The Boy and Girl spent their Thanksgiving Break up in Canada with their father.
9 days - kids + 4 day weekend = TRIP!!
We got a great deal on a flight and hotel and flew out Thursday morning. Early Thursday morning. Up at 4:30 at the airport at 6AM. I was zombified. I don't fly well at the best of times, so the thought of it sends be to the bathroom every 5 min.
The DFW airport was amazing - got a great parking spot, checked in ad ntrough security in less than 15 minutes. Egg McMuffin to keep the growlies away and then off to the first of many bathroom trips. The latch on the first stall was broken, so was the second. By the third stall I finally figured out it was a slide lock and not a turn lock. Hubby got a good laugh.
Flight was on time, driver was at the curb less than 5 minutes after we called. Yes, we treated ourselves and had a car (not a limo) drive us to the hotel. We had lots of time so the driver drove us all over the city pointing out the sights, including the cool "S" portion of Lombard.
(insert photo here)
We got checked in to the hotel and got a taxi to China Town. It was a fantastic experience walking up and down the streets, lots of colors, the people were pleasant, lots of cool stuff to look at in the shops. The ivory carvings stood out. Amazing details. In several shops there were cooked chickens/ducks hanging in the windows. I happened to look over my shoulder as we passed one shop - several men were in the doorway talking and I happened to see what the subject was. A flour bag was in the corner with just the corner torn open. Out of the corner popped a large white duck head. I stopped and stared. One man looked at me and said 'duck'. Yes, I know my farm animals, but had to ask 'are you going to eat it?' He just grinned and nodded, saw my expression and nodded some more. All the men laughed.
We walked form Chinatown down to the wharf area. We passed the wharf for the trips to Alcatraz and noted the times so we could catch the first tour the next morning. Walked along to Pier 37 - the tourist trap. We walked the length of it and looked at all the shops and restaurants. Luckily neither of us are shoppers.
We decided to catch the bus back to the hotel, have a nap and head out again at night for a nice dinner. We only needed to transfer once and the drivers were great about telling us where to get off. We crawled into bed at 4:45 PM and that was it for me until 7AM the next morning.
Poor hubby tried to wake me for supper, but I was warm and cozy and I wasn't moving. He went to the 7-11 and got some individual frozen pizzas for supper. I had a bite of his and went back to sleep. He couldn't even rouse me with m&ms.
The next morning he said the 7-11 people thought he was pathetic getting frozen pizza for his Thanksgiving Dinner. Little do they know - better that than anything I would have cooked.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
I want Sticker Boots
The Boy has reached the awkward ‘tween age of 12 where I have no idea what to buy him anymore. It is always nice to have a few surprises under the tree for Christmas, but I do make the kids give me a list of ideas.
This year The Boy has requested a zipper binder with a strap on it. A zipper binder was on his list of school supplies - we went to Walmart, looked at them all and he picked one out. None of them had straps.
I get shivers when he asks me for something that I have never heard of nor seen before. He started preschool when he was 3 and shortly thereafter he came home requesting Sticker Boots. I immediately get worried that my kid is going to be an outcast because he is the only one without the new cool Sticker Boots. Off to Walmart we go.
Nothing at Walmart, Toys R Us or any store. Internet searched turn up nothing. I set up a meeting with the teachers at the preschool - work the Sticker Boots into conversation - nope, never heard of them.
After a few months of desperation, I sit down with The Boy. I try to ease the heartbreak and explain everything I have done to find the Sticker Boots. I beg him to tell me who has them so I can find the parents of the elusive boots. No one. Has he seen them on TV - no. A book - nope.
Finally I ask him to explain in detail what they look like and why does he want them. The Boy is deadly serious when he explains that they are boots that you wear to walk up the walls and 'stick' to the ceiling. He thinks they would be a cool thing to have.
Yes, The Boy is still alive. I have asked him three times over the last month if the binder with the strap actually exists. Maybe in another week I will go to the store, but I haven't even been able to muster up the courage to google it yet.
This year The Boy has requested a zipper binder with a strap on it. A zipper binder was on his list of school supplies - we went to Walmart, looked at them all and he picked one out. None of them had straps.
I get shivers when he asks me for something that I have never heard of nor seen before. He started preschool when he was 3 and shortly thereafter he came home requesting Sticker Boots. I immediately get worried that my kid is going to be an outcast because he is the only one without the new cool Sticker Boots. Off to Walmart we go.
Nothing at Walmart, Toys R Us or any store. Internet searched turn up nothing. I set up a meeting with the teachers at the preschool - work the Sticker Boots into conversation - nope, never heard of them.
After a few months of desperation, I sit down with The Boy. I try to ease the heartbreak and explain everything I have done to find the Sticker Boots. I beg him to tell me who has them so I can find the parents of the elusive boots. No one. Has he seen them on TV - no. A book - nope.
Finally I ask him to explain in detail what they look like and why does he want them. The Boy is deadly serious when he explains that they are boots that you wear to walk up the walls and 'stick' to the ceiling. He thinks they would be a cool thing to have.
Yes, The Boy is still alive. I have asked him three times over the last month if the binder with the strap actually exists. Maybe in another week I will go to the store, but I haven't even been able to muster up the courage to google it yet.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
This is my life
Ok - this was a bit more that just a typical day.
We have been in the US for 3 months. Since I was the lucky transfer candidate, I got to go to work right away. Hubby has been hitting the gym and making up for lost time on the golf course. Hubby started work yesterday. This is good, but it means adjusting to a new routine.
I commute an hour each way, with a passenger. I had to add picking up The Girl from school to my drive home. The Boy has Drama until 6pm. Got The Girl, got home, no keys. I go in and out through the garage with the handy-dandy garage opener. Security Guy locked up before his first day so the garage/house door was locked.
Going through my head - Girl has homework, Pick up Boy at 6, Supper, wrestling meeting for parents 6:30, Girl dance class 7:30. I guess we are eating out and wait until one of the Boys gets home with a key. I turn to tell her the good news and The Girl has the gotta-go dance happening. I weigh up the options:
1. sending her to the neighbors and fessing up that I am a loser; or
2. 5 min drive to the deli and risk dealing with an accident.
Off to the Deli, we made it! The Girl got to work on her homework, I had a healthy salad and we split a cookie. Hubby actually met us there and it was a nice treat. 6PM - Hubby and The Girl head off to return movies, I am off to get The Boy at drama, feeling good even though I am going to be a few minutes late.
I pull up to the school, call his cell, no answer. I know it is sitting in the charger where he put it last night. I call home - no answer. Call Hubby - hasn't heard from him. I head into the school to search for him, starting to get worried, the phone rings when I am half way through the first lap .
Hubby has made it home. Drama was cancelled. The Boy took the bus home, forgot his house key, hung out at the neighbors. Doesn't know our cell numbers because they are in his cell phone, which is sitting on the charger in the house he is locked out of. I guess the neighbors found out I'm a loser anyway.
With all the excitement, I ended up skipping the wrestling parent info meeting, now I have to suck up to the coach to get the info I missed and he will find out about my loser-ness too.
We have been in the US for 3 months. Since I was the lucky transfer candidate, I got to go to work right away. Hubby has been hitting the gym and making up for lost time on the golf course. Hubby started work yesterday. This is good, but it means adjusting to a new routine.
I commute an hour each way, with a passenger. I had to add picking up The Girl from school to my drive home. The Boy has Drama until 6pm. Got The Girl, got home, no keys. I go in and out through the garage with the handy-dandy garage opener. Security Guy locked up before his first day so the garage/house door was locked.
Going through my head - Girl has homework, Pick up Boy at 6, Supper, wrestling meeting for parents 6:30, Girl dance class 7:30. I guess we are eating out and wait until one of the Boys gets home with a key. I turn to tell her the good news and The Girl has the gotta-go dance happening. I weigh up the options:
1. sending her to the neighbors and fessing up that I am a loser; or
2. 5 min drive to the deli and risk dealing with an accident.
Off to the Deli, we made it! The Girl got to work on her homework, I had a healthy salad and we split a cookie. Hubby actually met us there and it was a nice treat. 6PM - Hubby and The Girl head off to return movies, I am off to get The Boy at drama, feeling good even though I am going to be a few minutes late.
I pull up to the school, call his cell, no answer. I know it is sitting in the charger where he put it last night. I call home - no answer. Call Hubby - hasn't heard from him. I head into the school to search for him, starting to get worried, the phone rings when I am half way through the first lap .
Hubby has made it home. Drama was cancelled. The Boy took the bus home, forgot his house key, hung out at the neighbors. Doesn't know our cell numbers because they are in his cell phone, which is sitting on the charger in the house he is locked out of. I guess the neighbors found out I'm a loser anyway.
With all the excitement, I ended up skipping the wrestling parent info meeting, now I have to suck up to the coach to get the info I missed and he will find out about my loser-ness too.
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