Vacation!! Part 1.....the flight!

It is finally vacation time. The kids have been waiting for this week to come since we told them about it months ago. Poor Josie told everyone she was going to Disney World for months...she has now stopped telling them! I guess she gave up on the idea. haha We flew out yesterday at noon. Maggie, Owen and Joe went to their soccer game that morning while I got the little ones all ready and last minute things packed up. They got home, showerd and we headed to the airport.
Now, I LOVE vacation. Love going to the beach and Disney and cannot wait. But...unlike most people I would prefer to drive.


THIS......




















is the very least place I like to be....like more than ANTYHING. Yes, I would rather drive 18 hours (with stops) with my 4 kids in the car.....even if they were not awesome travelers. Now...this is how I feel before we leave on the trip. After we arrive there safe, sound, and in about 3 hours....I feel different. Very thankful that we flew. But Saturday morning as we walked into the airport and I looked around at all the many people who didn't meet my "okay to fly on a plane with" criteria..(nobody take this personal....if he weren't my husband Joe wouldn't even meet this criteria!) and heard all these different languages being spoken I was feeling anything but okay with getting on this plane with my 5 most prized possessions.

We checked all our bags, which was only 3 bags for all 6 of us! It was quite a feat for me to do but I somehow managed. Got checked through security and loaded up on the plane very fast and easily. It comes in quite handy at these times that Joe is a professional flyer and could probably do all this blind folded and with his hands tied...so throwing 4 kids and a "crazy wife who is just sure the plane is going to be hijacked" is nothing to him when it comes to flying. Well, we got settled on the plane....the girls on one side and the boys on the other. And the great thing about flying with 4 kids is that once I get on the plane.....locate all my "I am not so sure about them" people, and locate all my "he will definetly help defend us if something happens" people....I am so busy keeping up with everyone's question, needs, and nursing Emmie Jayne that I have little time to remember that I am scared to death.

































Josie was so excited about the flight and loved taking off. Owen and Joe were zoned into Angry Birds the whole flight,



Maggie colored another masterpiece,

















and Emmie Jayne hung out at her very favorite place pretty much the whole first flight. So the hour went really fast and very easy. We got to Atlanta and made it to our next flight just in time. We got seated on that flight...I nursed Emmie and she went right to sleep, adn we began to take off. Well, all of a sudden the plane slows down and we veer to the side and back to the loading area. Joe has a funny look and says, "I have never seen this happen." Turns out some light came on as we were taking off and they had to get it checked out. Well, fast forward nearly 2 hours later. We have been sitting on this plane, Josie at some point fell asleep on her arm rest,















Emmie Jayne was woken up by the ONE child behind me who's parents couldn't seem to control him (and he was Owen's age) and I am wanting to go talk with the mechanic to be sure that he fixed everything properly. We finally take off and get to Orlando, get our rental car and head to Cocoa Beach. We were so happy to get to our room and meet up with Mimi and Jaja that night. The extra set of hands was very much appreciated!