The Daily Scoop - Travelin' Cousins

July 24, 2016 - Cousins Day, Mom & Kid Travel, Weddings, Performances and lack of planning

7/23/2016

Elisa's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 8 DAYS

Mom & Kid Travel

GOOD DAY!! SUNDAY HERE!

Well, I survived yesterday and the 102 degree heat!! Wow, was it HOT!!

The girls and I managed to get three important errands completed yesterday...
1) Got their new Fall/Spring uniforms altered, so they are all ready for wearing come the first day of school.

2) Purchased their new school supplies. I was especially happy to have hit a Summer "back to school" sale at Staples, along with a 25% discount!! Love deals!

3) Made a trip to Dover Saddlery, where each of my little equestrians purchased some much needed items including saddle pads, a halter, girth, fly spray and other incidentals.

4) Brought my camera to get repaired and it turned out it was on the wrong setting!! Thank goodness.

Today, I will be doing more house organization of my books and organization of the girls' toys.

They have outgrown so many things and it's time to give some of it away. It makes me realize how very fast they have grown and how quickly the years have flown by.

One thing I will NEVER regret is all the time I spent with them and that I opted to be a stay at home mom all these years.

Spending each day with them from the time they entered this world is a cherished experience and I know it has made a tremendous different in my life. I'm pretty sure it has done the same for them.

That also goes for traveling -- I've been traveling with my girls solo since they were both infants.

The same is true of my dear cousin Tanya, who has and continues to do mom & kids travel.
If you have been thinking of traveling alone with your kids, here are some tips...

16 Tips for Moms Traveling Solo with Their Kids

1. Enthusiasm is key - if you are excited and positive about your destination, chances are, your children will be.

2. Be confident - many women think traveling alone with kids is overwhelming. Being a mom in your home, at the library or a play gym is no different than being a mom away from home.

3. Start off small - if you have never traveled alone with your kids, start small - perhaps an overnight or nearby weekend trip.

4. Local Trips can be great bonding experiences - taking an hour's drive from home for a few nights can revitalize you and your kids and help to refocus you on the fun aspects of being a mom, without the stress and daily chores when at home.

5. Plan your trip together - getting your kids' input and help with planning the itinerary is half the enjoyment.

6. Teach your children how to pack their own bags- This instills a sense of independence, making them a participant in the trip.

7. Organization is key - travel documents (passports, itineraries, hotel names and addresses.etc.) should be easily accessible at all times.

8. Pack suitcases so they are manageable - Since you will not have another adult or man, packing bags so that you can lift or wheel them is necessary. If traveling with older kids, this is less of an issue since they can help.

9. Make sure you travel with small bills for tipping - this can be your best asset when traveling through airports, car rental shuttles and hotels, when managing luggage and other large items such as car seats, strollers, etc.

10. Have a pre-set itinerary and review it in advance several times - knowing where you need to be helps your trip to go smoothly, and decreases anxiety as everyone knows what to expect.

11. Remember chargers for all electronic devices - Having your phone charged will make you feel safe and connected with the rest of the world when traveling solo.

12. Pack necessities at all time - traveling with kids brings all kinds of unexpected things - always throw snacks, drinks, tissues and a small first aid kit in your purse or backpack.

13. Slow down your pace and expectations - kids' ideas of travel are different from adults, so plan with their likes, dislikes and attention span in mind to best avoid boredom and disappointment on everyone's part.

14. Road trips are a wonderful way to travel solo with kids - your car provides the perfect place to bring more than you normally could on a plane or public transportation and its a great environment for kids to rest up going from place to place.

15. Be safe - stay in well-lit, well populated hotels and reputable areas.

16. Create adventures with the little things - enjoy hotel amenities such as pools and gyms or build an entire day around searching for the "best" of something your kids love. Trying various ice cream and dessert shops makes for a fun afternoon and keeps the kids moving around and experiencing the atmosphere of wherever you are traveling. Most kids are not interested in the "educational aspects of travel" - but will enjoy it if there is an element of fun attached to each day.

It also happens to be COUSINS DAY today!! So, in its honor, I'd like to take a walk down memory lane at the many Mom & Kids trips Tanya and I have taken together during the past two years.

Gettysburg, PA - July 2013 (c)travelincousins.com

California Adventure Park, Disneyland, Ca - October 2013 (c)travelincousins.com

Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta - October 2014 (c)travelincousins.com

October, 2014 - New Mexico Road Trip - Bandelier National Monument (c)travelincousins.com

Cousins Yellowstone Road Trip - April 2015 - Upper Terraces of Mammoth Hot Springs (c)travelincousins.com

The Mormon Row Historic District - Grand Teton National Park, Montana - April 2015 (c)travelincousins.com

Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park - April 2015 (c)travelincousins.com

Maid of the Mist - Niagara Falls - July 2015 (c)travelincousins.com

Toronto Blue Jays Game - Toronto - July 2015 (c)travelincousins.com

Lititz, PA (Lancaster County) - October 2015 (Mom & Gianna trip) (c)travelincousins.com

Boston Tea Party Museum - Boston Road Trip (Mom & Girls) - November 2015 (c)travelincousins.com

So many fun memories of traveling with my girls and my cousins!!!

Back atcha tomorrow!!
-E
xoxo

Tanya's Daily Scoop
NEXT TRIP DEPARTS IN: 5 DAYS

Plan Ahead...PLEASE

Well the day has barely begun and it's already a bit more hectic and filled with more drama than I care to involve myself with...

At this point I don't know whether or not my 4 (the kids, Dave and myself) will even be going to the much anticipated wedding! GASP

All based on lack of planning - and have you know that I AM the ONLY planner in my house.
The ONLY ONE!

And now I'm the one who is potentially not going - even though much prep has gone into the attending of this Malibu wedding.

On the note of planning, if you recall way back when I reserved our upcoming trip to Big Sur (happening in 5 days), I told my sister Jet to confirm and book the same trip because I knew how much Chaplin wanted to go.

Well excuse after excuse and no further discussion led to all the sites being booked.

Then a couple of weeks ago when I was talking about it with my kids, Chaplin had overheard our conversation and thought that she (and her mum & dad) were coming.
Jet told her that they would, but that there is no space this time around (obviously their fault), but she asked me to call the campsite and find out if anyone cancels.

So each and everyday, I have been checking the availability to find zilch....that was until today!

I actually found a cancellation and immediately booked the site for them!
So now they better come. Don't you agree?

By the way - I did find my shawl, and it had been delivered. It was actually still in the mailbox - along with a few days worth of mail! LOL

However I did not find a tailor who could hem Dominic's slacks in time - so my temporary solution, thanks to the product reminder from a choir mom is to use Heat'n Bond Iron-On Adhesive Hem - it was a lifesaver. So to speak and at this point...if we go. Which by the way - this has NOTHING to do with it one way or the other. Is your head spinning yet?!

Speaking of the choir, yesterday was a complete
S-U-C-C-E-S-S and the kids did a fabulous job, even in the extreme heat (although and quite surprisingly it was cooler in this oven than in NY with the temps that Elisa was dealing with).

Making sure that we were all staying hydrated was of major importance, so before heading on over to the venue we stopped for some fresh juices from Jamba Juice.

Got my Jamba! (c)travelincousins.com

Another thing that happened before leaving for the event, I twisted wrong and threw my back into spasm. (insert frowny face here)

This was no fun and quite painful. But the show must go on. The funny and kinda weird thing is that I also had an issue the last time we went to a waterpark - I got sun stroke.
Between sun stroke and back spasms - I'll take the back spasms - which I did take all day long.

The Ambassador of the USA (c)travelincousins.com

(c)travelincousins.com

Taking a break in the shade (c)travelincousins.com

(c)travelincousins.com

After the performance, the kids thoroughly enjoyed time with some of their friends while splashing around the water park.

I was actually rather surprised as to how long we were there, and realized that we had to leave by 8:30p if we still wanted to stick with our plans of catching a movie. We were going to see Star Trek.

Heading to the waterpark (c)travelincousins.com

Ready to make a SPLASH (c)travelincousins.com

(c)travelincousins.com

Finally giving my back a break (c)travelincousins.com

The setting sun was fiery red (c)travelincousins.com

So we hurried home, the kids changed into dry clothes, and off to the theatre we went..

The movie was enjoyable, full of Trekkies and even got an old school applauds at the end.