What Summers Should Be

I braved the friendly skies with a two-year-old and two-month-old and made the three hour flight from St. Louis to Salt Lake City.  I'll be honest.  The thought of what disasters things could happen during a three-hour confinement with two small children kept me up at night.  Really.  I strategized for weeks about what I would take on the plane, how I would pack, whether I'd bring my stroller and/or Bjorn.  I was stressed.  But the flights were well worth it and went much better than I had expected.  Hallelujah!  

This trip to Utah is what I think many future summers will look like:  me flying with kids to spend some summertime with MaMom and Poppy.  And it's how summers should be spent, doing fun things, playing outside, eating ice cream and ending the day with a communal cousin bath.  

In the midst of my packing strategy and actually getting out the door, I forgot my camera.  Pictures via iPhone, so picture quality?  Sub par.  

{Pez is now a flight essential.} 

{Morning snacks}

{Playing in the cave after confiscating Aunt Liz's sunnies.}

{Visiting great-grandparents}

  

{Sandbox}

{Ice cream!}

{Communal bath}

History:  I walked in on my sister and her friends piercing their ears in our bathroom with ice and sewing needles when they were in high school.  Scarred me for life.  

Megan's ear piecing phase never made it past high school (thankfully!), so we finally convinced Megan to appropriately pierce her precious lobes.  We found the right place -- the mall -- and it was now the right time.    

{Lizzy and I were there for moral support.}

{You may punch me for posting this picture.}

{This is what happens when you spend too much time in Icing or Claire's or whatever it's called.  I may regret this photo later.  Now we're equal.}

We had such a fun trip.  So much fun we were worn out by the end.  I learned that lugging a car seat through the airport is well worth the inconvenience in order to be able to harness your child into his seat. He was asleep before we even took off and slept more than half of the flight.  His sleepiness was much appreciated, particularly because I was sandwiched between him and a 300+ pound man, which left little wiggle room.