Aiplanes, Kids and Spring Break travel tips.

Flying with kids is no easy feat. My kids have been flying since they were each 4 months old. Most of our trips together, I am outnumbered….2 kids to 1 mommy. It is never easy but I can give you all a few tips to make it more manageable and sometimes even enjoyable.

Pack light….but pack what you need. It is not easy when you have a baby and toddler. That is probably the most difficult stage of mommy travel. One child actually needs you (can't get around without you) and the other one wants you and lets you know it. Babies require tons of stuff, always carry-on enough diapers in case your flight is delayed overnight. Same goes for snacks and formula (if you aren't breastfeeding.) Pack an extra change of clothes for babies and toddlers that are still in diapers or just newly potty trained. It is amazing how a kid suddenly has to use the bathroom when we are jamming down the runway or just about to land. And, they don't really need toys, just some activity books, crayons and story books.

If you know your kiddo is going to push, kick or mess with the person in front of them, offer them a drink before they even sit down. I do this for the person in front of my son. I try to stay on top of him but he is just a bit more rambunctious. When I offer them a drink, they are immediately more understanding.

Don't be afraid to bribe with a little candy. I always bring Starbursts with me when we travel.(they are the perfect candy as they take awhile to eat but are not as messy as a lollipop) I only use them if the kids are having a rough time staying in their seats or boarding the plane. "When you sit down in your seat and get buckled you will get a Starburst."

Load up your computer with their favorite movies and/or TV shows. My kids are just now able to keep their headphones on long enough to watch a movie. I have the special double jack connector so they can both watch the same movie. It works out really well, they are occupied, having fun and I can even read a book! AMAZING!

A drink for take off and landing. Some kids have a harder time with this than others. I still carry a sippy cup so that my son can suck on it during landing. It is a great way to pop their ears. If they are older, gum is a great trick as well.

If people offer to help, TAKE THEM UP ON IT! Don't try to be the hero. If they offer to carry something, hand them the car seat! It makes a big difference in the end. They wouldn't offer if they didn't want to help.

Speaking of car seats….as much as they are a pain in the ass, I just stopped putting my son in a one on flights. I waited until he REALLY understood he couldn't get up from his seat whenever he wanted to. There is too much freedom for a kid who can't sit still to be sitting in a regular seat. When they are sitting in their car seat, they know they can't get out. He graduated to a big boy seat when he was 3! That was a fun day!

We are heading out for our Spring Break next week! You never know, you might be the lucky one getting a free drink in front of Spider! Have fun, good luck and travel safe!

Making lemonade out of lemons!

After the third snow storm and the over-heating of our car, you'd think we would have taken the hint that we were not meant to compete in our triathlon. We were headed to Vegas for the Showdown and Sundown and apparently someone was telling us to turn back but we were two determined chicks on a mission and nothing was going to stop us...not even a smoking engine.

Allison drove the entire 7 1/2 hours there and through each snow storm we would chuckle and shake our heads at the ridiculous weather. We had several conversations about how "over" winter we were and how much we longed for Spring to arrive. And then, the car's engine temperature started to skyrocket. I think Allison noticed a difference in the way it was driving and immediately looked down and saw the temp in the RED...not good. Before we knew it, we were on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere with smoke pouring out of her VW van. Instead of panicking, we laughed our heads off...I mean REALLY laughed, you know, the belly kind. And after fixing the problem, instead of taking it as a sign we should turn back, we, again, pushed on.

Giving up because of a little bad weather and car problem wasn't an option....no, it would take 52 degree water temp to begin that ball rolling. That was the news we received when we walked into the race headquarters to pick up our packet. Hmmm, I like to think we are pretty damn tough but I know we aren't stupid. Nevertheless, we went to bed that night with a few fun butterflies in our stomachs. You know, the excited nervous kind. We dreamed of sunshine and warm weather.

We woke to cloudy, windy and cold weather. Allison and I laughed! It was becoming a comedy of errors. And we were soaking it up. I think there comes a time during any trip when you have to throw your arms up and say, "I give up. What are we REALLY supposed to do?" We went out to the race start at Lake Mead and quickly learned that the swim was cancelled. I guess it was then that we knew our triathlon was not meant to happen on this day.

But, we turned the moment into something great. We were in this beautiful spot, Lake Mead National Park and we were going to have an adventure. So we parked, changed into our running gear and asked this wonderful man, a park volunteer, where we should run. "No question. Run to Hoover Dam. It is 3.7 miles in and 3.7 miles out." And then he added, "You were the smart ones. That water is too cold!" We smiled. The run was gorgeous and while we ran, the sun came out and the sky cleared up.

Do you know how we turned this lemon of a situation in to pure sweet lemonade? We made the most of every second together. Allison and I are both moms to two toddlers. Both 5 and 3-ish years old. Whenever we are together, the kids are usually in tow. For a solid 35 hours, there wasn't anyone else to worry about. We talked, sang, told endless stories about our lives and got to know each other even better. Frankly, time is such a precious gift and we were so thankful for it.

We went on our run, hopped into the car and made a bee-line to In and Out Burger...can you believe she had never been...even after 7 years in LA. After 13 1/2 hours in the car over a 35 hour period, we arrived home, safe, sound and bit giddy at 8:30pm about 2 hours after we were supposed be done with our race. Life throws everyone curve balls...what do you make of yours?

World Water Day

I should know a thing or two about water….I feel I have spent more time in water than I have in school. Somewhat scary! But, I also know a thing or two about the non-chlorinated kind.

I grew up in Northern California when ever summer was considered a drought. We never had enough water to keep our lakes full and I was always worried that we were going to run out of the good ole H2O. I grew up thinking and believing that water was a precious commodity. And I try to do the same with my kids.

Here are a few easy ways to conserve water that your kids will actually GET!

Turn the water off when you are brushing your teeth. Just a splash to wet your toothbrush and a few rinses to get the toothpaste off at the end. This was drilled into our heads growing up. In my world, there is no other way to brush your teeth.

This one may be a little gross but, in your most active bathrooms, use this motto, “If it’s yellow let it mellow, If it’s brown, flush it down.” I remember seeing this sign in a Berkeley bathroom when I was younger…it made me giggle but the rhyme stuck.

Only wash your clothes if they are dirty. Even little kids have a semi-clean day and don’t need to wash their jeans. Cut down on the amount of laundry you do by washing only when things are filthy.(really need it)

Make your shower shorter. Honestly, you don’t need to wash your hair every day. I wash mine every 3rd or so…gotta give the locks a break. So, do a quick wash-a-roo and be done. Save the longer shower for another day.

Just a few friendly tips in celebration of World Water Day, March 22, 2011! Drink some H2O and be grateful!

Smile, we survived another mom day!

I say this with a huge smile on my face but today was one of those days where my husband and I looked at each other, put our hands up for a high five and said, "We survived!"

When our kids were newborns, we never got a full night sleep. At one point, we actually calculated it and I think we went about 3 years on month without getting a full night sleep while at home. (we did sneak away for a few adults-only trips) It is similar to the way I look back on my swimming schedule in high school...I don't know how in the hell I physically did it.

Sleep, I find, is only missed if you are reminded that you are missing it. In other words, once you do get a full night sleep, your body then gets a little ticked off realizing it has missed a few zzz's. Well, with our life, we have had several full nights of sleep lately. We are down right spoiled, to be honest with you. I am not gonna lie, I love my sleep. I cherish my sleep now more than ever and when I don't get a full night sleep...I am a walking zombie. Ok...let me clarify...when I am woken up at 3 am and not allowed to go back to sleep, I am a walking zombie.

That was my night last night. My son yells at me...yes I meant to write yells "at" me because he does with all his vocal strength. I run in there and he has wet his bed. So, time for a little snuggle session. Only problem, the lil one doesn't want it to be bedtime still. He didn't fuss, just played around enough so that I couldn't go back to sleep. And, since I am a few months into my full nights of sleep, it hit me hard this morning.

My eyes were heavy, I couldn't form sentences correctly. I was tweeting words out of place :). How did I do it when my kids were babies? How did I not get lost trying to drive myself home? How did I not pick up the wrong kid from the grocery cart?

My husband and I got the kids asleep and I am now going to curl up into my tempurpedic and hopefully hit REM in about 30 secs. Life is good when this is all we have to survive! :)