Travel Adventures - Packing Your Toddler's Carry-on

We have an upcoming family trip that will be my son's 4th plane trip in 19 months of life.  We flew from LA to SF when he was a little over 3 months. That was the easiest by far.  Too immobile to do anything but sit, we were still nursing so packing food was easy, and he just slept in our arms when tired.

Second flight was from LA to Hawaii when he was a little over 14 months. Now we have mobility, and alertness, accustomed to a daily schedule and not nursing any more.  And its a 5+ hour flight.  Thankfully we were travelling with the grandparents and  seated with another family in the same situation in the back of the plane with open rows.  We were the people I dread being on that flight.

Third flight was an easy one going, from LA to Las Vegas, when he was 15 months.  The flight there worked well with his nap schedule, and we were able to entertain him without fuss. The return was the polar opposite: basically non-stop crying.  He should have napped on the way to the airport and been freshly rested for the flight, but for some reason did not sleep and was exhausted when we arrived to check in. There was too much going on in the terminal for him to relax, so it was non-stop crying for 40 minutes waiting to board. Then of course I got him to sleep just as we started boarding, and he kept waking.  It was rough.

Now we are 19+ months, and have a 3 hour flight coming up, which unfortunately is right at nap time.  I am anxious but optimistic.  The older he gets the more he can manage longer times without a nap, and his attention span and longevity of interest in activities is increasing, so I'm hoping the things we are packing to entertain him will serve us.

My husband's 'personal item' will be our diaper backpack, which is a great style of diaper bag to have regardless of flying.  Backpacks are hands free, and out of your way when trying to carry and chase a toddler, so I recommend.  It will be packed with the following:

• Diapers (obviously) and wipes.  I shouldn't have to tell any parent this, but pack more diapers than you would actually need for the length of your flight, in the event that your checked luggage (containing your extras) is lost, or your flight is delayed. For a 3 hour flight, I think my son is only going to need one diaper change, but I have 7 diapers packed. They take up a little room, but at least they're light.
• Diaper disposal bags.  These are great to have in general, but in addition to containing the odor of a poopy diaper, they are good to have if there are messy clothes (diaper blow-out, vomit) that need to be changed and then stored.
• Anti-bacterial wipes. Planes are germ-fests. And while I'm not neurotic about it, it doesn't hurt (even for the adult's sake) to do a quick wipe down of the plane surfaces of your seats/row.
• Disposable adhesive placemats.  These work well outside the airplane environment for family dining out, but I like them to cover the airplane trays with.  They have adhesive strips so I just wrap around the tray and he can eat his snacks off a sanitary surface, or if he has crayons or something, I don't have to work about him marking up the surface.

• Snacks. Another no brainer.  Those pouches are the best.  And spill-proof cups for things like animal crackers or Cheerios.  I am very flexible when it comes to him eating during travel.  I don't worry about spoiling his appetite with anything.  If food will pacify him and give me 10 minutes of peaceful flight, I will let him eat.
• Milk/Juice.  When flying with an infant you are allowed to bring more than 3.4 ounces of liquid for them, however you need to let TSA know, and they will do a separate screen of the liquid to ok it.  ( They just make you take the lid off the container and they wave a detector strip over it. )
• His blankie.  My son's comfort toy is his blankie.  Its the go-to when he starts to get upset. We pretty much never go anywhere without it.
• Entertaining activities.  I've been paying special attention to the kinds of things my son has been really in to the last few weeks. Things that will hold his attention for long periods of time.  He is really into coloring right now.  We use crayons at home, but despite being clean-able, they can still be messy and mark on things you don't want him to.  So I got him one of those Crayola Wonder Markers coloring books with markers.  The paper is special to the markers, so the markers are clear unless used on the special paper where the color shows.  Perfect for the plane. Plus, he loves taking off and putting lids on pens, so double the fun!  He's also really into books, so I've bought a half dozen new stories that he's never read before (he's about to meet the Very Hungry Caterpillar!)
• IPad with Child Headphones and pre-downloaded shows.  Saving this for last, because I'd rather him do engaging things than just watch TV.  But since there will be a lot going on, I'm ok if he will sit for 20 minutes and watch an episode of Chuggington.  Be sure they're fully downloaded while you're connected to Wi-Fi, so you don't need the Wi-Fi to actually play the program.

 Hopefully that will buy us 3 hours of flight time without too much drama! Keep your fingers crossed for us.  What are your toddler carry-on must haves?

I'll do another post about travel tips and packing luggage. Stay tuned!

Friday Favorites - Links I Love

1. Like I think most women, I'm always trying to manage it all and be successful.  These are good tips on how successful women make the most of their time (everyone only gets 24 hours in a day) (businessinsider.com)
2. Beautiful artwork and super cool speed painting videos (lovemaegan.com)
3. Took some of these photos to my last hair dresser appointment, love the results. Great cut with movement but not in need of a lot of styling. (popsugar.com)
4. White is so in as summer is upon us. But ever wonder what to wear underneath so you're not sharing too much?  Answers here (and usually you can't wear white under white.) (yahoo.com)
5. For us very pale-faced people, an easy add to your morning face routine that will gradually give you a summer glow. (Sephora.com)
6. Its 2015.  Its about time Barbie got with the program and diversified.  (cnn.com)
7. Ok, this may seem like the weirdest, but after reading the article, I'm considering the face shaving. (Note, the image is deceptive. There is no shaving cream involved.)(popsugar.com)
8. Always looking for décor tricks to take things up a notch.  14 tips for that here. (yahoo.com)
9. In honor of Father's Day, a cute compilation video of dads who dominate at parenting. (youtube.com)
    

Color = Flavor Turkey Patties

Another easy and flavorful dinner meal achieved last night.  Satisfied my husband's need for meat/protein, my desire for fresh veggies/salad, and my 19 month old chowed down without much coaxing. What more can one ask for?

The most time-consuming part is the veggie chopping/patty assembly.  The patties cook quickly (we used our Foreman grill, 5-6 minutes.)  We had frozen sweet potato tots as our side, and those required the oven.  So with the oven preheat and the tots' cook time, we could prepare and cook the patties and everything was done about the same time (30-40 min).

Naked Greek Feta-Zucchini Turkey Burgers

Originally found on Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 1 burger plus salad
Calories: 221 • Fat: 11 • Carbs: 10 g • Fiber: 2 • Protein: 20 g • Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 445 mg • Cholesterol: 73 mg

Ingredients

For the Patty:

·         5 oz grated zucchini (when squeezed 4 oz)
·         1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
·         1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
·         1 clove garlic, crushed
·         2 tbsp grated red onion
·         1 tbsp fresh oregano
·         3/4 tsp kosher salt and fresh pepper
·         1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
·         oil spray

For the salad:

·         1 cucumber, diced
·         3/4 cup quartered grape tomatoes
·         2 tbsp chopped red onion
·         1/3 cup kalamata olives
·         1/4 cup roasted peppers
·         2 tsp red wine vinegar
·         1 tsp olive oil
·         kosher salt
·         1 tbsp crumbled feta

Instructions:

Squeeze ALL the moisture from the zucchini with paper towels. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, zucchini, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix well, add 1/4 cup of feta, mix and make 5 equal patties, not too thick so they cook in the center. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

In a medium bowl combine all the salad ingredients. Mix well.

To cook indoors: Heat a large nonstick skillet on high heat. When hot, lightly spray oil. Add burgers to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook on one side until browned, then flip. Flip over a few times to prevent burning and to make sure the burgers are cooked all the way through.

If grilling: Clean grill well before cooking and oil the grates generously to prevent sticking. Cook the burgers on medium heat about 5 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the center.

Enjoy!!
 

Click here for a print-friendly recipe document.
 

How to Refresh After the Gym in 10 minutes

We all know that some physical activity should be part of our daily routine, but with work and kids and errands and housework, it so easily gets shifted to the bottom of the priorities list.  Ironically, all the research and evidence shows that staying fit and active actually helps you handle all of those other responsibilities, increasing both physical and mental energy.

Its not that we don't want to work out, its just that in addition to the time it takes to actually do the working out, there's the condition we're left in post-work out: sweaty (maybe a little 'fragrant'), melted make-up, flat hair.  If you're like me, and the only time to squeeze in a workout is on your lunch break, then you don't want to go back to your office or spend the day looking a mess.  So here are my tips to looking put-together in 10 minutes after a sweat-session.

Body (2 minutes)

Obviously, shower if you can.  But make it quick.  Cool water, as cool as you can stand will actually help your body temp lower more quickly, because there's nothing worse than showering and trying to get dressed and you're still sweating.

If there is no shower option, then keep some body wipes in your gym bag.  There are a variety of options out there, so find the scent/formula you like, then do wipe down of at least everything from the waist up.

Hair (3 minutes)

I usually wear my hair down during the day for the office, but I absolutely HAVE to have it up and off my face and neck for my workout. While I do sweat, wearing my hair up not only keeps me a bit cooler, but it keeps the sweat from dripping down the strands and making it a mess.  If you tend to wear your hair in the loose waves/bedhead style, then wrapping it up into a loose bun on the top of your head can help preserve the style.

I know everyone's hair is different, and so there's no one way to manage post-gym hair. My hair is fine but not thin, mostly wavy with extra curly sections along my temple and neckline.  My hair will hold the crimp of a hairband or a braid if I've been sweating.  And it will be flat from being pulled back. My solution: the hairdryer.  I have a small travel dryer that I keep in my bag. Flip head upside down and do a quick crazy blow in all directions to lift the roots and loosen hair-band kinks.  Don't blow too long or it will make you sweat again.  Either before or after the hairdryer (or both -- figure out what works best for your hair) spritz roots with your preferred dry shampoo.  Will help absorb any extra sweat and oil, and keep you fresh.

I also have a tiny travel flat iron that I use to tame my temple curlies when they get out of control.  There are a lot of nifty mini stylers out there now.

And of course, there's always the fresh ponytail as a back up when all else fails.

Makeup (3 minutes)

They say you're supposed to take your makeup off BEFORE you workout. I confess I do not (I know, shame on me.)  The reality is, if you spend more than 3 minutes putting your face on in the morning, then you're not going to be able to recreate your entire effort after the gym in 3 minutes.  So you either have to keep some of what you started with on, or you just settle for being less made up the second half of the day.

Again with the wipes.  Either before or after or both, you can clean your face with your choice of face wipes.  To make the most of my morning application, I don't remove eye makeup.  That's really what takes most of us the longest, and eyelids don't tend to be very sweaty body parts, so likely most of your morning work has stayed put.  If it has melted to your under-eye area, clean up with your face wipe.

Now to save time, its all about the multi-function products.  BB Creams save time by providing moisture and coverage in one.  And you can blend with your hands (or keep an extra Beauty Blender in your gym bag.) Then for extra coverage/concealer and some highlighting, foundation sticks are quick and easy as well.  Apply straight from the tube, or dot where needed with finger to blend.  Lastly, for some color to your cheeks and lips, a quick swipe of a dual lip & cheek stick has you ready to go. 
 

Get Dressed (2 minutes)

Since you don't have to decide what to wear, this should be easy.

Hope some of these tips will help you find the time to squeeze some fitness into your day.  It's definitely do-able, it just needs to stay at the top of your priorities list.  Good luck!!

Spring Clean Your Money

I confess up front: upon first glance this will not appear to be a sexy or entertaining post.  But it is something that will absolutely help everyone, I couldn't not share.  Sometimes we have to spend a little time dealing with the not fun things to get them in order so we can really enjoy the fun things.

Make the Most of Your Money

Finances.  Something we all have to deal with on a daily basis, but if you think about it, really something we never get formal training or guidance on.  Its the cause of many debates and issues in relationships, and can cause such stress and drama in life if not managed properly.  For something that basically dictates our lives, it doesn't seem the most sensible that we all pretty much wing it.  There are people out there that are educated in money management and financial planning, but those services themselves tend to cost and arm and a leg, and its the people who can't afford those services that really need them.  Enter LearnVest.

This is not a paid or sponsored post.  I have personally used this service and think it's great.  When I hear my friends stress or complain about being able to save and budget and get their finances in order,  I cannot stress enough that they should use this service.

LearnVest is quality financial planning for the 99%.  They say their primary clients are those that make between $30,000 and $250,000 annually.  Married or single, young or old.

Here's how it works:

Sign up on their website and create an account, and then complete your profile.  The more extensive and specific your profile, the better for you.  You want to list ALL your bank accounts, retirement accounts, credit cards, loans, rent, utilities, annual reoccurring expenses (memberships, subscriptions),  etc.  Think about what your financial goals are: retirement savings, buying a house, college savings, pay of debts, etc.  Be honest, and don't be embarrassed by your current financial state. (Odds are they've seen worse than you.)

After you've completed your profile, it gets submitted to one of their certified Financial Planners, and they will review on their end to get an overview of you and your situation, then a Strategy call is scheduled.  They are available 24/7 to work with the busiest schedules.  During this call your Planner will ask questions for clarity, and talk to you about your goals and money life, to find out exactly what it is you want to achieve.

A plan for your money is just a plan. A program is about putting that plan into action.

After this call, your Planner will take all the info and develop a course of action for you to achieve your financial goals. You will schedule another call, and they will show you the numbers (i.e., how much you will need to have in retirement by the time you retire, and how to save that much between now and then.) They will help you set a daily budget, and help guide you to the proper allocation of your money.  They will also tell you what kinds of legal documents (wills, power of attorney, health care directive, etc.) you should have, and what kind and how much insurances you should have (life, renters, etc.)

Additionally, their website contains resources and recommendations for providers.  And if you're the kind of person who benefits from being accountable to someone, then your Planner can regularly send you reminders and information to keep you on track.

The planning process and obtaining your customize financial plan is $299. But right now there is a coupon for $50 off (LETSGO). $249 for a complete financial plan is a steal!  Then if you need/want to retain On-Going support, you can sign up for $19/mo (can be cancelled at any time.)  I know if you live paycheck to paycheck that even $249 sounds like a lot, but they have payment plans, and if you invest this in yourself now, and then follow the advice you receive, you will not be hurting from this expense.  Things will only get better.

In really just a few hours you can get your entire financial situation straightened out and on track to you won't need to worry about your money anymore.  How can you not do this?

Progress doesn't happen overnight. But it can start today.