My husband likes to travel- a lot. He loves going to conferences and grabs at any opportunity to see a new venue. The complicating factor in that is that we have four kids so joining him isn't always a feasible option.
Which is how I find myself yet again home alone with the kids while my husband is off in Los Angeles, ostensibly to speak at a conference but really just to get away and get some sun :)
I'm not particularly fond of L.A, mostly likely due to a fiasco three years ago that left him stranded there for 5 days while I went through an awful snow storm with the kids on my own.
Nevertheless, he is gone for 72 hours and I am gearing up for a Shabbos alone with the kids. Don't really have that much on the agenda other than keeping everyone safe and myself sane, especially on the very very long Shabbos afternoon. Wish me luck!
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Monday, July 23, 2012
We have arrived
Because we are crazy like that, we have had a busy week. First, we were severely delayed on the way home from Florida... due to rainstorms in NYC we got home with 4 cranky and exhausted kids after midnight. After very little sleep, Thursday and Friday had me disassembling and then reassembling the contents of all my kitchen cabinets so an exterminator could aggressively treat out kitchen (and the rest of the apartment). Due to construction in the building, we had been dealing with some unwelcome visitors and the situation was getting out of hand. I am hoping this finally took care of the issue.
Friday was also spent packing, running last minute errands and trying to get the apartment cleaned up before our Sunday flight (more on that later).
Shabbos was my birthday- ta da. I was a bit too tired to get really excited for it, but it ended up being a nice day. My kind husband gave me the gift of sleep and did some extra diaper duty and the kids had made me nice cards. Still on my wishlist for my birthday:
-sleep (will probably not be getting much of that
- massage- will definitely be doing that. My back is still giving me problems.
- some more alone/quiet/mommy time, whatever you like to call it ;)
Notice how all these gifts involve some sort of self-care/indulgence. Every once in a while a care-taker has to take care of herself/
Sunday was the big day- our long awaited flight to Israel for our yearly trip. Honestly, I was a bit too stressed/anxious about getting ready to be really excited for this trip. But now that we are here...it's so nice.
The flight was about as good as you can expect when traveling with 4 little kids. No delays or waits, a bassinette and an extra seat and mostly cooperative kids with no major tantrums/meltdowns. The stewardesses and passengers around us all fell in love with Baby AY and commented on how cute and smiley he is. He is all of those things but after 6 plys hours of holding him almost non stop, I was quite ready for his royal cuteness to sleep a bit!!
We are all kind of exhausted and jet lagged but psyched to be here to see family and friends...after we get some more sleep!!
Friday was also spent packing, running last minute errands and trying to get the apartment cleaned up before our Sunday flight (more on that later).
Shabbos was my birthday- ta da. I was a bit too tired to get really excited for it, but it ended up being a nice day. My kind husband gave me the gift of sleep and did some extra diaper duty and the kids had made me nice cards. Still on my wishlist for my birthday:
-sleep (will probably not be getting much of that
- massage- will definitely be doing that. My back is still giving me problems.
- some more alone/quiet/mommy time, whatever you like to call it ;)
Notice how all these gifts involve some sort of self-care/indulgence. Every once in a while a care-taker has to take care of herself/
Sunday was the big day- our long awaited flight to Israel for our yearly trip. Honestly, I was a bit too stressed/anxious about getting ready to be really excited for this trip. But now that we are here...it's so nice.
The flight was about as good as you can expect when traveling with 4 little kids. No delays or waits, a bassinette and an extra seat and mostly cooperative kids with no major tantrums/meltdowns. The stewardesses and passengers around us all fell in love with Baby AY and commented on how cute and smiley he is. He is all of those things but after 6 plys hours of holding him almost non stop, I was quite ready for his royal cuteness to sleep a bit!!
We are all kind of exhausted and jet lagged but psyched to be here to see family and friends...after we get some more sleep!!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Back in NYC
We arrived back in NY on Thursday afternoon after almost 20 hours of travel. There is nothing much to say about the flights except that they were long and exhausting. The kids had their moments but were pretty well behaved considering what a long haul it was. The iPad is a great tool to have on plane trips, it definitely kept the kids entertained for long stretches.
We are working on getting back on a normal sleeping schedule. At the moment they have been going to bed earlier and waking up early. But that is to be expected. A few more days and slowly pushing their bedtime back should do the trick.
We had a quiet and uneventful shabbos back in NYC. The kids are happy to be back in their space and after unpacking and cleaning up on Friday, I also feel more settled. This week will be about getting the kids ready for school. There is not that much to do, just buying some school supplies and taking A for a haircut. And maybe getting some clothing for the upcoming fall weather.
I also wanted to share some pictures from our family photo shoot. We took pictures with all my siblings who were in Israel at the time and their children, but I am only posting some of the ones of my kids. This has definitely been the summer of photos for us, we have gotten some great shots of the kids in Israel.
We are working on getting back on a normal sleeping schedule. At the moment they have been going to bed earlier and waking up early. But that is to be expected. A few more days and slowly pushing their bedtime back should do the trick.
We had a quiet and uneventful shabbos back in NYC. The kids are happy to be back in their space and after unpacking and cleaning up on Friday, I also feel more settled. This week will be about getting the kids ready for school. There is not that much to do, just buying some school supplies and taking A for a haircut. And maybe getting some clothing for the upcoming fall weather.
I also wanted to share some pictures from our family photo shoot. We took pictures with all my siblings who were in Israel at the time and their children, but I am only posting some of the ones of my kids. This has definitely been the summer of photos for us, we have gotten some great shots of the kids in Israel.
We took the pictures in Yemin Moshe, which was beautiful. It was great to be outdoors because the kids were not restricted to a studio. Unfortunately that also meant we had to chase them and run after them at certain points. There were several brides there as well taking wedding pictures, so it seems this is a popular spot for photos.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Travel Time
I cant believe it. Seven hours from now I will be getting in a cab to the airport...we had a wonderful time but it's time to go. As much as I would like to stay "forever", I am also looking forward to going home, which for now is New York. The past weeks we have been leading a pretty nomadic existence and it's time for the kids and the adults to be back in their routines and schedules.
So I am definitely looking forward to some "normalcy" and the upcoming start of school, although I am not necessarily looking forward to our flight tomorrow. The whole thing will probably take between 18-20 hours door to door...that's the price you pay for a fun vacation I guess.
Will report on our travel adventures from the other side. Also has some great family pictures to share...stay tuned.
So I am definitely looking forward to some "normalcy" and the upcoming start of school, although I am not necessarily looking forward to our flight tomorrow. The whole thing will probably take between 18-20 hours door to door...that's the price you pay for a fun vacation I guess.
Will report on our travel adventures from the other side. Also has some great family pictures to share...stay tuned.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Home Sweet Home
We have been home since Sunday night but it took me a while to get my act together again.
We had a really wonderful and relaxing week in Florida with our in laws. In fact, we were so busy having fun that we barely took any pictures! I have a few on my husband's phone so I will try and upload them later this week.
It was nice not to have anywhere pressing to be- school, camp, appointments or otherwise. We did try to do two activities a day, but did not really get stressed out about timing. Some days we got out by 9 30 or 10, others not till 11 and that was fine. We saw some parks, a zoo, the beach and had lots of pool time. Admittedly, taking three small children near any body of water can be scary at times, but with my in laws there too we had enough pairs of hands to make sure everyone was safe in the water.
I really felt that the kids enjoyed and that we were creating positive memories of spending time together as a family.
Traveling with kids is always a challenge although they were pretty well behaved for the most part. On the flight home, we were sitting next to a man who was annoyed at the kids for just being there. He was irritated before anyone had even done anything. The people in the row in front of us were not much better. At a certain point, M had a little meltdown because he was tired and I was getting dirty looks from people sitting near me. The man sitting in our row stomped off to complain to the flight attendant. I did feel badly that we were bothering others but also felt that kids will be kids and I cannot control them or make them stop screaming. I was doing the best I could in that circumstance. Furthermore, there was only about a half hour left to the flight, so it's not like they were going to be stuck with us for much longer. Eventually M settled down but as soon as the flight landed, the man took off running for the exit.
Truthfully, I don't really care. A few months back there were suggestions about having child free flights and while some people thought it was outrageous, I think it is a great idea. Those who want a silent flight should be able to have it. But until such flights exist they are stuck with me and my children. We paid for our tickets the same way they did and so we are entitled to be on the plane, noise crying and all.
We arrived home Sunday night at 9 30 pm to a nasty surprise. Our fridge/freezer had broken down while we were away and our whole apartment reeked of spoiled food. We spent our first hour home throwing out garbage bags full of spoiled chicken and meat (I keep my freezer well stocked and it was a mistake in this instance) and other gross food. I then cleaned out the fridge and freezer with Clorox and washed the floor well, while continuously spraying lots and lots of air freshener. It did take a few days for the smell to fully go away. My friend recommended baking soda and it actually made a big difference!
Thank goodness, our super brought up a temporary replacement fridge on Monday morning and they were able to fix the fridge by Tuesday already. These are the perks of living in a well managed building.
This week has been spent getting things in order here and preparing for our next trip- we are leaving to Israel next Wednesday already. If anyone reading this is considering robbing our apartment while we are away, be aware that we have friends who will be staying there. It is actually reassuring to me that someone will be here in our absence. It's just good to have someone keep an eye out in case your fridge decides to die or anything else happens that needs immediate attention.
This week is also World Breastfeeding Week, and I will try to post some related links to that tomorrow. For now though, I really need to get some sleep!
We had a really wonderful and relaxing week in Florida with our in laws. In fact, we were so busy having fun that we barely took any pictures! I have a few on my husband's phone so I will try and upload them later this week.
It was nice not to have anywhere pressing to be- school, camp, appointments or otherwise. We did try to do two activities a day, but did not really get stressed out about timing. Some days we got out by 9 30 or 10, others not till 11 and that was fine. We saw some parks, a zoo, the beach and had lots of pool time. Admittedly, taking three small children near any body of water can be scary at times, but with my in laws there too we had enough pairs of hands to make sure everyone was safe in the water.
I really felt that the kids enjoyed and that we were creating positive memories of spending time together as a family.
Traveling with kids is always a challenge although they were pretty well behaved for the most part. On the flight home, we were sitting next to a man who was annoyed at the kids for just being there. He was irritated before anyone had even done anything. The people in the row in front of us were not much better. At a certain point, M had a little meltdown because he was tired and I was getting dirty looks from people sitting near me. The man sitting in our row stomped off to complain to the flight attendant. I did feel badly that we were bothering others but also felt that kids will be kids and I cannot control them or make them stop screaming. I was doing the best I could in that circumstance. Furthermore, there was only about a half hour left to the flight, so it's not like they were going to be stuck with us for much longer. Eventually M settled down but as soon as the flight landed, the man took off running for the exit.
Truthfully, I don't really care. A few months back there were suggestions about having child free flights and while some people thought it was outrageous, I think it is a great idea. Those who want a silent flight should be able to have it. But until such flights exist they are stuck with me and my children. We paid for our tickets the same way they did and so we are entitled to be on the plane, noise crying and all.
We arrived home Sunday night at 9 30 pm to a nasty surprise. Our fridge/freezer had broken down while we were away and our whole apartment reeked of spoiled food. We spent our first hour home throwing out garbage bags full of spoiled chicken and meat (I keep my freezer well stocked and it was a mistake in this instance) and other gross food. I then cleaned out the fridge and freezer with Clorox and washed the floor well, while continuously spraying lots and lots of air freshener. It did take a few days for the smell to fully go away. My friend recommended baking soda and it actually made a big difference!
Thank goodness, our super brought up a temporary replacement fridge on Monday morning and they were able to fix the fridge by Tuesday already. These are the perks of living in a well managed building.
This week has been spent getting things in order here and preparing for our next trip- we are leaving to Israel next Wednesday already. If anyone reading this is considering robbing our apartment while we are away, be aware that we have friends who will be staying there. It is actually reassuring to me that someone will be here in our absence. It's just good to have someone keep an eye out in case your fridge decides to die or anything else happens that needs immediate attention.
This week is also World Breastfeeding Week, and I will try to post some related links to that tomorrow. For now though, I really need to get some sleep!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Travel day
Today is the beginning of my long-awaited vacation. In a few hours, M and I will get on a plane to Vienna to see my parents and my Grandmother, who has not been well for a while. I am leaving the older two with my husband, who has graciously volunteered to play Mommy for the week. I am leaving with a lot of instructions and much confidence in his abilities to rough it on his own with two kids for a week. My bags are packed and now I am going to try and spend some quality time with the older two. A has informed me that she will be "having a party" with Abba while I am gone and seems anxious for me to leave so they can start having fun.
This is the longest time I have every left my kids and I always feel guilty doing so, even if they will be with my husband. But I do feel like I have earned myself some time off, especially after being snowed in with them for a few days. Flying with one kid should be a breeze after flying with three this past summer..or not. Flying with kids is always an adventure. Will report from the other side!
This is the longest time I have every left my kids and I always feel guilty doing so, even if they will be with my husband. But I do feel like I have earned myself some time off, especially after being snowed in with them for a few days. Flying with one kid should be a breeze after flying with three this past summer..or not. Flying with kids is always an adventure. Will report from the other side!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Quick travel story
We are heading to the airport soon so no time to post too long but wanted to share a funny apropos travel story. As an orthodox woman, I cover my hair with a wig. To secure my hair under the wig I use two big metal clips underneath it, that are not visible .
Whenever I travel, this causes trouble as I set off the metal detector and then have to do the whole song and dance check up on the side-lines. Not too much fun when you are traveling with kids and your husband has to watch all three and collect the stuff from the xray machine by himself!
Last time we were traveling, just as I was walking through the metal detector, I remembered the clips and must have made a face. The security guard noticed and said, "You look nervous, is something wrong?" I said "I am wearing a clip under my wig and am about to set off the metal detector!" The guard's eyes went wide and he said "You are wearing a wig? That's so awesome!" Sure enough, I set off the metal detector but at least I got a laugh out of his reaction!
Wish us luck on our journey!
Whenever I travel, this causes trouble as I set off the metal detector and then have to do the whole song and dance check up on the side-lines. Not too much fun when you are traveling with kids and your husband has to watch all three and collect the stuff from the xray machine by himself!
Last time we were traveling, just as I was walking through the metal detector, I remembered the clips and must have made a face. The security guard noticed and said, "You look nervous, is something wrong?" I said "I am wearing a clip under my wig and am about to set off the metal detector!" The guard's eyes went wide and he said "You are wearing a wig? That's so awesome!" Sure enough, I set off the metal detector but at least I got a laugh out of his reaction!
Wish us luck on our journey!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Our yearly trip
The countdown is on for our yearly summer trip. Every summer we try to spend a few weeks in Israel, as long as possible really :)
My husband and I started our married life in Jerusalem and feel a very strong connection to Israel. Most of our family lives there but I also really value the way of life there, the fact that the popular culture there is Jewish, the beauty of the country, the spirituality, I could go on and on. Our older two were born in Jerusalem and it was a very difficult decision to move back to the States almost four years ago. There are so many things I miss about it.
That is why it is so important for us to go back there whenever we can. It is definitely not cheap but that month can sustain me for the rest of the year so it is worth it.
The only problem is that in order to get there, we have to get on a plane, with 3 children and a ton of suitcases, strollers and carseats. And then entertain those children for 10-11 hours. And deal with the jet-lag when we get there. This year we are actually traveling on my birthday, this coming Wednesday. On the one hand it's a great gift to go to Israel for your birthday. On the other hand, traveling is not exactly conducive to a relaxing, fun day.
People sometimes ask us how we do it, how we travel with our crew. My answer is always that it it is hard, but it is totally worth the effort. After all, even the worst flight from hell ends eventually and then we get to spend 4 weeks in a place we love, spending time with people we love and don't see enough.
Of course it is easier to stay home but it is also really boring! That doesn't mean I take traveling lightly. I try to be over-prepared. I make sure to stack up on food, snacks, toys and books. I charge the DVD player and bring along our whole collection (don't get me started on children and DVD/TV. That is a post for another time). This usually works reasonably well, although at some point we will have exhausted all our play options and the kids will get antsy. And there will still be five hours left to the flight. And I will probably not get any sleep. But that's okay. This too shall pass is my mantra, that I repeat over and over again.
Just to be clear, I am not saying this is easy at all or that I stay cool and relaxed throughout our trip. Things like being late, delays or long lines really stress me out. Just ask my husband who has to deal with me when I get all tense and crazy :) But I still think it is worth it. I would not give this opportunity up for the world.
I have started making lists but have not packed or bought a single thing yet. I have a long way to go till we're ready. But I know we will get there. And I'm sure I will have some crazy story to share with you when we do.
My husband and I started our married life in Jerusalem and feel a very strong connection to Israel. Most of our family lives there but I also really value the way of life there, the fact that the popular culture there is Jewish, the beauty of the country, the spirituality, I could go on and on. Our older two were born in Jerusalem and it was a very difficult decision to move back to the States almost four years ago. There are so many things I miss about it.
That is why it is so important for us to go back there whenever we can. It is definitely not cheap but that month can sustain me for the rest of the year so it is worth it.
The only problem is that in order to get there, we have to get on a plane, with 3 children and a ton of suitcases, strollers and carseats. And then entertain those children for 10-11 hours. And deal with the jet-lag when we get there. This year we are actually traveling on my birthday, this coming Wednesday. On the one hand it's a great gift to go to Israel for your birthday. On the other hand, traveling is not exactly conducive to a relaxing, fun day.
People sometimes ask us how we do it, how we travel with our crew. My answer is always that it it is hard, but it is totally worth the effort. After all, even the worst flight from hell ends eventually and then we get to spend 4 weeks in a place we love, spending time with people we love and don't see enough.
Of course it is easier to stay home but it is also really boring! That doesn't mean I take traveling lightly. I try to be over-prepared. I make sure to stack up on food, snacks, toys and books. I charge the DVD player and bring along our whole collection (don't get me started on children and DVD/TV. That is a post for another time). This usually works reasonably well, although at some point we will have exhausted all our play options and the kids will get antsy. And there will still be five hours left to the flight. And I will probably not get any sleep. But that's okay. This too shall pass is my mantra, that I repeat over and over again.
Just to be clear, I am not saying this is easy at all or that I stay cool and relaxed throughout our trip. Things like being late, delays or long lines really stress me out. Just ask my husband who has to deal with me when I get all tense and crazy :) But I still think it is worth it. I would not give this opportunity up for the world.
I have started making lists but have not packed or bought a single thing yet. I have a long way to go till we're ready. But I know we will get there. And I'm sure I will have some crazy story to share with you when we do.
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