Field Trip Friday: Top Five Travel Essentials

I am not a meticulous packer. In fact, I would say that I am more accurately described as a frantic, last minute packer. Whether I am going away for a weekend or two weeks, I pack approximately 30 minutes before I leave. When pressed, I will generally snark back that I'm either a) doing laundry b) using some of the stuff or c) have plenty of time. All of which is mostly true, but I reallly should have gotten my merde together earlier. My rationale is that with very few exceptions, I can buy everything I might forget at my destination. So if I forget a few things, it's hardly cause for anxiety.

As it happens, I am in the last days leading up to a trip that I have been looking forward to for MONTHS. Blogher 2010 in New York City! Obviously, you can find anything and everything you could ever possibly want in the Big Apple (do people still call it that?), but I would prefer to be reasonably prepared for whatever comes my way. The following are those things that I absolutely, positively won't leave the house without.

1. Skoosh Neck Pillow. My husband tells me I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat, but the fact is if I'm not comfortable, it can't happen. This thing is squishy and smooshy and super duper comfortable. You can use it around your neck or bunched up underneath your head. Versatile and comfy, can't miss.

2. Toiletries Carry-all. I keep mine stocked and at the ready at all times. I have an unhealthy love for travel size toiletries. I'm like a kid in a candy store when I walk down the travel size aisle at Target. I just want to take one of everything. With this, I can just throw it in my bag and I know that I have razors, toothbrush/paste, deodorant, etc.

3. Travel Drink. I can't walk out the door without a drink. When I'm being good, it's a big bottle of water. When I'm less good, it's a bottle of Dr. Pepper. Either way, it's like my mouth instantly dries out the minutes my butt hits the car seat, so I never make it far without a cold drink in the console.

4. Black Cardigan. Regardless of what time of year, I run cold, and inevitably hotel rooms, theaters, restaurants, etc all seem to be so chilly, so it's nice to have a versatile cardigan to throw on in a pinch.

5. Baggies. This is kind of a weird one, but I've too many times had to throw beloved lip glosses or body sprays away when going through security at the airport. So now I make it a habit to always have at least a couple of bags with me. Plus, I find they come in handy in other ways.

What about you? What are your travel must haves? Link up directly to your post or answer in the comments!

Jersey Pride

Today's BlogTrotting tour guide is Natalee, a Jersey Girl with the one of the best blog url's I have seen. Instead of Hot Mama, she's Tot Mama . . . or maybe she's both!!! So clever.

Instead of counting on the housewives of Bravo and shore-dwellers of MTV, let's learn about New Jersey from Natalee.

You ready? Let's go!

Raising Normal Kids: Natalee's Adventure in Mommyland

Please leave Natalee a comment to let her know you stopped by.

Remember to send your vacation posts our way so we can share them with the BlogTrotting community on Mondays.

Musings From British Columbia

I love when we visit our neighbors to the north. I enjoy reading about Canadian BlogTrotters because I feel our countries are so similar in many ways, so it is interesting to see the differences.

Our featured blogger today, Carrie, is in British Columbia. She's been BlogTrotting with us almost since the beginning, so I'm super excited we finally get to make a stop in her town! So please, head on over to see her!!

Musings From Mt. Rogo

Please leave Carrie a comment and let her know what corner of the world you call home!

And for this week's Field Trip Friday: what are the top five things you must take with you when traveling. Is it your own pillow or a special alarm clock or maybe your favorite fuzzy slippers. Come back on Friday and link up your posts!

Mainers!

We're off to visit Ruthi in Maine today! Maine is one of those states that I have always wanted to visit. Between all of the Stephen King novels and more than a couple of (ahem) romance novels set there, I've always been intrigued. Plus, and it is appropriate at this time of year as we here in Maryland are cooking in this weather, I have always said that I would probably be happiest somewhere like Maine. They have summers, but milder ones and long winters. 'Cause I love winter.

Anyhoo, Ruthi herself is a transplant, and she definitely brings a unique perspective to her new home. You don't want to miss her Letters To Hubby posts. I really should start doing something like that. They are touching and honest. A testament to the strength of their relationship.


A Carpenter's Wife's Tool Box

Please leave Ruthi a comment and let her know we appreciate the tour!

Vacation Monday: Legoland . . . and, oh wait, San Diego as well!

It's Vacation Monday! Please take a few moments to check out this post from Buckeye Mom of The Buckeye Five. She and her crew visited San Diego last summer with one an eye toward one particular destination.

Read all about it!

Legoland Rocks!

Have you been to Legoland? What are the dream destinations for the little ones in your life?

Have you taken and blogged about a vacation? Send us the link so we can send some BlogTrotters your way next Monday!

Field Trip Friday: "Can we go on a fun vacation next year?"

So this week's Field Trip Friday "assignment" was to find out if your favorite and least favorite childhood vacation memories matched up with those of your parents.

The kids and I are visiting my parents in Ohio this week so it was pretty easy for me to compare vacation memories with my mom and dad.

Our favorite family vacation spot ever was unanimous . . . Sea Island, Georgia. For three years, my family traveled with with three other families to spend a week at The Cloister, an all-inclusive family resort. Yes, it is pretty stinking hot and humid there in July, but we have the absolute best memories despite the sweat. We'd get up semi-early and have big, friendly, round robin tennis tournaments in the mornings with the family friends we traveled with. The rest of the day was pool and beach, pool and beach, pool and beach. All the meals were included, and I recall that at the pool snack bar, you got to choose an ice cream treat or candy bar with your lunch every day, which seemed like heaven to me at the time (still does, as a matter of fact). You dress up for dinner every night there, which sounds like a pain, but was really kind of nice. There was Bingo one night, a concert another. Our dads drank beer on the beach, and we played lots of cards. Fantastic memories. I know my parents dream that sometime we can all go back together for a week with the grandkids. Maybe for their fiftieth wedding anniversary (12 years from now), but hopefully before . . . better start saving now!

Our least favorite family vacation was a toss up. My mom's first answer matched up with mine: Washington D.C. and Colonial Williamsburg. I think it was just a case of trying to do too much, trying to cram too much history and government into one week. I was around 12 for the trip, which means my siblings were 10, 8, 6, and 1. I remember that my youngest brother's stroller broke and that my parents bought a new one, which ended up being defective. He was pushed all over the city in a cheap umbrella stroller with a wonky wheel. There was a breakdown outside the United States Mint where my mom may or may not have done some frustrated screaming. There was an authentic colonial lunch in Williamsburg that no one would eat. After lunch, my mom and I continued experiencing colonial history while my dad took everyone else back to the hotel to the awesome two-game arcade they had been pining for all morning. On the way home to Ohio, one of us apparently asked, "Can we go on a fun vacation next year?"

Just what every parents who has worked hard to plan a trip wants to hear. I wonder if I'll hear some version of that question myself one day . . .

My dad's least favorite vacation is one that I had forgotten all about. I think I blocked it out. I won't name the place, but basically on the advice of an associate of his, we drove eight hours to the middle of nowhere to stay in a condo in what ended up being a semi run-down retirement community. Did I mention it was in the middle of nowhere? No restaurants within thirty minutes. No kids anywhere except the five in our condo. There was water aerobics at the pool though. We left after three days and tried to salvage the vacation by stopping in the Smoky Mountains on the way home.

So, what were your favorite and least favorite childhood vacations? Share in the comments or link up your post below.

Keystone State

A couple of lifetimes ago, I dated a guy who lived in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. I'm not going to sugar coat this, folks: I had never heard of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. I didn't know how to pronounce it*, where it was, anything. But over the course of that relationship, I went to the area quite a bit visiting his friends and family. I'm pretty sure I could do the Baltimore-Wilkes-Barre drive with my eyes closed. Luckily for my husband and daughter, that guy didn't work out, but I still have fond memories of the area.

Well, our featured blogger today, Lisa, doesn't actually live in Wilkes-Barre, but she grew up there and now lives just down the road in Dorrance. I can tell you that it is a beautiful area, hilly and verdant in the summertime. And I have no doubt that Lisa is going to show us some of her absolutely fantastic photos to prove it. She is a truly gifted photographer and you'll be missing out if you don't head over to see her!

Lisa Ceasar Photography

Don't miss Lisa's Etsy shop, where you can purchase some of her photos!

Please leave Lisa a comment and let her know we appreciate the tour! Come back tomorrow for Field Trip Friday and share your beloved childhood vacation memories, from your parents point of view!

*It's Woolks-Berry.