kept a "visual diary" of our trip. I kept a few snacks in my bag - non sugar of course ! Who needs a sugar high in a plane !? They each had a bottle of water and a pack of tic tacs. I'd give them gum instead of the tic tacs if we flew now but at the time Alia couldn't chew gum yet - you know, for popping ears.

The biggest thing for me was to treat it as a total adventure. The kids loved it ! We looked in all of the airport shops that interested them. I let them buy a souvenir or two. We bought and wrote postcards. We tried different foods. We tried to read the signs in Japanese. We found the kids play areas in the airports. We watched planes come in and out. You know ... that sort of stuff.

Oh ... I also bought a read aloud book. We started Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I'd spread out their little blankets in the airport, get them to lay their head on their teddy and I'd read and they'd listen. That was great !!

I didn't take a DVD player because I didn't want one more thing to keep track of. But, I never felt the need for one. All the planes had individual TV's with kids channels and kids movies playing. And when we were in the airport, I tried to keep us a bit more active than we could be on the plane !

I'm sure this is a novel by now so I'll stop !! I'm getting so excited for your trip !! I had such a fun time going "home" after not being there for 5 years. I know ( half ) of how you are feeling since it has been 10 years for you !! I know you will have a blast !!

Andrea@Sgt and Mrs Hub said...

I am making a 5 hour flight with my 4yr old, 2yr old, and 3 month old. How exciting!! Gag me. But, seriously though, it will be such an adventure for the kids ( and me, I'm sure - just a different kind!). I have 2 new movies, tons of snacks, PAPER TOWELS!!, coloring stuff, and a magnet board. We'll see!

If I realize something earth-shatteringly helpful I will come back and let you know!

You are one BRAVE woman, Sandra. It will be worth every second of frustration and exhaustion.

Katy said...

i love your new look Sandra! it is beautiful!!!!! :)

I am NOT a traveller at all...i complain about a 3 hr car ride!!! LOL But if i were you...i would take lots of snacks, coloring books and crayons etc as you can! I am sorry i am not much help!!!!! xoxo

Laura said...

I don't have a lot of travelling advice for you other than the DVD player and recharging in the airports during layovers. Wow that is one long trip!

Krista said...

I traveled alot as a child, and I can tell you what I liked. Games that we could play together; travel size Monopoly, small size Connect Four, travel size checkers and puzzles. Our Mom & Dad would play with us when my brothers & sister didn't want to play. I have continued this tradition with my children too.

Anonymous said...

Errr valium and a cage? Hehehehe only joking. Prayer and lots of it is my only suggestion as I've never flown anywhere with our kiddiwinks. The DVD and Nintendo DS suggestions sound great. Lots of baby wipes and paper towels as well, there's always a mess on journeys.

Hope you feel better soon!

Hugs and love.

Anonymous said...

My advice about travel is to run them ragged during the layovers. See if the airports have a kids play area (common now in airports). If not, make the walk non-stop up and down the concourses as long as they're just plain pooped. Then, as soon as you get them on the plane, get some food in them. Then pop in a movie on that portable DVD player, close the window blind, and hope they are so tuckered out that they crash.

Oh, and stop beating yourself up about the TV dinners. You were sick and going it alone. You did what you had to and the kids aren't any worse for wear!

AlaneM said...

Love, love, LOVE(!) the new look - sooo cute!!!

I totally get the bedtime thing. My hubby just switched jobsites & now will get home right before bed. But I still have to get them ready before he gets home or they'll never get to bed on time. He has always been the one to do the bedtime routine, I show up for the bible story & goodnight kisses but that's it.
Today is the first day of the new schedule & Momma ain't happy!
I'll pray for you if you pray for me :)

Anonymous said...

Hi sandra,
Just checking in with you. i have not heard from you in soooo long. Enjoy your trip.
hugs,
Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

Hi sandra,
Just checking in with you. i have not heard from you in soooo long. Enjoy your trip.
hugs,
Elizabeth

The Apron Queen said...

Three words... Duct tape & Benadryl

The Apron Queen said...

OK, so I'm kidding. Stationed in Italy x 3yrs. Have made many international trips with kids. I'll pray for you. :D

LA Nickers said...

Airport security tip:

Take easy-on, easy-off shoes.

Just for fun, here's why:

SECURITY ALERT: A FUNGUS AMONG US, by Linda Ann Nickerson

Blessings,
Linda
Practically at Home - on blogspot

The Unrepentant Gallivanter said...

Don't forget STICKERS!!!! I always take lots and lots of new stickers (even the cheap garage sale ones with prices on them - like $1)

Little containers of playdough.

Some new "party favor" jewlery. My daughter loves playing with necklaces and braclets on the plane.

Lots of snacks - we like fruit snacks and cheetos.
I have to fly with my daughter alone from Italy to Ks next week, while 6 months pregnant - so I'm stocking up on stuff now!

Good luck1

Kelli said...

Now those are some long flights! I would probably go to the dollar store and get some fun little things to take along. Good luck!
Hugs,
Kelli

Sunny said...

I have not been here for ages..
As I have been in and out of hospital immune system gone so we don't have computer @ home now!
I winder how you get views as I don't seem to have any?
I also now have a poetry BLOG
also I can update sometimes
at
www.xanga.com/freye

PLEASE PRAY FOR ALL THE SICKNESS
God bless praying friends....
BLOG still great!

Anonymous said...

When my kids were smaller and we took long flights, I always packed plenty of snacks and juice boxes as well as coloring books and reading books and little toys and always, always took dimetap to help calm them if needed, per doctors recommendation. I know you can't carry on liquids now but some of their favorite snacks are crucial. You don't get much on flights anymore. Good luck!

Michelle said...

Praying for your passport to come in this week!

Do you remember the post Andrea (Sgt Hub) did not that long ago looking for advice for traveling w/small kids? Go steal all the ideas that were in her comment section LOL I'm sure you could find plenty of suggestions to use.

check out this site: http://littlejetset.com/ you might find some useful things!