This is How We Roll
We were out of the house by a quarter to noon and headed for the bus stop. It’s just up the street and around the corner, a 3 minute walk. All of us were there; me, Jaden, Nathanael and Annie and we waited for the bus on the side of the road. It’s the one time when my children actually sit and wait. They love watching the road to see when the bus will come around the corner to pick us up. And I love sitting with my kids for the ride and maybe even eating some snacks along the way.
To take three kids ages 5, 3, and 18 months out on an adventure using public transportation can be quite different than a trip in the car. There isn’t all that extra storage space to bring and store snacks, cups, and diapers. I’m generally a minimalist anyway but I did find a new trick with water for the kids. I use a timbuk2 bag as my ‘diaper’ bag or even more fitting ‘family bag.’ Toting 3 klean kanteens plus a water bottle for me can take up a lot of space and it’s quite heavy and sort of sloshy to carry so recently I started carrying two larger reusable water bottles and 3 small plastic cups. this actually frees up a lot of space, getting the water into a more compact space. Our snacks were the usual for this time of year, mandarins, nuts, berries, seeds and jerky; all in one container and we share. I took three diapers with me but only ended up using one. You know if I had only taken one I would have needed more.
Once we got to the main station we had to switch buses then we did some walking and thrift store shopping. Annie was in the ergo and pulling on everything in reach including my hair….we had to get out of there. I returned an item that I had been meaning to take back for awhile (some Aveda exfoliant that made my face breakout) then we went to a local toy store where we could get a dragon that Nathanael had been asking for but he ended up choosing a cowboy on a horse instead (you know, those cool Schleich figurines). Jaden acquired a playmobil mermaid set. My children don’t have many toys and rarely get a new toy when it isn’t their birthday or Christmas and even then we are conservative so this was quite the treat. Lunch at the local Noli Cafe by choice of Jaden where we played the spelling game (Jaden asks me how to spell a word and I spell it…now Nathanael is into asking too). Annie slept on my back while I ate my lunch and finally woke up just in time to eat her own lunch before we headed out for a long stroll back to the main station to return home.
Nathanael dozed off before we got on the bus home and I had to take him out of the stroller and fold the stroller up as well, safety regulations. He actually stayed asleep sitting up for a bit but eventually woke up. Annie wanted to be a big girl and sit in her own seat on the way home. Jaden loves to look out the window and name all the places she recognizes. Using the bus sort makes for a long day, we were gone for 3.5 hours but with proper planning it gives a nice slot of time of outdoor activity that kids love without having to spend a lot. The next time we go we won’t even be stopping at any stores…I’m thinking about just picking a random bus and getting on it at the station. They all come back to the same place and I’ve never seen my kids be happier sitting down yet there is so much to take in with all the people who come through and things to see out the window.
The children and I both agree that we really want to ride the big, long green bus that has one of those slinky connectors in the middle. I think we may just take that bus out of the station next time as we prepare for our trip to Portland using the Amtrak and public transportation as our only method of travel.
