Okay, so Kokomo isn't even a real place... but we are still so excited!!
This year we spent a lot of time debating a vacation. Vacations with toddlers aren't always easy or relaxing (especially because we like to "travel" rather than "vacation") and throwing an infant into the mix makes it even more interesting. Initially we had a few days planned in Palm Beach but unfortunately we couldn't make that happen due to scheduling issues so we had to re-evaluate. Enter the idea that we should take a trip down to the Keys for a week. Beaches, sun, ocean, swimming, picnics by the water? Sold! So, a couple of months ago we started planning for an easy Keys trip for the family.
Now, our family of four has traveled before. We took road trips to both Mississippi and Georgia for family related functions and the drive is no issue for us. Unlike his sister was at his age, Will is a champion road tripper. He can sleep anywhere (the benefit of being a second child probably) and he is perfectly content to ride in a car for the better part of a day. He also doesn't get as overstimulated as easily and new places/noises/people/things do not really phase him. Kenzie has become quite the little traveler herself, as well. She can entertain herself, takes naps without issue (when she takes naps in the first place), and rarely even needs to watch the DVDs we bring with us just in case she starts getting exceptionally bored.
Our issue isn't actually the drive. We are leaving on Saturday and driving to stay with friends in South Florida and then leaving from their house Monday morning to drive to Marathon. There are stops along the way on Monday, but that is part of the fun of the Keys. Visiting Robbie's to feed tarpon and stopping at World Wide Sportsman to spend some money are top priorities on the Keys Road Trip Itinerary. Our issue is actually hotels. We have a separate room for Will at our friends' house and when we come back, we are staying in Fort Lauderdale for a couple of nights in a suite so we have a separate room there as well... but in Marathon your hotel options are limited and we have one room. One room, people. One room for two adults, a toddler (that is anti-nap and sometimes anti-bedtime) and an infant that still wakes up anywhere from 3-6 times at night depending on his current mood. (The irony behind the fact that he is so easy going yet continues to require snuggles throughout the night is not lost on me.) This should be interesting. We are there two nights and it might be a long two nights. Hopefully we can wear these kids out so much that they barely wake up at night. Kenzie will be bunking with me (or Steven if I can pawn her off because she takes up 75% of a double or queen bed with no problems) and Will is going to be in the pack n play. Pray for us. Haha!
We started our packing this weekend because it definitely takes me the better part of a week to plan and pack for four individuals. Especially when I need to account for pool and beach wear in addition to normal clothing, diapers and wipes, toiletries for four people including one in a helmet, and all the other odds and ends that come along with vacationing with children. I had no idea how much work would go into this until we went to Mississippi in February. It can be a bit overwhelming to say the least. I have lists upon lists. I'm a list maker anyway. I love to plan, I love to organize, and I love to make lists so this is actually fun for me. The actual execution of it is a bit more iffy. I have a packing list, a clothing list that details outfits for each day for each person (so we don't end up wearing the wrong matching shirt or something and having mismatched clothing on another day), and an itinerary. I have decided to try something new for this trip. We bought gallon storage bags and I labeled them with each day. The kids clothes are packed together, by day, in the bags. I also have extra bags labeled with pjs, extra clothes, etc. I am hoping that the ease of this will benefit us. No fighting to find clothes, no matching up things incorrectly and ending the trip with mismatched clothing on accident, etc. We shall see.
My hope is to update the blog some while we are gone (if we have internet access that isn't costing an arm and a leg), but if I can't, I will post updates once we return.
If anyone has any travel tips (especially related to hotel stays with littles), please share. We can use all the advice we can get.
"Off the Florida Keys
There's a place called Kokomo"
(There isn't... but paradise still awaits...)
This year we spent a lot of time debating a vacation. Vacations with toddlers aren't always easy or relaxing (especially because we like to "travel" rather than "vacation") and throwing an infant into the mix makes it even more interesting. Initially we had a few days planned in Palm Beach but unfortunately we couldn't make that happen due to scheduling issues so we had to re-evaluate. Enter the idea that we should take a trip down to the Keys for a week. Beaches, sun, ocean, swimming, picnics by the water? Sold! So, a couple of months ago we started planning for an easy Keys trip for the family.
Now, our family of four has traveled before. We took road trips to both Mississippi and Georgia for family related functions and the drive is no issue for us. Unlike his sister was at his age, Will is a champion road tripper. He can sleep anywhere (the benefit of being a second child probably) and he is perfectly content to ride in a car for the better part of a day. He also doesn't get as overstimulated as easily and new places/noises/people/things do not really phase him. Kenzie has become quite the little traveler herself, as well. She can entertain herself, takes naps without issue (when she takes naps in the first place), and rarely even needs to watch the DVDs we bring with us just in case she starts getting exceptionally bored.
Our issue isn't actually the drive. We are leaving on Saturday and driving to stay with friends in South Florida and then leaving from their house Monday morning to drive to Marathon. There are stops along the way on Monday, but that is part of the fun of the Keys. Visiting Robbie's to feed tarpon and stopping at World Wide Sportsman to spend some money are top priorities on the Keys Road Trip Itinerary. Our issue is actually hotels. We have a separate room for Will at our friends' house and when we come back, we are staying in Fort Lauderdale for a couple of nights in a suite so we have a separate room there as well... but in Marathon your hotel options are limited and we have one room. One room, people. One room for two adults, a toddler (that is anti-nap and sometimes anti-bedtime) and an infant that still wakes up anywhere from 3-6 times at night depending on his current mood. (The irony behind the fact that he is so easy going yet continues to require snuggles throughout the night is not lost on me.) This should be interesting. We are there two nights and it might be a long two nights. Hopefully we can wear these kids out so much that they barely wake up at night. Kenzie will be bunking with me (or Steven if I can pawn her off because she takes up 75% of a double or queen bed with no problems) and Will is going to be in the pack n play. Pray for us. Haha!
We started our packing this weekend because it definitely takes me the better part of a week to plan and pack for four individuals. Especially when I need to account for pool and beach wear in addition to normal clothing, diapers and wipes, toiletries for four people including one in a helmet, and all the other odds and ends that come along with vacationing with children. I had no idea how much work would go into this until we went to Mississippi in February. It can be a bit overwhelming to say the least. I have lists upon lists. I'm a list maker anyway. I love to plan, I love to organize, and I love to make lists so this is actually fun for me. The actual execution of it is a bit more iffy. I have a packing list, a clothing list that details outfits for each day for each person (so we don't end up wearing the wrong matching shirt or something and having mismatched clothing on another day), and an itinerary. I have decided to try something new for this trip. We bought gallon storage bags and I labeled them with each day. The kids clothes are packed together, by day, in the bags. I also have extra bags labeled with pjs, extra clothes, etc. I am hoping that the ease of this will benefit us. No fighting to find clothes, no matching up things incorrectly and ending the trip with mismatched clothing on accident, etc. We shall see.
My hope is to update the blog some while we are gone (if we have internet access that isn't costing an arm and a leg), but if I can't, I will post updates once we return.
If anyone has any travel tips (especially related to hotel stays with littles), please share. We can use all the advice we can get.
"Off the Florida Keys
There's a place called Kokomo"
(There isn't... but paradise still awaits...)
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