I guess you’re going to start to think that EVERY time I’m MIA around here it means I’m on vacation, or something? Could be true…we just got back from Kauai. Yep, that’s right, you heard me, Kauai, Hawaii – not Kauai, Idaho (is there a Kauai, Idaho?). We had a great time. Went to a beach almost every day, swam in a pool almost every day, and went running almost every day. August got over his fear of the ocean water and instead developed what I hope to be a life-long love. He better, anyhow, to keep up with his parents. And perhaps best of all, I finished two books in six days. I got my reading Mojo back. Can I get a woot-woot? (more…)
Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category
MIA again
May 18, 2012Cancun
April 24, 2012Sorry about the radio silence, but I have an excuse, sort of….I went to a wedding, by myself, in Cancun and just got back on Sunday night. I say “sort of” an excuse because I left Friday morning and I was back on Sunday night. So I wasn’t gone THAT long, certainly not long enough to make up for the fact that it’s been over a week since I’ve written. Lammo, I know, sorry…. (more…)
NYC Mom or SF Mom?
March 13, 2012August and I recently crashed my husband’s business trip to New York City. I used to live there several years ago, and pretty much ate and drank my way through the whole experience while living on less than 50k per year. Going back to New York City, now with a child, I was curious to see how different the City would feel to me. I was also curious to find out how moms get their kids around the city because I’m pretty sure they’re not driving everywhere like most moms seem to here.
I never even noticed that the City had playgrounds before this past weekend, and I never even considered going to a children’s museum. But these things were top of mind when I realized I would need to be entertaining August on my own on Friday afternoon. I have to admit I was actually excited to experience some new things in the City and all thanks to August.
We didn’t make it to a playground because it was WAY too cold, and I’m a wimp. But we did go to the Children’s Museum on the Upper West Side. Although I can’t imagine going there every day (a bit too hectic for my taste), and I’m fairly sure I would not choose to become a member there like we are at the Academy of Sciences, we did really enjoy ourselves. It’s basically 2.5 floors of toddler fun. August really enjoyed himself and of course the life-sized Bus and Fire Engine was a big hit.
We got to experience Grand Central Station through August’s eyes as well. Since he’s so in to trains, we thought bringing him there to troll the platforms would be fun, and it was. We got to briefly take him on a Metro North train, and although we didn’t get to show him what a crossing gate looks like in real life, he did get to see a nice long platform.
What really struck me was that it appeared most moms got around the city with strollers. I only saw moms wearing teeny tiny babies. I didn’t see one mom carrying a baby older than say nine months. But there we were carrying August in our Ergo the whole time. We had at least three New Yorkers stop us to ask about our carrier and how we liked it. What I don’t understand is does that mean these moms aren’t leaving their neighborhoods with their kids? Because I’ll tell you what getting on a Subway with a stroller is basically impossible. Unless you’re willing to carry it down at least three stories and travel only at 3am when the trains aren’t packed to the gills.
I’m sure August and I would have a great time if we lived in NYC instead of San Francisco, but our lives would be pretty different.
And the answer is “Not funny”!
March 12, 2012You’re not going to believe this, but after not knowing what was going to happen on our first red-eye trip with our two-year-old, pulling an all nighter was not one of the outcomes we were expecting. That’s right folks, our two-year-old literally did not sleep one freaking wink on our flight out to New York. Pretty amazing, actually. He wasn’t even really in a bad mood either. He did, however, fall asleep in the cab ride from the airport to the hotel. He also fell asleep for thirty minutes on our airplane ride home. (more…)
Getting to the Airport
February 9, 2012Today August and I are taking a quick jaunt down to LA to visit my parents. I’m taking advantage of my SAHM status and leaving on a Thursday afternoon instead of a Friday evening. What that means is that I’m travelling alone (with August) to the airport, sans car, sans taxi cab, sans motor scooter, sans teleporter, sans hubby and we’re taking mass transportation. Not a huge deal, since we do this every day, but I’ll be carrying August on my back in the Ergo, a backpack on my front, dragging a suitcase behind me, and carrying August’s new travel bed.
Our journey will go something like this:
1. Start to leave house at 11:30 because you never know how long it takes to get out of the house (our flight is at 2:30pm)
2. Walk five blocks like a pack-horse down to the bus stop
3. Pray that I’m able to get the bags onto the bus, or that someone will take mercy on me and help.(There are four VERY steep stairs to get on to the bus)
4. Ride the bus for about fifteen minutes with August still strapped to my back (and hopefully he won’t protest).
5. Transfer to a train. Luckily the train station has an elevator and an escalator, so no more stairs for me.
6. About twenty minutes later, exit the train at the airport. Ride another elevator or escalator to another train that will take us to our terminal.
7. Check in our luggage (with Zebra and Bunny “tucked in” inside the luggage, so cross your fingers no one loses our luggage between SFO and LA).
8. Go through security with August still on my back (if they let us), backpack still in tow, and our travel bed.
9. Finally remove August and let him walk around while we make our way to our gate.
I’m hoping for an on time take off because waiting around for a flight can be brutal. We’re riding on Southwest and we’re A26 and A27, so let’s cross our fingers that it’s not a full flight, and for the first time ever we get a row to ourselves (or at least a window seat because August doesn’t really enjoy sitting next to strangers). On the other end it should be a piece of cake because my parents are picking us up.
I’ll let you know how it all turns out, but let’s hope it all goes smoothly. I should take a picture though, I’m going to look absolutely ridiculous!
Day One: Pittsburgh
January 10, 2012My husband left today on his second business trip since he started working full-time in July, and he was very sad about missing out on August’s life over the next three days. Therefore, in a tribute to him (although this may bore some of you, and for that I apologize) I’m going to tell him about our day, every day, over the next three days. Enjoy! (more…)
Airport travel
October 19, 2011Tomorrow August and I are getting on an airplane to go down to visit my parents for the weekend. I have to own up to the fact that before now, every time we’re gone to the airport with August we’ve taken a cab or a car service. But tomorrow, I’m gonna do it, I’m going to take two trains to get to the airport. I figure I can’t write about being a Broke-Ass Mom without trying at least once by myself. The worst that can happen is that it’s horrible and impossible, and that will be my article for next week. (more…)
Texas
September 28, 2011Seventeen of us went out for lunch today at a seafood restaurant. We ordered shrimp cocktail and green beans for August because the kids menu was all fried catfish, fried chicken, or fried shrimp. Brent and I opted to share a shrimp Po-Boy sandwich. Our very nice, and might I add extremely competent waitress, offered to split our plate for us ahead of time. I always love it when restaurants offer to do this, somehow it seems like a treat. Anyhow, our Po-Boy arrived first and was placed in front of me. I looked up at Brent, after the waitress walked off, and said, “Oops, I guess she forgot to split our plate”. Next, they placed August’s shrimp cocktail in front of him, and I started to cut up the shrimp for him. Then his green beans arrived completely smothered in butter and oil. Well, there went that brilliant idea – so much for a healthy vegetable. The kids meals didn’t even have a choice of a vegetable, only french fries. About two minutes later the waitress places a plate in front of Brent that looks identical to my Po-Boy plate. I said to Brent, “Did she order us two portions?. Brent said, “Um, no, this is our shared plate”. (more…)
A high school reunion afterall
September 27, 2011A few months back, I wrote about avoiding a high school reunion (I say, “a” because I attended two high schools so there was a potential to attend two) in Houston, TX. I mentioned that I wasn’t sure what the point in attending was, and I’m still not sure. But I will admit, when the day of the reunion came, I was on Facebook jealously checking out photos of the people attending, and wondering whether I should have pushed Brent to go. In the end, I was glad we didn’t go. (more…)
