At the beginning of August we were able to go on one last trip before school started, to visit Aunt Karrie, and see her new house. Daddy didn't get to join us, because he had to work but Mimi, Kegan, Parker and I got to go. Mimi came in town on Wednesday early afternoon, we were able to go visit my friend Courtney's new baby and get some shopping in before leaving town.
The Stelmazewski Family lovin' on baby Grace!
Thursday morning, we got up and headed to the airport. We got coffee and donuts and boarded the plane according to plan. We arrived in Newark, NJ about 2:15, our short flight to Albany (where Aunt Karrie lives) was scheduled to leave at 4:15. I started getting emails saying that our flight was delayed and our gate was changed. After 4 delays and 3 gate changes our flight GOT CANCELLED! I had never had a flight cancelled before, especially with 2 tired kids who just couldn't wait to see Aunt Karrie. Parker had a full on melt down, crying on the floor because she "just wanted Aunt Karrie." After assessing the situation we agreed the best plan would be to ride a train to Albany. We went to find out about our bags, they told us that they were already on their way to Albany and were most definitely NOT in Newark. So about 8:50pm we head out to get to our train. This Texas girl has not ridden many trains in her life (not even one that I can think of?!) Long story short, the first train we were on was the wrong one, we were supposed to be on Amtrak and we were on New Jersey Transit. Luckily, we figured that out pretty quickly and were able to get off on the first stop and try again. After two additional train rides we got to Albany at 2:20 a.m. (thanks Uncle Kevin for picking us up even though he had to work the next day!) Uncle Kevin even looked up the closest 24hr Wal-Mart to his house so we could stop and buy tooth brushes and other necessities, since we didn't have luggage. Well right on track with perfect day, we pull up to the 24hr Wal-Mart at 2:45am and there is a big sign on the door that said, "we will be closed from 2a.m.-5a.m. tonight" Of Course! We went to CVS (Spent twice as much as we would have at Wal-Mart) and then to Aunt Karrie's house to go to sleep!
airport with Mimi
We only get donuts on special occasions in the Stelmazewski Family!Parker only eats the frosting and sprinkles off hers. Kegan went all in with the Oreo Donut filled with frosting...Gag!
Ready for Take-off (when the day was going as planned)
Parker happy in the airport!
Parker crying beacsue she just wants aunt Karrie!
Train station...Kegan is super excited about the whole adventure!
Parker HATED the loud noises of the train.
Another first..Grape Crush Soda....gag again!
Kegan claimed he was going to stay up ALL NIGHT, but finally on the train, he gave in to sleep!
Parker had no trouble sleeping on the train
After a short night sleep, breakfast in Aunt Karrie's beautiful kitchen! Luckily, Aunt Karrie works for a bank so she has LOTS of Trustco Bank shirts for us to sleep in. We didn't get our luggage untill Saturday about 4 pm.
LOVE Uncle Kevin
Kegan was so in love with the basement. And climbing.
And Uncle Kevin's workout rings (fresh off the Olympics, which Kegan was obsessed with watching)
Parker sporting Aunt Karrie's shirt!
After finally getting our luggage, we went to the Saratoga Race Track and introduced K & P to the thrill of gambling! Kegan loved it when he was winning and hated it when he was losing!
He especially hated it when the 3 horses Parker picked to to show got first, second, and third place!
Kegan and Parker's all time favorite thing to do in New York is to go to the Saratoga bowling alley, where they have a huge ball play house, bumper cars and oh yeah bowling.
The next day, we got up bright and early, to go to New York City. Aunt Karrie (conveniently) had a work family day trip to the city. So we were able to ride on nice charter bus with a DVD player!
Once we got to the city, the girls and boys split up. The boys went to FOA swartz and then went to lunch.
On the way to the Giant American Girl store, Parker got to ride in a Taxi for the first time!
Aunt Karrie bought Parker her first American girl doll that looks a lot like her!
Mimi bought her some fun new clothes and accessories for her doll!
Next, we went to the Broadway musical Spiderman Turn off the Dark. the show was SO GOOD!
a few pics in the park before heading back to Albany
seriously, how blessed am I with these two??
Making S'mores in Aunt Karrie's backyard. Picture is very blurry because my camera was a different setting and I couldn't figure out what was wrong for a very long time!
Parker wanted her hair and lil' Parker's hair fixed the same. (Kyle thinks it is creepy when the girl and the doll look alike!)
One day, we went to the Six Flags Amusement Park, The Great Escape!
watching a magic show after lunch
Mommy forgot to pack Parker's bathing suit so she had to wear her dress in the water...oops!
cold after the water park...wearing Aunt Karrie's jacket
The Canyon Blaster, their favorite ride (roller coaster) of the day!
Back to the bowling alley!
Getting back home
from New York was just as challenging as getting there. Our flight was delayed
several hours but that was ok because we had a 3 hour layover in Chicago. Our
flight from Chicago to Dallas was scheduled to leave at 9:23, we landed in
Chicago at 9:20. We hurried off the plane and they told us we were changed to a
different airline, of course it was also a different terminal. We hurried
ourselves across the airport just to find out that the flight had been delayed
until 12:50 am! At 11:12 we found out we were not booked on the 12:50 flight!
But since it was such a late flight there were plenty of seats on the flight
and we were able to get on it BUT of course that means our luggage would not be
on that flight! Daddy drove to the Dallas airport an hour early to find our
luggage! He picked us up and we got home at about 3:30...Daddy had to work the
next day and Mimi had to go BACK to the airport to get on her flight to go back
home! I am pretty much done with flying for a while!!
Parker was a great flyer (on the first flight)
sitting in the airport WAITING....we got very good at WAITING
Again Kegan excited about the adventure. AND the later into the night the adventure, the better in his book.
still waiting in the airport
He couldn't stay awake any longer!
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