Four kids and a gas can

I'm still laughing about what happened to me yesterday. I was on my way to pick up Erin and debated whether I should get gas first or right after. So I made the wrong decision. I was about a quarter mile from the pre-school and another quarter mile from the closest gas station when the car ran out of gas. I haven't done that since high school, maybe freshman year of college. So I'm sitting there in the hot car with four little kids and wondering what to do (I was watching another kid). I couldn't leave the kids and while I had my cell phone, it was of course out of battery (keep in mind this is the lady that just ran out of gas-is it any surprise?) I finally charge my phone enough to call Jared but of course he isn't answering. I start thinking of friends who live close by but once again, I don't have their numbers in my phone.


Nobody was stopping to help so I saw no other choice but to walk to the gas station. Of course I didn't have a stroller, although I was very glad I made Alex put on shoes, so I had everyone hold hands as we made the trek. I can only imagine how ridiculous I looked holding a baby carrier in one hand, a leaky gas can in the other and trying to make sure the 4 year old, the 3 year old and the 2 year old didn't run into the street! About half way there a very kind family noticed the crazy lady with more kids than she could handle. Feeling very sorry for me they took the gas can, filled up the car and drove it back to me. Thanks goodness for nice people! Though it was a bit frustrating, I couldn't stop thinking how funny the whole thing was while it was happening.

Fall

Last weekend we flew up to Maryland to visit my sister and her family. It was great to see them, especially for the kids. I have concluded that flying with little children gives a new perspective on life, especially if you are flying stand-by. And it makes for great stories.

First, we would like to apologize to the poor passengers that picked the security line behind us. Five bags, 10 pairs of shoes, preparing my explanation about how the liquid I am carrying is breast milk and not an explosive, making Erin sit down on the floor so she can hold the baby while I pick up Alex who is asleep so Jared can fold our humongous double stroller and load it on the belt, and then reversing all of that 3 seconds later on the other side of security... well, we're sorry. For future reference, just avoid lines with kids (or, crazy thought, offer to help instead of just glaring at us!)

Next, we would like to thank the two awesome people who traded their good aisle seats so that our family could sit together on our last leg. We barely made the flight and when we got our seat assignments, we had 4 middle seats scattered throughout the plane. Someone let Jared and Alex sit together, but Marissa and I were separated from Erin for takeoff (I still can't believe no one would switch--Next time I plan on mentioning the tendency my kids have to vomit, but whatever they want to do). What a helpless feeling for me to have a sleeping baby on me, Jared to have Alex asleep on him and to not even be able to see your 4 year old. When I finally found her she was crying. After that is when this man offered to trade seats so we could all be together. What an awesome guy! It made the trip so much better.

Last, I found out that a four year old, a mom, a baby and a giant diaper bag do not all fit into an airplane bathroom at the same time. In trying to squeeze in, the bag hit Erin's head only making things worse, as you might imagine. I also learned that as long as the bag is outside the lavatory door, I can go to the bathroom while holding a baby and come out fully clothed. The kids were pretty good all in all, a huge step up from the last trip we took which included diarrhea, projectile vomit, pants wetting, and of course running out of wipes!

On the plane. This gives a whole new meaning to "infant in arms"

It was really great to see the fall colors in Maryland. I can't remember the last time I saw them. It was so beautiful! Here's us trying to take a family picture.

I love this picture of Alex. He had so much fun playing outside.

Another one with the cousins. Isn't it pretty?

Halloween

Here are some Halloween pictures. Erin was an Enchanted Princess, only she kept telling me she was an "enchimson princess" whenever I said enchanted. Oh, and the cat nose was left over from a Cat in the Hat celebration at the children's museum the day before. A cat enchimson princess??

Alex's costume is a spider, but he didn't want to put the hands in the way they were supposed to go, so nobody really knew what he was. Marissa's was so soft and cuddly. I thought it was a sheep until everyone kept calling her a poodle. So I guess she was a pink poodle. Whatever. The point is they have loads and loads of candy that I keep eating (dang Halloween!)

Our Trunk-or-Treat was about 45 minutes due to rain, but they got their candy. Then on Halloween we only got about 5 knocks on the door because of rain. Jared kept trying to take them out but then it would start pouring again. They did eventually go around the block and because nobody else was out, people were giving fist-fulls of candy. Happy day for the kids.





We had a couple of left over pumpkins from the Daddy Daughter Activity Days (it was really fun by the way), but we never had time to carve them. Here is us keeping our tired kids awake last Thursday so we could keep a family tradition alive. Last year Erin's pumpkin was named Ed. This year she named it Ned. She insisted on having a house and not a face. I thought it turned out all right, especially considering I had a baby in my left arm most of the time carving it. Jared & Alex's was such a cute face too.



The only candles I had were birthday candles but they worked fine. Every time we mention the pumpkins now Alex immediately says "Happy Birthday" because of those candles.