Jet-lag Junkies, the flight to the US, and week #1

We just flew back last Monday from Utah to arrive on Tuesday afternoon (a week ago) here in Geneva. Jacob accompanied me and the children this time. Now that we have been trying to recover from jet-lag for a week, I realize that the airplane ride with kids was a breeze! So we have some major catch-up to do with blogging, so bear with me. . .

Before we left Jacob back in Geneva for a week, we celebrated his 31st birthday together. Abram was the most excited about Daddy's "party" and about the cake. You can ask Abram what he wants for his birthday and he will tell you "a birs-day" cake. You ask him if he wants anything else and he says "a present" - and what kind? "a red one". In the picture below, Abram had prematurely blown out Jacob's candles, so we had to relight the candles for him to blow out.Jacob took us to the airport early on Friday morning before he went to work. I was well prepared for the flight with two little ones. The two biggest hiccups we had happened before we even checked in for our first flight. Jacob was hopeful to help us check in and see us off at security, but when we arrived, we had to check-in in an area that was for passengers with tickets only. (Jacob found out later that we technically crossed the border into France when we said good bye to him and that is why he couldn't come with us. It turned out for the best because then we didn't have to go through customs with our luggage when we arrived in Paris). So Jacob watched me with the children and all of our bags struggle through the "border control" and to the check-in gate. I was officially on my own to manage. I finally found a way to manage two rolling suitcases, two handbags, and a stroller with Abram following behind me.

The second hiccup happened while we were in line to check in. I had packed Cheerios along with other snacks and Abram was already requesting something to eat, afterall it was breakfast time. I got out the little plastic container (actually an old yogurt container). Abram had a few and then CRASH! the entire full container of Cheerios scattered all over the floor. In the picture below, Abram has the empty cup in hand. I am pretty sure that these two "hiccups" were to test my nerves very early on. I think I passed the test.
Our only layover was in Paris. As we got off the plane, the jetway view was of another jetway that advertised Jacob's bank. We had a little piece of Jacob with us, even on our layover in Paris. And thanks to my friend, Sarah, who had done this flight in December with her children, I knew that I would not have my stroller during the layover (they checked it all the way through to Salt Lake at the gate in Geneva), so I had my baby bjorn handy to use with Chloé . . . probably for the last time ever.

Py area for children right across from our gate. Brilliant! Could they possibly get all of their wiggles out during that one hour???

As we were lining up to board our 10.5 hour flight from Paris to Salt Lake, I saw the group of 10 missionaries total getting ready to go home. And where had they been serving for the past two years? Hamburg Germany mission of course!!! All of them knew or knew of my brother, Anthon (Elder Petty) who had just gotten off his mission six months earlier.
As many of you have heard, the 10.5 hour flight went very well. Other than me panicking (silently of course) the first two hours - thinking "how come I thought such a long non-stop flight" was such a good idea???", our minds all numbed about 1/3 of the way into the flight and the flight went quite well. Someone gave us the advice to "request bassinet service" which is a bassinet the clamps into the wall in front of a person sitting bulkhead (you have to have an infant in order to request this). Because of this, we scored bulkhead which was a huge plus. Abram slept on the floor in front of my feet for several hours and Chloé (who barely fit in the bassinet) took 3 short 30 minute naps (which was enough time for me to get a break from holding her).

We finally arrived at 2:00 in the afternoon the same day - mountain standard time - to the greeting and embrace of Grandma and Grandpa Berg. Chloé loved cuddling with Grandma Berg throughout our 3.5 week trip. Thanks for all of the squeezes, Grandma!
Even though we had just arrived the day before, Grandma Berg was nice enough to drive us back to Salt Lake to meet up with my Grandma Petty and to tour the new Church History Library during it's open house. Great Grandma Petty got to meet Chloé for the first time.
During the first week, we made sure to visit Dairy Keen: Home of the Train for shakes and burgers a few times. Grandpa Berg was pleasantly surprised at how Abram can pack away an entire Jr. Cheeseburger. Grandpa Berg was also gracious enough to make a run to Wendy's for the visiting mommy who needed a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger.
Garrett and Chloé - a few months apart - playing in Barbie's dream Jeep in the Draper's yard.We attended a kiddo daily delights with Katrina and children. The children read a story about eggs and then they got to go look for "eggs" (golf balls actually) in tall grass fields across the street from the State Golf Course. Abram was very proud of his find.
Grandma and Grandpa Berg's backyard and garden = Abram's second heaven
Feeding the ducks at the State Park with cousins
We went to the Kangaroo Zoo in Pleasant Grove. Two friends that used to live in Zurich, suggested meeting up there - it was so great to see you and your children and visit with you, Emily and Natalie! Most of Abram's cousins joined us soon after we arrived. Pictured below - Abram with some of his sweetheart oldest girl cousins: Ellie, Samantha, and Emma. Thanks to all of Abram's bigger cousins for helping him enjoy the bouncy houses to their fullest extent!
After the Kangaroo Zoo, the children and I headed up to Salt Lake for BBQ with speech-language pathology grad school friends. Sorry, Cindy, we didn't think to take the picture until after you had left! It was great to meet newlywed husbands as well as new babies in the group. Thanks to Melissa and Brandon for hosting, even with little baby Cory on the way just two weeks later. I love all of you, ladies!Abram with cousins Ray and Weston. Thanks for helping Abram to get his hair wet and take some risks in the pool!!!That's about it for week #1 of our trip!