I'm SO excited to be visiting the Royal Ketchups next month! I'll be in California from July 15-22, and we're doing all kinds of fun stuff, like visiting Disneyland, and the museum, and IKEA, and the beach, and the pool, and the park, and the thrift store and and and...
I hope we can spend a bit of time with some of the other 'Rackers in the area. Maybe an afternoon at the park, or meetup for dinner, or something. I'm open to about anything, just so long as it's a kid-friendly environment...
Yeah, I'm going, sans husband, with all four kids in tow. I'll be flying for the first time in 15 years, and it'll be with an infant, a pre-schooler, and 10- and 11-year-olds. Besides stocking the diaper bag up like crazy, and making sure all the older kids have plenty of activities and snacks, is there anything I need to know? Tricks to make it easier? Will there be any way to charge the Nintendo DS in-flight?
::bounce, bounce, bounce::
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Laptop and a movie?
Oh, and hey Rivka, can we come to your house? Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: Oh, and hey Rivka, can we come to your house?
Of course. Did we want to hit a kosher pizza place, or Chick'n Chow, or somewhere?
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Sure. I prefer Chick'n Chow to kosher pizza...
Though we're trying to do this on the cheap as much as possible. It might be cheaper to all hit the store and pick out a meal together and cook it under your supervision. The kids could play in the living room while we made something easy and chatted.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
(Plus, that would be EDUCATIONAL. A big plus to a couple of homeschoolers. )
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Um, I'm working all summer (except when I'm out of town). When were you thinking of doing this?
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Some weeknight. We could meet you at a store in your neighborhood? Something real fast is what I was thinking. Or if you wanted to do something on a Sunday, we'll bring drinks or something.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
(We'll have a van rented for all the kidlings to fit in one vehicle, so we can meet you right as soon as you get off work.)
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
(And any day that's good for you is good for us. Nothing in our schedule is set in stone, though Jeff will have to request off the day we go to Disneyland soon 'cause we are NOT doing that without another adult.)
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
(And if that's really too much for you just say so and we'll eat pizza. We'll still bring drinks.)
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: (And if that's really too much for you just say so and we'll eat pizza. We'll still bring drinks.)
Well, let's see how I feel closer to then. The last two weeks at work were horrific, and today was just the capper. But right now, pizza sure sounds like a winner! Posted by Jestak (Member # 5952) on :
I just drove 9+ hours with my family (wife, 11, 8, 2, and 8 month old) to Glacier Park. Some things I would reccomend are: Buy each child a disposable camera (my 2 older boys have a digital camera, and my 2 year old daughter ended up using mine most of the time, but it was a good time filler). Let them make a document of their journey, help them to take "good" pictures. Buy a child's atlas of California that has neat facts and such for the older ones. If at all possible, use a stroller for the younger ones. I have a double stroller and it is invaluable to keep the younger ones contained. No markers, or sticky drinks, they will end up where you don't want them. I guess the biggest thing, I think, is to have the same (or very similar) thing for each of the 3 older children. If they are at all like mine, the preschooler will want everything the 10 year old wants and the 10 year old will want everything the 11 year old has. Also, headphones and an MP3 player for yourself. Eventually, you will want to drown out the noise... Good luck
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Then you have to remember that my older two are at the age when they want everything the same, too. And all the kids will be together all week.
Luckily, they get along, and take disappointment pretty well.
And yeah, we'll have 2 doubles or a double and a single with us everywhere we go, no worries there. Plus we both have slings. And I have a wagon, too, a 2-seater.
Posted by Mama Squirrel (Member # 4155) on :
We could probably do something on the 19th or 20th. Weeknights don't generally work for us with the distance.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
We are totally open the 19th; the 20th we could do something in the afternoon/evening as long as it wasn't going out anywhere (just someone's house.)
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
The 20th is a fast day for me.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
We could do something during the week with you, rivka, and something separate with the Meeses, if necessary.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Yup. Only problem is I miss seeing the Meese, but what can you do?
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Yeah. If you can't do Sat. or Sun. and those are the only days they can do... I don't see a solution to that. We'll just have to make sure to shinda some time in the next few months.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: We'll just have to make sure to shinda some time in the next few months.
Yay! Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
When we do I bet I can even talk KPC into a cake from Delice...
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
rivka and Mama, e-mailed you.
Posted by Lostinspace (Member # 11633) on :
Ok I just got to say I love how IKEA is a tourist attraction! Sorry I just found that funny!
Posted by Lostinspace (Member # 11633) on :
Oh and just a type...take gum on the flight for the kids. It helps to pop the ears on take off and landing. At least it does for me! And I know kids can get cranky over the ear popping thing. Otherwise the plugging the nose and blowing works too!
Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :
Yep, bought gum at the store today, along with some crackery-type snacks for the plane ride(s) down. Less than a week to go! I'm so excited!
:bounce, bounce, bounce:
(sent you an email, kq)
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Wrote you back!
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
So far the schedule goes thusly:
Thursday the 17th, Santa Monica Pier (everyone but KPC) Thursday night, Boonlings and Ketchups (minus KPC) to rivka's place, pizza Saturday 19th, afternoon (2-ish), Meeses to Ketchup Palace ( ) for playing in the pool and munchies Monday the 21st, Boonlings and all Ketchups to Disneyland.
We are planning a trip to Palm Springs as well one day, but don't yet know which day. And will be at IKEA and the Glendale Galleria at some point (I have GymBucks and Boon has a cute new baby. )
If anyone else wants to meet us at any point in there, now is the time to say so. Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Unfortunately my trip takes me to week before Boon's trip. It'd probably be easier for you folks if you missed Tiffany and I this year.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Oh yeah! When are you gonna be here? This weekend?
Posted by brojack17 (Member # 9189) on :
Don't forget to go to Pie n Burger. Don't try to put Pine Burger into your GPS, you'll never find it.
I hope Boon and all the Boonlings have fun. I wanted to visit again with the ketchups and Rivka while I was in LA last month, but knew I wouldn't have the time.
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
KQ: I'll arrive at San Diego August 2nd in the evening. We should be there until the 4th or 5th. Then we drive to LA from the 5th to the 9th, and then drive back to Utah on the 10th.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Oh. Then your trip is after Boon's. She's coming this week. Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Right right, I just can't summon the gumption to insist that you Socaltrackers visit every single one of us that grazes your borders.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Well. We were planning to shinda sometime when rivka and the Meeses can all be there anyway. We might as well see if we can do it while you're here.
Why don't you start a thread announcing when you'll be in L.A. and asking if we'll throw you a shinda?
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
I did, Rivka is going to be in the holy land during that time unfortunately.
I'm sure Boon will be way more exciting than little ol' me and the Mrs.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Oh yeah. Well, we Ketchups will still see you, if you have time for us in your itinerary. (We can feed you or something. And we've got a pool...)
Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
I definitely want to see you folks, the tough thing is this time around I am will not be totally sure when I'll have a free day that week until I actually get to LA. I imagine KPC has a pretty unbending schedule no?
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Well, if you want to come to dinner at our house that's easy. He gets home at 6:30. Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Will the Moose family be there?
edit: Or rather will they be in town and is 6:00ish a good time for them?
Posted by Mama Squirrel (Member # 4155) on :
We are driving down to San Diego on the 8th (stopping in Palm Springs to pass one of the children on to my mother). At this time I can't tell if any of the evenings (5th-7th) would work for us. Feel free to plan without us and if we can make it we will.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Yeah, I'm happy not to make firm plans. Just let me know if you want to get together; my e-mail's in my profile. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Squee!
We're getting ready to go, first to storage to grab the infant seat base, then to the rental car place to get the van and get everything installed, and then to the airport to pick them up!!!
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
She's here and you're not.
(We're enjoying ourselves, if you couldn't tell. )
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Boon is back home and now I'm missing her.
It was so weird to look back in the car and not see 7 kids!
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Did we want to hit a kosher pizza place, or Chick'n Chow, or somewhere?
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)