Packing
We are going to go on our vacation to Florida and hope that Ivan stays away. Rob talked to the condo association and they said that everything was fine there. And Annalise posted in my comments down below that things had pretty much returned to normal there (Thank-you Annalise!!!).
So now I pack.
I am sure I don't have to tell anyone with children what a chore packing for a trip of any length is. It is just that when you have a ton of kids, it becomes a chore of epic proportions.
Make a list. Walk around the house gathering up everything we need. Containerize (is that a verb?) all the crap. Put it all into the van, where you hope that the things you need on the trip are accessible. And during all this explain to the kids over and over and over again why they cannot bring some huge thing or bag of things they insist they need.
Explain to 3 yr old that popsicles are not a good thing to pack for a snack in the car. Explain the difference between a COOL-er and a FREEZE-r, but such distinctions are lost on him. As he tantrums be silently thankful that he is only 3 and has a rather short attention span and will hopefully soon begin tantruming about something more reasonable. Alternately hope he is stricken with laryngitis.
Tell 8 yr old no he may not bring that.
No. No. No...
No. No you may not.
No.
No.
I said no.
No ...
Oh just put it in the damn van.
Overhear him tell another child that if you just keep asking she will say yes. Stop what I am doing and go over to the 8 yr old and tell him that it would be in his best interest to at least *pretend* along with me that I am in charge.
Inform children that the adults on the trip will have a turn to pick what music they want to listen to also. Have 9yr old tell me 'you always do what you want and it isn't fair'. Fall to floor convulsing with hysterical laughter. After I recover remind 9 yr old that we are going to DISNEY WORLD, not a European tour of gothic architecture.
Try to find all freezer pack ice thingies (surely they have a name?) and put them in the frezer.
Put my own clothes in the washing machine before I pack them. I don't have very many maternity clothes so I need all of them clean.
Look for umbrellas. Wonder if we own umbrellas. Ponder the fact that most normal people probably own a few.
Tell children to stop stomping in puddles and then walking all over the van seats with wet muddy feet. Yes I know the van is going to get dirty, but how about we at least try to keep it clean before we leave.
Ditto for muddy feet on the front porch.
Ditto again for muddy feet in the foyer.
Yes, that goes for hands too.
KEEP ALL BODY PARTS OUT OF THE MUDDY RAIN WATER!!!
Try to explain to 1 yr old why she can not unpack everything. Put a pillow under her head as she bangs it on the floor tantruming. repeat scenario several times.
During all this question own sanity.
Have 3yr old and 1 yr old tantruming at the same time.
Question will to live.
Finally get everything packed in the van or staged in the foyer to put into the van.
Flop down on couch.
Have the phone ring and husband ask 'so,what are you doing?'
Answer, 'not a damn thing'
So now I pack.
I am sure I don't have to tell anyone with children what a chore packing for a trip of any length is. It is just that when you have a ton of kids, it becomes a chore of epic proportions.
Make a list. Walk around the house gathering up everything we need. Containerize (is that a verb?) all the crap. Put it all into the van, where you hope that the things you need on the trip are accessible. And during all this explain to the kids over and over and over again why they cannot bring some huge thing or bag of things they insist they need.
Explain to 3 yr old that popsicles are not a good thing to pack for a snack in the car. Explain the difference between a COOL-er and a FREEZE-r, but such distinctions are lost on him. As he tantrums be silently thankful that he is only 3 and has a rather short attention span and will hopefully soon begin tantruming about something more reasonable. Alternately hope he is stricken with laryngitis.
Tell 8 yr old no he may not bring that.
No. No. No...
No. No you may not.
No.
No.
I said no.
No ...
Oh just put it in the damn van.
Overhear him tell another child that if you just keep asking she will say yes. Stop what I am doing and go over to the 8 yr old and tell him that it would be in his best interest to at least *pretend* along with me that I am in charge.
Inform children that the adults on the trip will have a turn to pick what music they want to listen to also. Have 9yr old tell me 'you always do what you want and it isn't fair'. Fall to floor convulsing with hysterical laughter. After I recover remind 9 yr old that we are going to DISNEY WORLD, not a European tour of gothic architecture.
Try to find all freezer pack ice thingies (surely they have a name?) and put them in the frezer.
Put my own clothes in the washing machine before I pack them. I don't have very many maternity clothes so I need all of them clean.
Look for umbrellas. Wonder if we own umbrellas. Ponder the fact that most normal people probably own a few.
Tell children to stop stomping in puddles and then walking all over the van seats with wet muddy feet. Yes I know the van is going to get dirty, but how about we at least try to keep it clean before we leave.
Ditto for muddy feet on the front porch.
Ditto again for muddy feet in the foyer.
Yes, that goes for hands too.
KEEP ALL BODY PARTS OUT OF THE MUDDY RAIN WATER!!!
Try to explain to 1 yr old why she can not unpack everything. Put a pillow under her head as she bangs it on the floor tantruming. repeat scenario several times.
During all this question own sanity.
Have 3yr old and 1 yr old tantruming at the same time.
Question will to live.
Finally get everything packed in the van or staged in the foyer to put into the van.
Flop down on couch.
Have the phone ring and husband ask 'so,what are you doing?'
Answer, 'not a damn thing'
1 Comments:
Aaahh! The best thing about vacationing, is the packing and unpacking..
Have a safe and wonderful trip.
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