Our Island Adventure

Well, it's been over a week since we've been back from our brief weekend trip to Vancouver Island.  Our flight was to leave on Friday morning at 7am and so we thought we'd head up to Grande Prairie on Thursday, do some shopping and stay the night.  All went well on Thursday and we managed to get some Christmas shopping done too.  We were up at 5am to get the kids together and us to the airport on time.  We got there and the line up was huge!  It took us awhile to get our tickets and then Phil said goodbye as we went through security.  We got on the plane and everything was going well.  Taylor ate a little and fell asleep.  About half way through our short 43 minute flight Makayla got motion sick (all down the front of her sweater).  I managed to get her cleaned up and we landed shortly after that.  We packed all our stuff and headed to our next flight.  We had enough time to grab some drinks and a muffin at Timmy's, change a few diapers and got on the next flight.  The flight from Edmonton to Abbotsford was about an hour and a half.  The kids did great until we landed.  Makayla really did not enjoy the landing part and practically put holes in my arm by grabbing so hard.  As soon as the seat belt sign went off and everyone was standing up she started to cry.  I got her down and she just stood there and vomited all over the seat, the floor, Taylor and myself.  Thank goodness there was no one sitting by us and we were able to get our luggage, but I felt so bad for all the people who had to witness that.  One kind lady grabbed some clothes and cleaned up Mak while on of the flight attendants held Taylor.  Makayla was a little upset that someone else was holding Taylor, but I couldn't do it all.  My parents were there waiting so we got our luggage, grabbed fresh clothes, got everyone changed and got in the car to head to the ferry.  We made a quick stop at a drug store to get some children's Gravol and made our way to the ferry.  Oh, and when Makayla woke up that morning she had a fever... we were off to a great start!

We made our way to the ferry and had about an hour to chill.  We walked around, Grandpa bought Gelato and shared it with Makayla (that was about the only thing she'd eaten all day) and I managed to give her a little Gravol as I didn't know how she would take the boat ride.  She had fun on the boat as she saw lots of pictures of whales and dolphins.  We made it to the Island and got settled at this cute little cabin.  We then wen to my aunt's who lived just down the street and had a nice family dinner with some of my cousins and their kids and my grandma and aunts and uncles!  Too bad Makayla was still not feeling well.  She had a fever the whole weekend and was so clingy and I have never seen her cry so much and be so uncomfortable.  We sent my dad to the store for some Children's Tylenol.  Poor little thing.  We headed back to our cabin and got the kids bathed and in bed.

The next morning we got up, went back to my aunts house for breakfast.  Makayla was feeling a little better then and got a chance to play with her second cousins.  It was cute to watch them play and at the end of the weekend she was upset that we had to go and she couldn't play with her friends.  We then went to do some shopping which turned out to be a bust, but I did get a Starbucks coffee!!!  We grabbed some lunch and went back to the cabin to see if the kids would nap a little before we had to take off for the wedding.  Of course they didn't nap!  That meant I had super grumpy kids for the remainder of the day!  We went to the wedding and it was a very simple ceremony.  It was a small wedding and I'm really glad that we could go and support my cousin.  It was also great to see some family that I haven't seen for years.  My cousins took us to this cute little coffee shop and we hung out there for about an hour or so and then made our way to the reception.  Of course they were late starting and there were starving kids everywhere.  We ate, said our goodbyes and took the kids home.  They were foul!  Poor Makayla must have cried for about an hour - she was so hot and uncomfortable and Taylor was just over tired from not napping.  I'm so glad that my parents were there to help out - of course I wouldn't have gone if they weren't going to be there.  The kids went to bed and so did I!

We had to get up early the next morning to get to our ferry.  Seeing that it was the Remembrance Day long weekend the ferry's were really booked.  We managed to get booked on one and you don't want to miss your check in time.  So we got the kids up, grabbed some breakfast and headed out.  The kids did great on the ferry again and Makayla was sad to have to leave the boat with the whales and dolphins.  She also managed to find star fish and seals.  She still talks about the boat and the animals that she found on the boat.  I think I might have pushed the kids a little on the weekend with all that was going on.  We really wanted to do some shopping and we were going to be staying at my aunts house in Surrey so we found a place to have some lunch and then headed to Guilford Mall.  My cousin came and met us there and we walked around for about an hour.  Makayla was just not having any of it and screamed and cried for awhile, so we just gave up and went to my aunts house.  She was finally getting rid of her fever so we just went and chilled out there.  It was nice and relaxing.  It was great to see them and have a nice visit.

The next morning we were up early again to get to the airport on time and my parents were going to attempt the drive all the way to Terrace that day.  It takes about 14 hours with good weather and we could tell that morning that the weather was getting a little ugly.  We made it to the airport, said our goodbyes and got ready for our trip back home!!  I was able to get Makayla to take some Gravol (I love this stuff!) and she was tired and whiny from a busy weekend and lack of sleep.  We were going through security and I had Taylor in an umbrella stroller and the stroller had to go through the scanner.  So Makayla walked through security and I was trying to fold up the stroller and hold Taylor at the same time.  I asked the security lady if she could hold Taylor and she said, "I'm not allowed mame".  The lady behind me offered to hold him and I got my stuff together.  The same lady helped me with my stuff when we got to Edmonton.  They offered to help me all the way out, but I told them I had a connecting flight and I'd be ok - they were so sweet.  We got on the airplane and Makayla was a little apprehensive, "No airplane, mommy" she said.  We got up in the air and after a few whimpers Makayla made herself comfortable and fell asleep.  Taylor fell asleep too.  It was a peaceful trip.  We got off in Edmonton and grabbed some drinks and snacks and got on our last flight to Grande Prairie.  That was a short flight and Mak was still pretty mellow and she just watched tv and Taylor slept.  No messes!!!  It was a good flight.  Daddy was there to greet us when we got off the airplane.  It was snowing and the roads were pretty bad as we headed home.  The drive took awhile but both of the kids slept the whole way.  We got home in time for supper.  We ate and the kids went to bed.

What an adventure.  Of course when you travel by yourself with kids one of them is bound to be sick or have something happen.  We are still getting over whatever it was that Mak had that weekend.  Both of the kids have had runny noses and coughs (Makayla's being the worst) since we've been home.  Hopefully it will pass soon and we'll all be able to sleep through the night again!!  So that was our weekend Island Adventure.