Our Economy Stinks...It's Time For a Vacation in Your Mind

Yep, I'm sure it's a surprise to all of you to hear that the American economy is, in fact, in the loo right now. I don't know if we're in a depression or a recession or what. The fact that I'm even saying the word depression is rather sobering. Now I know, I know. Josh and I still take crazy vacations all around the world and I'm sure that loses people's respect some. I do care about what's happening to so many of our people right now, though. Right now, there are people who can't even afford to feed their kids, much less take a trip. And Im afraid that it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Last summer I posted something about staycations. It's something that I think is still relevant today. No matter how much you hide it, stress shows through to your kids. They instinctively know when something is wrong. That's why it's so important for them to find an avenue to, mentally at least, get away. It's vitally important that YOU find a way to mentally get away. Im not talking about spending money on a vacation. But something as simple as going to your local library and getting a picture book of some far off place and imagining all the things you could do there can help take your mind off things. Getting lost pretending to be in a band with your kids while you air guitar to some music on the radio could be the answer. Go out to the woods and pretend to be lost (just don't actually get lost!). Spend time with your kids in any way you can. They need it and you need it. Hunker down and step away from the bills and just laugh, even for a minute. Your nerves will thank you.

Think Before You Pack

This week's theme is Packing! Since I didnt get a chance to make my video last week about packing your carry on I thought I would dedicated this week's posts to packing bags of all sizes! I may not be able to get a video done and I'm without a regular camera this week because Josh is in Peru but I'll try to paint pictures with my words :D.

Today we're going to talk a bit about packing and how to plan for packing. Yes, I said plan for packing. There's a lot to consider when you're going on a trip, especially if you're taking small ones along. It's easy enough for you to make it without your favorite shirt, but that might be a devastating blow to a child. OK maybe not devastating, but enough to make the little ones unhappy and no one wants that.

When you're thinking of wardrobe choices keep in mind that taking coordinating separates with maybe one or two pairs of shoes (and this applies to children as well) really is the essential thing. So for a 10 day trip you can take say 4 shirts in the same color range and 3 pairs of pants, also in that color range. Then take two pairs of shoes that will look good with all of those items and that's all you really need. Unless you're going someplace where you're going to sweat more than Elvis giving a concert in the 70s all of your items can be worn more than once. The caveat to this kind of planning is that kids get their clothing dirty much faster than adults do. Maya, as with many other kids, loves to wear her meals. In this case, you may want to take a few extra outfits just to cover your bases.

Other things to consider when you are planning your clothing choices is not only the temperature but also the elevation of your destination and whether or not you'll be someplace windy. I dont know how many times Ive been caught freezing my behind off because I didnt bring a sweater with me on a day when we ended up going up in the mountains or on a cruise with the wind whipping around me. When you pack your day pack you may want to take a quick glance at the things you know you will be doing or the things you are considering doing so you can be sure to get everything in.

Going Down in Flames

So I just thought I would write a note about my fine country's current economy...or lack of one. It's pretty doom and gloom here in the States. I was talking to Josh, who is currently in Peru, and was saying that Im currently trying to calculate how long it will be until we dive into a depression, arms flailing. I was only halfway kidding. It's looking pretty bad here. The stock markets plunged again with the word of another failed bailout. Everyone is pointing the finger at the other side and no one is solving anything. I think Josh and I will weather this fine but there are so many others out there who can't.

So what does all this mean? I think a lot of our Trunki traveler friends here in America are going to go on travel lock-down, which is a shame. I hate it that the greed of some people is taking the opportunity to experience the world from the rest of us. Hopefully, we can find a way to fix this but it will be a long time before we can claw our way totally out.

In the mean time, I will still stress the importance of trying to find ways of spending time away from the trials of daily life with your family. Even if it's just for a night. Pack up that Trunki like you're going to go on a trip and camp out in your backyard. Pretend, for one night, that your house is a hotel. Have your kids pack up their bags and "arrive" at your front door while you pretend to be the doorman. Check them in and take them to their "room." Maybe even post pictures of foreign lands in the windows so you can pretend you are in Paris or Rome. These are definitely scary times for Americans but we can't lose sight of the importance of family and finding ways to spend some special time together. Even if we can't afford to pack up the car and head out or take a plane trip to someplace, we can always travel to the furthest reaches of the world in our imaginations. So put some clothes, a few books, and your favorite teddy in your Trunki and go on a "trip" to someplace amazing.

When things go sour

Sour stomach that is! Yes my friends, I'm talking about air sickness. Even worse is air sickness in kids because kids love nothing more than to say "I feel sick" which is always instantly followed by proof that they do, in fact, feel sick. One of the worst culprits of air sickness is getting over heated. In planes where there's lots of people and even less air circulating, it's easy to get overheated. For children, whose bodies haven't fully developed the ability to regulate their temperature well, getting overheated is an easy task. Here are some tips for keeping that queasy feeling at bay:

• Keep a t-shirt in easy reach if they aren't wearing one already for a quick change if your child starts to get too hot.



• If they start getting that special feeling, put a cold, damp paper towel or wash cloth on the back of their neck.



• Look for warning signs of dehydration which can lead to nausea and overheating. Flush cheeks, sweating, and dry lips are all signs that your child needs more fluids.



• Keep some mint or ginger flavored items with you, both of which have been shown to help with nausea.

If the worst happens and your child gets sick, try not to despair. It happens to the best of us. Try to calm them down, take them to the bathroom if you can and try to cool them off. Check with your child's doctor beforehand to see if you can give them any over-the-counter medications in the event your child is suffering from food poisoning. If you can give them medication be sure to pack it in your carry-on so it's available. If food poisoning is the culprit, it is essential to give your child as many fluids as they can take as they can very quickly get dehydrated.

You don't need the kitchen sink...really

I was recently talking to a friend of mine who was stressing out a bit about taking his young son on a long international flight. One thing I told him about was my 8 hour rule. Take what you will need for the length of the flight plus eight hours and THAT'S IT. I'm also a big proponent of not taking too many toys and things. If it's your child's first flight they will probably be more interested in exploring their surroundings than playing with a bag filled to the brim with their toys. Toys are old, planes are new and everyone knows that new always trumps old with kids. Even if it's their second or third flight, they are probably still going to be more interested in the novelty of flying than in anything you take.

When Maya was a baby my carry on looked a lot like this

• One diaper for each hour of the flight plus 5 more (hey this is one area where less is NOT more)


• Two changes of clothes


• Three or four small soft toys (soft because they can be squished into small spaces)


• Toiletries for me (in case my bags got lost)


• A baby first aid kit (baby Tylenol, teething gel, band aids, itch cream, alcohol wipes, q-tips, Neosporin, etc.)


• A few bibs


• Pre-measured formula packets (each packet made 2 ounces of formula); enough for the flight plus 8 hours


• Unopened jarred baby food


• One feeding bottle with disposable bags, two nipples

This was pretty much it. Surprised the list isn't longer? That's because the thing to remember is that anything you need for your trip can be procured when you get to your destination and there's no reason to take everything on the plane with you. If you want to take more toys than this for your trip, pack the rest with your checked luggage or, if you all your bags are carry on, put them in the bag you don't plan to get into. You just don't need a lot of stuff because all it does is weigh you down and make everyone, including your child, miserable.

It's Survive a Plane Ride Week!

First, wow I have fans! Sometimes I thought I was writing into the great ether, but Im so glad to hear that at least some of what I've written has helped! Sorry it's taken me a bit to get back but things have been a changin here in the Young household. Soon after my last post we packed up and went to a wedding in Seattle, then Maya started kindergarten and my brain went to mush adjusting to having to actually think about fixing food for someone a day before they're going to eat it and making sure she hasn't squirreled anything away in her backpack. Darn you mommy brain!

In an effort to make the blog a bit more coherent Im trying out a new idea which is theme weeks. This week is Survive a Plane Ride Week because it is indeed something you have to survive through to get to where you're going, sometimes barely surviving. I've heard and experienced all kinds of horror stories about traveling so hopefully this week I can help you survive a few of those horrors.

My first tip of the week is a little something I like to call a "plane pack." One of the tips I always give to other parents is to put together a pack of toys, games, etc. into a small, mesh bag or other kind of bag you can quickly take out of your carry on and put underneath the seat in front of you. This keeps you from having to get into the overhead constantly which is both annoying and a safety risk. The size of your plane pack will depend on the length of your flight. Something like the one pictured below would be good for a flight of several hours...well for Maya at least lol.

This is Maya's plane pack closed up. I prefer to use mesh zipper packs so I can see exactly what I'm looking for. This is a small version. Maya has a slightly larger one that she takes on international flights that holds more but this will give you an idea of what Im talking about. This pack is about the size of a 5x10 photo so it's small but it has a lot in it.

As you can see, these plane packs can pack quite a bit. I can fit Maya's dolls (and yes, I have great personal shame for the brand of dolls *sigh*), a zippered bag of markers and crayons, a mini watercolor set, and a small pad of construction/scribble paper. It's enough to give her several different things to do while not taking up a lot of space.

Obviously, now that she's 5, Maya's needs are different than a smaller child but you can easily fill a plane pack with toys appropriate for any age. The key is having them in one pack that you can quickly take out of your carry-on. Believe me life is much easier when you dont have to have stuff all over the floor at your feet or up in the overhead where you have to scoot in front of the guy snoring away in his seat.

Later this week I'll have a video on packing your carry on and some more tips and tricks to get you through so keep reading!

Feeling the Pinch

The economy is a big issue here in the states right now and for good reason. The dollar just isnt what it was a few years ago and people everywhere, even us, are having to tighten the ol spending belt. For many, traveling is the first thing to go off the list, but at the same time vacations are often the very thing families need to relax and forget about their troubles at home even if it's just for a few days. There are lots of things you can do, from having staycations to changing hotels, to have a great vacation while still keeping costs low.

Stay at hotels that offer free breakfast: Hotels are doing a lot to woo people to stay with them. One thing I see a lot of hotels doing now is offering a free hot breakfast buffet. This is great because it cuts down on your food costs, you usually get a quality meal, and you can load up at breakfast for free allowing you to have smaller meals throughout the day and cut down on other meal costs

Stay at "residence" hotels: Places like Marriott's Residence Inn and Extended Stay Hotels offer apartment style rooms for great rates. Most locations also have pools, exercise areas and are centrally located making it easy to get around. Staying at places like this gives you the option of cooking your own food rather than eating out. Also, these locations tend to be more family friendly making it more comfortable for the whole family.

Use miles to fly and hotel points to stay: One of our secrets of travel is that we have two credit cards that we use to earn hotel and airline miles. Now I'm not encouraging anyone to just go out and get a credit card but, handled correctly, they can be a great asset. We use our mileage cards for the majority of our purchases and then pay them off at the end of the month. This way we can rack up the miles and points but not rack up debt. You often get one mile per dollar but many times you get two or three miles per dollar so it can add up quick. Josh and I are often able to use miles to pay for one, even two, tickets for a trip and also get our hotel using miles. These are huge costs for any vacation so it's great to "pay" for them using miles we've earned doing everyday things.

Plan your trips well in advance: Many people don't do this but we've found that it's the best way to spread out your costs. As an example, we pretty much know what trips we're going to take next year and are already starting to budget for them now. This gives us lots of time to save up for spending money while we're there and spread out the times when we buy tickets and pay for our hotel. It can be tough to fork over a huge chunk of money at once and can often be the reason why families just dont go anywhere but if you can plan for it, it takes a lot of the pain away.

Have a staycation: "Staycations" are gaining popularity here. A staycation is when you go on "vacation" but dont go out of the local area. People all over are pitching tents in their backyards or taking advantage of their local museums and parks. For those who really have to rein in their costs these are a great way to get away. Kids are often happy with anything that's different from their daily routine so even having a campout in the backyard can be fun for them. If you live close to metropolitan areas, like I do, take advantage of low cost or free museums, parks and county planned activities that take place at parks. Check the paper for festivals and local events. You'll be surprised at how much goes on right in your hometown and for free!

Unpacked Goes to the Potty

Alright, Im going to deal with a "smelly" issue but one that strikes fear into the hearts of even the most hardened traveler: weird bathrooms. This is all brought on because I kind of chuckled the other day when a friend of mine posted a picture of a "gross" toilet in Hong Kong and it looked just like the one in my house. The toilet bowl half filled with water weirded her out. Conversely, when she showed me a picture of her toilet at home I told her how we hated those toilets. She couldn't believe it. To each their own we decided.

It's always a bit of a harrowing experience when you are on a trip and come across facilities that are, well, less than stellar. If you're traveling with little ones it's even worse because they don't always understand that this is IT. (Actually, it may potentially be worse with teenagers because they are more prone to be grossed out but seeing as Maya s only 4 I have ten more years to desensitize her. ) Maya and I had some "fun" times in China dealing with their public bathrooms as 90% of the bathrooms there have squatting toilets not to mention they usually left a lot to be desired in the cleanliness department. If you think changing a diaper on an airplane is hard, try getting a wriggly preschooler to squat over a toilet and not hit anything!

Sometimes the bathroom may have normal fixtures but be dark as a cave. Ive gone in ones where you practically needed a flashlight to find your way around. I wont even talk about the most evil of all evils, the port a john. That would just be too much for you tender readers. Then there are the ones that have no working sinks or where you have to pay just for the pleasure of having toilet paper. Those are awesome

I know this isnt the most pretty of topics to write about but hey, Im here to help. I'm suffering for YOU! OK, maybe not but I'm sounding the warning call at least. Be prepared for ANYTHING when you're on travel, especially weird bathrooms.

Chicago: Just like New York, only better

People who know me know how much I love Chicago. Im excited to be going there once again this week to celebrate the 4th of July with friends and family. Well, really, in Chicago it's the 3rd of July as they get the festivities started a whole day earlier by having their fireworks display then. While it does get amazingly cold there in the winter, the summer is the perfect time for a visit to the windy city. There's beaches, parks, museums, lots of sports and even more food.

The best part is that it's lke going to New York with half the battle. It's much more walkable, the people are much more pleasant, and the general atmosphere is much more laid back. On top of that, there are plenty of excellent side trips to places like Wilmette to give some respite to the city life. If you're traveling with the kids be sure to check out the Navy Pier, the Shed Aquarium, the Field Museum, and don't forget to visit the "Bean" which is always a guaranteed kid pleaser.

If you're into shopping, check out Water Tower Place. It's a great shopping center right off of Michigan Avenue with all the famous stores you're looking for. If it's food you're looking for there's not many places better than Chicago. There's a restaurant for pretty much everything and there's a good range of options between the high end swank and low priced family fare.

So, if you're looking to visit a big city with a small town atmosphere, head to Chicago. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

Saying Goodbye to Beijing

Today was our last full day in Beijing. Tomorrow we leave for Shanghai for two days. After that it's Xi'an and Guilin. These past couple days ahve been pretty relaxing. We took a taxi out to the Summer Palace the other day which was just beautiful. Of course, there were the droves of people wanting pictures with Maya but overall it went well. The Imperial Summer Palace complex is huge with many beautiful buildings and temples the most beautiful of which was the Temple of the Fragrance of Buddha. There was also the beautifully restored Long Corridor which was a covered walkway spanning several hundred feet with over 14,000 intricate paintings on the ceilings.

Yesterday we accomplished almost nothing with the exception of going to the Silk Market. The Silk Market is know world wide for being the place to go for high quality fakes. They had fake everything from Polo Ralph Lauren to Dolce & Gabbana. Going there with Maya proved difficult as she wanted to say hi to anyone and everyone which just got them engaged in conversation. While we didnt stay long we did manage to score and incredible carved wooden mask. It's so awesome. I can't wait to hang it. Maya even got a four faced buddha out of the deal which she was very happy about.

Today was Hou Hai area and the Bei Hai Park area. Maya loved walking around and seeing all the fish. We even got her a little parisol to walk around with.

So far I've been a little disappointed in my findings for things for kids to do. I know there is stuff to do, but it's not as readily accessible as I thought it would be. We've shied away from the zoo and the aquarium just because of worries that the quality wouldnt be that good. Beyond that, Ive not seen one playground. It's really a shame. Hopefully, the other cities we visit will boast more kid friendly areas.

Three Weeks Until China!

So our big trip is just three weeks away!

Ive decided Im taking very little clothing and I'll just wash it out a lot. I'm taking three shirts and two pairs of pants. Im taking all long sleeved/long pants that can be rolled up because I want to make sure we have protection in Guilin but I dont want to be taking extra clothing. I was going to buy stuff at REI but man it's just so expensive and old navy has a sale goin on so I got these in this color and a dark grey



and this in khaki, olive grey, and a rusty red color called Indian Clay


I definitely want to get some good quality sneakers though and those might cost a bit. Im also considering getting a travel vest so I'll have something to put my shiznit in while we're walking around. I got Maya two pairs of roll up pants, I just need to get her some lightweight long sleeve shirts. She an I both will benefit from the long sleeve/long pants stuff too because we are both very fair skinned and burn at the very sight of the sun.

Maya has to get at least 6 shots in the next 2 weeks, poor thing. I'm definitely getting her a Hep A shot but Im waffling on the Typhoid. I just dont know if she REALLY needs it but since it's water borne I guess its better to be safe than sorry. They're $80 a pop though so ick. She's already got Hep B and all of her other regular vax I just need to get her her last booster shots which is where the other 4 shots come in. Even with the shots I'll be like the hawk I always am. No fresh fruits or veggies, bottled water only (even for teeth brushing), no ice, no street foods, all meat cooked to within an inch of its life and lots and lots of hand sanitizing.

Most places we've been I havent been too worried about sanitation. Egypt I was a little worried but we did just fine. China has me a little on edge when it comes to sanitation but Im sure it will be ok as well. I think China is a lot like Egypt in that there is this kind of shellac of niceness that is put up for the tourists but without much work you can get to the really ugly underbelly of grossness. We just have to be careful. That statement has nothing to do with the actual people of China, it's just a reality when you are dealing with a rapidly growing, industrialized nation. We went through it too.

So anyway, I feel like I have so much to do!

Going Dutch in Lancaster, PA

This weekend Josh and I are going our separate ways. Don't worry! Not like that. Nope, we're doing something we've never done before. We're taking separate trips. He's heading of to St. Louis to get his baseball fix while Im heading to beautiful Lancaster, PA for some good ol fashion fun with my great friend Jesica! I can't wait. She's even arranged for us to have a buggy ride with one of her friends. Maya is very excited about the prospect of that. Im very excited about getting to spend some time with my friend seeing as she's practically my twin. Ohhhhhhh the trouble we're going to cause. It will be a short trip but well worth it as I love Lancaster.

Lancaster is a very different place to go to that has this almost schizophrenic way of doing things. The Amish are very private people and generally keep to themselves. That's not to say they aren't nice...just private. And yet the big draw there is, of course, "Come see the Amish!" I wonder if they get annoyed at people coming there just to try to get a glimpse of them. To them, they're just, well, themselves. They work hard, keep their beliefs close to their hearts, and make some darn good food. To the rest of the world they are an oddity, something to be looked at almost like a zoo animal. I have great respect for them. They've kept their ways for hundreds of years and few have given into the temptation of modernity. It will certainly be interesting to get to go around the area with a local. Jesica LOVES to explain Dutch country to me and I love to hear about it. It's like traveling to another country that's only 3 hours away. Maybe I'll learn some Pennsylvania Dutch while Im there. That counts as another language right?

Windsor Castle: Some Castle in England with an AWESOME dollhouse

OK, OK so Windsor Castle is more than "some castle in England" being that it's housed monarchs for centuries but seriously the best thing about Windsor Castle, for little girls *cough* and moms *cough*, is Queen Mary's Dolls House.

This thing is ridiculous. It was originally planned as a gift for Queen Mary (of the 20th century) by one of her neices but it quickly turned into a major project to promote the craftsmen and historical traditions of England. It is filled with custom made miniatures by some of the world's most well known artists. Cartier, Faberge, Daulton China, Rolls Royce, even writers such as Rudyard Kipling and A.A. Milne. You name it, it's in there. It has working elevators, electrical lighting, even working plumbing. There are miniature exact replicas of everything you would find in a "normal" upscale home at the time. It's just amazing. I could have spent hours looking at it. In fact, Maya and I went to see it twice because we loved it so much. If you're ever at Windsor Castle be sure to go to see the dollhouse and for 4.50 GBP you can also pick up a book about it in one of the gift shops which tells it's history and has some great close up shots. Since you aren't allowed to take photos when you're in there that's really the only way to get a lasting view.

You can also go online and find some illegally taken images that other people have done. I like the book, though, because it's quite complete and gives you information that you would never get from someone else's grainy blurry illegally taken photo. However, since you guys can't see the book, here are some of the said illegal images I found of it to give you an idea of it's wonderful display :
http://www.nsrider.com/gallerymain/England/dollhouse.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sangster/237745019/

Top Ten Ways to Keep Your Sanity While Traveling With Kids

People are always asking me "How do you not go crazy when you're going all over the place with a kid." Well some of it's me but most of my ability to keep my cool has been learned through a lot of trial and error. Believe me, I've been there and done that in pretty much every situation and it's not always been pretty. The following list gives my main ways of keeping everything under control and running smoothly.

10. Take Less Stuff: I've said it before and I'll say it again. TAKE LESS STUFF!!! You seriously don't need a whole house full of stuff to keep your kids happy. Look at a travel packing list made by parenting websites and magazines and then cut everything in half. Those lists are great if your going to Grandma's for a week and dumping everything but NOT if you are going to be on the move.

9. Schedule Time to Take a Break or Have a Lazy Day: When traveling with kids this is a really crucial element. They need to have time to be lazy, watch TV, take a 3 hour nap, act stupid, etc. They need time to be themselves and if their entire day is jammed full of sightseeing followed by a sit down dinner, a night walk and then bed time you're only going to have very unhappy kids for a week. I can't count the number of times we've said "That's it, we're calling it a day" at like 1 pm. One time I actually left Josh to walk around with our friends in Spain so I could go back and take a 2 1/2 hour nap with Maya because we were so exhausted. I needed it and so did she. Learn to recognize that and don't be afraid to say you or the kids need to stop.

8. Keep Snacks With You At All Times: For kids, and people like me who are really sensitive to their sugar levels, this is important. Hunger can make you and your kids tired and cranky faster than a tour through a tin can factory so keep a variety of snacks with you. Make sure you have some kind of protein; be it bars, meat sticks, peanut butter crackers, etc.; because while crackers and pretzels are easy to take, they get metabolized the fastest and will just send you crashing.

7. Make Your Expectations Clear: Believe it or not, kids do better when there are set rules, especially on travel when following rules are a must. When you are traveling with kids, especially little ones, they NEED to know exactly what you expect of them. I do this with Maya. When we go somewhere where she needs to stay close or be quiet I let her know in simple terms and I repeat it and have her parrot it back to me frequently. 9 time out of 10 she's loved it because she feels like a big girl when she's done well. We won't talk about the 10th time.

6. Have a Reward System: Let your child know that they WILL get something out of going to all those boring museums, churches, and tours that you want to do. This is an important part of traveling for us. It teaches Maya compromise and allows us to do the things we want to do. We keep our eyes out for things we know she likes such as playgrounds or an ice cream stand. When we see them we note where they are and strike a deal when we're about to do a grown up thing. "If you're good in here we'll take you to that playground." Yes, it's bribery, but when your traveling with your kid it's a no holds barred situation.

5. Agree With Your Partner In Sharing of Care: If your traveling as a couple or traveling with friends, agree BEFORE you go as to the sharing of care. When we travel, I am the primary care giver for Maya. Now, people look at that and say "Doesn't it bother you that Josh doesn't help more?" The fact is, no it doesn't because we have agreed to that system and it works for us. Josh takes pictures, I watch after Maya. Josh knows, though, that if I have trouble with my asthma or if I start feeling tired he's got to take over. Your system may be different but the important thing is that you discuss it beforehand so no one ends up feeling like they got the short end of the stick.

4. Always Have a Plan B: Stuff happens, it's a fact of life, but you can't let it get you down. That's why I always say, have a plan B. That way when stuff doesn't go as you planned you can quickly say "OK, we'll just do this," without it ruining the rest of your day or the rest of your trip. This goes for everything but ESPECIALLY money. Always have a backup plan for money. That way if something really happens (like your wallet gets stolen) your not at a total loss.

3. Don't Let Your Itinerary Rule Your Life: I see so many people do this. You casually ask, "So what are you doing on your trip?" It's then that they take out their 12 page itinerary. Josh and I have found it's much better to set small goals for each day of the trip. Figure out what you definitely want to try to see before you leave on your trip, but don't necessarily schedule a time to see them. Each day pick a couple things on your list to do. This way you see the things you want to see but leave yourself time to discover things you didn't know about.

2. Give In to the Moment: This is one of the hardest things for adults to do. Stop looking at your watch, stop checking your email, stop planning every little detail. Give in. Waiter taking forever? Give in! Some of the best meals I've ever had were three hours long. Stuck in a rain storm? Give in and play in the rain with your kids. They will remember that more than some museum. Let go of your adult life and think like a kid for a few moments a day. You'll thank yourself later

1. BE PREPARED!!!!!: This is absolutely THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. I'm not talking about making sure you have enough socks. I'm talking knowing about where you are going. Average temperature, seasonal weather patterns, transportation options, greetings and customs, appropriate attire, even the political climate and current events. All of it is important. You don't want to plan a trip somewhere only to find out when you get there that it's monsoon season. Get a map of the area and study it. If it's a city, get information on all the transportation options and plan your routes to areas you will want to go to. Which is easier, figuring out the London Underground in your living room or when you're actually at a station? Pre-buy tickets if you can. Get multi-day museum or park passes. Often times, it will also save you money in the long run. Also, as dumb as it sounds, look at the geographical information if it's an area of the world your not familiar with. You may get the shock of your life to go someplace close to the Mediterranean only to find out its at 9,000 feet above sea level. A bit nippy?! Also check out information pamphlets for areas at various state and government sites. When traveling internationally I always check the U.S. State Department Consular Sheets, the WHO and/or CDC, and also the tourist board web site for the area I'm going to. They all help immensely.

There's always much more, but if you generally follow these tips you can rest easy that you'll have a well planned and, hopefully, stress free trip no matter where you are going.

We Have A Launch!

SQUEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, Josh has convinced me to go down to Florida in November to do Disney...again. I'm not sure why, but I just haven't been looking forward to the trip. Maybe it's because we just went to Disneyland not that long ago but, for Maya's sake, I'm willing to suck it up and go. Anyway, Josh was looking around at other places to go while we are there and said "You know, I've always wanted to go to Kennedy Space Center. I wonder how far away it is." Whu...what? Did you just say Kennedy Space Center? As in THE Kennedy Space Center? As in the place I've wanted to go to since I was like 6 and saw the movie Space Camp? My nerd heart skipped several beats! I love, love, love space stuff. Anything to do with space. NASA, space shuttles, the International Space Station, deep space satellites, space telescopes, any show with the word "star" in it. You get the drift.

As it turns out, Kennedy is only about an hour from Orlando. Awesome. Oh and for $60 you can have dinner with an actual astronaut. Even more awesome! Oh and Discovery is set to launch while we're there. SOMEONE GET THE SMELLING SALTS CUZ I'M GONNA PASS OUT!!!!!!!! Now given NASA's track record on launches it will probably be delayed but still, even if I could see it on the launch pad...I just don't even have words. If we get to be there to see the launch I think I will actually squeal with delight. That would be even more awesome than the World Cup and that's sayin something!

I'm not so sure Maya will like it. I think I'm going to have to work on her a bit. When I told her about it she thought we were going to get in the space ship and go see aliens. I tried to explain that we would just be watching astronauts go up and that they wouldn't be seeing any aliens but she still didn't like the idea. I don't know what I would do if she were too scared to watch it. With the shuttle program being phased out in just 2 years I don't think we'd ever have another chance to see one launch. Quick, someone tell me how to make her think aliens are cool!

What Would Mary Poppins Do

Well Maya has definitely taken clothing choices to a new level. Now she doesn't want to just wear something that matches. Oh no, she has to dress up as someone else. I've actually taken to asking her who she is in the morning so I know what to offer. This morning, first she was Wendy from Peter Pan and then she decided that she was actually Mary Poppins. Thankfully Wendy and Mary both wear the same dress it's just that Mary wears an Easter hat and carries a Tinkerbell umbrella around with her. Oh yeah, and she speaks in a high pitched English accent too. Who knew!

After getting Ms. Poppins ready for daycare this morning I was thinking "What am I going to do on trips now?!" Is she going to be like Cybil and need outfits for every personality or will she accept her fate of wearing what I tell her she has to wear. Usually, Maya's pretty good at being practical when she needs to be but lately, as evidenced by my blog about her behavior, she's swinging towards the "independent" side. Maybe the time has come to actually have her pick out her own clothes to take. Then if she's missing an outfit when she feels a Captain Jack Sparrow day coming on, she'll know that she's got no one to blame but herself...oh and her first mate, me.

Maybe I'll just sing her "A Spoonful of Sugar" and find some dancing cartoon penguins. That way I can get her dressed in something normal while she's occupied with the show. Think Dick Van Dyke is available?

Hold me up

When I was in Turkey I mentioned how using a scarf sling saved the day, allowing me to carry Maya on me without having to wear out my arms. She loved being in it and I loved having an alternative way of carrying her. Well, today, I dug through my closets and found my original baby sling that I had gotten when she was a baby. We had gotten it for traveling around without the aid of a stroller and it worked well. After a while I thought she was too big for it but after the trip to Turkey I decided to dust it off and see if it would still work.

There are many brands of slings and carriers out there so you kind of have to find the one you like. I had no idea what a sling was when we bought one but I ended up loving it. I have the NoJo Baby Sling by Dr. Sears*.

NoJo Baby Sling

It has extra padding at the shoulder and around the edges to keep the fabric from digging in which as a bit of a problem for me in Turkey. It's what's referred to as a ring sling because it has the double rings which you weave the strap into to adjust how tight the fabric is around you. I tried holding Maya several different ways and all of them seemed to be comfortable, even when we tested it while wearing our heavy jackets (a true test of what it will be like when walking around Estonia). I could hold her resting on my hip, in a lying down position across my front, and we were even able to figure out how to get her piggy-back on my back (though that position did end up being a bit uncomfortable). Again, she loved being in it. I think she just likes pretending to be a baby but it also allows us to be close to each other a lot which we both like. She's actually almost 10 lbs over the recommended weight limit for the sling (oops) but it still seems to work and she still sits safely in it.

Here's a few pictures of me wearing her when she was younger


*Just to clarify, my opinions are my own and Trunki is in no way affiliated with selling or promoting the NoJo Baby Sling. I just like it.

Embrace Your Inner Onion

• As I walked around downtown D.C. freezing every exposed portion of my body off, I realized that in about three weeks I'll be even colder as I walk around in Tallinn, Estonia all day. This brings me to the point of my title for this blog. One trick that I've learned through my years of traveling is layering. Now, I'm not talking about the cutesy layering where you put a lacy camisole under a nice sweater. Oh no, I'm talking backpacking through the mountains kind of layering. Now you may think to yourself, why would she want me to bring more clothes rather than less? There's actually several reasons:

• Suitcase space: OK before you say I'm dreaming, I promise you it will in fact save you suitcase space. Rather than packing several big, bulky, space devouring sweaters you pack several thinner tops which together will still probably be less than the sweater.
  


• Temperature control: I happen to be one of those people who gets sick to my stomach if I get hot so being able to cool off is a must. The same goes for your kid. Kids aren't happy campers if they are too hot or too cold so being able to adjust how warm or cold they are will make everyone happier in the long run.
  


• More outfits with less clothing: Here's how it works. Say you wear two (or even three) shirts one day. A few days later you can wear the same exact outfit just in reverse, wearing the shirt that was closest to your body on the outside and the shirt that was on the outside now will be the under shirt. You've now got two outfits but are only taking up the space of one sweater in your bag. Obviously this wont work if the undershirt from the first day is on the "ripe" side in which case you could either air it out, wash it and hang it up to dry, or just wear the outer shirt from a previous day as an undershirt.

If you travel in winter a lot, like I do, you can also invest in some "second skin" thermal shirts. These are ultra thin shirts and leggings that keep you warm while not bulking up your outfits or your suitcase. They also make for great sleepwear which will also cut down on the things you have to bring. Best of all, because they are so thin, they will dry in a jiffy if they need a washing so you can wash them in the sink at night and they'll be ready for more walking around the next day.

So, with all that said, everyone enjoy freezing to death in this wretched cold!

The Experiment

Lately Maya has left a little to be desired in the discipline department. To be frank, she's been going through the terrible twos...just two years late. Everything is a battle and it's at its worst when we're in airports. One thing parents who travel a lot know is that there are times when you HAVE to have a sort of zero tolerance with your kids for safety reasons. Maya's favorite time to decide not to listen to us is security lines, arguably the worst place to not listen. Since we live close to DC we have to go through the extra level of security at gates. Oh yes, folks, I get to be interrogated just so I can enter my own country. I digress. Anyway, those are the times that are the worst. There's a ton of tired grumpy people all waiting to get on the plane and here's Maya trying to run straight past the security officers to play with the x-ray belt. On the flight home from our Turkey/England trip, she was driving me batty. She wouldn't keep quiet, she was constantly asking for something, she was touching EVERYTHING, kicking the backs of chairs, the list goes on. All of this after she had kept us up all night because she had to sleep in bed with us and then we all woke up at 5 am for our first flight. By the second flight, I was ready to wave the white flag. Show me some mercy kid!

So, with all that said (yes, you could say vented), I'm going to do an experiment. I turned to some of my fabulous friends for help and one of them mentioned a great idea. Poker chips that can be given and taken away for both good and bad behavior. Earn enough and you get something cool. Do something bad and you get some taken away. The thing I love about this idea is it's portability. Charts are nice but you can't really take a chart with you. A bag of poker chips, though, can easily be kept in my carry on or my day pack so I can really take them anywhere and we can be consistent. Our trip to Tallinn is in a few weeks and I think that will be an excellent time to really try this idea out. Im going to start now with them, but that will be the true test. Will we be able to stick with the plan or will it all sink faster than the Titanic? Keep reading to find out!

Anyone Know Mandarin?

So Im skipping right over my trip to Talinn, Estonia right now and heading straight for our big trip to China this summer. Mostly, this is because we're in the middle of planning it now and it's quite the feat of scheduling as we're doing it all ourselves.

Josh has done an awesome job of finding us nice hotels and tours to take and has also gotten us some great deals on airfare within China. I'm really excited about the trip. Our plans are to go to Beijing for about a week then fly to Shanghai. From Shanghai we will go to Xi'an to see the Terracotta Soldiers; from Shanghai we will go to Guilin to see some of the incredible countryside and then from Guilin we will fly back to Beijing and then home. WHEW!! Hopefully Maya will do well. I'm a little concerned about how much actual traveling we will be doing and hopefully she won't get worn out.

I still can't believe we're going to China. Of course, I say this before every trip we go on. I was thinking about Estonia the other day. I mean really, Tallinn looks like it's going to be awesome but how often do you hear "I'm going to Estonia!" It's just so weird. The first time I ever heard of Estonia was in the movie "Encino Man" where Sean Astin and Pauly Shore uncover a caveman. To hide the fact that he's a caveman they say he's an exchange student from Estonia. I seriously thought they had made it up. Who knew! When I was growing up I thought making it to Paris once in my life would be the ultimate. I never dreamed I would get to go to all these places, and with my family! When I get a chance I'll post more about our trip to China. Some of the pictures of Guilin are AMAZING! Like this one! AHHHH I can't wait!


Now I just need to get someone to teach me some Chinese. I don't think my vast knowledge of Chinese food menus here is going to help me.