WFMW- Traveling with SMALL Children

I figured that for this Works for Me Wednesday it would be appropriate for me to discuss traveling with small children for 2 reasons:

1. We just returned from vacation. (you are saw most of the beginning of last weeks posts via FUTURE POST!)
2. Many of you are taking vacations as well.

Here are my must have’s for traveling with my little ones:

1. The LIST. Yes, a grand little packing list saved on my computer that reminds me of every must have to make Owen and Lukas’s lives livable while we are away. With every trip this can be easily tweaked and printed out. Never leave with out the list. The list also comes in handy for re-packing on the return home. Mother’s know it is almost impossible to go home without leaving something behind- with the list it is closer to possibility!

2. The DISTRACTION. Long, long hours on the road or in flight and baby/toddler/child must have plenty of distractions! This time is the exception to the rule. Spoil your child. Especially if you are in flight. It is more important to value the space of those around you than to teach your child the value of limited TV time.

Useful distractions (may change with age, situation, or method of travel) include but are not limited to:

breastfeeding (under cover of course), pacifiers, favorite stuffed animal or blanket, bottle, hand held toys, dvd player (headphones in flight!), dvd’s, computer, hand held video game, puzzles, magna-doodle, games, playdoh, snacks, drinks, conversation, quiet singing and rocking, books, homework (for you home schoolers out there!), guessing games, etc…

It is important in choosing the distraction that you consider your own child and situation. No need to pack too many distractions. Limit yourself to the top 3-5.

3. FOOD. Traveling is not a time to worry too much about feeding schedules or your typical snacking rules. One round trip will not be enough to create an obese child. Food provides and excellent way to keep your child content.

4. Don’t Over-pack, Don’t Under-pack. This is an art. While difficult, beginner take heart, you will get used to it. Over-packing drives me crazy. I could hardly contain myself on a plane as I watched a first time traveling mom with her 6 month old, husband, and a couple bags full of EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE YOU WOULD NEED IN 12 MONTHS WITH A CHILD! I know she was being a good mom and preparing for everything… but she was in for a long tiring trip. When her 2nd comes along I know she will chuckle when she thinks of her first time in flight with a baby.

Under-packing is an obvious danger, this is where the list comes back into play.

5. Allow Extra Time. For EVERYTHING. With children everything takes longer. Traveling is no different. If you have absolute deadlines, as with flight departures and important arrival times, plan for everything to take extra time. Better to be early than late in these cases. If you plan for extra time you are less likely to get impatient and irritated with those precious little slow-pokes.

6. Expect Constant Questions. The annoying kind. Like “are we there yet?”. You did it to your parents, now you pay penance. Anticipating this also increases your chance of maintaining a sane patience level.

7. Enlist help of Older Children- Once children are capeable of anything they love to be included in the process. It gives them great pride to feel part of “the team”. Even with my 3-year-old Owen I notice a big difference in his behavior when I include him by letting him help. While flying he can carry a small bag or item. While driving he can talk to his brother and tell him stories (he loves to tell stories). If I explain how helpful this is, he is more likely to behave. Think of ways to get your kiddos to help.

8. LAUGH! Things most likely will not go exactly as planned. Expect it and choose to laugh in advance. Make light of the exit you missed as you were stopping one from making the other scream, Make light of the poopy diaper JR decided to let go as soon as your flight reached cruising altitude. Laugh at that person next to you that hates children. Laugh that you left favorite stuffed animals back at the Cracker Barrell and have to turn around to get it. Laugh, Laugh, Laugh- after all, you are on vacation.

Related Posts:
WFMW- Easy Cooking

4th of July Pictures.

This batch of photos was taken on the 4th of July We went into Savannah with My sister-in-law and her husband for lunch while the kids all stayed together. It was nice to get out and go to a unique lunch place just 4 adults. We always get a ton of adult time when we visit them- its nice.

After that we returned home had dinner and headed out to the fireworks. We had a choice between catching the fireworks at Tim’s army base or downtown Savannah. Thankfully we chose Savannah because Ft. Stewart made national news for a flopped fireworks display. Apparently 4 minutes into the hour long show the remainder of the fireworks blew up on the ground causing fire to shoot everywhere. The crowd started picking up their chairs, blankets, and running! That’s a little too much drama for me.

Ours was uneventful, beautiful, bug-free and convenient. Loved them.

A picture of one of the many beautiful Savannah trees

JJ and I out on the town for lunch

Lukie making what I interpert to be fireworks gestures.

Owen ADORES his cousin Gabby… and I happen to think they look like brother and sister

Lukas and Jackson looking up.

Jackson and his pretty blues.

Gabby and Owen again looking like each other.

Janis holding Jackson.

Lukas and Jackson on their bellies.

Me and Jan.

Elizabeth and Jessica, “the twins”, and our wonderful babysitters

Sweet Maddie.

Elizabeth and Jess again.

My boys checking something out.

BOOM!

Happy 4th!

After some National Lampoons style travel yesterday (may share that little story with you at some point.) we are in Savannah, GA enjoying the holiday with msister and law and brother in law. I will probably post less and probably not be able to visit many blogs until then! I will try to at least keep up on responses to your comments and emails! Enjoy your 4th. I still wonder at the fact that God was gracious enough to let me be born in this country. When you think of all the places you could have been born, all the situations you could have been born into. We are blessed!

In All Fairness to My Husband…

I know I posted that BBQ Rules post mocking men last week and most of us had some good laughs. In all fairness, JJ put together a great meal this weekend. He did all the grocery shopping (while I slept!). He did the meat and veggies in the form of kabobs. Mimi boiled the corn. Uncle Bens did the rice. My parents brought the salad and I made the cupcakes. Everyone helped clean.

Now for the proof:

Swamp Thing

When I left for an appointment this evening after dinner Mimi was taking the boys for a walk down by the lake. Owen had begged all day long to go see the fishies and excitedly took off.

I’m not sure what all happened because I was not there, but apparently at some point while Mimi was trying to teach Owen something down on the ground. Lukas bent to pick something up and gained momentum toward the water. He tripped and fell face first in the water’s edge and down into the mud. Mimi quick on her toes grabbed him out of the murky shallow stuff to reveal a MUD COVERED Lukas.

Apparently Owen was so devastated at the sight of his swamp-thing brother that he started screaming at the top of his lungs and stomping his feet! Mimi calmed him down explaining that Lukas only had mud on him and that she could wash it out. She grabbed the one and only tissue she had on her and cleaned him up to the best of her ability and headed back. I missed the grand reveal of our mud covered child, but fortunately JJ took some pictures before he was fully cleaned up.

Mimi and Jeff said Lukas went to bed pretty mad that he had been wet and dirty so long. He has been out a few hours and it appears he hasn’t moved a muscle in his crib yet! Poor sweet little guy. Mimi felt bad- but she needn’t to. I am well-aware that these little boys can slip out of your fingers! She reacted quickly and brought him out safe and sound. Thank God for her quick reflexes.

And now for the visual after being partially cleaned.

Photo Journal June 14, 2007

Mostly for my husband (and relatives away), but you all can take a look-see too!

This was Mimi’s last day here. We had a slow morning (which is typical around here) and then set off to lunch and a walk through a historic villiage near me. They are opening so many quaint little shops in this villiage and we love it so much! We promised the boys if they were good on our trip there that we would take them to the new cupcake cafe that opened. They were good, so we all reaped the benefit!

Enjoying the cupcakes.

After naps we chilled a bit and then head out about an hour west of the city to meet up with Paw-Paw, have dinner, and drop Mimi off. PawPaw drives a bus as a side job and had to be in NYC all week. He dropped Mimi off on the way there and was picking her up tonight. The boys loved being able to see the big bus. At first (as you can see) Lukie was scared. But then they were just 100% intrigued. Owen could barely wait to get there. It was great to see Paw-Paw and I’m glad that they will be visiting again in a little over a week. My parents will be coming back from Florida then too!

Picture of Lukas being hesitant about the bus.

Lukas and Mimi.

Mimi and Paw-Paw with the boys.

I love the way that Mimi and Paw-Paw are looking at eachother and laughing in this picture.

Paw-Paw driving the bus.

The boys taking a little ride in the front of the bus.

The boys got back and in bed so late tonight. I hope there is a shred of hope that means they will sleep in- but I doubt it.

Tomorrow is IFF (internet free Friday). If something posts, remember it’s probably future-post, but I doubt I will post anything tomorrow

The good news is I’m actually caught up on my feed reading (for the moment!)

Photo Journal June 10-13th

The boys in my life. JJ often has ‘phone meetings’ outside. Especially with it being so nice out. We were leaving the house to go to the pool and the boys were super excited to see him.

Owen did great letting me know when he had to potty at the pool, which meant treats for both. Let me tell you, Lukas has really been enjoying Owen potty-training

Last minute love before dad leaves town. Lukas couldn’t get enough of his daddy.

The amazing husband and I. I always wish we had more pictures together.

Happiness. What more can I say. He was completely posing for this picture.

And something incredibly important that I have not yet mentioned from today….
Mimi, my mother-in-law, gave me the whole afternoon off. It is absolutely amazing how much one can accomplish sans children. I ran so many errends on different sides of town QUICKLY! Even once I got home she kept watching the boys outside and I was able to work on my blankies for the Chinese orphans I mentioned in this post. It is so amazing to have such sweet help. Mimi is an incredible grandma. We are blessed with both sides of our family.

I really need to get more pictures of Mimi before she leaves!

Marvelous Weekend

What a great weekend!

Our weather could not have been more perfect. Saturday my mother-in-law watched the children and my husband and I did yard work all day. I planted some more knock out roses and a few other things I found at the nursury that I fell in love with. I’m so happy with where our landscape is going and plan to continue it! Now if only we could get a good rain! I have been soaking my roses non-stop!

Saturday night my husband grilled AMAZING kabobs. After a day of hard physical labor it was nice to have some good rice and meat!

Sunday we went to church as usual, though we didn’t make the early service as we had planned. My pastor has been hitting home run after home run for the last few months. (It takes a lot to get me to use a baseball analogy!) I was going to post a link to his sermon, but it seems they haven’t posted this weeks yet. If you are looking for great sermons to listen to, you can check out this link though. I love the way Rich speaks. Very down to earth, logical, and still incredibly challanging. There isn’t a week that goes by (that I attend) where I don’t leave pondering my walk with the Lord and some area of it. He speaks with the authority and confidence of Christ, he doens’t hold back the hard truths, but at the same time he isn’t yelling at you. He doesn’t make his tone and demeanor be the conviction on you, but rather the Holy spirit by hearing truth.

Right now we are on a spiritual warfare series. The previous series rocked as well. It was on “becoming a church for others”. So if you want to check them out GO HERE.

Today we went to the pool with mimi and had a blast. Owen learned to swim underwater and wore himself out doing it! Come to think of it I’m worn out too But the good kind of worn out. We are grilling BBQ chicken tonight and I have herb roasted potatoes in the oven now. I think we’ll go down the street and pick strawberries at my dad’s house too.

I wish I had pics of everything, but I didn’t have a charged camera until this morning. At some point I will post pictures of my new plants.

I hope you are having a great monday!

Wrapping up Thursday.

Today was nice.

Beautiful weather, a few hours at the pool. A little boy that keeps going on the potty (YAY!). Great quiet time. A dinner with my husband. Free dessert.

I can’t complain.

I do wish you could upgrade your account for time though. I just keep running out. So many things I want to do. So little time to do it!

Tomorrow I’m off line. A post will be coming, but I’ll future post it so I can take my normal Friday off.

Jeff’s Mother comes in town tomorrow. That will be nice. I just found out he will be traveling a good percentage of June! It will be nice to have her here while he is gone.

Summer gets pretty crazy for JJ’s travel. I forgot about that every year. I’m happy for him and support him in his work 100%, but it is sad to think of him being gone so much. I know that he misses it too. He hates being away from his boys.

I’m exhausted so I better finish my posts and go! Sleep has been so good lately. Thank God for modern medicine!

Some Some Summer-time!

Days at the pool, nights on the patio, dinners outside, parks, zoos, car-trips, family, sunshine, bike-rides, long-walks, less TV, flowers, trees, red cheeks, highlights, swingsets, driveway play-time, basketball hoops, beaches, long days, BBQ, sidewalk chalk, spinklers, water fights, blowing bubbles, laying out, pony-tails, naked face, endless smiles on my childrens’ faces, boating, popcicles, ice cream sandwiches, cook-outs, laughter, fresh-cut lawn, lush green grass, flip flops, tank tops….

What words resonate summer to you?

In honor of my official “summer is launching” weekend (yes, this is a holiday in my very own mind) I played with imovie and tried to make a little slide show. I have a lot to learn. I have already spent two times as much time on this as I really budgeted for tonight, oh well.

I wish the picture quality transferred better, and I wish I knew how to do a lot more… but It’s always fun to post your first try and laugh at it a year or two later when you are so much better at it Anyway, Laugh, Enjoy.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeDLaS0OKhE]

in other news… the boys seem to really be either loving eachother physcially or beating each other physically at all times. Fortunately, I was able to catch a couple of the loving time on camera. I almost missed it. I was cleaning up, JJ was on his computer, and just several feet away they were doing this… all on their own.

In other news… It’s Memorial Day.
For all those who have given their lives, who have been willing to give their lives, and who have lost loved ones fighting for our country in one capacity or another. May we never forget you or belittle the sacrafice you have made. And may all the troops now serving be brought home safely at the right time. You are in my prayers… and no doubt the prayers of many others.

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