So we are finally home and I had to chance to sit down, load the pictures to my computer and type up a vacation ending blog. While we were 'home' the kids had a chance to make some cookies with Grandpa Hand. Here are a couple pics of them helping.
I also had the chance to go out to Grand Haven beach with my good friend Amanda. The day was just so perfect! Although when we decided to try and get in the water, just to say we did at least, it was so cold, it actually hurt.
After sunbathing for awhile we took a walk down the pier.
The next day the kids and I went with Grandma Jones to the Fredrick Meijer Garden. They have a great children's garden there that the kids love playing in.
The played in the 'Great Lakes'.
In a little log cabin.
And with some beavers.
After we had a nice picnic lunch just outside.
Once we were done at the garden we headed on over to visit Grandma Jones' friend Karen.
The kids had a lot of fun playing inside and then out. Karen was so nice to open our home to us, let us swim and served snacks.
I'm still hoping to get copies of the pictures she took because I know they will just be wonderful:)
The next day I went with my friend Kathy to the Great American Scrapbook Convention. The first year they came to Grand Rapids I actually had a make in take table set up and kinda worked it, in hopes to help promote my own store. This year I just enjoyed being there and did a couple of make in takes myself.
One thing I had hoped so badly to do while I was 'home' was to make it to Michigan's Adventure. I hadn't gone in so many many years and thought it would be great fun to go. Well that wish came through and I was able to go with my friends Dan, Todd and Stacey.
They just opened a new ride this year called the ThunderHawk. Its a suspension coaster which means you hang down while you are sitting on it. It was so much fun!
At some point in life I actually got a small fear of water rides. Well I got over that fear and went on the best ride ever! Its called the Funnel of Fear. You sit on a four man tube, start off going down a totally closed slide and pop out into a big funnel that swishes you around until you come out the bottom and yes you get totally soaked while having a total blast.
It was hard saying goodbye. We started with my parents. The kids said goodbye first when they took them to the Jones' Grandparents house. I stayed back to finish packing and have one last dinner with my family. This visit was the first time I had seen them for over a year. Quite an adjustment when you are used to seeing someone at least once a week.
The next morning (Wednesday) we got up really early, got dressed and headed to Chicago where we were going to catch our plane. We stopped and had a quick little lunch just outside the airport.
Once at the airport our adventures really began. First off, I had a bag that was 2lbs over wt, they wanted to charge $50 for that, thankfully though I was able to take something out. We then entered security, all the while waving goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa Jones. I guess in my last minute frantic packing I oops'd and put a liquid in a carry on bag. Of course security had to go through the bag, at first I had no idea what they could be looking for until he pulled the stuff out. He then totally accused me of lying to him, meanwhile I'm busily trying to get 3 pairs of shoes back on 3 little pairs of feet. Another airport security guy was able to get me a little plastic bag so I could keep just about everything (the only loss was a tub of toothpaste, not a big deal).
We then walked forever it seemed to our gate. When we got to our next destination to change planes, we were only supposed to have 45 mins to get off the plane, get to the next one and get on. Sitting and waiting for the first, I knew we wouldn't make it. It came up to our boarding time and our flight had still not arrived. Finally it did and we all got on, 20 mins late. Once we were out on a runway though they made an announcement that we were going back to a gate because of a mechanical malfunction on the plane. I guess they had to change the batteries or something like that out. At this point, I knew our connection would be gone. Thankfully the gal I was sitting next too offered her cell phone to me (since mine didn't have many roaming mins left) and I was able to call and make new reservations. Or rather I was in the process of it and promised they would be made as I had to let them go since we were getting set to take flight.
At least when we were finally up in the air, all the kids fell asleep for almost the entire flight.
They had an attendant standing outside when we got off the plane. I asked about the next flight I was to take (I only had a time and of course location I was flying too). It ended up being it was going to fly out of a gate in a totally opposite wing. So the kids and I headed up the elevator to catch the sky tram. They all did pretty good holding on as we flew on over to where we needed to be.
This is just a picture I took so you can see exactly what we rode and get an idea of where it is.
Once we found the gate, we got some dinner for Mc Donalds and sat down and ate. I was able to exchange our tickets with no problem. We had a bit of time to spare and it was actually nice feeling. About the time the flight should be arriving though, if you looked out into the sky you could see lightning. So now bad to that oh no feeling. Of course they made an announcement that the pilot of the plane would not land and was just circling. In fact he ended up after a bit landing in Fort Worth on an air field. So we then had to wait for him to take flight again and land at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport. At least while waiting for the plane the kids made a friend. I feel so bad I have no idea what his name is, just that it is a fellow solider. He was so good with all the kids and really didn't mind playing with them. I of course felt kind of bad that they would not leave him alone, especially the boys.
Once we were finally on board I could sigh a big relief. When we got into El Paso, we went to collect our bags. A guy that worked there offered to help with them and he helped us get a taxi too. By this time it was after 9:20 at night and I was not about to call someone to get us (keep in mind, we were supposed to arrive at 4:40). I will remember for next time though to only go with a certain cab company since they have a contract for our base. I was so set on just getting home I didn't even care anymore I ended up over paying for that cab ride home (I paid for the guy to get a pass onto the base, grrr).
In the end, home sweet home!
