I realize I have yet to post about Christmas and all the festivities but since I am stuck in Longbeach -waiting to fly home I thought now would be a perfect time to blog our trip.
(Here is our five bright and early at the SLC airport)
We bought the kids carry-ons for Christmas and the promise of a trip. Since jB only flies to JKF and LGB from SLC - we went with LGB. Getting here was a piece of cake. Monday morning we got to the airport around 5:30 and got on the 6:30 flight. James and I and the oldest three all sat on the extra space exit row -sweet! Alex and Ry were up on row three with a lovely window seat. The plane was so nice. Our own TV's, a full can of soda and snacks. We loved it.
We were calling this our "trial and figure it out" trip. No expectations. No complaining. This was an experiment and a learning experience. And boy, are we learning.
First thing we learned? If you want to rent a car/van you better make a reservation in advance. There was NOTHING at the airport. We decided to call the recommended hotel and have them send the shuttle. Hotel Current. Good choice. The room was $69 (almost $80 with tax) and we got two room's. The girls in one and James and I and the boys in the other. The hotel will shuttle us anywhere in a 5 mile radius and we decided that was good enough for this trip. I think we paid close to $50 in tips for the shuttle as opposed to $110 a day for a mini van. Good call.
Monday we checked in to the hotel early enough to grab the free breakfast the hotel offers and then James and I took a nap. The boys crashed too. (I didn't sleep well, worrying about waking up at 4:30 and with our late night the night before - I was really tired.) The girls roller blade-ed and laid out by the pool. Then we took the shuttle to Seal Beach and walked down the pier to the very end.
We watched some surfers and found a deli to eat at. Nicks on Main Street. (About 4 blocks up from the pier?) It was very reasonably priced considering the menus prices we saw on the way there. I highly recommend the green chili burrito. So yummy.
We went to the beach and Rylee braved getting all the way in. Devree and Kambree got in but not all the way. Alex and Austin played in the sand.
We went home and showered and then James and I walked down the street a mile or so and picked up salads and bread for dinner from Ralphs (California's version of Smiths. Even my Smiths card worked there.) We were all pretty full from our lunch. We spent the night watching TV. Lame right? No. We NEVER watch TV at home. So it really was a vacation from the norm for us.
The next morning we needed to hang out until I could get us checked in for flight home tomorrow. So, we ate breakfast again at the hotel and played MOW (a card game Kambree learned in college).
We checked in for our flight online and then went to the beach again. We stopped and grabbed Subway's and went and rented a couple of wet suits, a boogie board and surf board. Yes, our shuttle driver took us everywhere! Great service.
It was too chilly for me. I will post pictures and you'll see the kids in their swimming suits and James and I in our jackets. The kids all used the boards and had a lot of fun. Next time we'll just get surf boards. Lot's more fun than the boggie board. AND we'll get everyone their own wet suit - or go when it's warmer - as trying to take them off and switch them getting sand all inside of them was crazy. Kambree and Devree made the switch and then Kambree just got in without one and Alex and Rylee did too. Austin kept his on the whole day as his was an extra large to share with James but James wasn't about to get in because it was so cold. Me either.
The seagulls KNEW our Subway bag and almost got away with a full sandwich while our backs were turned! Here is Austin with the seagull snacked on sandwich!
The kids were FREEZING!
That night we ordered in -Thai food - and again sat in front of the TV.
This morning we ate our THIRD complementary breakfast (we won't be eating waffles anytime soon) and then took the shuttle to the airport.I had checked the flight loads the night before and there were 23 open seats and we were #15-#21. Whew. We will be fine. Right? I decided to check one last time this morning and there were FOUR open seats and we had moved to somewhere like #22-#28. I couldn't believe it! I knew we had to get to the airport anyway in order to be rolled over to the next flight. We arrived at 9:30 am and sat. Here is a picture of the kids waiting for the first flight. At this point I have been told that they don't mind hanging out in airports, that it's pretty fun and feels a bit glamorous? Plus they each have assorted electronics to keep them occupied.
Right before the doors shut for the 11:17 flight - the one we were all hoping to get on - they offered me ONE seat so I sent James -with the idea that he could come and pick us up from the airport later? When we of course all get on the next flight?
Then we waited for the 2:40 flight. It didn't look very good. Again at the last minute they had ONE seat so I sent Devree - she has basketball practice and will have to run 24/7's if she misses.
Now five of us are just sitting here waiting for the 7:40 flight and it's not looking too good either. But if we leave we will not be rolled over to tomorrow mornings flight. So we will wait. Remember the happy children that didn't think sitting in the airport was too bad? Yeah, they're not loving it now. Austin is vying for the next seat home and Alex is right behind him but of course he's more passive/aggressive about it telling me, "I will go if you want me too." every time it's mentioned who should go next if only one seat is available. We're hoping the boys will get on and then we'll call our hotel and have them pick us up again, get a room, crash and get back to the airport tomorrow for the 8:40 flight. Ahhh the glamorous life of standby travel!
At least I don't work until Friday night and the four kids with me have nothing and nowhere they have to do and be. They're being troopers. I think we're going to have to drop some $$ at the restaurant here pretty soon. Something else to learn. BRING FOOD to the airport and keep it in MY carry-on instead of James - who left first!
FYI (The overpriced airport snack store will give a discount with jB ID, so will the restaurant upstairs but you have to leave the secure area and go back through security if you go there. We never made it there. But we did spend $10 on FOUR bottles of soda!)
Update:
We ended up not getting anyone on the 7:40 flight, went back to Hotel Current where they let all FIVE of us stay in one room - they even brought a roll away. We walked to a Mexican food place about a block away where I let everyone order anything they wanted (we were all starving) and spent $62 on food. The restaurant was closing so we took it to go, ate and went to bed. Got up early and ate WAFFLES again and then took the first shuttle to the airport.
We ALL got on the first flight - My big kids and I had the exit row and the two little's again had extra space seating up front.
The biggest pain the night before was finding our checked bag which was (and I'm not kidding) the size of a body bag. (It had Austin's longboard in it and the roller blades and eventually all our sandy towels and clothes.) We had to drag that back to the hotel with us. Wish they had sent it with James but it is nice to know that JB does a good job at keeping your bags with you when you don't get on the flight.
I would chalk this up to a success.
I was told NOT to travel over Christmas and did anyway and we were no worse for the wear!
Next trip.....JFK!!!
