Little Girl Wanderlust

The other day Skadi asked me if we were never going to ever stay in a hotel again now that we have the trailer? She was quite concerned about this. I told her no way, mommy couldn’t live that way. I have to have my hotel room vacation getaways. She was pacified for a few weeks, but the question keeps popping up still, “mommy when are we going to go somewhere and stay in a hotel?”


My little girl loves to travel. AB and I have surmised that Leif will be the engineer living with near his parents all his life, while our little girl is going to be wandering the globe. Of course I also remind myself that my mom always thought my sister would run off from Colorado (and previously Wyoming) as quick as possible never to return. And if we hadn’t left Wyoming I am SURE that would have been true. And maybe she might at some point, but I don’t see her leaving her stomping grounds anytime soon.

I was the one, way back when, that never intended on leaving Colorado or my family. So who knows!

Skadi loves her vacations.

Yesterday she received (finally) a poster that I had been talking about putting together for 10 months. A poster of all her character meetings from DisneyWorld. I figured I needed to get this done before we hit the one year anniversary of the trip. I ended up putting the poster up out of arms reach yesterday after she was lying on it and kissing each princess so that I could try and avoid it being ruined before I can get a poster frame on it. She holds that poster dear.

Of course, the poster arriving prompted a whole other realm of questions, “when can we go stay in a hotel mom?”, “when can we go back to DisneyWorld?”, “well if we aren't going to go to Disneyworld, can we go to Seattle then?”

I am with my girl. I think we need a vacation, a hotel vacation.

I always cringe just a bit when I hear parents talking about looking forward to their kids getting older so that they can do certain activities. I always think that day is going to come too soon. Revel in the here and now while they are little.

But I have to admit that I was wondering how old she needs to be before we start doing mom and daughter power shopping trips in Seattle complete with fancy dinner and hotel room? It was one of my mom’s and my favorite things to do and one of the things I miss most in having lost my mom. I do look forward to these outings with the next generation.

On 2010 travel remaining

I am headed to DC for a week at the end of October for a major project review. I always enjoy traveling to DC and am hoping for some good food while there. I have a layover in Minneapolis. Last time I did this route I was running to the next gate. I am hoping we land with time for me to stop and grab a Minnesota Vikings jersey at some random vendor in the airport for Leif. I told him I would try my best. Then he asked for a Minnesota Vikings helmet. Umm no. I am not hauling a Vikings helmet to DC and through my maze of flights home (DC to Atlanta to Salt Lake City to PSC) four days later. Though I am sure that my coworkers would enable to do this… and that I could count on them to never ever let me forget about it…

I am headed to a conference in Orlando the week before Thanksgiving. Well of course you have to take advantage of this and include personal travel. So AB and the kids are flying down on my last day of the conference, we are switching over to a Disney hotel and are looking forward to 5 days in the wonder that is Disneyworld. The free vacation planning DVD arrived the other day and has instilled loads of excitement and anticipation into my kids. We are doing the official countdown. Since we return the night before Thanksgiving the logical next step here is to talk about holidays…

Trying not to rub it in...

This weekend I get to...

-get on an airplane with only my purse and a book.
-check only one bag on the airplane.
-read an entire book or two (hey, I have to find something good about the 3.5 hours layover).
-go to a restaurant.
-not worry about whether the restaurant is kid friendly.
-order whatever I want at a restaurant and not something a child *might* be willing to eat.
-drink more than half a glass of wine at a restaurant.
-shop.
-shop with one of my three favorite shopping partners.
-sleep a whole night through without wandering through the house and convincing a small child to go back to sleep.
-sleep in.
-swim without someone clinging to me.
-stay up late chatting and giggling.
-stay up late without counting the number of hours till the first child will wake.

Seriously though... I look at that list and remind myself how worth it every single one of those sacrafices is in my life. I wouldn't change a thing. And while I am doing every single one of those things I will be thanking my wonderful husband, hoping the kids aren't giving him TOO bad of a time, trying not to call every hour to check on them, and thinking about them the entire time.

Oh and just something that cracked me up... I was checking in for my flight online and wondered what a "special item" was when asked if I would be checking a special item.

Special items include:
Overweight bags: Bags over 50 lbs
Oversize bags: Bags over 62 inches (when you total the length + width + height)
Baby items: Stroller, child restraint seats
Assistive devices: Wheelchair
Sporting equipment: Bicycle, ski equipment, parachute, surfboard, windsurf board, scuba tank
Fragile/bulky items: Saddle, antlers, Hawaiian pineapples, military duffle bags

Those just cracked me up. No, not checking a parachute, a saddle, antlers or Hawaiian pineapples... sorry VargasGirl... I know you were hoping to be able to haul a pair of antlers in your car... you know... just to say you have done it and all...

Travel Toys Review

Ok so this isn't a product review blog, but since enough people talk about travel toys for kids, I thought I would post how things went with our travels... and the kids... and their toys.

First off, Totally Tape. Five stars (out of five). Buy it. Buy it even if you aren't traveling with kids. What kid doesn't like tape? Leif particularly does. There were two problems though - Leif wasn't able to tear the tape himself. This wasn't a problem IN Alaska since Aunty Tara just gave him a spare pair of scissors to zip into the tape carry bag to keep with it. Was a little bit more of an issue on the plane though. And evidently if *I* tore the tape off for him, it meant the tape didn't count and couldn't possibly go into the book. Instead it went on his face and ended up in Skadi's hair. The biggest problem I have with this though is that it was so popular with Leif that it was out ALL the time. Which also meant it was being constantly stashed by a crazy cleaning mother in law preparing for the 4th and it didn't make it home with us. At least that I can find.

Next Auto Bingo ranks high. Not because Leif ever actually used it properly by finding the items and closing the window and looking at the scenery. Nope, this one ranks up there because do you know how many times a four year old can open and close 25 (or so) little red transparent windows? (Oh about 20 times.) And do you know how long it takes him to do it? (Longer than it takes you and I.) Nearly everytime we got in the car we would hand him an Auto Bingo card and he was busy for a good solid 30 minutes. Of course each time he closed them all he had to send it up to me for examination.

The next in popularity was the Magnet Set. Leif wanted to like it, I could tell. He really wanted to play with it. But I got the impression he just wasn't sure what to do with it. I suppose part of this comes from the fact that maybe he didn't understand pretend play with it. I am not sure. He was anxious to play with it, got it out a few times, but never really went anywhere with it and it was often neglected.

Color Wonder... ho hum. I want Leif to like this. I really do. I love art. I want him to do art - and he is bringing more home from school in his new room. But apparently my son is taking after my husband in this regard. Do art? Why when there is wood to chop? Or a sister to tickle? Or a nose to pick? Skadi however, was interested in the Color Wonder book and did much scribbling in the Cars coloring book. Then she used the markers as drum sticks (prompting Leif to request markers too) and finally, they became projectiles. And then everyone on the plane around us was kind enough to let us know where the markers went after the flight was over.

The Leapster... never made it out of the bag. I know, I worked hard to convince my husband it was the perfect toy, a surefire hit! Something that would keep Leif busy as a good alternative to DVDs. And for the record, Leif watched a whole two DVDs the entire trip - and both were on the day AB and I went fishing and he hung out with grandma and my SIL and BIL. Still it didn't take up much room and I do see the day when the Leapster is the coveted toy on trips.

Go Fish... forgot about it and it never made it out of the bottom of the bag until we got home and unpacked. Oh well.

The one thing I would recommend that I didn't buy beforehand is one of those "Find the Object" books. We happened to stop at Barnes and Noble while in Anchorage and Leif perused the kids section. He came to me with two books in hand. And really, I just can't say no to book purchases. He had a Star Wars book, something like "The Making of Darth Vadar" as well as one of these little books where you scan and scan the page for some small item and then your 4 year-old has to tell you where it is. Yes, like "Where's Waldo". Leif loves these. We have a Mouse one at home that was a gift a year or so ago from my dad and Leif still loves it even though he has memorized the mouse position on each page. Now he has a new one, and looked at it a ton on the trip.

For Skadi? The tea set reigned supreme. It was used by all the kids and I think we only lost one cup. Skadi loves her tea! She also liked her little backpack and cosmetic bag full of Little People things.

Skadi is at that difficult stage where she needs attention and entertaining, but is only ever insterested in one item for about five minutes before she wants something new. This made her the more difficult child on the trip.

Leif spent much of the time at the cabin wandering around talking to himself (no idea where he gets this at all) or out on the dock fishing. He swam some in the lake with daddy. No way was mommy getting in that cold water. He helped me with making salsa, helped grandma cut some weeds down and enjoyed going on the boat whenever possible. Truly, he needed little in the way of entertainment. Now let's just see if I remember this post in November when we head to Colorado.

Leif's bag

Leif packed his bag for Alaska last night while I was cleaning up the kitchen. I resisted offering any advice and just relished in the quiet intent.

Here are the contents:

-Buzz Lightyear (Buzz goes on every trip with us. No surprise here.)
-A small wooden sailboat building kit that AB has been telling him for days he will help him build.
-His spacer and mask for his inhaler (inhaler not included)
-The Return of the King VHS tape (we don't have a VCR that works).
-His Croc flip flops
-His play binoculars.
-Skadi's water shoes.
-A Capri Sun fruit drink (sorry Leif, security will confiscate that).
-A box of Crayons (but no coloring book).
-A bulb aspirator.
-His mask he made at school the other day (which is a serious crack up as it has this big brown beard on it that he apparently insisted upon).
-AB's hardback copy of Eragon (this is a HUGE, heavy book!)

He actually didn't do too bad. I will kill the bulb aspirator (not even sure where he found that). And Skadi's water shoes will go in the bag with her clothes. I will trade the Eragon book for some coloring books. But all in all, not so bad for nearly four year old.

10 days

I am coming to terms with our pending trip to Alaska. "Coming to terms" sounds harsh and I don't intend it so. Really.

Truth be told and you guys will never guess this... I am a control freak. Yes, yes, I know... who would have ever known! (Yes, my tongue is firmly planted in my cheek.)

And I have actually had A LOT to say to my wonderful husband about what *I* want to do on vacation and how *I* want it to go. And he is amazingly accomodating and has pushed the topics on all fronts.

I have neurosed about the little things (like what my kids will eat and if there will be moose that Leif can see around) and stressed about the big ones (like my husband potentially being gone on a fishing charter for two nights while I was stuck in a remote cabin with the kids - like every single teen horror flick coming back to memory here).

As of this evening the itinerary is lined out, smoothed out and I can officially relax. I still might think my SIL and BIL are totally unprepared to take care of my kids and their son one evening that AB and I and my MIL are going on an evening fishing charter for King Salmon... And truly - this will be an artifact of my kids and in no way related to their abilities... but my kids don't like to go to sleep. At all. Anyways, truly, in the larger scheme of things? Worst case scenario (aside from broken bones) is that my kids don't go to sleep for them and are up all night until we get back about midnight. (Land of the midnight sun and all.)

It isn't like they have to get up and go to school the next day or anything. We will deal.

We arrive in Anchorage about midnight Thursday night/Friday morning.

Friday day AB wants to reconnect with an old friend for lunch (Kristadel has he e-mailed you yet? ) That afternoon a trip to the Anchorage zoo which holds very fond memories for AB and I as a couple when we were first dating. We visited the zoo and it was so dang cold we kept hiding out in the elephant house. And it stunk so bad, but it was so toasty. Finally the elephants decided to humor us with a game of toss the stick back and forth. They were apparently as bored as we were.

Saturday we are going to Portage to an wild animal refuge park and then to Seward for a wildlife cruise with my MIL.

Sunday spending the day with my FIL and his girlfriend. My FIL is very excited to take Leif trout fishing in the lake her house is on.

Monday to the cabin.

Tuesday... no plans during the day until we take care of my nephew while my SIL, BIL and MIL head out on their fishing charter that evening. I am thinking I *might* even get to pick up a book and read!! Maybe?

Wednesday... our fishing evening.

Thursday... prepare for the big 4th of July BBQ/party.

Friday... big 4th of July party.

Saturday... head home.

I have all sorts of surprises for the trip in my possession as well as the last arrival this afternoon - Leif's Hakunamatata Sigg cup with yellow strap. He loves it.

And now I need one.

Aside from the pain of packing where we will try to fit everything my Alaskan boy scout deems necessary into as little baggage as possible.

Ha. The headache has yet to come...

My travel solutions

We will see how they all work!


From the Traveling with Kids website, I have ordered:


Totally Tape - Leif will so love this, I just have to resist pulling it out before we leave. (Thank you V.)


Marvel's magnetic tin, includes scenes and 24 magnets to play with.



Color Wonder with Nemo and Toy Story. These may save the day or they may fall flat. I wish my son liked art. But so far he doesn't care for it much. I rarely get art projects home. And even though I encourage it (I was a former art major) he just isn't interested. Though I was thrilled the other night when he wanted to paint a rock. Oh and additionally... you may be tempted to order these on Amazon like I was to take advantage of Prime shipping and save a trip. But I balked at Amazon's prices ($16-20). I went to Target and found the sets for $6.99.


Auto Bingo - as discussed below.


A carabiner flashlight. He can hook it to his luggage and can have it in Alaska. $1 in the bins at Target. I probably should have picked up two or three. But since it *never* will get dark in Alaska while we are there... the likelihood of him using it for a real purpose is not good.


A magnifying glass for investigating... well anything.


Second to last for Leif... AB fell in love with this Buggy Board for airports (attaches to the backside of our new wasabi and chocolate colored umbrella stroller) but not surprisingly balked at the $85.99 price tag. So we have a bid on eBay for one.

Last I have finally sold my husband 97% of the way on a Leapster. I picked the Leapster over the VSmile because it has a "pencil" connected and Leif really needs work on his fine motor skills and holding a pencil. (Which is part of the reason his teachers believe he doesn't like art is he can't hold a pencil properly.)


I AM still coveting a couple Sigg water bottles for each of my kids to take along. But there I am really balking at the price. I know, no BPA and all, but at $17.99 each, I may have to pass.


For Skadi...


Goldfish crackers

Gerber Yogurt Bites


Gerber Fruit Snacks

Little People in a cosmetics bag (thanks Jo Ann!)


A few cups and the tiny tea pot from her new tin tea set (so wishing I was home last night to have seen my husband having a tea party in the kitchen with both kids)

And if she is still showing interest in her brand new baby doll by then, we will take that as well.

Traveling with kids

To say that I am neurosing about our upcoming trip to Alaska would be an understatement.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if it weren't so far away?

We are leaving on a Thursday night after work and daycare. Getting on a plane at 7:50 pm and hoping the kids sleep. A quick layover in Seattle and then we arrive shortly after midnight in Alaska.

And it should still be light when we arrive.

We leave on July 5th mid-afternoon and get home early evening.

So not only do we have these long flights with two little ones (one more entertainable than the other), but we will likely have at least two car trips as well. Then there is the whole hanging at the cabin you can only get to by boat for 6 days.

I have started my collection of entertainment items. Items to pull out as "surprises".

First on my list (and that arrived today) are these, auto bingo cards:


Did you have these when you were a kid? I did and loved them. I am hoping it will encourage some looking out the windows instead of insisting on Lion The King. Though I have to admit - I am looking at the cards and wondering how many cats, churches, fire engines and police cars we will see in remote Alaska... well at least Leif will like sliding the windows open and closed - I always did.

The next item would be Color Wonder. Actually I have no idea what these are, but will be picking them up at Target this week on recommendation from a number of women from my discussion board.

I have an animal sticker book to pull out from hiding.

And I am also thinking about a paper airplane book.... or other type of book where you build the paper items into some cool things to play with.

Next on the list (which I am trying to convince my husband is a necessity) is a Leapster or VSmile handheld game. He is skeptical, I am thinking it is better than endless DVDs.

For Skadi? So far my list is Goldfish and fruit snacks. And for the flight I might resort to Benadryl. Just might...

Enlighten me. Share with me.

What are your travel secrets with kids? And what items would you buy to pull out at those "I'm bored" moments?