Vacation bloopers

Now that we are home - I thought it would be fun to share some things that always happen when the Pletchers go on vacation.

We didn't have too many - which was kind of shocking -  but we had a few.

The first night in our London apartment - Arlington pulled the curtain rod down when she slipped getting into the shower.  She grabbed for the shower curtain and the whole thing came crashing down.  Luckily we were able to repair it.

Cainan and I got lost in Notting Hill.  We were looking at a store while Mat and the girls went off to buy something.  I started after him to see if I could catch up with him, but somehow we lost each other and spent a good 20 minutes before I located them.  That is what happens when you only have one working cell phone internationally folks.

Cainan thew up on the car ride from the London apartment to the train station before we left for Paris.  It was a really bumpy car ride with lots of stopping and starting, so we should have known it was coming.  I gave him something for car sickness before we left, but it didn't work.  Not only did he throw up all over himself, he threw up all over the car seats.  Luckily I had a roll of toilet paper in the suit case, and I was able to clean him up (and the seat) fairly well and we had our luggage, so I was able to change him.  But it was crazy.  We gave the driver 30 extra Pounds for his troubles.

Cainan broke a glass at one of the restaurants.  Apparently, they don't believe in plastic wear here in Europe for kids.  We always had either wine glasses or regular glasses, and he just bumped one and off it went.  He started to cry and the waiter brought him a bowl of ice cream to make him feel better, but we left a big tip because of it.  It hit the cobble stone ground and just shattered.

Cainan spilled a glass of orange juice all over the table and himself.  (poor Cainan he is getting a bad rap here - and he is the good one!)   It was an accident - he was reaching across to get a fork and over it went.

Our bank card never did work.  We have two (thank goodness) different banks, and one was fine, but our long term bank - NOPE.  I had set it up before we left, talked to them about being gone overseas, got everything we needed......except the new pin number.  We assumed it would be the SAME pin number we have always had - for the 10 years we have had the card - but NOOOOOOO......new card, new pin.  Sigh.  And when we CALLED them to find out what it was - they couldn't tell us over the phone - it could only come by mail.  Super helpful when we are.......um.......OUT of town.  Luckily we had our other bank card AND we had taken out money before we left the US - so we were fine.  But what a pain.

Mat and I got separated in the subway station in Paris.  One of his subway passes had been giving him some trouble, and he couldn't get through.  So he had to go and find another entrance to buy a new ticket.  He told us to meet him and what I heard was "on the platform".  We had to exit and re-enter, but we ended up on a different platform.  It wasn't a big deal - I knew where we were going - but he wasn't there.  So we assumed he had gone back to the apartment thinking that is what we had done - so we got on the subway and went home.  Nope - he wasn't there.  He was still searching for us back where we got on!  Poor guy was frantic.  But I never saw him - it was really crowded.  But all was well, and I was pretty proud that I got myself and the three kids back to the apartment alone.

Arlington got a big scratch on her head when she walked into a sign she didn't see.

I got a huge bruise and bump on my forehead when I hit myself with the camera taking it off from around my neck one of the days.  We were hurrying and it just wacked me right in the head.  Still hurts today and it happened probably 5 days ago.

Finley got stuck in countless bathrooms.  She had a hard time figuring out the locks, and I would spend several minutes on the other side talking her through it.  After awhile, I started just going in with her because I couldn't take it any more.

Finley closed the handle of her little rolling suitcase right on her arm and pinched her skin and it left a mark.  That wasn't pretty.

I actually think that is it!  Not bad for us.  We didn't lose any kids, we didn't lose any luggage or important papers, and my green binder was GENIUS.  Genius, people. :)