Pre-Vacation Stresses

All of this hair-cutting and complex lie unraveling has distracted me from the task at hand. I leave for Florida in two days. Two! Just me and the kids at first. Yes, I'm that crazy. Lance will meet us out there a little over a week later. So, my attention has now come back to focus on what I have left to do before we can leave. I've already started packing the kids' clothes and my clothes, but there is SO much more to do.

You see, I've learned one thing in my various travels with the kids. The clothes are NOT what matters. The clothes can be purchased when we get there. No, what's really important is what we take on the plane to keep the kids entertained. Especially when I'm traveling without adult supervision.

Normally, I would already have a gift bag with various trinkets wrapped up inside it. But, with all the distractions lately, I am left with a couple of bags with various snacks in them. Yes, the snacks are also important. But, there's only so many ways you can play with goldfish. And although Bennett really does enjoy eating, he also likes to be entertained.

I managed to nab a farm animal set from the dollar section at Target when we were there this morning. That is good for at least 45 minutes of entertainment for Morgan, and it may also serve to entertain Bennett as well (there is a cow, you know!) I grabbed some twist-up crayons, a pad of paper and some pipe cleaners from our art supply chest. Not sure what we're going to do with the pipe cleaners just yet, but they are LIGHT WEIGHT and BENDY. How can I not take them on the plane? And as if sent from heaven, my Cookie magazine arrived in the mail yesterday afternoon and I found an article in there that mentioned that a fun and easy thing to take on a plane or a trip is dental floss and some Fruit Loops or Fruity Cheerios. They can make a necklace of of them and it also doubles as a snack. Now, I love a good multi-tasking item as much as the next person, but I don't stock Fruit Loops. I have Honey-Nut Cheerios, which just seems lame in comparison. What do you think? Would it work if I drenched them in food coloring?? :)

And I really, really need to find something to occupy Bennett's time. Because, he's not as easy to plug into a Leapster or a movie, if needed. Nope, this kid has the attention span of a gnat. And while we have TONS of toys here, seems like whatever I choose to take with me is never the right one. Whenever he's getting fussy while we are out and about, I pull out the cell phone toy! That he's been playing with non-stop for the past two days at home! Which is greeted with the now predictable head shake and, if he's feeling really opinionated, the grab-and-toss move. I hate spending tons of money on stuff, but it has to (1) work, (2) be small and preferably light weight, and (3) not be too loud and obnoxious.

And then there are the lists. PEOPLE, I have LISTS to make!! For me, for the kids and, most importantly, for MY HUSBAND. Who will not be very happy if I come home and find a bachelor pad when we return from our three week trip! His mother is coming to stay with him while I'm gone and I will be super embarrassed if he makes a huge mess and then doesn't clean it up. Or what if he forgets to give my niece her graduation present? Or lock up windows. Or get someone to take care of the dog and the fish while we are gone. Or throw out food that's going to go bad while we are gone. I know, I know. He is an adult. But, it's been proven to me, on more than one occasion, that we don't often see eye to eye on what's important. Yes, having someone feed the dog is important, but it's not something that he thinks about regularly. Making sure the floor gets mopped before his Mom comes into town? Trust me, it didn't even make his list.

Yes, people. There are lists to make!!