Europe: Behind the Scenes

Recently, after looking at this blog, my sister-in-law asked me if our children ever misbehave while sightseeing.

Ha! ha, ha, ha.

With our 3 kids, chances are that someone is either whining or crying (and no, I'm not just referring to those 7 and under). Managing those rascals during our travels is exhausting, and If I am able to take in 40% of what is around me, I count that as a success. I snap pictures like crazy, so that when we get home (and after the kids are in bed), Andrew and I can go through the pictures to fully appreciate what we were able to see... or not see.

So, in the interest of full disclosure, I would like to set the record straight on this unintentional, "perfectly-well-behaved-child" deception.

Below Left: Sam is actually a pretty good sport- unless he is hungry or has to use the bathroom. At that point, all reason goes out of the window with him.
Below Right: You'll notice that Andrew carries Afton in a backpack a lot. What you don't see are pictures of her screaming in his ear like the one below.

Luke uses a different tactic to express his anger or frustration in public: he throws himself on the ground in fetal position and refuses to move. I try to be discreet when I kick him to get up.

The picture below was taken in Neuschwanstein castle. We were prohibited from taking pictures inside, but since I had to leave the tour due to Luke's tantrum, I figured I might as well get something out of it.

While in Munich my friend Merry and I decided to take our kids to an art museum while our husbands went on a "Third Reich Tour". Our kids wrestled the whole time (see below- Afton is tackling Truman), while Merry and I did our best to view the art. As soon as I laid eyes on one of the most exquisite pieces in art history (Albrecht Durer's Self Portrait), Afton started screaming at the top of her lungs. I was left with 30 seconds to view the painting, and then forced to run out of the museum still drooling over it. It still breaks my heart to think about.

We also give our children "timeouts" a lot while in public. (Below is Sam, Luke and Truman getting a timeout in France.)

These pictures were taken 3 seconds apart. Is it so much to ask to have everyone looking at me at once? Why yes, yes it is. And might I add that the only reason Andrew is smiling in the last shot is because a group of people were watching me take this picture- he had to put on a good face.

And one last picture to leave you with...Luke, assuming the position.