Preparations, doubts and additions...

Preparations...
Hopefully this is it.  The final pieces of the puzzle are being set for the trip.

The very last night is set not too far from the airport so that we can get up and get out to the airport without any issues.  I think we need to be there by 7 am for the flight home.  That is going to be torture.  Neil and Malcolm will probably be up, but not the Dunc-Truck.

We will be spending two nights in  -------, in the far north of the mainland.  I was hoping that we would have this sorted by now, but apparently not.  Many of the places up there have a minimum stay of five nights, so we are going to have to do some searching for something cool.  I was hoping to stay right on the water.

My goal is to come back when everyone is old enough so that they can carry all their own stuff and we will hike and do lots of outdoors activities on the islands, inner and outer Hebrides, the Shetlands and Orkneys.  I'd like to be able to hike a bunch in the Highlands and spend time outdoors as much as possible.  The tick situation at home is becoming quite difficult to deal with and I am not sure how I am going to build their love of hiking if we hardly ever get to go.

I'm talking like everything is going to go really well and no one is going to have any issues with sleeping and rest, etc.  I think by the end of the last trips everyone had acclimated to the change in time, however, you never know.  I'm optimistic that everything will be ok and we will be able to have no issues that morning.  We will be staying outside Inverness and will almost definitely have our last meal at the Dores Inn  - on Loch Ness and recommended to us by a friend who grew up there.  We were there once before and the food was good.  Besides, how often do you get to go to another country and eat at the same place?

A very tiny Neil at the Dores Inn

The Original version of the traveling Clan MacNeil

Doubts...
Of course as the time of the trip, or at least Jess and the boys' time in Florida gets closer, she is starting to freak out and second guess some of the decisions that she has made:

• Do I have the right clothes and shoes for everyone?  Too many long sleeve?
• Is the car going to be able to fit the three car seats?
• Will the car be able to fit the seats and the luggage?

These are legit concerns, especially about the car seats.  I think the clothing situation will be ok - they really don't care and will run around in whatever - and if we are as lucky as we have been in the past, we have usually gotten good weather for the trip.  If not we will make the most of it.  I have gotten a new pair of hiking zip off pants and three shirts and I think that is it.  Hopefully I will have some time to work on it once the regular school year is over.  I am in need of new shoes that can be versatile for the regular sightseeing and hiking.

I'm more worried about planning for the next school year and who will be watching our property.  That's the shit that haunts me.  It's probably even more the work related stuff because there is always so much that needs to get done.  This worry however, will be lessened (hopefully) by the potential of Cuban cigars and new breweries to try.  The last time we were in Europe, I had a ton of Monte #2s and Bolivars and it was awesome!  Perhaps I will expand my horizons this year and try some that I have not had before - but let me tell you - on the nights that I don't fall asleep with the boys, it's so nice to sit outside, have a beer and smoke a Cuban - or any good cigar for that matter.

Of course, there is still the end of the year shennanigans that need to be completed before any kind of anything can even be thought about or done.  The end is always super stressful because of the amount of work that needs to be done and for me this year, we are down a few people so that means more work for everyone who actually does the work.

Additions...
Times are hectic but exciting.  Change is exciting.  Sometimes.  Not all the time.  There are going to be a ton of changes around here, and I am not sure how that is going to go.  Everyone seems excited but...I'll let the three of them tell the story.  You can really see their first, middle and last personalities in this video.  It's a good thing we captured it for posterity.

Neil has to be in charge, Malcolm has to be heard and Duncs doesn't really care as long as no one takes his food.  

I guess I rolled over one night in February.  Yep, that's right, the Clan MacNeil is going from 5 to 6.  If you look at a previous blog post, there was a hint, you have to look closely, but it's there.  If you find it, you get a prize.

As with competitions in previous blogs, there is no actual prize.  

We are all very excited, because, you know, what could possibly change in a house with three boys under seven?  I'm not sure the house would stand, literally, with another boy in the house.  They break everything.  Not because they are malicious, just because.  A girl would throw us into financial ruin.  We'd need new everything - clothes mostly - but lots of new stuff.  

Do we need a car for six now?  Jess does the driving in the UK because the wrong side of the road and shifting with your left hand is just too damn much change for me.  I wouldn't be able to handle it.  Then there's the peeing, like every three minutes.  How are we going to get anywhere when she has to pee every three seconds?  Then drink water and pee every two seconds.  

Then there's Duncs.  Poor Duncs, he doesn't know what's about to happen.  I suppose it should be easier for him since he will have the other two to occupy him - but still, he loves his Momma

We've already started to argue about names.

Can we actually have a girl?  I don't make girls do I?  Then there's the learning curve - I don't know how to clean that equipment.

Well, we've got some time to prepare and adjust, wipe out any doubts and be ready to welcome our new addition in early December.