Unlucky Flight Schedules

We just returned from a great trip to Utah (will post pictures soon.)  Due to schedule restraints (and ticket prices) we had to travel in two groups.  I got to travel with the four younger girls, but we had very unfortunate luck with our airline connections.  On our way out to Utah, we missed our connection in Detroit.  The airline put us up for the night in a local motel and put us on a flight early the next morning . . . . but we had to fly to Minnesota and spend 4 hours there, before heading to Salt Lake City.  So . . . . 

we called up Uncle Kevin and he came over (on Father's Day) to entertain us at the airport.  He brought snacks! 

Yesterday morning, we got up early to drive back to SLC to catch out flight home.  This time, we knew we had to make two stops before getting back to Charlotte (At the time of buying these tickets, I was so focused on trying to get a good price -- since we have to buy so many, that I didn't notice the two stops.)  However, our flight was delayed going out of SLC.  When we arrived in Minnesota, we raced to the other end of the airport to catch our next flight.  Well, luckily this flight was delayed for maintenance, so we didn't miss it.  However, as it continued to be delayed, we worried about our next connection.  I was told that we would probably be okay, but that they could change our flight to a direct flight to Charlotte that left in 5 hours, if I wanted to.  Well, I didn't want to sit in the airport for another 5 hours, so we went ahead and boarded the flight to Detroit.  However, we were in row 23, our gate checked stroller and car seats didn't come up for a long time, and by the time we rode the tram to the other side of the airport (why did we not ever get a connection within a couple of gates?), we missed our flight to Charlotte.  So, we got to spend 4 hours in Detroit before catching a different flight home.  We left for the airport at 6:00 AM and arrived home at 11:30 PM.  With the time change, we spent 15 1/2 hours traveling -- you would think that we had traveled to Europe.  

The girls were real troopers.  Here they are in this dark tunnel that connected two of the concourses at the Detroit airport.  Different colors of light flashed along the walls in tandem with new age music that played in the background. (I'm serious -- "they" must think that this "peaceful" atmosphere will help you relax from the stress you are feeling from having to travel so far by foot to get to this other concourse.)