And so it begins...packing for our annual trip to the motherland. Excited is a major understatement. Girls are excited too and as our departure day draws closer, they are asking more about who we will see and what we will do. Love that this tradition has become so special to them as well.
I'm quite the planner when it comes to packing. I would hope to be after doing this basically every year of my life. Not including the years that I lived in Italy, of course. But packing for the family is quite different than the pre-children days. Then, I would literally pack two days in advance, throwing my favorite outfits together, any gifts for friends and family and toiletries. Finito. Now, in addition to outfits, toiletries and gifts for all, I need to plan for activities in the airport, on the plane, possible layovers and travel to and from the airport in Italy. They won't just snuggle up on the plane with a good book and a bottle of water. Weird. But I go prepared. I have activities coming out of my ears by the time we are ready to head out for the airport.
Just some of my past favorites:
- A new coloring book and new crayons for each child
- Flash cards
- Travel Bingo - thank you to a sweet friend this year for buying it for the girls
- New books
- Stickers and a sticker book
- Small toys - trains, cars, ponies, etc. (I like to let them help me pack their backpacks, but then I go and sneak in a couple of surprises too)
- Snacks, snacks, snacks! - I do not like plane food and so far, neither do the girls. Can't say I blame them though. All this money spent on tickets and we still get over-dry chicken, a limp salad and a extremely gooey brownie with nuts on top. My kids will not eat any of that.
This year I'm adding a couple of new things to the list. Our iPad for one and yes it sort of feels like cheating, but it's a LONG flight. So, when coloring and stickering and snacking bores them, thank you iPad apps.
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