Two weeks to go

OK, Tina is starting to freak out. What if the kids can't handle the long plane ride? What if they get sick in Bali? What if they don't like the food? There are no guarantees, but we're pretty committed now. So I dug up some old photos today to remind me why we're going back. We first went in 1996, and then again in 1999. Looking through those pictures really brought back some memories of just how beautiful it is. It also reminded me how hot it can get, and that I need to find my shorts to pack. We decided that we can start packing early since we certainly don't need any summer stuff right now - it's cold and snowy in Chicago. I am working right up until the day before we leave, so this weekend will be full of lists and getting organized.

• food to take on the plane in case the kids won't eat the Korean Airline food
• change of clothes for the plane which hopefully will not be needed.
• stuff to do on the plane: 20 minutes of Leapster, 20 minutes of reading, 20 minutes walking back and forth to the bathroom - 25 hours to go! Are we there yet?
• medicine to take just in case. Immodium :(
• stuff to do in Bali when not swimming - we're leaning toward not taking any toys, just some coloring stuff and books. Part of the mission is to get away from it all!
• gear: camera, iPod to have some music in the house, no cell phone...
• clothes for 5 people for a month. Hmmm... we traveled for 9 months before out of a backpack. How much luggage will 3 kids add?

Well, time to celebrate New Year's Eve before getting into all the pre-trip jitters. This is the week where excitement turns to anxiety, so wish us luck!

Happy New Year!

23 days and counting

Really, I need to stop thinking of 23 days from now and think of Christmas only 2 days from now! I was shopping for Christmas things yesterday and bought a mega-pack of sunscreen instead. Focus, focus... Merry Christmas (and a tropical new year)!

27 days and counting

Maybe a map of Indonesia and some surrounding countries will give some perspective of where Bali is. It's hard to picture it's placement since it's such a tiny island (it is fairly centered in this map). Bali is only a one and a half hour flight time north of Darwin, Australia, which is on the northern coast. Bali has a population of about 3 million people and is less than 2,200 square miles. Chicago also has a population of about 3 million people and is about 230 square miles. Big difference there!

28 days and counting - vaccination drama part 2

Four weeks from now we'll be on an airplane about an hour into a 24 hour journey. The kids will have only asked us 5 or 6 times if we are almost there, and we will have already played every game we have on board that we thought would entertain them the entire time... Oh but it will be worth it. I always tell the kids "it's the journey, not the destination," but this time I'll have my eyes on the prize destination and just hope for something better than torturous for the journey.

Yesterday was the second and last part of the necessary vaccinations for the kids, and with both parents present and ready to restrain and muffle the sounds, they all decided to be extremely brave about it and all was uneventful. Miracles can come true!

31 days and counting

It's officially one month away! I'm kind of freaking out at the thought of that. Must start making lists of things to take or better yet I could pull out the suitcases and just start throwing stuff in there as I think of them. OK, that's never going to happen, but I always like the thought of preparing ahead like that. At least we're on top of the vaccinations. Eliot has ordered me to stop talking about "the incident" and insists that he's brave now. We'll see how Wednesday goes.

I hope to dig out some pictures from our first two trips to Bali to post so you can see our firsthand experiences instead of my nabbing random beautiful pictures off of the internet. Stay tuned...

40 days and counting

Bali high temperature today = 91 degrees

Downers Grove high temperature today = 33 degrees

To sweat or to shiver. I wonder if the grass is always greener. Do the Balinese wish they could wear gloves and stocking caps? I'd gladly trade my fleece wear for swim wear today! Brrrr!

42 days and counting - vaccination drama part 1

Yesterday was a real treat (read sarcasm there). Eliot was a nightmare at the doctor’s office! He had his annual checkup and needed to get a Hepatitis A vaccine. Apparently sometime between when he was a baby and Charlie and Sophie were born, they started including that vaccine in the regular schedule. So Charlie and Sophie were up to date but Eliot wasn't. He was obviously nervous so I offered him a dollar and said he could still cry when he got the shot if he needed to, but he had to cooperate and sit still. So he agreed and put the dollar in his pocket. Well, he worked himself into a tizzy and was a raving lunatic when the nurse came in to give him the shot. I was shocked and embarrassed and pissed off at him even though I felt really sorry for him. He was like a wild animal flailing around and pushing the nurse away. I had to hold him in a bear hug and physically restrain him so he wouldn’t end up with the needle in his eye or in mine! When we walked out of the examination room, the nurse in the hall gave me a sympathetic look (which never makes me feel better actually). There were tons of other kids going in and out of the office getting flu shots and not a tear or a scream, and my freakazoid walks out still sobbing. I know it was mean, but I was so mad that I slipped my hand into his pocket, took the dollar, and said "I believe this belongs to me." I tried to console him when we got home but he pulled away from me and huffed off. Being the “adult” that I am, I huffed off in the other direction and avoided him too. If only I could say what I’d like to, he’d really get an earful. Jim is officially on shot duty for the flu shot and typhoid on the 16th! I’m done. If we weren't flying, I might reconsider the flu shots so they'd only need one more vaccine for the trip, but the doctor reminded me that the most likely place we'll get the flu this year is on that plane. Good luck, Jim. Anyone know a big burly dude that we could hire to hold Eliot down for the next shots? After seeing Eliot's reaction, Sophie said "Mommy, I don't want to go to Bali." Oh, we're going to Bali and it's going to be fun, dammit!

44 days and counting

Ubud, the village where we will be staying, is the cultural center of Bali. There are many folk dances to see in ancient temples. This is a picture of a typical dancer and costume. The gamelan is the musical ensemble commonly played at the dances. It is typically a combination of xylophones, drums and gongs. Some dances like the Kecak dance use only the voices of the men in the dance to make the rhythms and music. No matter the story being told or the dancers, it is always fascinating. I'm sure the kids will love it!

46 days and counting

Since we don't have any "adventures" to report yet, I'll just post some facts about Bali now and then to get you up to speed.

Bali fact #1: Regardless of being male or female, each person receives one of four names based on birth order. The firstborn is "Wayan" (pronounced like Ryan but with a W), second is "Made" (pronounced like Mah-day), third is "Nyoman", and fourth is "Ketut". The names are repeated after that, so the fifth born would be "Wayan Balik", which means "Wayan again".

Because Bali was our favorite place in the world (and partly because Jim and I could only agree on one boys name when I was pregnant with Eliot), we gave Eliot the middle name "Wayan". He is so excited to go there where people will understand his name and he can actually meet other Wayans.

The final push

Well, 47 days to go until we leave for Bali. This has been in the works for years and now we're down to the final wait. With work incredibly busy right now, and the holiday season here, we decided to forsake our traditional elaborate hand made Christmas cards in favor of a "rain check" post card with this blog address. We'll make up for it on our return with something made out of banana leaves or something like that.