Something on the Books

I was reminded of my own lack of blogging when I read a friend's recent post. And while I can't promise weekly, monthly, or even bi-monthly posts, I do promise to never give it up entirely. One thing I need to start doing again is jotting down my notes of conversations, funny goings on, and funny quotes so when I do have time to write, my material is at the ready.

Most recently I was just sharing this story with a friend and co-worker, and realized how much I miss sharing these funny "isms" from my kids. Social media is great for keeping up on family, friends, and friends' kids, but those photos and funny tidbits aren't quite captured there.
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We have always been people who like to have "something on the books." We have vacation goals, and general plans, for the next few years with kids, and it's so great to book something and start thinking ahead to (in this case), the salt, sand, chlorine, and sun.

Last week, Jason and I booked our summer trip...a long overdue return to Naples. My parents bought there 14-some years ago. Most years we were averaging 2-3 trips down, but then everyone started having babies, getting married, and life got in the way of getting to our home away from home.

So, flights booked. This will be Leo's first trip to Naples, Scarlet's second or third, and Emerson's fifth or sixth.

After booking flights, Jason, at dinner, decided he was going to tell the kids. We are generally very honest with our kids. And I've always said my honesty is my greatest strength, and weakness. I am the one, though, who is usually pushing back on premature info sharing with kids. Not because they can't handle the information, but because they can't handle the amount of time between now and then.

August. We're going in August. It's February. That's eons away for kids, especially a precocious three year old. Since Jason shared our trip plans, and that we're going on a plane, a few of the 514 questions we've received from Scarlet, include:

• Who's going to live at our house while we're gone?
• Can I bring my My Little Pony and her brush on the plane?
• Can I pick out my outfit for the plane?
• In the morning, are we going on the plane?
• Where will I go to school in Florida?
• Where will Grover live?
• Where am I going to sleep?
• What does our new house look like?
• Will my toys be at our new house?

Because we've been there before, because we refer to it as the Naples house (as in Poppy's Naples house), and because we've driven our vacations for as long as Scarlet can remember (Hilton Head trips, Tennessee, Destin, etc.), getting on a plane is apparently a life-changing event. Life changing, as in we are relocating. Forever.

I can deal with the questions...because, at least we have something on the books!

This was during one of Emerson's first trips to Naples. Ready to take flight...