Travel – Tips for Traveling with Kids

Posted on by

Summer – time for the annual family vacation!  We have been taking our children on trips since they were very small.  We’ve gone on short weekend trips that are only a few hours from our house and longer road trips when we are gone for weeks at a time and we’ve even traveled by plane to the East Coast and also Hawaii.  With any travel destination,  we always start with a specific travel plan and over the years I have found that organization is the key and packing lists are very important.  In this post I’m going to share some tips and offer some suggestions that I have learned over the years.

Road Trip

Tips and suggestions for a road trip –

  • Start by cleaning out the car, then vacuum the floor and upholstery, wash the car.
  • Get a car tune-up, check the oil level and fluid levels, check the air pressure in the tires, replace the windshield wipers if needed, fill the car with gas.
  • Have these items handy – a flashlight, first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, road flares and booster cables.
  • Store a roll of paper, hand wipes, hand sanitizer and a box of tissues for easy clean-ups during the trip and bring a couple of plastic shopping bags for trash.
  • Pack a cooler with healthy snacks such as water and juice, string cheese, fruit, carrot sticks.  Also bring snacks like goldfish crackers, raisins, fruit rolls – whatever the family likes to eat.
  • Shop ahead for small toys or a new book, movie, video game, CD or borrow a library book-on-tape to keep the kids occupied during the trip.
  • Pack a couple of blankets and pillows for naps in the car.
  • Allow time during the trip for visiting tourist attractions along the way.
  • If you know there will be toll, be sure to have dollar bills and coins handy for the toll booths.
  • Get an early start, the kids can fall back to sleep for a few hours.
  • Give each child their own backpack, have them pack it with their toys and comfort items.

 Suggested items to include in a road trip activity bag –

  • Portable IPhone, Android phone, IPhone, Kindle or Tablet with music and audiobooks downloaded.  (Don’t forget the headphones)
  • Portable electronic games.
  • Activity books, sticker books, etc. (Don’t forget to bring colored pencils or washable markers; they are better than crayons that can melt!)
  • Simple and inexpensive items for activities – a bottle of bubbles, colored pipe cleaners. (for creating shapes and even jewelry such as: rings, bracelets, necklaces)
  • A large inexpensive cookie sheet and a bag of magnetic letter, numbers and fun shapes.

Suggested items to bring for the hotel room –

  • An extension cord – for those inconvenient electrical outlets.
  • A couple of electrical outlet covers – to childproof the room.
  • A nightlight – in case the kids wake up in the middle of the night.

Plane Trip

Tips and suggestions for a plane trip –

  • Try to book a nonstop flight if possible; this limits the number of flights which could be good for two reasons.  First, sometimes cabin pressure changes can be uncomfortable on take-off and landings.  Second, this will avoid the hassle of getting on and off planes and carrying luggage through the airport for connecting flights.
  • On the other hand, some times on longer domestic or international flights, it might be a good idea to schedule a layover for the kids to burn off some of their energy by running around and their legs.
  • If you need to book a connecting flight, allow at least an hour between connections, this will give extra time in case of flight delays.  (nobody wants to run through an airport with luggage and kids from one airport gate to another with only minutes to catch a connecting flight!)
  • Take advantage of early boarding, (and if there is no assigned seating) it is a good way to select seats in a preferred area, have the kids settled and if you are using a carseat it can be fastened into the plane seats before the other passengers board the plane.
  • Some parents highly recommend front-row seats known as bulkhead seating.  The advantages are extra legroom and the seats are usually close to the restrooms but the disadvantages are that there is no under-seat storage and carry-on bags need to be stowed in the overhead compartment for takeoff and landings.
  • Prior to the trip, be sure to talk to your kids about the travel plans; discuss where you are going, what you will see and most importantly what to expect on the plane ride.
  • Prior to an airplane flight, it is a good idea to have your child’s ears checked for any possible ear infections because if undetected it could be very painful on the plane takeoff and landing, and it might be possible that the trip would have to be delayed until the infection is gone.
  • Prior to the flight, if you are using a carseat or booster seat, be sure that it is meets airline regulations.
  • Before the flight or if you are waiting for a connecting flight, let the kids get our all their excess energy.  (maybe you will be lucky and the kids will be so tired that they will take a nap once you are on the plane!)
  • During the flight, keep the kids busy and entertained with items from a carry-on bag.  Be sure to answer their questions and have them look out the window to play the “I spy” game.
  • When the plane lands, think about waiting for the other passengers to leave the plane.  It will take time to gather items and, if you are using a car seat, to unfasten it from the plane seat.

Suggested items to include in a carry-on bag –

  • A backpack is a good choice for a carry-on because it will keep hands free to hold hands with your child.  Whatever bag you select, always check to see that it will meet airline regulations.
  • Pack a change of clothes for your child in case of spills or other accidents; don’t forget a set of clothes for yourself.  Planes can also be chilly, so be sure to bring a sweater or jacket.
  • Pack some healthy snacks in resealable plastic bags, such as: cheerios, goldfish crackers, pretzels, peanuts or raisins.  Airport food can be very expensive and it is a good idea to have something the kids will like to eat in case of delays.
  • Toss in a couple of different sizes of plastic zip-lock bags to store dirty clothes, etc.
  • In case of emergencies, have your kid’s pediatrician phone number and insurance information handy, it is also a good idea to have your kid’s immunization record.  Keep any medicine your child is currently taking in your carry-on, stored in the original container, because in case of flight delays you will have it accessible.
  • Please refer to the activity bag list above for items to keep your child busy and entertained.

Craft – Embellished Photo Frames

Posted on by

Shopping in the local retail stores I always admire the fancy embellished frames but the prices are usually a little expensive.  In this craft post, I will show you how to take a simple and inexpensive plain frame and with a few simple steps you can have great looking embellished frame at very little cost.  Here is a list of some items that are needed:

Embellished Photo Frame – supplies

  • An inexpensive plain frame
  • 1 or 2 simple small items (these are determined by the subject of the photos)
  • Hot glue gun and glue sticks
  • Paint or stain (optional)

Embellished Photo Frame – insturctions

  1. Select a simple plain frame, size is determined by the photo you will be using.
  2. Remove the backing and glass from the frame.
  3. (Optional) If you are using an unfinished wood frame, now is the time to paint or stain the frame.
  4. Determine placement of the embellishment items on the front of the frame.
  5. Once you have decided on the position of the item, attach it with hot glue.
  6. Add glass, photo and backing to frame.

Here are some examples of frames that I have done for our home:

This first embellished frame is one of my favorites.  The silver painted frame with bronze trim has a picture of my mother-in-law holding a picture of my husband when he was a baby.  In the small bronze oval frame attached is the baby photo of my husband.  This is a fun way to highlight the photo she is holding.

Embellished photo 1

The next embellished frame started out as a plain white frame.  Using painter’s tape, I taped off sections and painted three colors, blue, green and purple on the frame edge. Then I added a wooden prepainted “friends” to a photo taken at our daughter’s recent backlight party.  The colors go great in her colorful bedroom and sits on her desk.

Embellished photo 2

In another embellished frame, I added a silver metal crown to the top of a silver frame.  The photo I used was our daughter wearing her princess costume from Halloween a couple of years ago.  I thought it was a cute way to match the photo with the embellishment.

Embellished photo 3

The next embellishment is a simple wooden frame with a palm tree embellishment, the photo of our daughter was taken in Hawaii and I thought the palm tree was a good idea.

Embellished photo 4

The next two embellished photos hang in our upstairs hallway.  The first is a large frame with a photo of our daughter and in the corner is attached cut-out hand print that she did in kindergarten.  The second is another large frame with her First Communion photo and in the corner I attached the silver cross that my mother had bought for her when she was born.

Embellished photo 5    Embellished photo 6

The final two embellished photos are a little more complicated.  The first one is a wooden photo frame that resembles driftwood and I glued several seashells that we collected on the beach in North Carolina.  Inside the frame is a photo of our daughter at the lifeguard station at the same beach.  The second one is another wooden frame and at the four corners of the frame I glue more of the seashells.  Inside the frame I created a heart shape with several fragments of seashells collected from the same trip.

Embellished photo 7     Embellished photo 8

I hope this gives you some ideas for creating some of your own embellished photo frames!

Decor – Displaying Travel Souvenirs

Posted on by

Library bookshelf left   Library bookshelf middle   Library bookshelf right

As I have mentioned before, when decorating our home, my design plan is to surround our family with things that have special meaning to us.  Traveling across the country on road trips and visiting distant places in Europe and Asia is one of our family’s favorite ways of spending time together.  During our trips we have collected a large number of special travel souvenirs and most of these items are displayed in the bookshelves in the library while other travel items are framed and hanging on the walls in the various rooms of our home.  We enjoy looking at these travel souvenirs and remembering the wonderful places we have visited.

One of the keys to displaying travel souvenirs is thinking about how the items will be framed.  For items that have some depth, I have found that shadowboxes are an excellent way to display those souvenirs.  As an example is the shark tooth weapon that we got at the Polynesian Culture Center in Hawaii.  This wonderful piece of craftsmanship is beautifully displayed in a shadowbox but the real purpose of the frame is to that the sharp edges of the shark teeth are enclosed to prevent anyone from handling this dangerous weapon.  In front of the shadowbox is a piece of driftwood draped with a Hawaiian shell and nut lei.  On the same shelf is a photo of our daughter dressed in her Hawaiian outfit that was taken at the Polynesian Culture Center display in a frame embellished with bamboo and palm trees, also displayed on the shelf is the artificial Hawaiian floral that she is wearing in the photo.  On the other side of the photo is a small glass jar filled with black sand from Hawaii and shells we had gathered from the beach during our trip.  Also displayed nearby is a small frame with a small trinket of seashells and straw that I bought in Honolulu.  All these items are a wonderful way to remember our fantastic trip to Hawaii and are an example of grouping travel souvenirs that tell the story of a vacation trip.  (For some travel suggestions on what to see and do in Hawaii, please click on the link)

Hawaiian travel souvenirs

Several years ago on our trips to Europe and Asia, we brought back some really interesting souvenirs.  We visited Berlin for my husband’s high school reunion and on a shelf we have displayed a piece of the Berlin Wall and a photo of us in front of the Brandenburg Gate.  When my husband lived in Berlin back in the 1970s, the Berlin Wall stood behind the Brandenburg Gate dividing East and West Berlin.  So, when we visited in 1998 the wall had been taken down and the one of the first things after getting off the plane was that my husband wanted to walk through the Gate, something he couldn’t do all those years ago.  Also, displayed on the shelf is a photo of my son standing at the train station in Eichstatt Stadt in southern Germany, an area where his father’s ancestors immigrated from a century ago.  On another nearby library shelf, is a shadowbox framed piece of Edelweiss that I bought at a small little shop near Neuschwanstein Castle, for more information about the fairytale castle of Ludwig II of Bavaria please click on the link.  Edelweiss is known as the flower of love in this alpine region of Europe and was made famous from the song in the “Sound of Music” movie.

Berlin travel souvenirs    Germany travel souvenir

Other European souvenirs are also displayed in the library; the first one is from a trip to Poland that we took in 1998.  In a small shop located in the town square, we bought a certificate printed on parchment paper that commemorates our visit to Krakow.  The other travel souvenir sitting in front of the framed certificate are Polish dolls dressed in traditional folk costumes of Krakow, my mother gave me these dolls a few years ago.  (For more interesting information about Krakow, please click on the link)

Poland travel souvenirs     China travel souvenirs

Nearby, on another shelf in the library are travel souvenirs that my husband brought back from a trip he took to Asia in 1999.  Displayed is a framed photo of my husband with the college master’s program group he went with to China and Japan, they are in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China.  Sitting in the front of the photo is a set of jade door lions that my husband bought in China.

Over the years our family has been very fortunate to have travel to various states across the country.  We have scrapbook albums filled with photos.  Displayed on our library shelf is a framed photo of our family when we went to the Kennedy Space Center in 2010.  To make a fun display, I added a book on earth and space and a small plastic space shuttle that my daughter got in the souvenir store.  (For more information about the Kennedy Space Center, please click on the link)

Kenedy Space Center travel souvenirsLibrary bookshelf 4

Sometimes, we like to select unusual items on our road trips.  When we went to Springfield, IL a couple of years ago and visited the home of Abraham Lincoln, in the bookstore at NPS Visitor Center we purchased a souvenir piece of the Lincoln’s home and I framed this little piece of history in a shadow box.  Another unusual item we purchased was when we were living in California, we had taken a great trip to San Francisco and had arranged a special trip on an antique fire truck that takes visitors through the city of San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge; we also rode the famous cable cars.  Displayed on the shelf downstairs in our “California Room” basement, I framed a small water coloring of the Golden Gate Bridge in a shadowbox and I added a souvenir piece of the cable from the San Francisco cable car line.

Springfield travel souvenir     San Fransico travel souvenir

Décor Note:  Please check out some of our other travel souvenirs that have been highlighted in two previous Décor posts, “Decorating with Plates” and “Not Your Normal Wall Art!”  Also check out the April Décor post, “Disney Memorabilia Collection” for ideas on decorating with Disney souvenirs.

I hope this post will inspire some ideas for displaying your travel souvenirs!

Travel – Packing for a Trip

Posted on by

When I look back on my childhood years, I remember the great times we had traveling as a family.   Now with my own family, I wanted to create those kinds of memories for my children.  We love getting in the car for day or weekend trips to local places or even longer road trips to other states.  We visit museums and zoos or stop at National Parks and historic sites.  Seeing other areas of the country can be a great experience and we have created such wonderful memories to look back on!

Throughout the years we have learned the importance of packing for a trip.  Weeks before we leave, I start pulling clothes from the closet that are needed for the trip.  The key is to bring just the right amount of clothing to last the duration of the trip.  We have learned over the years that less is usually better since sometimes we buy souvenir t-shirts and these can be worn during the vacation so that can eliminate one or two pieces of clothing.  We do wear our jeans or shorts at least twice during a trip, so that keeps the amount of bulky items down to a minimum.  The most important thing to remember is that you will be carrying those heavy suitcases!  Also, before a trip, I will start a couple of lists of things we need to bring, one is a list of things to remember that we already own (camera, binoculars, etc.) and the other list is things to buy for the trip (suntan lotion, sunglasses, etc.).

Organization is very important when planning and packing for a trip.  To start the packing process, ask yourself these important questions:

  1. Who is going on the trip?
  2. What is your destination?
  3. How will you be traveling to your destination?
  4. What time of year will you be traveling?
  5. What is the weather forecast?

All these answers will determine the items that you need to pack or purchase.

Travel basics:

  • Gather the travel documents – airline tickets, passport, maps, tour books, etc.
  • Clothing – have at least one outfit for each day, including underwear.  Make sure to pack comfortable shoes.  Depending on the weather conditions of the travel destination, don’t forget to pack an appropriate jacket, sweater or coat.
  • Put aside a set of “travel” clothes – be sure to select items that are comfortable and slip on shoes are easier for airport security or to take off/put on during long car trips.
  • Sometimes it is a good idea to pack a dressy outfit for any unexpected occasion and don’t forget to pack the appropriate shoes and a simple clutch bag.
  • Toiletries – use small leak-proof bottles for shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap, body lotion.  Don’t forget toothpaste and a toothbrush for each person, nail clippers, etc.   Keep a small pouch for personal items such as: makeup or feminine products.
  • A mesh laundry bag – this will help keep clean clothes separate from the dirty ones!  Toss in some small plastic shopping bags for muddy clothes or shoes.
  • Small first aid kit – include bandages, aspirin, thermometer, tweezers, etc.
  • Emergency kit – include a small sewing kit with scissors,, pocket knife  (Be sure to store any sharp instruments in check luggage or they will be confiscated by airport security)
  • Small hair dryer or travel iron (check ahead because most hotels will have them in the room and these items will not be necessary to bring)
  • Small backpack or travel bag for daily use.
  • Don’t forget a phone, digital camera, etc.

Travel Tips and Suggestions

Keep important items in a carry-on bag and avoid bringing valuable jewelry.  Never pack travel documents, money or credit cards in checked baggage.

  • Before leaving home, remove unnecessary items from your wallet, such as a library card, department store credit cards, etc.  If you don’t already, keep an emergency contact card in your wallet.  Be sure to include the following information – name and phone number of emergency contact, medical and auto insurance information,  phone number of your doctor and dentist, etc.
  • When traveling internationally, don’t forget to bring conversion / adaptor plugs.  The voltage in other countries can vary as well as socket sizes and shapes, so any small appliances you have pack might not work.
  • When traveling keep all the prescription medications in the original containers and if possible bring the doctor’s prescription as well.  This is a good idea for two reasons, it proves the medication is legitimate and the prescription can be refilled if required.
  • If you wear glasses or contact lenses, be sure to pack an extra set.  I haven’t had to use them, but I am glad that they are there if I lose the ones I am wearing.  Also be sure to bring a small screwdriver kit to repair any loose screws, this I have used to prevent the lenses from falling out of my eyeglass frames.
  • Pack a supply of various sizes of Ziploc Freezer Bags.  They are a little heavier than regular or generic plastic bags.  These bags can be used to store items that can potentially leak, such as shampoo, lotions, etc.  The bags are also an excellent way to store wet bathing suits.  Another use for the bags can be a place to keep souvenirs such as ticket stubs, travel brochures, etc.
  • Be sure to toss in a small packable duffle bag – this will come in handy for souvenirs or other travel purchases.  This is a great idea especially if you have any fragile items to bring back home, the bag can easily become a carry-on bag for the airplane.
  •  Even if you are traveling to a warm and sunny place, it is always a good idea to pack a small travel umbrella or packable rain jackets with hoods for each person.  Be sure to toss these items into the day pack or travel bag and you will be prepared for any unexpected rain shower.
  • When awaken in the middle of the night in a dark hotel room can be unfamiliar and very disorientating, so it is  a good idea to pack a small flashlight or nightlight.

 

Celebration – Independence Day

Posted on by

july-4th-american-flag

Fourth of July, also known as Independence Day, is a federal holiday which celebrates the United States declaring their independence from England.  This summer day is usually means fireworks and barbecues or a day for family picnics and a trip to see a baseball game.

Representatives from the thirteen colonies meet in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the American Revolution.  In June of 1776, the representative from Virginia, Richard Henry Lee, proposed that the Unites States declare their independence from Great Britain.  The Continental Congress voted to approve the resolution on July 2, 1776.  The representatives formed a committee of five members to prepare a Declaration of Independence.  The chief author of the document was Thomas Jefferson and over the next couple of days the Congress debated and revised the wording until finally approving it on July 4, 1776.  This is the day that Americans have come to celebrate.

Independence Day Trivia

  • As the Liberty Bell rang from Independence Hall, crowds gathered in Philadelphia as the Declaration Independence was read in public for the first time on July 8, 1776.
  • Only two men signed the original Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, they were John Hancock and Charles Thomson who was the Secretary of the Second Continental Congress.   A larger copy was made and this is the one that most of the delegates signed on August 2, 1776.  This second document is the one that is on display in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.
  • The first signer of the Declaration of Independence was John Hancock; he said he wrote his signature so large because he wanted the King of England to see it without his glasses.   The last signer was Thomas McKean who finally signed the document in January 1977; he later became governor of Pennsylvania.
  • The oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence was Benjamin Franklin who was 70 years old.  The youngest was Edward Rutledge who was 26 years old; he later became the governor of South Carolina.
  • In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day just five hours apart.  Jefferson died first, he was 82 years old and Adams was 90 years old.  The date was July 4, 1826 and it was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
  • Red, white and blue, the colors of the flag of the United States of American, have always been considered patriotic colors but originally the Fourth of July was celebrated with greenery for decorations.
  • The first years of our Nation’s Independence Day were celebrates with artillery canons from the American Revolution battles that were fired on the Fourth of July but eventually this practice was discontinued and slowly replaced by fireworks.