Leavin' on a jet plane...

( Picture stolen from "Travel Journals website)

A little over 2 full days before we leave to go to Australia!! I am looking at a mile long to do/to pack list...so much to do. For posterity reasons, here is my list:

*prepare sharing time for this week
*dinner tonight for Girl Scouts & will try to stop at a dinner for a friend who is leaving
*laundry
*dishes
*clean house
*grocery shop ( I am trying very hard to help Ericka out by having food for the kids)
*write out a grocery list and hope I don't forget anything
*pack for all the kids:
underwear, socks, pj's, uniforms, tooth brushes/paste, shoes, school backpacks,
temporary bus passes, lunch bags x 3 school aged kids
*pack for Ivan who won't be going to school that week
*pack for myself, remembering passport, itinerary, adaptors, ipod, cell phone, and chargers for all those items that need it!
*Make sure all the clothes that Ben wants to take are clean
*Double check that my friend is going to dog sit Astro
*Make sure he has dog food, his bed, his kennel etc
*watch Bones & CSI:NY season finales (yep that is a must)
*pick up magazine for Ben to read on the plane ( we have only found it in 2 stores on this whole island!!)
*download missed episodes of favorite shows to watch on the plane

Hmmm...is that it? I am sure I am forgetting things! I know it will all be worth it, once all is said and done. But why does it have to be so stressful to get everything ready for a trip?

Did I say I was spoiled?

Next month, Ben and I are heading off island. With no kids. I am so excited that I can't contain myself! :) Ben is trying to take care of his leave, I have to double check our dates with the family watching our kids but other than that we are good to go. And where are we going...AUSTRALIA! So excited!! I am just like Sandra Bullock in While You Were Sleeping...I will finally have a stamp in my passport. Ben has been to so many places, me I am usually at home with the kids while he experiences the world! LOL

So many people travel from Guam. We however, are not willing to go into debt for leisurely travel. We have so many people say, "yeah but you can get cheap plane tickets..." then they tell us the price for one. Which we remind them we would have to multiply times six. Thus, we haven't done any traveling. Our vacation to Hawaii was paid for by the Navy. At least most of it.

I was totally shocked on Saturday morning when we saw the offer through MWR ( a Navy program). The price included flight and hotel. I thought he was being sarcastic when Ben said, "hey do you want to go to Australia?" But he wasn't. We just had to find a babysitter. Which we did!

In less than a year, the two of us will have been able to go on 2 trips by ourselves? Having 4 kids I didn't think that would be possible. Harmony thinks it is sooooo unfair. I tried to tell her that, Ben and I were together before she was even a thought! I also told her that she was lucky to have parents that want to be together! She still thinks it is unfair but I will bring her back stuff! :)

So I know some people have been there, so what do you suggest we do? Eat? Anything that you didn't feel was worth the cost? We are going to be in Cairns for 4 days and 3 nights and I plan to pack in as much as I can! We can catch up on sleep when we get back right?!

Sooooo excited!! I have visions of sleeping in, eating new foods, traveling to new areas, all with my favorite person! :)