getting started...

we started on vacay on the 20th of may.  i REALLY meant to update while i was gone.  (for d's sake at least!!)  but, i was lazy.  and didn't bring my computer.  and just VACATIONED!  it was wonderful...  

the kids and i flew overnight to ohio.  james and nora slept the WHOLE way to our layover in dc.  chris didn't.  he slept about an hour, then off and on all night.  mostly off.  then, we had a delay, but i had some tricks up my sleeve.  new crayons, etc.  and then a short jaunt to cleveland.  

once we were there, we had a whirlwind two days before james, nora and i drove to raleigh to visit my bfflmw (best friend for life no matter what!!!- we've known each other since 4th grade!).  chris got to fly down a few days later.  

laura with nora...  making flower necklaces!

we were at a dairy farm, and got ice cream.  made from the cows milk on the dairy farm.  good stuff!

my boy.  in all his 4 year old glory!

then we drove over to emerald isle.  and had a wonderful week...  this is what it looked like not long after we arrived!!!  pool.  solo cups.  family.  

this was monday.  memorial day.  james had been fighting something off and was just miserable at the beach.  but he didn't want to miss out.  (i took him to the er later that day, and he rallied by the next day to enjoy the rest of vacay!)

sweet girl getting buried in the sand!

looking for something to drink.  

it was every bit as fabulous as it looks!!  our pool was on the ground floor.  

relaxing!

we got back last night.  when we got to the airport, the kids and i were split up all over the plane.  so, i stood in line to ask the gate agent to move us together.  so, i was first in line when they announced they were oversold and needed bumpers.  i volunteered and we got $1500, upgraded to first class on one leg of the flight and $30 for food.  (in addition to $150 they had given us after our last flight for the delay!!)  we got an extra three hours, so we went out to breakfast, and loved being in first class.

for some reason, they couldn't get us together AGAIN for the second flight.  and no one wanted to trade so the two kids wouldn't be by themselves.  they wanted to sit next to two kids without their mother, who were crying at the thought, rather than move their seat!  unbelievable!  oh, and it also meant moving to the extra leg room aisle!  we finally got it worked out...

chris slept 12 hours last night!  and the other two were up at 3:30.  but they are in bed now...  here's hoping they adjust well!!!  more pics on the rest of vacation...