We try so hard and sacrifice so much to try not to spend money. One sacrifice I feel like I am asked to make on a regular basis is my sanity!!!! In order to fly home for Rebecca's wedding we booked cheap flights AKA red eye flights with a layover. Sure my kids are frequent flyer's, but over night? With a layover? And a 1:3 adult/ child ratio (Eric had to work but flew out later)? Crazy and I never want to do it again!!!! Here's how it all went down!
Eris drops us off at the airport, we get everything through the bag check, get our tickets, take the girls potty. Coming out of the bathroom Eric says "You're not going to like me..."(he was the one who booked the flights). I love him, but he was right, for a short time I did not like him. We had a 35 minute layover in Atlanta and our first flight just flashed a "Delayed" across the departure screen with a new departure time 30 minutes later than scheduled. For sure I was going to miss our connecting flight. But if I didn't get on the first flight I would forfeit everything. So I put on my brave face and pushed the girls through security. Thankfully Eric was able to "Escort" us to the gate (ask for an escort pass at the ticketing counter!) which was a huge relief for me!
First flight- Awesome attendants! One of the ladies occupied my girls by letting them help pass out head phones and collect trash. They loved all the attention and I loved the peace a quiet! Then the girls fell asleep and it was a disaster trying to get them off the plane which was in the WRONG gate from our expectations.
Second flight- WE MISSED IT!!!!!! We may have made it if the first flight left on time and was in the gate it was supposed to be and if the First class passengers would have MOVED THEIR SORRY BUTTS FASTER!!!!! Seriously, there's a hundred more passengers that need to get off the plane too! I felt so bad for Kallyn! Imagine me pushing a double stroller with a sleeping Allison and our rolling carry-on, Kallyn trying to stay close without getting ran over, me with the heavy/bulky laptop backpack on my back and 3 month old Brielle wrapped on my front, all running around the airport terminals. We get to the counter with 10 minutes before the departure time only the gate has already closed and there are 5 others waiting at the counter with frustration written on their faces. There were 3 other guys running behind me and then came a family of 4 hustling over out of breath!! Kallyn tells me "But I ran the whole way!" She was so sad I couldn't help but cry myself! I would think that with so many people they'd have held the flight! And here's the salt- after we all got our new flight arrangements THE PLANE WAS STILL THERE!!!!WAIT!
There's more! The attendant at the counter gave us vouchers for the Sheraton Hotel. So I gather myself together and brave the world outside of the Atlantic Airport. We had to walk a bit to get to the Airport shuttle station which was a ZOO! I guess there was more than one flight that was missed! The first shuttle we saw leave was the one we needed-it was PACKED. I pushed my way through the crowd and over to the other side where the shuttles first drive through so I could see where to expect the next Shuttle. After 20 minutes of waiting (remember this is at 12 midnight with three little ones that need their sleep more than mommies do) we finally see the Sheraton shuttle turn the corner. I hope and pray that it will stop in front of me so I don't have to run through the zoo of people. It pulled up two spots away and we were first in line to climb on. The sweet old guy that was driving wouldn't let me pick up the carry-on case or the stroller! What a gentleman. I was thinking "I can do this, I can do this!" Then when we got to the Sheraton it was full! Not a single room available!! Is it time to freakout yet? So then it's pushing 1 AM no where to go, hungry, and we booked the later flight the next day instead of the early flight so the girls could sleep in a bit. The sweet driver put me back on the shuttle and drove me the the Westin Inn and told them to take care of me. So away we go from a 3 Star to a 4 Star hotel! All on Delta's expense for not holding the plane! And they wonder why they're not making any money! So we get to this amazingly beautiful palace of a hotel where there is a wedding/ "Ball" going on and the girls are mesmerized with the fancy gowns and the glass elevator we take to get to our room. Kallyn zonks out almost immediately as does Brielle, but Allison was to wound up from all the stress of braving the world of travel without our prince charming. So I put Josh Groban on my Zen and I fall asleep while Allison falls in love with "Josh". I had packed PJ clothes and our night time favs for the trip in our carry on, however, I didn't want to mess with the whole 4 ozs liquid rule and so I left my toiletries in the other suitcases. Did you know that Contact solution costs $8 and does NOT come with a case? But toothbrushes and toothpaste is complimentary! So I had to make due with what I could find!
We wake up, order room service for breakfast, and head back off to the airport, fly to AZ, our bags were already waiting for us as well as my mom and dad!
Remind me to never travel at night with kids ever again!!!!
