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Travel Week Tip #3: Some of my favorite Travel Products
I know that I have shared a few things that we like to use when we are traveling, but here are some more of our favorites!
This has been a real backsaver for me. When I fly alone with Ladybug, I am able to use this lightweight restraint instead of lugging our big carseat. She loves being able to sit in the “big people seat” instead of riding in her carseat. I love that it folds up compact and is FAA approved. Fortunately, we’re always going back to Arkansas when we fly alone and my parents have an extra carseat there!
Ladybug really likes her Batman Funtainer! It’s BPA free, comes with a replacement straw, and I don’t worry about her spilling her drink all over the place. When we put ice inside, it keeps water cold for about 8 hours and cool for many more. We have taken it to fairs and festivals, trains and planes, and strollers and diaper bags! It travels beautifully.
In my opinion, this is one of the best blankets ever! It is big but not too big, light but warm, and oh so stylish.
These are super travel crayons! Their triangular shape prevents them from rolling around on the tray table of an airplane. Plus, they are easy for my Ladybug to grasp.
I just love these. They satisfy Ladybug’s need to use markers (yes, there are times when she just needs to use markers like the “big kids”) yet I don’t have to worry about her coloring all over the wall!
Over the past three years, we have owned 5 strollers. A Graco Quattro Tour Travel System, a Cheapie Umbrella, a Baby Trend Jogger, and a Combi Cosmo Dx. When we started flying back and forth to Arkansas fairly frequently, I started looking for a stroller that was easy to push and easy to tote when it was folded. Enter the Maclaren Volo. It is the bare-bones Maclaren model, but it is still much sturdier than my cheapie umbrella stroller. It folds easy (even though it’s not a true one hand fold), glides when pushed, and it’s got a higher weight limit than most umbrella strollers (55#). Plus, I love the color. Ours is “Coffee” which is a luxurious brown!
We have had our “Puppy Backpack” for over a year now, and I don’t go on any trip without it! Ladybug loves that it is plush like one of her stuffed animals, and I love that it securely straps around her little chest. We have used it in airports, in malls, at conventions and even sightseeing in Chicago. Here she is wearing it at the Car Show in Detroit last year!
These headphones are sized for kids 8 and older, but I have found that they fit my little one better than anything else on the market.
and Finally,
Children’s Place Mini-Backpack
We found this backpack at the Children’s Place last August when we were getting ready for school. It is larger than her last backpack, but it’s not too big. I included the last picture to show how she looked wearing it.
So these are some of our favorite travel products. What has made your cut?
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Travel Week Tip #1: Packing Lists
After preparing to pack, and then actually packing, I’m really glad to be on vacation. Geez. There are times when I feel like I need a vacation just because I got all the packing done! So in honor of making it through the packing process, yet again, I thought that I would share some of the things that are currently working for me to help keep us nice and organized!
Most of our recent travel has been by airplane, so that’s the area where I have the most ideas. This trip, is no different. We are fortunate enough to be flying, so I had to pack accordingly!
Regardless of how we travel, I start out my packing process by making a list.
Over the course of several years, I have found that I should start making a travel list about two weeks before we depart. I try to break down my list into categories for each person like “Mom’s List”, “Dad’s List”, “Kid #1″ or even “Pet’s List”. After I get the main categories down, I commence to listing each item that we need.
On my MacBook, I have a fantastic program called “Stickies.” It came with my MacBook, and it basically turns a little text file into a cute little Post-it Note. I set up a “sticky” for each of the family members, each with their own color.
(Click on the image for a better look.)
I even break it down into what I am going to put in each bag!
If you don’t have this program, you can always use a spreadsheet feature like Google Docs. It works well too!
(Click to enlarge)
So that’s my travel tip for today. Check back tomorrow for more tips!
Chicago
Did I tell you that we got to make a quick weekend trip to Chicago last month?
My parents were in Chicago for a business conference, so we met them for a weekend trip. We got to stay at a hotel right down on Michigan Avenue which gave us a fantastic view of Lake Michigan and all of the other sites along the shore.
Buckingham Fountain. They’re renovating it.
The Planetarium and The Aquarium.
Navy Pier
It was great. At night, we could even see the fireworks from Navy Pier! I love it when we have a view. Plus, we were close enough to walk or ride the el to every place we visited. Though it was a quick trip we had a good time. I can’t wait to go back!
Turbulence
So last week, I mentioned that our return fight from Arkansas was rather bumpy. Well, it started out fine though!
Ladybug gets so excited when we get on the airplane. I’m so glad that we decided to purchase a CARES Harness for her to use. She gets to feel like a “big girl” in the adult seat. I get to have the convenience of just folding it up and stuffing it into my carry-on bag.
It wasn’t long after we took off, however, that we started experiencing some rough turbulence. Ladybug finally allowed herself to fall asleep, but was startled awake by the little girl sitting behind her. This caused her to start crying uncontrollably. You know what happens to a child that starts crying uncontrollably? Puke. Puke Happens. Nothing like a puking toddler at 30,000 feet.
Thank goodness we had an understanding flight attendant who kept us supplied with wet paper towels and handi-wipes. I didn’t even have to exhaust my supply of wipes!
After I was able to calm her down, I thought I would try to get a few pics. I hate it when we sit over the wing! It’s all we see out of the window!
Ah. The trippy-dippy tunnel at the Detroit Airport. It’s kind of a nice diversion after being on the airplane
(Check out this video that I found of the tunnel. It REALLY makes it look trippy.)
Muddy Waters
When you fly to Arkansas, you pass over beautiful farmland, small towns, and lots of water. Arkansas is just full of puddles and creeks, ponds and streams, and lakes and rivers. I always feel like I’m home when I see the big ole’ muddy Arkansas River!
After stretching our legs for a bit on the ground, we posed for a few pictures and then hit the road.
So…now it’s time for a game. It’s called “Guess Whose Hair is their Natural Color!”
(That’s My Mom in the middle and my Lil’ Sister in the shades!)
Family Time
Greetings all! I’m coming to you live from what is shaping up to be a cloudy, hot and humid day here in Central Arkansas. We have had a fantastic visit so far, seeing many family and friends. Ladybug is currently in the room adjacent to me playing with her older cousin, who she has missed like crazy. They even slept in the same bed last night! Needless to say, she has been running on full speed since we arrived. Finally she found a few minutes to rest her little body!
With another jam-packed day planned, I hope she is able to catch another nap sometime today!
The View From The Plane
Of all the flights that I have taken, I have never been able to see the sun set while in the air, until this last flight. It was phenomenally beautiful. I wish that I had my good camera out, instead of my phone.
The sky was so clear, and the ground was covered with fresh snow.
Max and Emmy
We made it to Arkansas in one piece. While the internet connection was a bit sparse for the beginning of the trip, I am now working with wi-fi! I love being able to just turn on my laptop and receive internet. Life is so much better than the days of yore when you had to plug in that pesky phone cord.
While I’m not up to writing a full post (I’m pretty under the weather), I will leave you with this:
This is Maximus Decimus Meridius. We call him Max-i-MOOSE, or Moosie for short. He is my Mother-In-Law’s dog, so that makes him my Brother-in-Law, right? Ladybug is in love with him and his littermate, Emmy (her aunt?).
Woohoo!
This was the view from my car window this afternoon. Blue Sky. White Clouds. Drab Grass.
Oh grass. How I’ve missed you!
It has just been beautiful here today. I ran some errands and didn’t even have to wear my coat. My daughter got to wear her fabulous new rain boots today instead of her heavily insulated snow boots. We didn’t really have a reason to get out of the house today, but we made a point to get out in the sun.
Here’s our forcast for the next few days.
And tomorrow, we are headed back to Arkansas for a week. This is what their forcast calls for: 
Today has been beautiful. I’m not ready to head back to stormy weather!
Packing
I am trying to compile a list of clothes to pack for our upcoming trip to Arkansas. Do you know how hard it is to pack for a place that is 34 degrees today with a chance for snow, but will be 64 degrees by the time you get there? Not to mention the fact that Arkansas weather changes every 5 minutes! I’m loosing my mind.
I have no idea if we are going to need shorts or long johns. And since we try to only take carry-on baggage, I can’t bring my entire wardrobe.
Perhaps I need to invest in some of these.
Do you think they come in a little girl’s 2T?
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