Hi everyone! Happy new year! It feels a bit odd to be back blogging after such a lengthy break, but I’m rested and rarin’ to go. This week, whether you like it or not, you’re going to hear about our recent travels. Yes, we here in Jenworld packed our bags and hit the road. And the air. And the water.
Unlike most of our trips, this one was very, very, verrrrry last minute. We tossed around different ideas all autumn, but didn’t actually commit to a plan until 10 days before departure. Y’all, that is pretty much unprecedented for us, as we usually need at least a month or two to prepare. I’m surprised that we didn’t forget to pack something vital, such as one of our children.
Our 9-day vacation had a big adventure in the middle, with smaller adventures on the front and back ends. Today I’m going to tell you about the first mini adventure, which is referenced in the blog title and hinted at in that photo at the top.
We were originally supposed to leave on the 26th, but snow and ice kept us home and we didn’t set off until the 27th. But when we did, we got in the car and headed south. Nine hours later, we stopped in Georgia to visit my uncle and his family for a couple of days.
My uncle got his pilot’s license a few years ago and has been eager to take us up in the air. On Friday the 28th, that plan came to fruition. His plane only holds four people, so I elected to stay back at the house and let Pete and the girls have the opportunity to fly with him.
Checking out the plane
Pete rode up front and got to take the controls for a bit.
Then they landed briefly and Grace got up front and had a turn at the controls.
El was a bit too young to fly, so she stayed in the back and took lots of photos.
They all had a terrific time and now Grace really wants to take flying lessons. I haven’t given permission yet, as I’ve been too busy clutching my heart and spazzing at the thought of 1) my baby flying a plane and 2) my baby wanting to take on a very expensive hobby.
So that was the up in the air part of our adventures. Tomorrow, I’ll tell you more.
And how was your Christmas and New Year’s Eve?
`
You guys do the most fun things! I want to be adopted by your family.
I have three pilots in my family and we all have a non-negotiable rule that no “entire” family can ever fly together in the small planes. (Gah, what a downer I am)!
Sure is fun though!
What a great opportunity for your girls! I don’t think I’d ever get in a plane that small unless the other option was death.
Very exciting! I remember my brother was fascinated by small plane flying when we were kids – I went up ONCE and that was enough for me!
Go Grace go! I admit I was so excited when I saw the photos on FB. I’ve always wanted to learn to fly but never have (that expensive part). I can’t help but think my travel for work would be a lot more convenient if I could just fly myself. : )
As for expensive hobbies – at least it’s one of the safer ones. Stop clutching your heart on that part. Ya’ll stand a better chance of catastrophe riding around in a car.
One of my brothers and my Dad took flying lessons together. They LOVED it! Not a hobby for me tho’ – I get airsick…, I know I’m a wimp.
I get motion sick if the plane drops too quickly, which it always seems to do 
Can’t wait to hear more of what you did over the holidays
I stayed home, knitting, sewing, baking…typical holidays
We gave Frank a few flight lessons for his 8th grade graduation. He loved it!
That is so cool–to fly!
I got my license when I was 18! And eventually became an (out of work) airline pilot. The airline pilot bit I might not recommend, but the flying bit was awesome.
Already cross eyed with jealousy over what I have seen on FB. Though still looking forward to more about your adventures.
Get her involved in Civil Air Patrol! Cheapest way to learn to fly, if you stick with it, and plenty of other fun aviation-related opportunities. David spent a week in Georgia last summer, learning to fly gliders; this summer, if he is lucky, he will solo. And he has managed to pay for all of it himself. Email me for more info.
So jealous! We had a very hectic holiday – we had family here for Christmas, which was lovely, and then on Boxing Day (December 26th) we put away ALL the decorations and threw out the tree, moved the sectional sofa upstairs to our room, the tv and easy chair to Mark’s office, the rocking chair to the girl’s room, the giant Ikea bookcase that holds our lives (and almost everything in it) to the hallway, the dining room table and buffet to the kitchen and all the dining room chairs and assorted boxes of books and STUFF to the basement and finally, after 9 years of living here and loathing it, we ripped out the ugly burgundy carpet from our living room. And then, Mark and the kids took hammers to the walls and smashed out all the lathe and plaster so that Mark could re-frame the room and insulate it. He pulled out the scary woodstove (circa 1977, baby!) and put lights in the ceiling! We’re up to taping and mudding the drywall, and we’ve got stone for a new fireplace surround, which will house a new gas fireplace. A local cabinetmaker is constructing some built-ins to go beside it, and we’ve got a new tv to eventually hang over it. I just ordered some fabric samples so I can reupholster my dining room chairs (they were my grandmother’s, and I love them, but the fabric is blech!) and we’ve got to pick out hardwood, and paint. I’m sure we’ll be living in this chaos for at least a few more months, and starting it right after Christmas was exhausting, but that’s when Mark was off, and it’s nice to be married to a handy guy who can do most of this stuff himself.
This post gave me the shivers in one sense – I recalled being above London in an aircraft about that size, flown by K-man’s brother. I was terrified. It’s one of those things that looks fun to me, but then I find out exactly how cowardly I am. Kudos to Grace for embracing the experience – I hope she fulfils her ambition!
I really enjoyed following you about on facebook. Pete and the girls took great photos on this outing.
Grace is quite the adventurer! I’m with Cassi and Nic on this one.