Traveling Adventures

The kids and I are on a little trip (okay, maybe a big trip) to visit family in the Midwest. As any trip traveling with kids, it's always an adventure. I choose to be a "half-glass full" type of person, so instead of thinking about all the things that went wrong, here are all the things that went right:

* Desert Girl's chin stopped bleeding relatively quickly after she finished shaving while I was packing.

* At a stop after I stepped in poo--Desert Girl's poo that had slithered down her pant leg--there was enough snow to get most of it off my shoes.

* We were going on a long trip, so I had three outfits for Desert Girl that day, including an extra pair of shoes.

* I had also packed a plastic bag so that all the stinky clothes could be sequestered somewhat in the van.

* They didn't have to lock down the Target after Desert Girl wandered off while I was paying for our purchases. She had gone to the clothes section and according to the employees that found her, she had a big grin on her face.

* Even though the airport shuttle was 20 minutes late and our gate was the very last one in the airport, we made it onto the plane.

* Although TSA confiscated our Capri Suns, we learned that next time we can bring sippy cups without a problem.

* Although we got to the gate too late for family boarding, we still got on the plane early enough that I didn't have to place the kids in middle seats with random people. This could have been really fun:
"Here's my daughter and her diaper bag. She's ready to take a big dump. Good luck."
"Here's my son and his bag of goodies. He expects to be entertained nonstop for the next three and a half hours. Oh, and he'll have to get up and pee at least three times during the flight."


* Although many of Chicago Transit Authority's downtown elevated train ("el") stations are not handicapped/stroller accessible, they provide a great workout for hauling two suitcases, a backpack, and a child in a stroller. And Chicagoans are very helpful; some kind folks made it easier for us.

* We made it to our destination safely and greatly enjoyed some extra visiting with family along the way!

So if you're contemplating a trip, just think of all the things that could go right! (And hopefully you won't have to deal with blood or poo!)