Survive and Thrive.

Vacationing well with Twin Three Year Olds.

This post will include my tips and tricks for an enjoyable and relaxing, fun filled vacation with little ones.  Its based around my experience, which was an 11 day vacation with 2 three-year-olds.  

Preparation

1. Week of- Create your packing list. 

2. Day before- wash and dry all clothes. 

    -clean your house (you want to come home to a clean house)

    -do any shopping you need to do for what to take with you. I do not typically do this, I wait until     we are at our destination and buy things then.  That means less to pack, and one less thing to do     before you leave town.  

3. Day of - clean out your refrigerator with anything that will go bad over your trip

    - be sure your pantry and / or freezer has enough in it for a day or two upon returning home.            You won't want a "grocery trip" on top of all the unpacking and returning to routine you have to      do.

    -wash all the dirty dishes 

    -take out all trash cans

    -PACK-

    *We travel so much you would think packing is second nature. And it is. But I nearly have a           panic attack when it's time to pack b/c I dislike it so.much. So I pour a glass of wine and turn the     housewives on to numb my mind from the task at hand.  

    -tidy your house one last time.  no one wants to come home to a cluttered and dirty house.  

    -Change the thermostat in your home (58 in winter, 80 in summer)

The Travel

1. Travel at bedtime or naptime.  We left at bedtime, and came home at naptime, so both ways there was a decent amount of sleep per child.  

2. Take a DVD player with a few movie choices. 

3. Take each child's favorite activity.  Between the naps, movies, and one activity, the travel was roughly not too bad.  

4. Make sure you have their bellies full before you really get started on the trip, and their sippy cups close at hand for them.

5. Have their favorite blankies and/or stuffed animals in their reach so they are comforted.  

The Vacation

1. Keep the children well fed and hydrated, and well rested. This goes a long way with their attitudes.

2. Plan something fun to do for them everyday.  Make sure it is something that will channel their energy to produce good behavior, while getting energy out. (We basically played on the beach for hours a day every day)

3. Take Mimi with you.  Seriously. Having 3 people to take care of 2 little people on a vacation makes it so much more fun.  Plus the kids love getting to snuggle and have special time with their loved one.  

Returning Home

1. Take it easy and give yourself grace getting back into routine.  Don't schedule much for the first few days. You'll have to unpack, catch up laundry, and re-establish a schedule.  

What are your favorite tips and tricks for vacationing with little people???

Beach Vacation Packing List

Children

*For clothing I take half as many items as the number of days we will be there, assuming there is a washer/dryer available

Shorts
Shirts
Dresses
Swimsuit - I pack 2
Pajamas
Underwear - I pack one for each day
Shoes - nice shoes, sandals
Socks
Sleeping necessities - baby dolls, teddy bears, blankies
Diapers - mine still wear them for naps and overnight
Toothbrush and Paste
Hair ties
Brush
Shampoo and Bath soap
Sippy Cups
Toys/ Activities - I took coloring books and crayons. A this age my children can entertain themselves in a new environment without a lot of "toys"
Books- 5 per child. We read a lot at naps and night.
Baby Wipes - never know
OK to wake alarm clock
DVD player and movies for the car
Sunblock
Baby powder (so you can rub it on them and the sand falls off and you don't have to torture them with the cold shower...)
Medicines/vitamins
Beach toys galore (think shovels, pails, boats, kites, boogie boards)
Beach towels

The Mom (That would be me)

Makeup (if you wear it. I really dont. Especially at the beach)
Face wash
Face lotion
Shampoo and Conditioner
Body Wash
Razors
Toothbrush and paste
Feminine Hygeine if necessary
Medication
Swim suit and cover up - I pack 2
Shorts
Shirts
Pajamas
Workout clothes (if you work out on vacation)
Shoes - workout, sandals, nice shoes
Nice outfits (if you plan to dress up to go out to dinner)
Lounging comfy clothes
Jacket or sweatshirt (because you love to feel the cool ocean breeze in the evenings)
Unmentionables
Sunglasses
Purse
Cell phone charger
Laptop
Camera and charger
Beach bag
Linens if necessary
Beach hat
Books/ Magazines

The Dad

He packs himself in our house. But if I were packing for him....

Shampoo and Conditioner
Body Wash
Razors
Toothbrush and paste
Medication
Bathing Suit
Shorts
Shirts
Pajamas
Workout clothes (if you work out on vacation)
Shoes - workout, sandals, nice shoes
Nice outfits (if you plan to dress up to go out to dinner)
Jacket or sweatshirt (because you love to feel the cool ocean breeze in the evenings)
Unmentionables
Sunglasses/ visor
Cell phone charger
Linens if necessary
Books/ Magazine
Fishing rods, reels, and etc.

What Do You Pack for your vacation? What would you add or delete to this list?

What I'm Loving

1. The North Carolina Coast. All the beautiful quaint fishing towns along it. And taking ferries to and from the inland to the islands.

Quiet coastal town. Alone on the beach.

Leaving the port on a ferry.
The seagulls stayed behind the boat the whole trip.

2. Movies about quiet, quaint fishing villages, with houses that are alone on the shore, and waves crashing against them.

3. Staying up late and sleeping in.

4. Drinking coffee while rocking on the porch while the breeze wraps me up.

5. Sitting on the beach all day, talking to my mama, watching the babies play and the husband fish

fresh flounder.

puddle jumping.

highwaters. it was a bit cold some of the trip. 

6. Seriously good , local seafood. (think fresh tuna, caught right of the boat. we didn't even cook it...)

That is the shark he caught. Yes we ate it. Yes it was delicious.

7. Not having to get in my car. Anything we need , we can get to on the island by golf cart.

8. Lighthouses. Seeing their lights flashing at night on the ocean.

9. Nightwalks on the beach with flashlights , watching our shadows and chasing crabs.

10. Long Island iced tea with mama.

Right after she arrived.
She was excited for the Long Island's in our future.
I love my mom.  

11. Staying on the beach until late afternoon. So quiet and peaceful.  

Life's A Beach. Don't. Want. To. Leave.

12. Mimi

Storytime with Mimi. LOVE.

 13. Naps!

Waking Up Happy

Waking up happy.
With awesome bed head.
She get it from her mama.

She just started folding her hands and putting them under her cheek right before she closes
her eyes. That's our cue that sleep is about to ensue. Love this sweet little thing.

13. Cooking fresh good food. With the doors and windows open, feeling the breeze, after a long day on the beach, listening to the babies play on the porches.

Our lobster.  Affectionately referred to as "the monster" by our children.

14. Curling up on the couch at night, with the doors and windows open, listening to the waves, watching movies and laughing with mama and husband.

15. Babies on the beach!!

sunbathing and building castles.

chasing that bird

16. HALF BIRTHDAYS!!!

Happy Half Birthday to you!
Celebrate them while you can.
Celebrate every day. 

I'm seriously considering early retirement at this point. Wouldn't you ??