Tuesday Tip: Packing for the weekend roadtrip

The week has only just begun and already I'm longing for the weekend.  While the Friday countdowns occur on an ongoing basis, the anticipation seems all the greater during the summer, when weekends are often filled with little getaways... short road trips that recharge your battery and refresh your soul. Even with five tykes in tow, the weekend shift in scenery is one that we wholeheartedly embrace. I've gotten the packing down to a science simply by relying on the same go-to list that I will share with you here.  Naturally, you'll need to adjust it based on the numbers and ages of your children but, with this go-to list of weekend essentials, you too will be looking at your driveway (and the work week!) in the rearview mirror before you know it!  

For Bedtime...

• 3 pack & plays (with sheets)
• 5 WaWas (a.k.a. loveys, blankies, etc.) 
• 5 pairs of pajamas (I just assume that the weekend won't pass without doing laundry so if there's an incident or accident, I can always wash them!) 
• Kid toiletry kit: 5 toothbrushes, toothpaste, Head-to-Toe shampoo/body wash (gotta love multi-tasking prodcuts for tots!), Children's Tylenol/Advil, Benadryl and BandAids (the kinds of things that you'll never need if you bring them but inevitably will if you leave them at home!)

For Beachtime (or pool time or just strolling out and about)...

• Sunblock, sunhats, sand toys
• Baby powder for sand removal
• 5 swimsuits & swimshirts  (same theory applies as pajamas... the notion of packing 10 of each is just too much!)
• 7 beach towels (just in case Mom and Dad get to sit down and/or go for a swim!)
• 4 life jackets (which provide peace of mind when visiting pals with pools!  And, not to worry, we do have one strong swimmer, not a Titanic-like approach to life saving!)
• Sippy cups, water bottles, snacks... endless snacks! 
• 2 Strollers (just in case our three 2-year olds need to be strapped down and contained for their own safety... and, our sanity!)

 For the rest of the time...

• Ample assortment of diapers, wipes, pull ups and undies
• Shorts/t-shirts (2 each per kid)
• Sweatshirt (1 per kid)
• Favorite book or toy (1 per kid on a Carry In/Carry Out policy!)
• Finny, Finn food, leash, collar, blanket and toy (for the occasion that our fun family pet is on the traveling team, we need to ensure he and all his must-haves are on the list or, well, you just never know!)

One other thing to remember is a big box of cereal... that way you'll always have breakfast at the ready for your early risers... just in case they miss the memo that a weekend away is an opportunity to sleep in.  Somehow, that's one thing we just haven't mastered.  Not yet, anyway!