Airplanes, the ocean and cute kids!

Every time I step onto an airplane I am just slightly apprehensive. There's always a thought in the back of my mind that the plane might crash. I know statistically planes are safer than cars. But as soon as the airplane door closes and the plane takes off I simply have no control over what happens next. So as I'm sitting there I always think of projects I haven't finished, goals I have yet to accomplish and things I haven't said, but meant too.

Every flight has the same safety rules and guidelines. There is a laminated card in the seat pocket that everyone is supposed to follow along with as the flight attendant calmly reads the instructions over the speaker. Another flight attendant stands at the front of the plane using very animated hand motions to show where all the exits are, the oxygen masks and so on.

You might be wondering why I have a laminated safety card in my kitchen...........I may have possibly, kind of, sort of taken it off the plane with me.......I didn't know until later that it had these instructions on the back of the card in red letters:
FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS, PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE THIS CARD FROM THE AIRPLANE. (oops!)

One of my favorite things the flight attendant says is, "No congregating by the lavatories." Okay.....the isle is maybe 2 feet wide, so why would anyone want to do any kind of congregating there?

As I listen to all the instructions I can't help but laugh a little. The flight attendant cheerfully says, "If the cabin loses pressure an oxygen mask will automatically drop from above your seat." I think what they are really saying is this........"By putting the oxygen mask on you will get to be breathing and fully aware of what is happening while there is a huge problem going on. You will most likely die anyway but we want you to be able to enjoy every last second of your impending doom."

How to properly put on an oxygen mask

I also love the thought of putting on my seat cushion as a flotation device should we need to evacuate in water. I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure there isn't any huge body of water between the San Antonio and the Salt Lake airport. So I picture myself in a pond wearing a seat cushion. Now if I were to actually fly over an ocean I'm not sure I would want to be stuck in freezing water with sharks for hours and hours....maybe days. I guess the good news is I would have my seat cushion strapped on properly.

Seat cushion that turns into a flotation device

The emergency exits are another interesting concept. 138 people frantically trying to get to an exit and then go down a big slide. They make it sound almost fun if it were in another situation. Until they say to please check for fire before opening an emergency exit.........then what? I think at that point we might just burn right up with the airplane.

Whee! The evacuation slide looks kind of exciting

And finally the escape rope. Is this something that happens at 38,000 feet? If so where do you go from there? Do you hang there for days waiting to be rescued or do you end up falling to a terrifying death?

Another fun toy....the escape rope!

So as the safety presentation goes on (and on) this is what I hear......IF THIS AIRCRAFT CRASHES THERE IS A 99.9% CHANCE YOU WILL DIE. JUST REALIZE YOUR LIFE IS OVER AND DEAL WITH IT!

Luckily our flights were uneventful, with just a little turbulence. Tanner was champ and did amazingly well for a 23 month old.

Megan, Tanner and I had a great, relaxing, fun time in Texas. I couldn't have asked for a better trip. Thanks Ben and Mary!

There are so many things 3 little red headed cousins can find to do together. They got along great! Tanner loved Abby and Olivia and was sad to leave them.

Some ocean therapy.........there's nothing better than sunshine, sand, water and family.

After a long day at the beach there's nothing like an authentic seafood restaurant......luckily for me they had chicken. Tanner and Olivia were tired and did not want to be confined to highchairs or laps. Tanner, of course, was very vocal about being "stuck" in the highchair. That man in the background did not even try to hide his disapproval of all the noise going on at our table.

Can you see the family resemblance between Olivia and Tanner? One lady asked if they were twins. Also take notice of the car on the sand right by the water. How cool is that?