Blog Has Moved!

Hey everyone, we've moved our blog over to a new platform - you can find us at our own domain here:

www.nomadicsimplicity.com

Any future posts will be made at the above address, bookmark it for reference!

Thanks :)

New Table: Part I

The motorhome did not come with a dining area or table or any kind of useful surface. That really left it up to our imagination as to what we wanted for our family. I went through dozens of ideas of my own as well as pouring over photos of other table remodels people have done before we decided on a winner.

Before: No table behind passenger chair, just carpet. Fridge is on right reflecting old sofa-bed behind driver's chair.

My dad pulled out the old hardwood floor that was in the kitchen area and built a half wall that will help support the table. I took inspiration from this family's website who needed to be able to seat 6 at their table. We're using unfinished upper cabinets, that will be painted to match, as the seating bench. The table is built much like the bed/sofa frame but with a decoupaged map on the top. I had been trying to decide where to incorporate the map feature and thoughts of putting it on the wall in the bathroom flitted in and out of my head, but I think the table is a better place.

 I took a few liberties with the world in order to have everything fit nicely on the table top, but I kept the latitude lines so if someone wants to get picky they can re-align the latitudes and figure out where Australia really is.
Decoupaging this baby was a nightmare! I wouldn't recommend it. In theory it seems easy...until you apply the glue. At which point the whole map stretches, in all directions. Gah! I even cut the thing in half at the last minute so it wasn't so unwieldy. Then it bubbles, a lot. After you've smooshed down all the bubbles with pins and spoons (great burnishing tool!) and you apply the first coat of poly, it bubbles up all over again! This is SO not cool. I don't know how people decoupage an entire wall!

 

Wretched bubbles!

To be continued...

Labor Day

There aren't too many kids in the neighborhood. Actually, I haven't seen any. But the neighbors have grandkids who stay with them occasionally so we arranged to have the kids meet. They met first a couple of weeks ago and seemed to get along well, so this time we invited them over for swimming, homemade pizza and a movie. Jitterbug is 10 and full of energy; she got along well with both Mr. S and  Divagirl. Coolcat is 13 and pretty quiet; he and Mr. T got along well.

The 3 youngers watched the movie E.T. while the oldest boys played xbox. It worked out quite well. And when the movie was finished, Jitterbug made Divagirl her pet cat and Divagirl couldn't have been more thrilled! She finally had someone who would play imaginatively with her.

We definitely need to do this again. :)

Tropical Storm Isaac Update

Evidently Isaac decided to follow the European model and not hit much of FL (besides the Keys) at all. Good for us, potentially devastating for Louisiana if it does land there. The up side is that Tampa is pretty much unaffected so I plan to skate on Thursday.

The boys are making great strides on their piano lessons! They are working on Fur Elise and some Christmas songs (thinking ahead) and have nearly mastered Ode to Joy as you can see in the video.

Divagirl has completed her Reading Lesson textbook with flying colors which puts her at a 3rd grade reading level. I am so proud of her! She's just picked up the first of the Boxcar Children books and will hardly put it down. Unless its to play Presidents vs Aliens on the ipad... its pretty addicting. I feel confident in saying that she no longer has any reading issues.

I figured out the ordering issues I had with Am@zon and I do have to commend them, if the books ship from KY we get the shipment the very next day. Amazing! I found some delightful books I plan to use for history with Divagirl (now that she's a reader) entitled "...If You Lived With_____". Its a whole series and I got several on Native American life in different regions as well as Colonial times and Revolutionary life. They are very informative and will hopefully bring American history to life for her.

Hurricane Isaac

With the possibility of Hurricane Isaac passing through and causing rain, wind and flooding along the coastline from Miami to Louisiana we've been battening down the hatches for potential external flying hazards. We should be perfectly fine here even if we lose power since we have a well and a generator and enough food for an apocalypse. It does mean, however, that I most likely won't get to skate this week since Tampa may or may not get hit hard depending on whether or not the American model or European model for storm tracking is correct.

Either way we've been getting lots more accomplished on the RV since the weather has finally been rain-free and beautiful for the last couple of days. I'm sure our days are limited though for this week which adds a bit of pressure to the mix. I'm not keen on pressure. Up next we need to install the carpet in the cockpit area.

Next week officially starts our full schedule of lessons for the kiddos. We've been in the swing of things for a month now but only in limited subjects: Reading, Cursive, Writing for the older boys, Music, Art, History and Mine Craft. Oh wait, Mine Craft isn't a subject! Although more time is spent on that game than on their lessons I fear. (Not for much longer...<insert maniacal laugh>mwuahaha)

On a related note, I'm a little miffed at Am@zon because I've been trying to purchase some of the free e-classics and free e-textbooks I've had on my wish list for school (some I already downloaded, some I was on the fence about) and now they are no longer free or they are in a format that can not be downloaded in the US. What!? Are you kidding me? We are really making an effort to conserve resources and adhere to weight limits. With limited access to libraries we can check out books from on the road (browsing will be unlimited) I was counting on finding suitable alternatives for the Kind!e. Boo, hiss Am@zon.

Remodel Progress

I'm getting so excited because things are really starting to come together. We have about 75% of the painting done, the bunks are built and the full sofa/bed is constructed--we're just waiting for the foam to arrive. Some of the lighting has been replaced and we bought new faucets and a toilet seat that are ready to be installed as soon as the painting is completed. We also picked up the wood flooring today and its gorgeous! Can't wait to finish the painting so we can install it. (Noticing a trend here?) Got some peel and stick stainless steel tiles to create a backsplash in the kitchen...So many changes!!

The painting has really brightened everything up dramatically. I went with the color Swiss Coffee #1812 and had it color-matched at Sherwin Williams; its a delicate ivory color.  I've typically used their zero VOC paint, Harmony, and had good results with only one coat but this time, maybe because there is very little colorant, the coverage is frustratingly poor. It takes 2 coats, sometimes 3, over a primer to get even coverage.

I'm waiting, not very patiently, for my Sunbrella fabric samples to get here. I really want to order the fabric for the mattresses and curtains. Because having materials that won't off-gas in such an enclosed space is important to me, we shelled out a lot of money for a healthier natural latex foam for the mattresses, not stinky-petro-chemical memory foam or formaldehyde-off-gassing urethane foam. Which means I need to cut costs by upholstering them myself. Maybe I can convince my mom to help too.

My dad has been indispensable to this whole project! Between Captain's consulting work and me homeschooling the kids and skating, its challenging to find time to work on our to-do list. But my dad is out there building away nearly everyday and making amazing progress! Maybe he's just in a hurry to get his quiet house back ;)

I'm a Competitive Figure Skater!

I was the only entry in the Adult Pre-Bronze FreeSkate, therefore I guess it was technically another exhibition skate. I was really hoping to have video this time, however, even with a replacement camera we had some technical difficulties. It would auto-shut down after a couple of seconds, so Captain just took some rapid fire stills. My music is "Comptine d'un autre été: l'après midi" composed by Yann Tiersen from the movie Amelie (arranged to 1min:40sec). I was really nervous from having so much time to kill before my program. The ice was very rough and dry from so many skaters and for whatever reason, the last ice resurfacing was 3 hours earlier. But I still got a gold medal.

My testing was the day before. I took 2 tests: Adult Pre-Bronze Moves in the Field (MITF) and Adult Pre-Bronze Freestyle. I actually have video of these! And I passed :)

Captain and I had ourselves a little getaway. The whole family came out to support me last Saturday and for some of them it was the first time watching me skate. I was grateful for the support but its a long drive and the competition proved to be a lot of waiting around, not much fun if you aren't skating. So I didn't want them to feel like they had to attend. Plus, the testing and practice time meant we'd have to do back to back days and gas is expensive and the drive is tiring. It made more sense to get a hotel for the night.

I've really only been practicing the elements I needed to pass the tests so I'm excited to go back to practicing everything now! I've been looking into getting another coach here and I think I have a pretty good idea of whose teaching style I like now. I'm really excited to keep moving up and work towards testing for my Adult Bronze level. I've decided to enter one more local competition in September. I really want to see other competitors at my level!

Let the Homeschooling Begin

After way too much electronic freedom, its time to detox the kids' minds and get back to learning. We are using August as a fill in the gaps month and get a head start on some subjects that need some brushing up. Its a fairly light schedule to ease back into lessons. They will all start their music lessons: piano for Mr. S and Divagirl and guitar for Mr. T.  Divagirl should be able to finish her Reading Lesson book and refresh her memory on All About Spelling. The boys will also work through the All About Spelling program albeit at a much faster pace. They can probably get through the first 2 books in a week. We will start reading The Wind in the Willows aloud each night as a family round robin. The boys will also start their first assignment with Teacher-Grammy reading The Outsiders. Lastly, everyone will work on Cursive First since Divagirl is still learning to write and the boys need some maintenance on their established handwriting. We also started some art lessons. I bought the Kindle edition of this Art Lab book and the lessons are really delightful. 

All remaining subjects will start around the 1st of September.

My Not-So-Secret Skating Life

Skating is something I've always done for myself, not to please anyone else. As a result, not too many people know about it...until now. 

I grew up as a competitive equestrian eventer, doing the show circuit, 4H, Pony Club, and 3 phase eventing and while I enjoyed it at the time, it wasn't something I would have chosen for myself. It was my mother's dream. My dream was to figure skate. Unfortunately, I discovered skating too late and I was born to non-skating parents. I was 12 before I started begging my parents to take me to the rink (which was not conveniently close) and finally started the Basic Skills classes at SUNY Brockport. In the 80's, starting to skate at age 12, I was already washed up. I could never hope to do anything competitively, even if I had natural talent--which I did not. I only had passion. All of the 12 year olds were already doubling their jumps and had years of figure practice, so I relegated myself to skating in our back horse pasture that would flood each winter and I'd spend the first 30 minutes "warming up" by shoveling the snow and grass that would poke through the ice. Hoping that there hadn't been a warm lake effect wind the night before because that causes ripples. I bought a discarded library book for 25 cents published in the 50's and taught myself everything I could about skating.

Fast forward to the college years. I went to RIT and they had a rink. I was determined to work there in order to gain more ice time. I spent nearly 40 hours a week skating (even if it was just going round and round in typical rink guard fashion) in addition to a full load of classes and interning at a local design firm. I was in heaven! Then there came an opportunity to take skating as a gym class, well I took it as many times as I could to fulfill my credits, then audited it for a year. Ironically, the teacher was the same instructor who had gotten me started so many years ago with the Basic Skills program! It was like picking up where we left off. I was probably the equivalent level of "Freestyle 1". By the time I finished college I was probably the equivalent level of "Freestyle 4"- I was able to single all my jumps, including the Axel, but I didn't really know much footwork or finer elements, just the tricks :) I was never tested at any of these levels, I just compared myself to what was required if I were to test. Then, tragedy struck. After landing the Axel 10 or so times, I fell. HARD. I remember just sitting on the ice and not wanting to get up. I'm not a wuss either, I've been thrown by horses all my life and get back on again, sometimes even with cracked ribs, but I just sat there icing my bum. I had broken my tailbone. The last 3 vertebrate on my coccyx now formed a 90 degree angle inward. And the thing is, there's nothing you can do about a broken tailbone except wait for it to heal. It took over 2 years before I could stand to ride in a car for any distance or make it through an entire movie at a theatre. And I never did another Axel jump again, I was 19.

Well, life goes on and I married, got a job, had kids and moved around a lot. Over the years I'd skate from time to time if we lived within an hour of a rink. It usually worked out to be once every 5 years or so. I would usually attempt a wobbly waltz jump or an ugly spin and call it a day. I always regretted not doing anything about my skating. During this time the skating industry was going through some major changes. Figures would eventually be replaced with Moves In The Field and triple jumps were to be standard for elite level skaters.

Fast forward to 2011. We now live in California and have 3 rinks within 20 minutes of our house. I only rarely took advantage of this. I'm in my late 30's, I know I break, I'm out of shape and my confidence is shattered. I found every excuse in the book for not going and skating even though I know its my passion and I've never had so many opportunities to skate before. Finally in December of 2011 (9 months after we moved here!) I decided to live my life with no regrets and started going to the rink while the kids were at school 2 or 3 times a week. I was so out of shape I could barely make it 15 minutes before I thought I would collapse. This would not do. So in January I joined a boot camp to get me in shape. 4 days a week for 6 weeks and I could skate for an hour and a half without being winded! As you know, this was about the time I took our daughter out of public school, so she started skating with me. (Its not her passion)

 So in February 2012 I hired a coach. My goal was to get back to the skills I knew 20 years ago. She was skeptical, but found that I learned quickly and even though some of my skills were mistaught she worked with me to get me doing things 'the right way'. One thing to note, my original instructor was left handed and so I learned to spin and jump clockwise, which is very rare in skaters as the standard is counterclockwise. Through my coach I found out that now there is an Adult level of testing available and Adult competitions that I can participate in. This didn't exist in the 80's or 90's. This got me thinking that maybe I could realize my dream of competitive skating, so we changed tactics and I started learning what I needed to test the first level: Adult Pre-Bronze.  The thing with leveled tests is that you have to start at the bottom and pass your way up; for me that meant learning some baby jumps I never had to before. I had to learn how to do a Half-Lutz, and a Toe Loop and an Upright Spin (which differs from the scratch spin in that you don't cross your free leg, you bring it up like a stork). There were also new terms associated with the Moves in the Field requirements that I needed to learn. I also skate with hip, coccyx and knee protection every day! 

Just when I thought I was ready to test I found out how political skating is in San Francisco. Much to my disappointment, adults skaters take a back seat to the young up-and-comings and will frequently be bumped to the end of the list for testing dates. I would've been pushed out to October to test. About this time our family decided that living in CA was way too expensive and we wanted to travel so we planned to leave at the end of June. This was not working out.

Since we would be staying temporarily with my parents in FL, it made sense that I track down a rink in FL. The closest rink would end up being at least 2 hours away in any direction. :(  Oh well, I was in the best shape of my adult life and I decided it was worth it, so I signed up with the Tampa Bay Skating Club, signed up for the next test session and entered my first competition! Which meant I had 4 weeks to develop a Pre-Bronze program with my coach before I left CA. Wow.

Now that we're in Florida, Captain and I drive to Tampa twice a week so I can practice. I no longer have a coach so I rely on all the training I got in the last 5 months and keep working on what I've learned. My test and competition that I signed up for months ago are less than a week away. 

Today I participated in my first skating event. An exhibition skate of my Pre-Bronze program at the Tampa Bay Skating Academy's Summer Recital. It was so much fun and I didn't have any nerves until I stepped out onto the ice. Then my mind went blank. Thank goodness for muscle memory, my body took over as soon as the music started. I didn't fall, I didn't omit anything and I had no wardrobe malfunctions. I'd say it was a success! I was hoping to watch the video that Captain took of it but it turns out you can max out the 32 gigs of space on your iphone and it doesn't inform you of such...so it recorded but didn't save my performance. Oh well, he has a week to clear things off so it doesn't happen for the test and competition ;) But my dad was snapping photos so I do have a couple to share...hopefully you'll agree I've improved a little bit since I was 12.

The Trashing, I Mean, Transformation Begins

We are really good at demolition! So much so, that even as I have a plan of how everything will look once its put back together, I really start to panic when I see it so far gone. My parents had started some work over the winter pulling out the stuff we didn't want and starting to prime all the dark wood. Once we figured out that we could have shore power hooked up and have a/c in the 97 degree heat and humidity, then the fun really began. The carpets have been ripped out, the captain chairs are temporarily relocated, the sofa bed and platform are gone, the nasty old mattresses are removed, half of the woodwork is primer white, most of the doors have been removed to paint, a whole section of cabinets have been removed to make way for the new bunk, a mouse nest has been removed from the engine...and so much more. Ruby is tired overseeing it all.

Passing The Time

Sundog on the way home from Tampa.

So what have we been up to? It has been so ridiculously hot and humid with enormous mosquitoes that we typically spend most days indoors. Captain has been busy with work, the boys have been amusing themselves with unlimited electronics time, Divagirl has been bouncing off the walls and shadowing any person or animal who moves, and I have just been trying to cope. Some evenings, when it doesn't thunderstorm, the kids are able to go with dad or grandpa to the neighbor's pool. Here are some of the other activities we managed to get photos of...

Divagirl is learning some animal husbandry skills when she's not amusing herself in the rv.

We had a BBQ and marshmallow roast planned but the weather had other plans. Not to be dismayed by the torrential downpour, the marshmallows were roasted anyways and the s'more assembling occurred indoors.

One nice thing about having an ex-sheriff as a grandpa, free target lessons. When the boys aren't learning how to be deadly assassins, they enjoy cheating at boards games. (Not really...well, maybe a little)

Unloading

 Yesterday was a nice rest, but today it was back to business. We still had the contents of a 17' Uhaul truck to unload into storage. My parents were able to secure an air-conditioned 10x10 storage unit for us, but after we started loading things in, we started getting a little anxious that it might not all fit. Luckily there was a 10x20 unit across the hall that was vacant. After 4 or more hours in the heat and humidity, the 4 of us got everything sorted and unloaded into the unit. Its lovely. Even has 2 aisles so we can get to things. Our RV is not ready to contain our belongings yet so temporarily they are in storage too.

I'm detesting the heat already. I find that I don't do well under these conditions and most of the time I spent in the unit and not doing the heavy lifting because I felt like I was going to pass out. I can see already that our productive hours fixing up our new home will be very limited. But we don't have a time frame so when its ready, we'll be ready.

Just as we finished, the clouds blackened the skies and we thought we'd be able to get home before the rain, but it didn't quite work out. Unfortunately, it was another gullywasher and we had several boxes in the back of the pickup truck that got soaked. Have I mentioned that I dislike cardboard? Needless to say we got quite wet, as did the stuff in the pickup.

Currently Captain and my dad are building Mr. T's loft so that the kids can share a room. Its a 3 bedroom house that we are sharing and trying not to totally take over. Which is a little hard to do with an invading family of 5. Even Divagirl helped out.

The rain has stopped so the wet boxes can be brought in. I just hope they don't completely fall apart. It feels weird, like we're on a strange vacation, not like this is our temporary home.

We Made It!

Happy Independence Day!

We made it to Florida :) It only took 6 hours and 4 gullywashers. No more major problems with the truck, although we will be complaining to Uhaul about the seatbelts. They would continually get tighter and lock when we'd go over bumps (and there were lots of bumps!). Then the seatbelt wouldn't release so we'd get squeezed. Not the most comfortable situation when you are drinking lots of fluids. Sometimes it would release, mostly it would not. Very frustrating. Then, during the storms we sprung a leak right over my shoulder. Temporary inconvenience.

It is so hot and humid here--much more than any other place we stopped along the way. At least my parents have a/c.

Our dog was ecstatic to see us!

The car is unloaded from the tow dolly and we're waiting until tomorrow to unload the truck. Now for some real food and rest!

Not Quite There Yet

Well, we didn't quite make it to Florida today, but we did make it through Mississippi and most of Alabama. In fact we're just outside the border of Florida, still in Alabama, watching the movie "Sweet Home Alabama". Too cute! We drove another 13 hours but we hit Independence Day traffic and some thunderstorms which slowed things down considerably. So we're getting another good night's rest at a Holiday Inn Express before driving the final leg tomorrow. 

Can't wait to see the rest of the our kids and family!

New Mexico

Another night at a Holiday Inn Express. Captain was able to do a little work last night at the motel. Back on the road around 9am local time.

Made it through to Amarillo, Texas after about 9 hours driving. Weather has been hot and sunny. Mr. S is getting a tiny taste of humidity, hehe, it still feels dry to us. We've decided that Texas is all about oil and meat. Lots of feed lots *stinky!*

From Amarillo we drove through 13 hours to Shreveport, Louisiana and stayed at a full service Holiday Inn (for the same cost as an express in other states) for the night. We're really starting to crave real food. The plan is to do another 13 hours and make it to Florida tomorrow.

We're stopping every hour and a half or so. The further east we go the cheaper the gas prices get. The highest was $4.49 and so far the cheapest has been $2.89.

The Spring Peepers are awesome in the south. We can hear the frogs, locusts and cicadas all day and night. Mr. S found a cicada in the parking lot in Louisiana. Pretty cool!

Mojave Desert and Arizona

The Best Western in Barstow was comfortable. Look how cute the towels were! An elephant, I can hardly stand it.

We left Barstow at 8:20am and had a delightfully uneventful drive through to Holbrook, AZ. The temps in the Mojave Desert were in the 110s. Nine hours of driving today.  Let's hope tomorrow's leg is uneventful too ;)

6/30

On the Road Again

Even though the little Holiday Inn Express was clean and comfortable and had free wifi, we were all a little restless to be back on the road. The mechanic called us at 7:30am and said he had to go to Stockton to get the part. He got to the hotel around 10. He worked on it with Captain's assistance until almost noon. Mr. S and I hung out in the room watching Looney Tunes until we had to check out at 11 then we loitered in the lobby while we killed time with Sharky.

On another note, we will have to get the Little Peacock fixed when we get to FL because the stress of being tied to the trailer and going over ridiculously bumpy roads has caused a shock problem. Its leaking hydraulic fluid on the driver's side. The least of our problems really.

We finally got back on the road at 12:30 after grabbing some McDonald's for lunch. I think I heard something about a reimbursement from Uhaul. We'll see...

We made it through to Barstow without event, stopping around 8:30pm for the night. Time to get a good night's sleep and hopefully another dull day tomorrow ;)

6/29

On the Road and Going Nowhere

We left the peninsula around 3pm and crossed over to the east bay to take a less busy route south. After only 90 min on the road we hear a loud, startling sound and thumping. This could not be good. Immediately we pulled off the highway and looked. At first I didn't see anything, but upon closer inspection the truck had blown the back inside tire and there was metal hanging underneath. Nope, not good. We called the roadside assistance number and they were very nice and sent someone out to help us. 45 min later we had a great mechanic telling us that its even worse than it looks. Fan.tas.tic. If anyone is familiar with NorCal we were on hwy 580 just before it merges into I-5. Hot, dry and middle of nowhere. Oh and speed limit is 70 which means people are really going fast! We could see the rest stop a mile up the road and I had to pee like nobody's business. Needless to say its very awkward squatting next to a Uhaul with traffic on both sides. Mr. S was a trooper holding a blanket in front of me. Enough said.

Turns out the blow out ripped off the sheet metal that protects the fuel lines underneath, then sheared off part of the siding and the gas cap. In doing so it crushed the fuel line and was digging into the outside good tire. After 2 hours working on it in the hot sun and fast hwy, the technician was able to get it repaired enough to be moved. The closest town was Westly (yeah, I've never heard of it either) and it was determined that a part of the pinched fuel line needed to be obtained from Uhaul. So now we are spending the night at a tiny little motel, who took pity on us and gave us a deep discounted rate. But at least they have free wifi which gives me an opportunity to catch up on my blogging. We'll see what tomorrow brings. :)

To be continued...

6/28

Let the Adventure Begin

After 2 straight days of intense packing and multiple mishaps, we are on our way! The 17' Uhaul is packed with a little room to spare. This is the smallest Uhaul we've ever used. Captain says it will be like driving a sports car,  I'm not sure I'd go that far. We're towing our car behind and Mr. S and I will also be riding in the cab.

Time to load the car onto the transport. One of our neighbors who we'd never met before popped by out of curiosity and stayed to help out. Perfect timing because I couldn't even watch as Captain tried to line up the wheels and not drive over the edge.  Too much stress!

The real reason he stopped by was to complement us on our ingenuity for placing an extension ladder and sawhorses in front of the car trailer because our neighbors kept parking very close to either end of it.

Thanks to all our friends who kept our kids occupied and stopped by for moral support during this transition! We'll miss you!!

Adios Foster City!

6/28

Second Verse, Same as the First

One advantage to the kids spending another night with us is that Divagirl (far right) got to spend one last fun-filled evening with 2 of her best friends. They went to the movies and out to dinner and had a blast. She was so happy!

After the airline mishap yesterday I did not have high hopes for today. The kids were automatically re-booked on a new flight leaving at 6:41am and connecting through Chicago. Anyone who has connected through O'hare knows that this is bad news. More bad news is that due to the cancellation the rest of the week's flights are completely full. Nonetheless, Captain woke up at 4am and took the kids back to the airport to do an instant replay of yesterday. Only it was not to be. Turns out the level of incompetence was higher than I thought. United does not allow a six year old to fly without an adult 18 or older, even if she's flying with someone who is allowed to fly alone. They basically told him that they have no idea how they made it through yesterday. Or why no one knew on the phone. So Captain needed to pay an unaccompanied minor fee for her, but not for Mr.T, although they both received wristbands since they were flying together. Then all sorts of fun kicked in. They oversold a direct flight and bumped 2 people. Captain had to stay with them until the plane took off. Thankfully, the flight was on time. But the new flight was at 10. After packing all day and night, getting up at 4 and then having to wait at the airport for 5 hours, coming home to pack afterwards was not fun.

They got to Florida 13 min. early and their grandparents met them at the gate. I actually got to talk to the flight attendant and she said they were absolutely wonderful (of course they were) even though they couldn't sit together. Divagirl sat between two gentlemen and had them wrapped around her little finger within minutes. They waited on her like a princess and she talked their ears off the entire trip. I wouldn't recommend United if you had minors flying alone.

 

6/27