Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Monday, May 7, 2012
Heading back to Holland Summer 2012
I'm dusting off my blog, my passport and my suitcases! We are headed to Holland as soon as school let out! We are so excited to be spending 3 weeks with friends and family. This time we are taking my 14 year old son, Andy, along. He is so excited but we are slightly concerned he will starve to death while there. He tends to have a small, unsophisticated palette. I'm sure he will love it there. It is always fun to see things through a newcomer's eyes.
We will be staying at a friend's vacation home in Ouddorp near the beach in South Holland. We plan to visit the zoo, Rotterdam, the beach and plenty of shopping (naturally).
I invite you all to experience this new adventure through our eyes and listen to my vents about the pros and cons of vacationing in Europe as an American. Thanks again for visiting and stay tuned for my daily updates staring mid-June.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Dinner Party Disaster!
Some friends of Eric (ok, actually his ex-girlfriend and her husband, but whatever, I'm cool) invited us over for pannenkoeken (crepe-like pancakes) and drinks. Another couple Patrick and Esther and their newborn daughter, Emee (M-may), were also there. Charlotte and Bob (the hosts) have 2 daughters, Jasmijn (Yaz-mine) and Josephijn (Yo-se-fine).
Not long after we arrived, Thijs managed to knock over and break a wine glass. Embarrassing moment #1. Ugggh, As the evening progressed the boys got louder and louder and more obnoxious. I couldn't even drink a full glass of wine because I spent the entire evening chasing and refereeing the kids. At one point Gerrit came to me and whispered "Mom, I peed my pants!" (Embarrassing moment #2) Apparently he couldn't find the bathroom and was offered some pink girl's pants to wear. The kids ate their pannekoeken and the adults attempted to sit for our dinner. That is when the sugar set in and they decided to raise the roof Yelling, screaming, fighting (embarrassing moment #3)! I am sure these people were thinking "Look at these wild American boys!" Dutch children are very quiet and well behaved in public, at least what I have witnessed.
As our dinner was winding down, Thijs announced that he had a stomach ache and proceeded to explode in his pants (#4)!!! I am sure parents out there who are reading this know all about these explosions. Where you look at the clothes and ask your self "Should I just throw them away or rinse and keep?...Toss!" So we quickly rinsed his off and politely said our "Goodbyes" and our "I'm Sorry's" and sped out of the driveway! Very stressful and awkward (did I mention they were together for 10+ years)
Here are a few pics that I managed to take of the happier moments of the evening:
Jasmijn
Gerrit, Thijs and Jasmijn dancing
Gerrit and Span
Gerrit and Jasmijn
Eric and Patrick trying to get Josephijn to drink a beer
Not long after we arrived, Thijs managed to knock over and break a wine glass. Embarrassing moment #1. Ugggh, As the evening progressed the boys got louder and louder and more obnoxious. I couldn't even drink a full glass of wine because I spent the entire evening chasing and refereeing the kids. At one point Gerrit came to me and whispered "Mom, I peed my pants!" (Embarrassing moment #2) Apparently he couldn't find the bathroom and was offered some pink girl's pants to wear. The kids ate their pannekoeken and the adults attempted to sit for our dinner. That is when the sugar set in and they decided to raise the roof Yelling, screaming, fighting (embarrassing moment #3)! I am sure these people were thinking "Look at these wild American boys!" Dutch children are very quiet and well behaved in public, at least what I have witnessed.
As our dinner was winding down, Thijs announced that he had a stomach ache and proceeded to explode in his pants (#4)!!! I am sure parents out there who are reading this know all about these explosions. Where you look at the clothes and ask your self "Should I just throw them away or rinse and keep?...Toss!" So we quickly rinsed his off and politely said our "Goodbyes" and our "I'm Sorry's" and sped out of the driveway! Very stressful and awkward (did I mention they were together for 10+ years)
Here are a few pics that I managed to take of the happier moments of the evening:
Jasmijn
Gerrit, Thijs and Jasmijn dancing
Gerrit and Span
Gerrit and Jasmijn
Eric and Patrick trying to get Josephijn to drink a beer
Monday, November 22, 2010
Ahhh Space Bags! Where have you been all of my life?
Anyone who has ever traveled with more than one small child can appreciate how precious suitcase space is. For us it is even more so. Most cars in Holland are no bigger than a Prius so it leaves us limited on rides to and from the airport. Not to mention trying to navigate the airport with 3 suitcases, 2 carry on's, a couple of abandoned kids backpacks (seemed like a good idea at the time), 2 kids and a purse.
This year I thought I would try using Space Bags for the kids. Maybe, just maybe, we can get us down to 2 suitcases, albeit very heavy suitcases. My husband has Platinum status as a frequent flyer which has its perks including unlimited baggage and no weight limit so weight isn't a worry.
Using 1 extra large Space Bag, I filled the suitcase up with their clothes:
Add to this 2 winter jackets, 2 pair of boots, a few more assorted items and their special blankets and pillows. Oh yeah, I have a giant bag of gifts that need to go somewhere!
I attached my vacuum to the special hole and began sucking the air out. OMG! These clothes now take up about 1/2 of the entire suitcase instead of the whole thing! With some careful planning, I am confident that we can fit my husband's clothes in this suitcase also! Check it out:
Of course the only reason I am doing this is knowing there is a vacuum at my mother in law's house for the return trip. I am just hoping the TSA doesn't open it up to inspect. I did ask @DeltaAssist if this was allowed and was assured it was. Thankfully!
It may take 2 strong men to lift if but I do not care. God, I hope this works! Wish me luck!
This year I thought I would try using Space Bags for the kids. Maybe, just maybe, we can get us down to 2 suitcases, albeit very heavy suitcases. My husband has Platinum status as a frequent flyer which has its perks including unlimited baggage and no weight limit so weight isn't a worry.
Using 1 extra large Space Bag, I filled the suitcase up with their clothes:
Add to this 2 winter jackets, 2 pair of boots, a few more assorted items and their special blankets and pillows. Oh yeah, I have a giant bag of gifts that need to go somewhere!
I attached my vacuum to the special hole and began sucking the air out. OMG! These clothes now take up about 1/2 of the entire suitcase instead of the whole thing! With some careful planning, I am confident that we can fit my husband's clothes in this suitcase also! Check it out:
Of course the only reason I am doing this is knowing there is a vacuum at my mother in law's house for the return trip. I am just hoping the TSA doesn't open it up to inspect. I did ask @DeltaAssist if this was allowed and was assured it was. Thankfully!
It may take 2 strong men to lift if but I do not care. God, I hope this works! Wish me luck!
Monday, November 15, 2010
International travel tips for traveling with kids
I am a compulsive planner. I cannot sleep at night because of the ideas that are wandering through my head. Last year, on my way home from Holland, I started a list (of course I cannot find it) of travel tips for kids when traveling in foreign countries. Here are a few tips that I came up with:
1. InFlight Entertainment: Pack over-the-head head phones. The cheap crap that the airline supplies do not fit on kids ears and fall off. The earbuds also do not stay in very well. This year I am purchasing these ahead of time! I spent 9 hours reattaching headphones to two sets of ears and I was ready to scream!
2. Order kids meals: We all know that airline food SUCKS! Make it suck a little less by logging into your itinerary a few days before your trip and ordering kids meals. These are usually grilled cheese, chicken fingers or mac n cheese. My kids are not big fans of scored flounder and chicken parmesan. (I wonder if they would care if I ordered one for myself?)
3. Traveling with a baby: Request the bulkhead seats and a bassinet on your flight. Most airlines have these specially designed bassinets that hook into the wall on the front seats. No one wants to hold an infant for 9 hours on an international flight. I also think no one wants to "splurge" on a $1,500 designated seat either. So give your arms and your nerves a break with this nap time necessity. Of course these are the most uncomfortable seats in the plane but at least you will have some extra leg room. :)
4. Hit the dollar store! I once had a friend suggest stopping by the dollar store before a big trip. Plan for one new activity for every hour of flight time. Card games, small puzzles, coloring books. This year we will have our iPads so I plan on downloading new games, music and videos. Also check your local library for DVD rentals and new book releases.
5. Benadryl: Ok, so before every one starts freaking out, hear me out. I have 2 very wild, loud and excited boys. We will be flying through the night. So how do you fool your child into thinking it is bedtime when really it is 4:00 in the afternoon? Skipping a nap will not cut it. They need several hours of good sleep to make our journey through customs (4am our time) a little more tolerable. I have had several doctor friends of mine that have recommended a little Benadryl to help expedite the REM.
6. Tattoo your child: I know this is the dumbest advice EVER! My husband and I once took our boys to Disney World. They were, of course, very active and FAST! They were gone in a nanosecond. As any parent knows, those few seconds when you cannot locate your child can be frightening. So we came up with a plan to write our name and numbers on their arm (in permanent marker) just in case the little buggers did manage to escape. I also put a note in their backpack with contact information. I always tell myself that if someone did try to kidnap my child they would return him very quickly but you cannot bank on that. :)
7. Borrow: If you plan to visit family, the most logical advice I can give is borrow! Every time we visit my husband's family we have an out pouring of helpful baby gear donations. From toys to cold weather gear (I never can pack for the right weather!) to pack n plays and car seats.
8. Take plenty of DVD's: As for every vacation, there is down time. Have you ever tried to watch Sponge Bob dubbed in another language? It isn't fun. Take plenty of DVD's to play on your laptop or download movies/TV to your smart phone. Note: our DVD's are formatted differently than most countries so don't plan on playing on movie night on any hotel players)
9. Medicate: It never fails that one of us gets sick when we travel. With kids you never know. Remember to pack children's pain reliever, cold and cough, neosporin and whatever else the season may call for. There is nothing worse than being in a foreign country and trying to find Motrin or Advil at 2am (when everything is closed!) They do not have 24 hour grocery stores in other countries. Ask your pediatrician for some emergency antibiotics. Sometimes, given the time of year and circumstances, they may oblige. Last year, I came down with the worst case of tonsilitis I have ever had. I spent one week of our two week vacation in the bed. When describing the symptoms they thought I could be contaminating their small town with the swine flu! (It was during the big outbreak) Their wimpy antibiotics hardly touched my infection. I wanted some good old amoxicillon so bad!
Of course, this is how we travel. It is by no means a guideline but mere suggestions. Please, please, please give me some travel advice! I am always looking for new and inspiring ideas on how to tackle traveling with these two wild kids of mine (that I love so dearly!) :) (wish me luck!)
1. InFlight Entertainment: Pack over-the-head head phones. The cheap crap that the airline supplies do not fit on kids ears and fall off. The earbuds also do not stay in very well. This year I am purchasing these ahead of time! I spent 9 hours reattaching headphones to two sets of ears and I was ready to scream!
2. Order kids meals: We all know that airline food SUCKS! Make it suck a little less by logging into your itinerary a few days before your trip and ordering kids meals. These are usually grilled cheese, chicken fingers or mac n cheese. My kids are not big fans of scored flounder and chicken parmesan. (I wonder if they would care if I ordered one for myself?)
3. Traveling with a baby: Request the bulkhead seats and a bassinet on your flight. Most airlines have these specially designed bassinets that hook into the wall on the front seats. No one wants to hold an infant for 9 hours on an international flight. I also think no one wants to "splurge" on a $1,500 designated seat either. So give your arms and your nerves a break with this nap time necessity. Of course these are the most uncomfortable seats in the plane but at least you will have some extra leg room. :)
4. Hit the dollar store! I once had a friend suggest stopping by the dollar store before a big trip. Plan for one new activity for every hour of flight time. Card games, small puzzles, coloring books. This year we will have our iPads so I plan on downloading new games, music and videos. Also check your local library for DVD rentals and new book releases.
5. Benadryl: Ok, so before every one starts freaking out, hear me out. I have 2 very wild, loud and excited boys. We will be flying through the night. So how do you fool your child into thinking it is bedtime when really it is 4:00 in the afternoon? Skipping a nap will not cut it. They need several hours of good sleep to make our journey through customs (4am our time) a little more tolerable. I have had several doctor friends of mine that have recommended a little Benadryl to help expedite the REM.
6. Tattoo your child: I know this is the dumbest advice EVER! My husband and I once took our boys to Disney World. They were, of course, very active and FAST! They were gone in a nanosecond. As any parent knows, those few seconds when you cannot locate your child can be frightening. So we came up with a plan to write our name and numbers on their arm (in permanent marker) just in case the little buggers did manage to escape. I also put a note in their backpack with contact information. I always tell myself that if someone did try to kidnap my child they would return him very quickly but you cannot bank on that. :)
7. Borrow: If you plan to visit family, the most logical advice I can give is borrow! Every time we visit my husband's family we have an out pouring of helpful baby gear donations. From toys to cold weather gear (I never can pack for the right weather!) to pack n plays and car seats.
8. Take plenty of DVD's: As for every vacation, there is down time. Have you ever tried to watch Sponge Bob dubbed in another language? It isn't fun. Take plenty of DVD's to play on your laptop or download movies/TV to your smart phone. Note: our DVD's are formatted differently than most countries so don't plan on playing on movie night on any hotel players)
9. Medicate: It never fails that one of us gets sick when we travel. With kids you never know. Remember to pack children's pain reliever, cold and cough, neosporin and whatever else the season may call for. There is nothing worse than being in a foreign country and trying to find Motrin or Advil at 2am (when everything is closed!) They do not have 24 hour grocery stores in other countries. Ask your pediatrician for some emergency antibiotics. Sometimes, given the time of year and circumstances, they may oblige. Last year, I came down with the worst case of tonsilitis I have ever had. I spent one week of our two week vacation in the bed. When describing the symptoms they thought I could be contaminating their small town with the swine flu! (It was during the big outbreak) Their wimpy antibiotics hardly touched my infection. I wanted some good old amoxicillon so bad!
Of course, this is how we travel. It is by no means a guideline but mere suggestions. Please, please, please give me some travel advice! I am always looking for new and inspiring ideas on how to tackle traveling with these two wild kids of mine (that I love so dearly!) :) (wish me luck!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)