World Cup is Upon Us! Start Planning Now!

Well...at least for those of us who are eagerly awaiting its beginning next summer. For now, we are busying ourselves with watching qualifiers and getting ready to enter our names into the lotteries for tickets. Josh and I are already trying to decide how we're going to map out our vacations for the next 18 months in preparation. Currently, the plan is to go to a match somewhere in the host country of South Africa and then head up to Botswana for an African Safari.

The problem is that this trip is going to be costly. More expensive than China even, mostly due to the cost of the safari. Ths is impacting all of our other trips. Where we go, when we take them, whether or not we should totally leave out a trip somewhere or maybe just Josh go somewhere. Now, I know that our financial status allows us to do things that other people may think is frivolous. But at the same time, these are things that people who are planning trips to other places (or really any major purchase) need to think about. No matter how much money you are planning to spend, you're going to spend money and you have to spend it wisely. One man's safari is another man's trip to Disney.

Planning ahead is vital and it can really help keep the costs down. Think about your finances now, and try to think about the financial possibilities 18 months from now. Is there a chance someone will be out of a job? Can you skimp on other things to make a trip a year from now possible? Is there something closer to home that offers a similar experience at a lower cost? How important is giving your family a vacation in the grand scheme of things? These are all things we consider when planning our travel and because we try to plan these things far in advance, it allows us to take advantage of deals on airlines, hotels, etc. The other advantage is we can budget our money, always keeping our goal in mind. So often I ask myself "Do I really need a new pair of shoes, or can this money be saved towards something more important like an airline ticket?" Hopefully that passed over pair of shoes will help pay for a ride on an elephant!

Really...it's not that bad

Ugh I was reading a CNN article earlier today written by a woman who clearly has no interest in kids and went on to list all the reasons why. Now, I've got no issues with people who don't want kids. Heck, at one point I wasn't sure I wanted kids. It just bugs me though that, among her other reasons for not having them, traveling was her biggest one. Why? Why is it that so many people detest the thought of traveling with their children? I really want to know. Was it because of a bad experience? Are they afraid it will be a bad experience? It's true that it's not always pretty and I've had my fair share of moments when I just wanted to burst out in tears because I was so tired but really, it's not the end of the world. Your traveling life doesn't have to end just because you've added a little one or even little ones. You don't have to be trapped into a life of lame vacations! Get out! See the world! Don't let diapers stop you! Just buy some when you get there.

Don't give in to the thought that traveling with kids sucks!!!!

Epcot - More Food and Fun Than You Can Shake A Stick At

I think it probably goes without saying that the World Showcase at Disney's EPCOT Center is my most favorite part of the Disney experience. With places like Mexico, China, Morocco, and even Canada there's so much to do and see there that it really deserves a two day stint. One day for the World Showcase and another day for Futureworld located at the front of the park.

According to Josh's research, Walt Disney's father was a construction worker for the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and so that was Disney's inspiration for this park. In fact, Disney wanted EPCOT (which is actually an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) to be the main point of entry for Disney World as a whole. It was the board of directors who decided that Magic Kingdom should hold that title. In the end though, Disney's dream of a perfect "city" came true and 18 years after debuting four pavillions at the New York World's Fair in 1964, EPCOT opened to the public. Even though the EPCOT that opened was a slightly revised one of Walt's original plan, the basic premise of a World's Fair is still there and, boy, does it show! There is everything imaginable here.

Futureworld has a couple of great rides like Test Track and Soarin. For the kids there is Under the Sea with Nemo and Friends, Turtle Talk with Crush, and the 3-D movie Honey, I Shrank the Audience. You can also tool around the Innoventions, Imagination!, and Imageworks Pavillions for some hands on fun and glimpses into the future.

Even though the World Pavillion is a bit of an exercise in stereotypes it gets the point across and I was actually quite amazed at the authenticity of the architecture of each country. The replica of China's Temple of Heaven was actually really good. Even the restaurant in the Mexico showcase had real deal Mexican food complete with mole (pronounced mol-ay) sauce. I dont think there was one taco to be found on the menu! My favorite showcase is France and I especially loved the 360* movie Portraits of France (though admittedly because of the GORGEOUS music they used for it).

All in all, there is a good time to be had by all at EPCOT. As I said before, a good two full days is needed to enjoy everything so be sure to plan your time wisely. Oh, and be sure to plan ahead to eat at one of the world showcase restaurants so you can enjoy all the glorious yummy ethnic food. MMMMMM so good.

Disney is for Fairies!!!

Well the Young family has finally descended upon the greater Orlando area. Watch out for fairies!!! We went to the Magic Kingdom yesterday and Maya spent the whole day dressed up like Tinkerbell which was a big hit. Sure, there were lots of little girls dressed up as princesses but not one was dressed up as Tinkerbell complete with wings! It was kind of funny sometimes. Id have to help her adjust her wings every now and then so she could fit on a ride. Overall, she loved it and, despite my disdain for the mouse, I had a good time too. And we made it out only spending $25! Wow!

Today is the part of the trip I've been desperately waiting for. The Kennedy Space Center! I.cannot.wait!!!! I need mroe exclamation points! I have loved space since I was a kid. When I started at my current job I assisted someone who worked on NASA issues and ate it up like Thanksgiving dinner. I love NASA. The history, the technology, the science. I love it all. This, for me, is seriously a dream come true. I have always, ALWAYS, wanted to go to Cape Canaveral and now Im going! SQUEEEEEE!

Me and Mr. Mouse

Well the countdown has begun to our big vacation in Orlando. If you've been reading this blog for a while you may know of my disdain for the mouse. I know, I know, my daughter loves it so that should be enough. I just can't get past the $25 mouse ears and $10 hot dogs. OK, maybe the hot dogs aren't that much but the mouse ears are!

I have to admit, though, Epcot looks pretty cool. I mean really who doesn't love seeing a mariachi band and then walking a few minutes to chomp down on Chinese food. It looks like they've also got a lot of cool stuff about energy and natural resources conservation which we're trying to teach Maya about. She already gets onto me when I leave the faucet on because I once told her about how there are people in other countries that don't have access to clean water. "Mommy, your wasting water for the people in Egypt!" Oh dear!

I'm definitely looking forward to dorking out at the Kennedy Space Center. There's a tour you can take there that lets you go out to the Saturn launch pads. I gets the shakes just thinking about it! Oh yes and the lunch with an astronaut, and seeing the Titan missles, ooh and maybe we can catch a glimpse of Atlantis! OK I'm way too excited now.

Oh yes and there's always the being lazy at the resort. MMM lazy. I so rarely get to be lazy just like all the other moms out there. There is no lazy time when you're a mom. Something ALWAYS needs to be done. Hmmmm I feel a spa treatment coming on. I'll get the cucumber slices.

Rethink that luggage tag

I have a subscription to Real Simple magaizine which I luuuuuurrrrrvvvvv with all my heart. If you dont have a subscription to it get one! Seriously it's awesome. But, I digress. Anyway, today I was drooling over this month's issue when I came across a little teaser telling me to check out the section on their website for travel. So, being the dutiful read that I am, I did and I picked up two very valuable tips that I had never thought of (among other things).

Tip 1. Call ahead to order room service

I can't count the number of times I've arrived at a hotel late at night "hangry" (yes hangry...that would be the raving lunatic stage when I get so hungry Im angry). Seriously, Im like the Incredible Hulk when it comes to food. I keep telling my husband "Don't make me hungry. You won't like me when I'm hungry" right before my skin turns green and I destroy the nearest physical object. Apparently you can call ahead to your hotel and order room service to be delivered to your room once you arrive. Not all hotels do it so be sure to call before you leave on your trip to make sure they do but holy fagioli, who knew?!

Tip 2. Be smart with your luggage tag

I, like everyone else, just slapped my address and phone number on my luggage tags thinking "Great, now if my bag gets lost they'll know where to send it!" According to Real Simple this is a no no and I agree with them. Putting your full name on your luggage 1. is a big neon sign saying "Hey this person isnt at home, go steal their stuff" and 2. can identify you as a female making it more likely that unsavory types would pick your bag to rifle through. Hey, it happens. Also, for contact information it's much better to list your hotel's address and a number you can be reached at while you are gone as opposed to your home address and home phone number. I mean, really, what are those going to do for you anyway? You're not there!

For more tips from the good people at Real Simple, check out their Travel Advice section

Oh and P.S. yes, I know I havent posted in 20 days. Im preparing for my wet noodle lashing now. :(

Baggage Claim

So one of my guilty pleasures is luggage stores. Yes...I'm that lame. I don't know if you've ever been to a luggage store or not, but I feel sorry for the weary traveler who walks into one. There's usually easily over 100 different options and not all luggage is made alike in quality or purpose. Then there's all the various things that go in the luggage. Oh and don't forget the 200 different kinds of carry-on bags.

Josh and I put quite a bit of thought into our last luggage purchase. We got the Heys 4 wheel 360 Spinner set made of lightweight carbon-fiber laced plastic. WHEW! Honestly, if Trunki made a grown up version of Trixie, I would have bought that. Sadly, I had to settle for adult luggage. But the Trunki is a good example of buying luggage that serves many purposes. It's hard-sided making it a good option for kids as they really could care less about how much wear and tear their luggage gets. It's relatively light weight and Towgo has more than one way of holding the bag. The inside is somewhat compartmentalized allowing you to open it without stuff getting everywhere. Finally, there is, of course, the fact that kids can ride on it which makes it fun for them and gives them something to do.

With the exception of riding on your luggage, these are all the kinds of things you should look for in your own luggage. Hard sided vs. soft sided is a bit of personal preference but if you travel a lot, I'd recommend a flexible hard-sided bag. They're like a Timex. They take a licking and keep on ticking. You'll also want to have more than one way to carry your bag. Our Heys luggage has 3 handles and I use all of them. And, again for our frequent flyers, lightweight luggage is a must especially now that they are cracking down on bag weights and increasing fees. The biggest mistake you can make is assuming that any old suitcase will meet your needs. That's the surest way to drop a wad of money on something you'll end up hating. Take some time to think about how you'll use it, where you're going to take it, what you're going to put in it, and how long you want it to last. If you do that, you're sure to find luggage that will last you a while.

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!

Shipping bags? Really?

I keep seeing article after article suggest that people pay to ship their bags rather than pay to check them. Now, I agree that paying to check bags stinks but really...shipping? I've got several problems with this but mainly it's the cost. Using my trip to Tunisia as an example, to ship a 30lb bag (the average weight for an international trip for us) it would cost $667.84 ONE WAY and it would take 6 days to get there. Being a bit more realistic I tried seeing how much it would cost to ship it to Seattle for my brother's wedding. The cheapest option is $126.83. The big bad airline United charges $15 for your first bag and $25 for your second for a whopping $40 if you check 2 bags. Hmmmm which one will I pay.

Cost aside, who wants to have to send off half their clothes up to a week ahead of time to a destination? And if it gets there early will the hotel accept it? What happens if it gets stuck in international quarantine? There are just way too many ifs and, frankly, way too many decimal points for me to justify doing this. Maybe this will be a good reason for everyone to learn to do my favorite thing...pack less!

A Tale of Two Humps

So our trip to Tunisia is starting to take some shape. I dont know why but I always think of North African countries as this weird entity in and of themselves. Everytime I stop and think about the fact that they are in Africa I say "Wow, Im going to AFRICA!" So it looks like we'll spend some time in Tunis, then take a train to Gabes to dork out on Star Wars stuff, then head up to Sousse and back to Tunis.

Maya is very excited about the prospect of riding a camel. She seems to be not at all phased by my warnings that they are, in fact, gross animals. She just wants to ride one. We watch a lot of Discovery channel so she's constantly seeing camels on TV and is completely enamored by them. We'll see how she feels about the reality lol.

Hopefully, Tunisia with Maya will be better than China. China was just too much for her I think. Too much of everything. Today she told us that she didn't like it because we talked about it too much. I've been pretty mum about Tunisia (mostly because I want to avoid the horrified looks of others who can't believe we'd go there) so hopefully she won't be tired of it when we go there. I think it's good for kids to experience things that are far outside of the realm of their known world but, as everyone knows, sometimes too much of a good thing can be bad.

Travel Immunizations, Better Known As Evil Pain Sticks

So today I took Maya to get her one and only travel immunization for this trip. I got her vaccinated for Hepatitis A. There are no required vaccinations for travel to China, only recommended ones. They are Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, and Malaria (through taking anti-malarials). I chose to only get Maya the Hepatitis A because it's water and food borne and is much more damaging than Typhoid Fever. The travel consultant actually told me that many pediatricians are now adding Hep A to the list of regular vaccinations for children because it is becoming so prevalent in places like daycares so Im glad I got it for her. All of the others can be avoided through simple but very important procedures such as hand washing and wearing insect repellent that is at least 30% DEET (which is generally safe for children over a year old as long as you wash it off every night).

So back to the appointment... I thought things were going well. When we got to the office Maya realized that everyone was wearing lab coats and asked me if it was a doctor's office. I said "It's a special doctors office for people who are taking trips." She asked me if she had to get a shot and gave me that "Dont lie to me" look so I told her that yes indeed she had to get a shot. She seemed to take it well and was joking and laughing. That is, until we got back in the office and she felt the alcohol swab on her arm. Once she felt the swab, she totally freaked. It eventually took three of us holding her down to give her the shot. I felt so bad. I thought she would get somewhat upset but nothing like how she reacted. It was almost as if we were coming at her with a red hot poker. I was really taken aback by her reaction and now Im dreading getting her up to date on her regular immunizations next week as she has to get 4 shots. She might be getting a tranquilizer for that one because I dont think even numbing the area will work. The very sight of the needle seems to set her off. Ugh. Thankfully after this she should be done with the exception of getting one more Hepatitis A shot which will cover her for life.

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.

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?