Mess Free Doodling

I've been on the lookout for fun little items to put in the girls' backpacks for our upcoming trip. When I saw the Aqua Doodle Travel N" Doodle I grabbed it for Caelan.



I really like it's size- it measures 11"x8.75" when closed and 11"x17.75" when open. It's light and the handles make this a great item to take along anywhere.



It has two drawing mats which is nice because kids aren't known for patience (at least mine aren't!); one mat can be drawn on while the other dries. The Aquadoodle pen is held securely in the center by a wide elastic and the case is held closed by velcro. The no-mess water pen is ideal for even the youngest artist.



Like all Aquadoodle products, the pen opens "backward", which helps keep my three-year-old from accidentally opening it, and has a great seal- I have yet to experience any leaks with their products.

I recommend this item for any child old enough to hold a pen to paper. It is a water product so you don't have to worry if they suck on the tip (which my daughter does) or write on anything else.

My three-year-old also loves this- especially the "learn to draw" diagrams on the edges. It even makes me feel like an artist.

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A Great Site for Travelers

I am a list maker. I have travel lists in my computer: things to check, things to ship, things to carry on, things to keep handy if we drive...

While I was clicking around trying to help my sister prepare for her upcoming vacation I found this great site: IndependentTraveler.com.

I was most impressed with their Packing & Accessories page. They have a great interactive packing list and carry-on compliance listings. Their packing tips are handy, too, if you're not a regular traveler.

They even have a nice bit about family vacation planning.

It's a handy website to have in your favorites.

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Family First Aid Checklist

We are beginning to prepare for our Irish holiday and I am deep in lists. What to carry on, what to check, what to send ahead. I like to make sure we are prepared- often we are over prepared.

I came across this family first aid checklist from The Family Sabbatical Handbook by Elisa Bernick that is quite thorough. Obviously you won't need everything on this list for a short vacation, but it is a great list and certainly has items on it that I wouldn't have thought of.

You can purchase ready-made first-aid kits from any camping or medical supplier online. A cheaper option is to buy a soft-sided multi-zippered storage bag and put one together yourself. Include:

• Sterile gauze pads.

• Bandages/Band-Aids in a variety of sizes.

• Adhesive tape.

• Sterile cotton balls.

• Antibacterial hand wipes.

• Small jar of Vaseline.

• Scissors, tweezers, safety pins, Swiss Army knife.

• Digital thermometer.

• Small cold pack.

• Anti-itch cream such as hydrocortisone or calamine.

• Antibiotic cream or ointment.

• Syrup of ipecac.

• Aspirin, Tylenol, ibuprofen (adults' and children's).

• Cold tablets.

• Cough syrup, throat lozenges (adults' and children's).

• Antihistamine (Benadryl oral and ointment).

• Diarrhea medicine (adults' and children's).

• Sunscreen, lip balm, insect repellent.

•Vaginal cream for infections.

• Spoon/oral syringe to administer kids' doses.

• Moleskin for blisters.

• Inhalers, special medications, etc.

• Any other specific over-the-counter medication that your doctor or pharmacist recommends for your sabbatical destination.

• Emergency medical reference book.

Optional:

• Antibiotics such as amoxicyllin.

• Louse treatment.

• Pinworm treatment.

• Rehydration mixture.

• Lotrimin (or other clotrimazole- or miconazole-based) anti-fungal.

Tip: Do not pack your first-aid kit in your carry-on luggage if you fly. Airports keep changing their carry-on restrictions, and you might not be able to take it aboard.

I am a big believer in mailing items to your destination (if you are flying) before you arrive. A first aid kit is just the kind of item I am referring to. These are items you won't need until you arrive- and hopefully not even then!

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For Little Photo Bugs

Brenna has been fascinated with cameras since she realized that they took pictures you could see. And for the last few months she has been bringing my cell phone to me and asking to use it to take a picture. I considered myself lucky that she wasn't grabbing my camera.

When I saw the VTECH Kidizoom Camera I compared it to other kid cameras and read lots of reviews. And after a few months I broke down and bought it for her as a Christmas gift. And I am so glad I did. This is better than my first digital camera.

The screen is 1.8" and the controls are easy to operate. At the bottom you have volume buttons (yes, you can record video) and the power button. On the left is the mode (photos, video, tools or games) and the scroll (for games, choosing photos and editing) and on the right is delete and ok (to verify choices). There are two viewfinders, which is nice. Brenna says it's her binoculars when she looks through them. The button to snap photos is at the top right, just like on a "real" camera. The entire camera is housed in a tough rubber to take the jolt out of inevitable falls and regular kid handling.



I bought the camera with the handy case. It also came with a changeble faceplate. The camera has three kid-friendly games on it- tic tac toe, matching and a puzzle- just in case picture taking gets old. The editing software is great fun- you can distort photos or add cartoon items such as wings and frames. There is also a connector cable and software to download the images to a computer.



It didn't take Brenna long to get the hang of it (she's 3) and it is a constant companion. She loves taking her own photos and showing off the results. I have no doubt that as she learns how to do more with it she will only enjoy it more.



The camera takes 4 AA batteries. It has 16 MB of internal memory and a slot for an SD memory card, as well. The flash is automatic and there is no zoom. The pixels are low which doesn't bother Brenna a bit. Again, this is better than my first digital camera.

This is a great first camera for little photo bugs.

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For On The Go Artists

When the grandparents were asking about what they could get the girls for Christmas I told them the Crayola Marker and Activity Tote with Color Wonder markers would be great. I was thinking it would be great for around the house or to take along someplace, I wasn't really thinking about it being so nice to use during the travel.

The tote is wonderful for coloring on the go. The backing is sturdy and provides a great base for laptop coloring.



There are "pockets" to hold the paper in place during coloring or carrying and two "flaps" that form the cover of the tote hold the markers in easy reach when the tote is opened.



Transport is easy with the handle at the top.



The tote comes with a 36 page activity book and 8 markers. (We already had some markers.) The 8 1/2 x 11 Color Wonder books (for purchase separately) will fit into this tote.

I have never had a problem with these markers discoloring clothing or furniture, nor have I noticed a "marker odor". Small children may need help getting the book into the pockets so it won't fall out when carried. In my opinion this is a great product for on-the-go artists.

Crayola recommends this for kids ages 3-9. My personal recommendation is 2-6.

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Tips to Survie a (Holiday) Flight

Budget Travel had a great article in it's December 07 issue about surviving holiday flights. So many of these are great tips no matter when you go. My additional comments are in italics.

by Erik Torkells | December 2007/January 2008 issue

Path of least resistance After years of learning the hard way that the days on either side of Christmas are like something out of Halloween, I now fly home on December 25. Airports and planes are much less crowded. If you use a travel agent they can help guide you through the quietest travel times any time of the year.

Don't get stuck It's worth paying more to fly nonstop. The combination of crowds and bad weather is a tinderbox: One big storm and the system explodes. In winter, I wouldn't fly through Chicago, Denver, or Minneapolis if the airlines paid me. We fly non-stop whenever possible, which can be difficult out of Des Moines. If you do have a lay-over make sure it's not too short. I know that sounds counter-productive, but it will give the kids time to run off all that energy from sitting still for so long. Check out this post to see if the airport you are visiting has a children's area- many do.

Supply and demand Staying in a hotel over Christmas? Look for properties that tend to draw a business clientele. Occupancy rates drop on and around the holidays, making for deals. This is also a great tip for weekend travel.

In with the in crowd Join all loyalty clubs, even if you don't care about the points/miles. You'll get treated better, particularly if the hotel or car rental agency is overbooked. We belong to every club imaginable. It pays to belong.

A spot of one's own Airport parking lots are more likely to be full around Christmas and New Year's. Look into private parking lots located off airport premises (airportparkingreservations.com). They'll often guarantee a spot, they have free shuttles to and from the terminal, and they're cheaper. This is great if you don't have family that can help. Make sure you ask about security.

Losing the wait This is when airports get more people than they were built to handle. You can--and should--check in online up to 24 hours in advance. Just go to the carrier's website; you'll be walked through checking in and printing your boarding pass. If you're not checking bags, you'll be able to go straight to the gate. But it's a good idea even if you are checking bags, because many airlines have bag drops where, if you've checked in, you can hand over bags without waiting in the main line. Because you really don't want to wait in line if you don't have to...

Ease your burden I ship gifts ahead so that I don't have to check bags. Airlines and airports aren't handling bags as quickly or as reliably as they used to, and I don't like to wait after finally getting off the plane. We always ship items ahead, as I told you in this post. Diapers, wipes, toiletries, snacks... Anything we won't need until we arrive.

Time on your side Go to the airport earlier than normal. Airport security is a nightmare around the holidays because of the sheer number of people and the fact that many of them are infrequent, inexperienced fliers.

No secrets Wrap any gifts after you arrive. The TSA reserves the right to open anything.

Speaking of the TSA... The rules for carrying on liquids and gels are confusing and not uniformly enforced. You can bring as many containers as you want, provided they all hold three ounces or less and fit in a single one-quart Ziploc bag. Containers do not need to have the manufacturer's label. You're supposed to remove the Ziploc from your carry-on when you go through security, but I've never done it and never had a problem. In fact, I always have a four-ounce bottle of moisturizer and have yet to have a problem with that, either. Many people have encountered screeners who won't let their stuff go through. If your liquids and gels are valuable to you, follow the rules to a T. If not, you may find it not worth the trouble. We ran into this when flying in December 06. Security in Des Moines let us through with a ColdPak to keep the baby's bottle chilled. Dallas screeners took it away.

The secure zone If you want to bring water or other drinks, buy them once you've passed through airport security.

And now, boarding People are carrying on a ton of stuff, usually because they're bearing gifts. If you are, too, get on the plane as early as possible. Different airlines board passengers differently; sometimes, the same airline does it in different ways. Stand near the gate; you may even want to ask the agent how the boarding will happen. If the agents are boarding the plane by zone or group, wait until the group before yours is almost done, then enter the line. By the time you reach the front, your group will probably be called. And if not, what's the worst that can happen? They'll make you wait right near the gate. If you are using a car seat (which I suggest for kids under the age of 2) make sure to get on the plane first. Hauling that bulky thing through a full plane to the rear is a big hassle. If you are lucky enough to have two adults in your party get one adult on first with the seat and wait to board with the kids until the last minute.

Nice guys disembark last I wish we lived in a world where you were guaranteed overhead space near your seat. Until we do, I refuse to store my bag behind me, because I'll never get off the plane. Look ahead while you board: If the space above your seat is full, put your stuff as close to it as possible, and don't be afraid to take someone else's space. After all, someone took yours. And you can't see if someone messes with your stuff if it's behind you.

The pickup game The days of circling the arrivals area are thankfully coming to an end. More and more airports have "cell phone lots" where drivers can park for free and then wait for arriving passengers to call. Use them! Many of these lots will also have a phone number posted so you can check arrivals and delayed flight info.


Note: This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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