A Week in Portugal with Kids

Sunset over the waterfront in the Belem area of Lisbon.

I've had an interest in visiting Portugal for nearly 10 years. When my husband and I were planning a month-long trip to Spain before we had kids, I had hoped we'd be able to include Portugal in our itinerary and I even bought a Lisbon guidebook. In the end, a detour to Portugal never materialized.

But I kept that guidebook. When we moved to a new house 10 months after Big Arrow was born, I shook my head as I unpacked it from its box (this being the third time I had packed and unpacked it). Why hold on to this, I thought. I've got a baby now... no way we'll get to Portugal in the next decade, at least.

You just never know what twists and turns life has for you.

So when I stuffed that old guidebook in my carry-on the night before we departed, I was thankful my dream of visiting had finally come true. Yet I couldn't help but wonder... would this place live up to the "dreamy destination just out of reach" hype I had given it in my mind?

What We Spent on Spring Break

Cost of family travel is a common topic among parents. And this recent article in the New York Times definitely got the family travel blog group I'm a part of buzzing. In it, $4,500 is given as the cost of a "budget" trip for spring break.

Say what?! I don't know about you, but $4,500 and "budget" don't belong in the same sentence as far as I'm concerned. So I thought I'd take a look back at what our trip to Florida for spring break last year cost our family of four.

I outline our expenses below. You'll see that we spent well under $2,000. And by no means did we keep a tight watch on our wallets while there. We ate out often (at least once each day, usually at sit-down restaurants). We still went to major attractions, like the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. And we stayed in a 2-bedroom condo across from the beach. I didn't even really think of this as a budget trip. 

In fact, this was the most expensive trip we took all year. The rest of our travels in 2012 involved driving, staying with family, or both. So we were comfortable taking on the expense of this vacation, knowing that our other travels were significantly less.

COSTS for 2012 Trip to Madeira Beach, Florida

DAY 1

Dinner out at sit-down restaurant:                                                                                        $50
Groceries:                                                                                                                                  $103
(included diapers, wine, beer and beach toys in addition to food supplies)

DAY 2

Toll at Fort De Soto Park:                                                                                                          $0.50
Lunch at sit-down restaurant:                                                                                                  $45
Dinner (pizza take-out) :                                                                                                            $14

Day 3

Expenses at Farmer’s Market:                                                                                                   $10
($5 for 2 empanadas, $5 donation for balloon animal)
Lunch at sit-down restaurant:                                                                                                    $32
Dinner at sit-down restaurant:                                                                                                  $60

Day 4

Zoo admission:                                                                                                                              $48
Lunch at zoo cafe:                                                                                                                         $27
Seafood dinner take-out:                                                                                                            $48
Ice cream:                                                                                                                                      $10

Day 5

Lunch at sit-down restaurant:                                                                                                     $35

General

Equipment rental:                                                                                                                         $48
(Included jogging stroller, baby swing and pack n play. $48 is after I used a $20 gift card.)

Rental Car:                                                                                                                                      $306
(included 2 car seats for 5 days)

Vacation rental:                                                                                                                             $406
(2 BR, 1 bath condo across the street from beach for 4 nights)

Flight to/from Indianapolis/Tampa for 3 people + 1 lap child:                                               $538      
1 checked bag:                                                                                                                      $40 ($20 each way)

TOTAL:                                                                                                                                             $1820.50

You spent HOW MUCH to take me to Florida?

Ways we saved:

·        Free fun at places like Fort De Soto Park and hours spent on the beach across from our condo.

·        A trip to the grocery store meant we always ate breakfast at the condo and the adults had an adult beverage each night when kids were in bed, instead of drinking at restaurants or bars.

·        We stayed across the street from the beach instead of beach front. We also only stayed 4 nights instead of a full week. With kids so young, we find this is a good length of time. Plus, my husband doesn't have to use as many vacation days and we can take additional trips throughout the year.

·        Our condo did not have a pool, which was a huge price break when comparing similar properties in the area.
 

·       My parents dropped us off and picked us up at the airport, so we had no parking expenses.

Ways we splurged:

·       We rented car seats, a stroller, pack n play and baby swing. We also checked a bag. I despise lugging stuff through the airport and it was much easier to have those items waiting for us upon arrival.

·       Our 2-bedroom condo. We avoid staying in hotels for more than just a night or two because our kids are so young. Everyone sleeps much better this way.

·       When pricing flights, there were several options that had one stop which were $50-$100 less than the direct flight we booked. But it was so nice to have my toes in the sand within hours of leaving Indy.

·       We love to eat out when on vacation, so while we could have had more lunches and dinners at our condo, we enjoy trying out great restaurants in the area.
 

You can't put a price tag on memories like this.

 

This post is a part of Travel Tips Tuesday at Walking on Travels and Suitcases and Sippy Cups.

 

Passports with Purpose: Win an Ergobaby Carrier

Like many travel bloggers around the world, I'm honored to once again be participating in Passports with Purpose. If you're unfamiliar with this annual event, it's a virtual fundraiser among travel bloggers and their readers. Bloggers procure prizes and our readers donate in order to win. Simple enough. This year, we're raising money to build two wells in Haiti. We're aiming for $100,000. You'll help us, won't you?

This year, I'm excited to be contributing a prize for the first time. And I could not be more in love with what I'll be giving away.

If I had to name one product that makes traveling with a baby or young toddler easier, more comfortable and more convenient, it would definitely be my Ergobaby carrier. I never take it out of my car so that I'm always ready for impromptu adventures, it joins us on every trip we take, and Little Arrow (who turns 1 this week!) has called it home for quite a bit of his life on the road thus far.

I'm basically a walking billboard for this thing. In fact, I'll be sharing a picture of my family using the Ergo each and every day of the Passports with Purpose fundraiser on my Facebook page. It's just so versatile.

Use it hiking, like our trip to Clifty Falls State Park.

Or use it on the beach, which I did in Florida last winter.

It's essential for navigating big cities, and makes taking public transportation, like the light rail in Minneapolis, a breeze.

I didn't have an Ergo when I traveled with Big Arrow (now 3 1/2) when he was a baby. So I can tell you from firsthand experience just how comfortable this product is compared to other baby carriers. I'm somewhat petite, and yet I've managed to bring two pretty big baby boys into this world. I've literally worn Little Arrow in the Ergo for hours at a time, and I'm not the least bit sore or uncomfortable. It's really amazing.

More reasons to love the Ergo:

• The Ergobaby carrier, along with the Ergobaby travel pack, make traveling and exploring with a baby or young toddler practically hands-free. And trust me, you need your hands for the hundreds of other tasks of parenting... taking pictures, wiping noses, fetching snacks, finding pacifiers...
• It's machine washable. You really don't appreciate that feature until you need it.
• You can take it through airport security. Who wants to wake a sleeping baby when flying? Because there's no metal components to this carrier, you'll walk right through without disturbing baby, other than a quick hand check.
• The sun shade. Little Arrow spent hours on the beach or by the lake this summer. Mostly, he spent this time snoozing away in the Ergo, protected by the innovative sun shade.

So how do you win one? Easy. Head over to Passports with Purpose. There you'll see a listing of all the prizes that are being given away, including my prize (details below). For each $10 donation you make to this important cause, you'll receive one entry toward the prize of your choice.

The Details:

• A black Ergobaby Performance Carrier (like the one shown here)
• A black Ergobaby Travel Pack (like the one shown here)
• I don't have one of these nifty travel packs, but I sure wish I did! It's essentially a diaper bag that connects right to your Ergobaby carrier.
• Dollar value of approximately $220.
• Prize can be shipped anywhere within the United States.

The Cause: This year, the team that organizes Passports with Purpose selected water.org as the organization that will receive all the money raised. It's hard to imagine a more basic need (fresh water) in a more deserving place (Haiti). You don't need me to convince you why this is a cause worth supporting, but let me just say this:

Did you flush a toilet today? Or pour your kids a sippy cup full of clean water? Or take a shower? Did you stop to give thanks for these things?

Then do so by helping to ensure your fellow man can do the same.

Not interested in an Ergo but still want to contribute? There are FABULOUS prizes available. Please check them out and donate generously.

And before I end this, big kudos to the generous sponsors that elevate this fundraiser to astounding levels and make our $100,000 goal within reach. They are:

• Platinum: Expedia
• Gold: TripIt
• Silver: tbex
• Bronze: HomeAway. TravellersPoint, HostelBookers, Go with Oh

Disclosure: I received the Ergobaby carrier that I'm giving away by having a blog post I wrote selected for inclusion on the Ergobaby website. I chose to donate this prize to this campaign. All opinions about the carrier are entirely my own, and I received the one I use as a gift from family.

Return to Caddy's on the Beach

The highlight of our first trip to the Tampa/St. Petersburg area of Florida as a family in 2011 was dinner at Caddy's on the Beach. So on our first night of our return trip back in March, we wanted to eat dinner somewhere that screamed, "YOUR VACATION HAS BEGUN."

Done.

While Caddy's is somewhat adult-oriented (lively bar, loud live music, etc.), it's a great spot to take the kids. Just sit outside at one of the picnic tables, and your little ones can play in the sand while you wait for you food or to pay the bill.

In fact, we brought Big Arrow's beach toys with us and he quickly planted himself under the table in his own personal sandbox. (After a long flight keeping two young kids happy, my husband and I were happy to let him entertain himself for a while so we could enjoy some adult conversation.)

I love a place where you can kick off your shoes and bury your feet in the sand. Or in this case, put your Crocs right up on the table.

Afterall, don't let shoes get in the way of a beautiful sunset.

This post is a part of Wanderfood Wednesday at Wanderlust & Lipstick, Photo Friday at Delicious Baby, and Friday Daydreaming at R We There Yet Mom?

Playgrounds Put the Play in Vacation

If you're the parent of a two-year-old, then spending time at your neighborhood playground is practically a weekly, if not daily, outing. It's not always my favorite way to spend time... sometimes it is downright boring to push a swing over and over again, it can be brutally hot in the summer, and I certainly don't enjoy the "it is time to go home now" battles. But even I will admit that it can be a great time-killer and energy-burner.

But when we're on vacation? I always love finding a good playground. There's a certain element of discovery (not just in tracking down the location itself, but The Arrow loves exploring some new equipment).

Playgrounds with palm trees in Florida

Sometimes the scenery itself is gorgeous, like this playground that bordered the ocean in North Redington Beach, Florida. Being from Indaina, we don't often play under the shade of palm trees afterall. It was a perfect place to let The Arrow get the wiggles out before we sat down to a nice dinner during our trip to Tampa/St. Petersburg.

Pitstop playground in Peoria

A roadside playground can be a lifesaver on a long road trip. Some fresh air and lots of body movement opportunities! This playground in Peoria, Illinois was attached to a Joe's Crab Shack right on the riverfront area. At the halfway point on our drive from Indiana to Iowa City, we all needed a little break.

Playtime Boston-style

Our Boston trip was jam-packed with sightseeing, which often meant The Arrow was confined to a stroller or sitting still on the T. The playground in Southwest Corridor Park just outside our Jamaica Plain rental house was such a great way for him to burn off steam.

Swinging in South Haven

We've even celebrated some "firsts" while checking out playgrounds on vacation. When we ran out of baby toys to entertain then six-month old Arrow during our first family vacation in South Haven, Michigan, we ventured to the park and he got to experience the thrill of his first time on the swings. He may have been wee bit too small for it, but it was love at first sight, as he's still swinging to this day!

Sometimes unique playgrounds can be destinations themselves, especially combined with a short day trip somewhere close to home. I've profiled a couple of favorites at Visit Indiana:

• Playscape Playground at Danville's Ellis Park (Danville, Indiana)
• Freedom Field: Where Everyone Can Play (Columbus, Indiana)

Resources for finding playgrounds while traveling:

• KaBOOM!'s Playground Finder
• Delicious Baby's Tips for Finding Playgrounds While Traveling

So if you find your kids are getting a little cranky on a trip, ask yourself if you've incorporated enough play. And then hit the local park or recreation area and let them loose for an hour or two! You may even get a feel for what it's truly like to live in the area you're visiting by talking with some local moms and dads.

Any favorite playground memories from your travels? Please share them in the comments!

This post is a part of Things I Love Thursday at Diaper Diaries.

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My Tips for Traveling While Pregnant

Whew... it's been a busy summer! I'm still unpacking from our last trip but thought I better write a post about traveling while pregnant while it's all still fresh in my mind. Because if there's one symptom of pregnancy that I suffer from thoroughly, it's forgetfulness!

1.) Timing. The bulk of our travels during this pregnancy have occurred during the blissful second trimester. When my energy was at its peak and sickness and discomfort were at a minimum. This means I haven't done a darn thing to get ready for Baby Arrow to arrive, but at least I have lots of fun memories!

2.) Snacks. I didn't experience this nearly as much with my first pregnancy, but this time around, I feel really lousy if I haven't had something to eat just about every two hours. Since that doesn't always correspond with a meal time, I have tried to plan accordingly by always carrying a small snack with me. A few of my favorites are Clif Bar Energy Bars,* Emerald Breakfast On The Go snack packs,* or just some crackers, an apple or banana. I even keep a few granola bars in my car for unexpected hunger attacks or traffic delays.

3.) Water. I'm so sick of drinking water, but I try to keep some with me at all times while I'm traveling. If you already have a small child, I definitely recommend investing in a cup holder for your stroller. This makes hydrating on the go much easier. I really like this Munchkin Stroller Insulated Cup Holder* because it fits on all our strollers. (Note: Unsnap it from the stroller before you gate check it if you're flying. Our holder snapped off in transit.)

Flying with a bump and a toddler

4.) Daily rest time. Fortunately (for so many reasons), The Arrow still takes an afternoon nap, even when we travel. While in the past, we've been content to let him do that in the car or stroller, during our travels this summer we made it a point to head back to our rental home or hotel so that I could have some R and R also. This really helped me to enjoy the evenings instead of feeling like I might collapse.

5.) Be active at home, too. I've been trying to either walk or bike daily when we're at home, in addition to my normal caring-for-a-2-year-old activity. It has helped me to keep up with my family on our adventures when we're away from home without my body going into total shock. I've been a lot more active this pregnancy than I was during my first, and I feel so much better for it. If the weather doesn't allow you to get out, then perhaps you can do a pregnancy workout from home. I recommend Prenatal Yoga by Shiva Rea* as a good, relaxing yet strength-building workout.

6.) Avoid the stairs. While ordinarily, I would never waste time seeking out an elevator just to avoid going up a couple of flights of stairs, I have done so lately. (I used The Arrow's stroller as an excuse, but I did this a lot when coming up from the T stations in Boston.) So many places are handicap accessible now, so I just keep an eye out for the wheelchair symbols or elevator signs. I think it saves me some physical exertion and helps me stay energetic for longer periods of time. (Or maybe I'm just lazy!)

7.) Build in a day of rest. It's not always possible, but we've tried to return home a day prior to my husband going back to work. This gives me a chance to rest when we get back, which I have found I really need. When my husband has returned to work the day after we get home, then I try to make sure The Arrow and I don't have much planned so that we can just chill out and rest. I find he needs this too, and we're all happier for it.

8.) Flip flops. This is not normally the footwear I recommend for traveling, especially if you're doing a lot of walking. But my feet tend to expand, swell, and just change rapidly throughout the day when it's hot, and quality flip flops have allowed that to happen in relative comfort. I really like the Teva Women's Olawahu* style.

9.) Invest in a few maternity dresses. Nothing fancy, I'm talking about cotton, summery sundresses (if you're traveling in the summer). I own a few, and they were great to take on trips. They took up less room in the suitcase and were much cooler because it was only one layer to deal with, instead of maternity top, shorts, camisole, etc.

10.) Baby Powder. I don't leave home without my Johnson's Baby Powder* (preferably in a travel size). I don't normally sweat much, but I do when I'm pregnant. My sister suggested baby powder and by applying it each morning in trouble spots before we head out to sightsee, hike, or whatever we have planned, I'm much more comfortable throughout the day. My apologies if this is a bit TMI.

Speaking of TMI, who has a suggestion for avoiding restroom breaks every 45 minutes on road trips? I became quite familiar with far too many exits on I-74 between Indiana and Iowa this weekend.

*Links to my Amazon Affiliate account. A small portion of any sales made through these links will come back to support this blog, but this does not in any way increase the cost of purchase for you.


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This post is a part of Top 10 Tuesday at Oh Amanda.

The Helicopter That Never Got Off the Ground

It's funny how pictures can be deceiving sometimes. I was just looking back at some photos from the past few months and couldn't help but laugh at these:

The mom's group I'm a part of here in Columbus organized a tour of the Lifeline helicopter at our local hospital. I knew the arrow would LOVE to get up close to one of his favorite things: 'copters (as he calls them). I think it's pretty clear from the photos that I was right. And he loved it so much he didn't think any of the other kids should get to sit in it.

"MY 'COPTER! MY 'COPTER!"

That darn "my" word. It's like nails on a chalkboard to any mom of a toddler. Needless to say, we fled to the car as graciously as one can when a toddler is screaming bloody murder and beating his fists against you. (I'm not complaining. It's literally one of the first times I've ever had to leave someplace before we were ready because of a tantrum.)

Later that afternoon, while he was calmly eating a snack at home, he told me he thought he'd get to ride in the helicopter, that it would "go up high in the sky." So there may have been some confusion that led to this meltdown. Apparently I need to be a little more clear with him the next time I tell him we're going to see a helicopter.

I have no desire to ride in one of these. (And certainly not the kind used for medical purposes.) For starters, I'm pretty prone to motion sickness. And I once took a very scary, white-knuckle ride on a prop plane during a blizzard which has turned me away from small planes forever. So I'll take a mainstream commercial flight to get to my destinations in a heart beat.

But today I'm dreaming that someday the arrow will get to go on a helicopter ride. Maybe someplace beautiful, where he can spot volcanoes in Hawaii or glide above glaciers in Alaska. Or take in some breathtaking views of the New York City skyline. Wherever he chooses, I hope that helicopter finally gets off the ground for him. For now, we're working on that whole "sharing" thing.

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

Window Clings: A Great Toy for Traveling Toddlers

We've got a new favorite toy around here: window clings that I bought at Target in the clearance section for a buck. I got these window clings to entertain the arrow on our flight to Florida, but they were buried deep in our bag and I forgot all about them. I stumbled upon them this week and thought I'd see how he liked them.

He kept saying, "Mom, I paint! I paint!" (My little Picasso!) He moved them around and around and around for about an hour. He loved the bright, vibrant shades of purple, red, green and yellow and we practiced saying each color.

Window clings would make a great "stuck inside on a rainy day" toy, or an easy craft to bring along on a trip since they take up no space (and make no mess). You could stick them to a table or side of an oven. (Or car windows on a road trip!) I'm still going to keep them on my airplane goodie bag list, they'd be perfect for sticking to the window or tray table and keeping little hands busy.

This post is a part of You Capture at I Should Be Folding Laundry. The theme this week is Vibrant. I'm also linking up to Things I Love Thursday at the Diaper Diaries and Fun for Kids Fridays at Local Fun for Kids.

Traveling with an iPad

We've only had our iPad* for a few months, and I already can't imagine life without it. Which is probably a real testament to this device, because despite having a blog and now an iPad, I'm really not very techie. If you saw my cell phone, you would think we had all traveled back in time to at least 2001. We have found the iPad to be particularly helpful while traveling--it is a source of entertainment, our GPS, and a "let's look that up" device while on the road. Someday I'll do a post on favorite iPad apps while traveling (I'm still in research mode on that), but until then, I'll give you a sneak peak at how we put it to use entertaining the arrow during last week's flight.

While he's usually pretty happy to look at books or color while flying, our return trip fell during his usual naptime. It was pretty clear that he wasn't going to curl up on our lap and doze off on this trip, so it was nice to have something with which he could still relax and settle down. My husband and I even got to indulge in some adult conversation while the arrow was singing along with his buddies from Yo Gabba Gabba. I call that a win, win for everyone.

This post is a part of You Capture at I Should Be Folding Laundry. This week's theme is technology. I'm also linking up to Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries.

*Amazon affiliate link.

Trip Report: St. Pete Beach/St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay

We got back on Tuesday evening from our 5-day trip to the Tampa Bay area of Florida. This is actually our longest trip with the arrow to date and it couldn't have been better. The weather was beautiful--mid 70s and sunny each and every day. The condo we rented was perfect for us and in a great location. More importantly, I felt like we did a lot while also doing a whole lot of nothing. Does that make any sense?

Below I've outlined our basic itinerary and how we experienced the Tampa Bay area of Florida.

Day 1: Arrival in St. Pete Beach

Dining beachside at Caddy's on the Beach in Treasure Island

We started our journey flying from Indianapolis direct to Tampa. The arrow did great on the flight, even better than our flight to/from Phoenix this fall. That whole "sitting still" for a few hours really does get easier with age. We landed early afternoon, and drove about 40 minutes to St. Pete Beach where we had rented a condo. We stopped along the way so that I could make a quick dash into the grocery store for a few essential items (while the arrow napped in the car). We then quickly unpacked and headed straight for the beach, which was just a block away. I'll never forget the look on the arrow's face when he realized all that sand was his to play with! That night we headed to Caddy's on the Beach for some grouper sandwiches served up beachside. Then we collapsed into bed after a long travel day.

Day 2: Exploring downtown St. Petersburg

The Pier in St. Petersburg

One of my favorite memories from my previous trip to St. Petersburg was the Saturday Morning Market. This farmer's market is held each Saturday morning in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, and it was high on our list of things we wanted to do again. We started our morning there, sampling some of the delicious food being prepared. From the market, we walked over to The Pier. The Pier has lots of family-friendly attractions, like an aquarium, bike rental spot, and more. But we just wanted to wander, admire the water views and the boats in the marina. We continued to walk around downtown St. Petersburg (mostly because the arrow fell asleep in his stroller), and then stopped for brunch at a sidewalk cafe.

That afternoon, we introduced the arrow to the condo's heated pool and it was love at first splash. He would proceed to beg for the pool throughout the trip, and we had lots of fun indulging him! After his afternoon nap, we went to the Sloppy Pelican, a beachside restaurant just a few blocks from our condo. We capped off this sweet day with a stop for ice cream.

Day 3: Beautiful Fort De Soto



Chasing sea gulls at Fort De Soto

We spent the morning at what I consider to be the crown jewel of this area of Florida: Fort De Soto Park. It's a gorgeous stretch of beach and parkland. Miles of biking trails, no buildings to interupt the seaside landscape, and a great place to take in a wonderful breath of fresh air. We hunted for seashells, dipped our toes in the chilly water, and walked up and down the beach. We wanted to visit the fort itself, but it is closed until mid-March. Next trip!

We ate lunch back at the condo, and then hit the pool again. After the arrow's nap, we drove up the beach to North Redington. We stopped at a playground to let the arrow stretch his legs, and then went to the Conch Republic Grill for dinner. On our way home, we walked around Johns Pass. A fun boardwalk and lots of shops and restaurants, it was a great area for an evening stroll (and ice cream, of course.)

Day 4: Florida Aquarium and Ybor City


Entrance to the Florida Aquarium

We got up in the morning and drove to Tampa for a trip to the Florida Aquarium. It had lived up to my dreams about this place: lots of exotic fish, hands-on exhibits, and plenty to entertain the arrow. From the aquarium, we hopped on the trolley that runs around downtown Tampa, and took that to Ybor City. Ybor City is a lively area of Tampa, with lots of restaurants, bars, nightlife, all in old buildings on brick streets. We ate lunch at Bricks of Ybor, and it was one of our best meals of the trip. (You can read my review here.)Then we hopped back on the trolley and drove back to St. Pete Beach. After more pool time, we headed to Bella Habana for some great Cuban food as our last meal of the trip. Then we took a sunset stroll on the beach and stopped for (you guessed it) ice cream.

Day 5: Saying our goodbyes


Goodbye, St. Pete Beach!

After feeding the arrow a quick breakfast, we headed to the beach for one last romp in the sand and to say our goodbyes. Then we finished packing up the condo and stopped at a playground on our way to the airport. Before we knew it, vacation was over and we were on our flight back to Indianapolis.

I'll be blogging about many of these adventures in much greater detail in the weeks to come. Please check back to read more about our fun in Florida!

This post is a part of Spotlight Thursday at Trekaroo.

St. Petersburg, here we come!

We're heading to St. Petersburg, Florida later this week and I've been counting down the days until our trip for weeks now. If you are a frequent reader of this blog, you know that most of our adventures take place around the Midwest. While I love this area of the country dearly, sometimes in February the need to hop on a plane and head south for some sunshine is just too strong.

My husband and I spent a long weekend in this area of Florida two years ago. I was pregnant with the arrow, and we thought it was our last traveling hurrah for a while. At that time, I never thought we'd be brave enough to venture much beyond a quick day trip here and there with our son. So it is a little bit ironic to basically be boarding the same flight, two years later, with a happy little boy who loves adventures as much as we do. I am not nearly as scared and intimidated about flying with the arrow as I once was, following his first successful flight to Phoenix this fall. And I'm pretty sure he'll love the beach, based on his introduction to it at Lake Michigan.

Our itinerary will likely change from that trip two years ago. I remember a leisurely morning at a large outlet mall, shopping for a newborn outfit to bring the arrow home from the hospital in. The arrow isn't much of a shopper these days, so I bet we'll pass on that. (Come to think of it, he also hated that outfit.) After I grew tired of walking around Tampa, we spent an afternoon sitting on a sunny patio at a bar in Ybor City and watched a Butler basketball game. I sipped lemonade, of course, while I stared longingly at my husband's cold beer. Instead, this trip will probably include a trip to the Florida Aquarium and lots of sand castle making (but maybe, finally, a cocktail for mom!) It will also be nice to leave the maternity clothes at home. And the cankles. All reasons that I'm even more excited for this trip than I was to go on that "babymoon."

But beyond on all that, I'm looking forward to some time together as a family of three for hours on end, day after day. Don't you think that evenings and weekends are too short and pass by in a blur? That's why family vacations are so important to us. A chance to stop and breathe for a few days and enjoy each other even more that we already do. I know my heart will come home full of love. (And perhaps my skin will come home a little tan? A girl can wish.)

My Valentine's Day dream? Time together with my boys, splashing in the surf, running in the sand, all beneath the sun. This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips.

Traveling by train with a toddler

We've been really lucky that the arrow has always been a great car passenger on our adventures. But when we went to Chicago for a morning back in September, he got to experience the thrill of train travel. There's a commuter train service that runs across the northern part of Indiana into downtown Chicago. Since we were already up north camping at Warren Dunes State Park in southwest Michigan, we decided to take the train instead of driving into the city. We spent the two hour trip traveling from Michigan City, Indiana straight into the heart of Chicago reading books, waving hello to the commuters going into the city, and eating Cheerios. I was worried there would be no going back to the isolation and confines of his carseat after all that fun.

If you're considering taking the South Shore train line across northern Indiana and/or into Chicago, you can read more about our trip at my post at the Indiana Insider.

Reading books with daddy

I'm no expert on taking a train, especially domestically. But we had a great experience. Here are a few reasons it's my new favorite mode of transportation.

• There's more room to move around. You can get up and move if you need to. The seat in front of us wasn't within kicking distance of the arrow's legs. And he didn't have to be pinned down to his car seat for hours.
• The action outside the window was much more entertaining. (Since typically, once you take off, you're only looking at gray skies or big clouds.)
• Passengers come and go, which also adds to the visual interest for a toddler.
• Your fellow riders can also choose not to sit near a little kid, unlike on a plane. The folks surrounding us seemed to enjoy the presence of our son and waved to him or said hello. Maybe he spiced up their typical commute.
• There was no need to arrive 2 hours in advance and still worry about getting through security.
• Space to stow our stroller and bag was plentiful. I'm sure this isn't the case on all trains, but we had no trouble.
• PRICE: it was about $16 roundtrip.
• We avoided outrageous parking fees in downtown Chicago and didn't pay to park at the station. The Indianapolis airport charges at least $9 per day for parking, and I think that's pretty cheap compared to many airports.
• Train stations are usually more centrally located. We arrived 1 block from Millennium Park, right on Michigan Avenue. So much to see and do was at our reach from the moment we stepped off the train. That's certainly not the case when flying into O'Hare or Midway.
• The environment. I don't know how it breaks down, but I'm certain the carbon emissions coming from each of the 30 or so folks in our train cabin would have been greatly increased had we each taken a car into the city. And that's just one cabin of about a dozen.

I'd really like to explore more of the country by train. I have great memories of hopping on trains throughout Europe--no need to worry about driving in a foreign country or navigating ancient city streets. It would be so much more fun to explore nearby cities if we could get there by train. Unfortunately, that's not possible from where we live. And the options I've researched from the Indianapolis Amtrak station are extremely expensive.

I dream of the day that rail travel is as prevalent, easy and affordable in the Midwest as it is in Europe or other areas of the world.

What about you? Have you taken the train recently? Love it? Or hate it?

This post is a part of Mondays are for Dreaming at The Mother of All Trips and Top Ten Tuesday at Oh Amanda.

Locally-made gifts for traveling with kids

You know the saying, "Be a tourist in your own hometown?" I had a chance to do just that on Saturday. The Hendricks County Convention and Visitors Bureau was kind enough to invite me on their Ho Ho Holiday Tour.  I grew up in Hendricks County (on the west side of Indianapolis), yet I had only been to one of the scheduled stops on our itinerary before this weekend. It was a fun day hanging around my old stomping grounds, particularly because I got to bring my sister, my ideal shopping partner (especially when we can leave our kids in the loving care of their dads).

I'm also making an effort to shop locally this year. It's not always possible with a toddler who doesn't tolerate popping in and out of shops for hours on end. So Saturday presented a perfect opportunity to get some gifts.

Our first stop that day was the Tri Kappa Gingerbread Christmas. It's a true craft and artisan fair. Vendors must submit their items in advance to be judged by a committee so that only the most high quality, handcrafted items are sold.  I picked up two items there that are perfect for traveling with toddlers.

A crayon bag:

This was handmade by a lovely woman. Each crayon has its own slot and the main compartment is the perfect size for a few coloring books. This will definitely be added to my must-pack list for trips. I'll even slide the arrow's beloved magna doodle inside. The woman didn't have a card, and she only sells her items at this show. But I've seen bags like this on Etsy, so I'm sure you can find something similar.

An I-Spy Bag:

My sister spotted this little bean bag. Attached to it is a list of items (like a penny, snowman and soccer ball). When you move the bag around in your hand, little trinkets show up in the clear window, which correspond with the list. (In the picture below, I'm attempting to demonstrate it for a still photo... not easy!) I think this could amuse the arrow for quite some time in the car or on a plane.

They are $10, and available from Time and Again Shop.

From the Gingerbread Christmas show, we headed to downtown Danville to explore some of the independent shops that surround their courthouse.

Luggage tag:

After spending time checking several black bags that looked very similar to our bag on our last flight (while the arrow ran wild through the baggage claim area), I promised myself I'd look for a bold luggage tag before our next trip. I found this one at The Healing Chi, a gift shop and wellness center.

Have you picked up any great travel products this year? Please share!

This post is a part of Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Hendricks County CVB throughout the day, but I purchased these items myself. I was under no obligation to write about the day's activities. All opinions are my own.