I know it has been a while. My report was back to page 3 on here. Work and life in general have been kind of crazy. Im wearing down a bit, so Im glad its Friday. I had this typed up already, so I thought Id post about our departure week plans.
First though I have got to give a
I found ds a life-jacket at Dicks Sporting Goods. Coast Guard Certified floatation device marked down from $29.99 to $7.97. Too bad they didn't have dd's size marked down too. But then the only color marked down was red/yellow. The little diva would have taken issue with it not matching her swim wear.
Now, back to your regularly scheduled trip report:
So, in my last post about the trip I talked about packing quite a bit. My motto has become Dont leave home with more than your family can carry without help. It helps that dd is old enough and able to push ds in his stroller. I tell her these trips would not be possible without her help. Its true. We wouldnt be able to fly like we do. Someone would have to drive us to the airport and help us get the luggage checked in at least. But I drive us and park the van and it waits for us while we are gone and we go into the terminal just the three of us. I like knowing my vehicle is there when we get home. So that leads me into our departure day plans.
Of course every departure day starts with how you handle the days leading up to it, particularly the day before. We leave on a Thursday morning. My goal is to be done packing the weekend before, so that Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday I can spend doing the last minute preparations. Monday after work, Ill do some shopping for last minute items I dont have yet (if there are any). Ill get ds a haircut that Tuesday afternoon (2 days before) and (Im hoping) dd will get a salon visit for a scalp treatment and texturizer that Wednesday, so her hair is easy to wash after pool time and not difficult for the Fairy Godmother In Training at BBB. I am messaging my hairdresser about it today actually.
Once we get home that Wednesday, Ill give the children a light snack and baths (they will have already eaten dinner) and print our boarding passes. I have early bird check-in because I will be pretty busy at the 24 hour mark. Dd has agreed she probably needs to be in bed by 7 that Wednesday night. At least she has agreed for now. She has this thing about going to bed when it is still light out, but Im hoping summer camp will have tired her out to the point she passes out after her bath. My son however, is another story. Hell probably be up until around 8:30 or 9. My goal is to be ready to go to bed around that time myself. Well see how it goes. I have to get up at 4:30 so I can be completely ready when I get dd up at 5:00.
We have separate toiletry items we travel with, including tooth brushes, so I can have everything packed in the suitcases the night before and in the van or in our carry-ons which will be downstairs by the door. It was kind of a pain to remember pack your toothbrush when youre done so I picked up these travel ones that fold. A couple of travelers that will go in the bags will be in bed with my children, so I will have a reminder taped to my carry-on to make sure we dont leave without them. Ds has Mickey Mouse and a Handy Manny plush he sleeps with and dd has a Tiana (as a little girl) doll. Dont want to forget these. Tiana actually has a growing travel wardrobe.
So the plan is for me to get up at 4:30, get cleaned up and dressed, try to sneak the lovies out of their beds and get the carry-on bags into the van by 5:00. At 5:00, Ill get dd up. Her clothes will be out already. Im hoping once I remind her what day it is, shell get up quickly, but she has never had to get up this early. Once she is in the bathroom, she should be good to go. Then Ill make sure everything is off, set the thermostat and head to ds room. Ill wipe ds down with a warm rag, change his diaper and get him dressed. Im hoping it is one of those days I can do this without waking him. But Im saving it for last in case I cant. If he wakes too early he just wants to be held. The goal is to be on the road to the airport by 5:30. It should be about a 20 to 25 minute ride that time of morning. I figure if we are there by 6:00, and daily parking is available (across the street from the terminal) we can unload and be inside by 6:10, two hours before our flight. Last time I flew Southwest on a weekday morning the line was a bit long, so I want us to have plenty of time. Thankfully some years ago, I found an alarm clock with a battery compartment so even if the power goes out, it continues to work. I will also set the alarm on my phone as backup. No Home Alone airport scenes for this crew.
Once we are through security, Ill stop at a store and get some drinks to fill my sons sippy cups and the bottles I bring for dd and me. I bring everything empty now that ds if off formula. Even though hes young enough they would probably let me bring liquids for him, its just easier that way. Havent decided on breakfast yet. I know we could bring food from home, but I might want something hot. Theres a restaurant right near the gate, where I could get us some breakfast. Our last two trips, I got us lunch and dinner from there, but I know they have breakfast stuff too. I havent made a final decision on that yet.
So thats roughly our departure week plan. Ill get into our touring plan a bit more in upcoming posts.
Glad to have you along. Thanks for the birthday wishes.
sleep overs or Build-a-Bear and spa stuff for her with 2 or 3 girls going forward. Plus I plan to start giving ds parties when he turns 3 next year. He hasn't had one yet.
So cool! Your day before and your travel day plans look great. I agree that it's best to only take what you can carry. It definitely helps when the kids are old enough to roll their own bags! On our trip to Boston a couple of months ago, the kids and I did the same thing. If it didn't fit in the suitcases or the backpack, it didn't go. That didn't keep me from overpacking 
but that's another story 
