Makes Me Happy: A Boy And His Inch Worm

Travel Treats: A Big Haul for a Long Haul

VIENNA + LONDON  |  TRAVELS WITH KID

Our up coming trip includes a glorious non-stop flight from London to home that we are SO looking forward to as a way of travel. It took us 36 hours to get home from Morocco last year, with a sleepover in Madrid (which turned out to be a highlight of our trip believe it or not) and a crazy long wait in Heathrow the next day (a nice airport to be stuck in). 

This time our long trek is on our way there ... better I think ... when we are still "fresh". We've collected this pile of goodies to help pass the time in the Calgary airport, the already long over Atlantic flight, as well as the great airport switch in London (from Heathrow to Gatwick) as we take a day and a half to get to Vienna. Sure, we could do it quicker. But we're cheap.

Anyway, the pile makes me smile. It looks way more elaborate than it is really. Here's a list of what's inside:

• Lost Cities Travel Game (reportedly a fun way to hone math skills)
• My wooden travel chess set that my Uncle Ronnie gave me when I was about Spud's age. 
• Books! Melonhead, Dunderheads, Kit Feeny, Horrid Henry etc
• A Roll of Giant Rockets (called Smarties in the States and Fizzes in the UK I just learned)
• A Giant Sucker
• Fun Dip ( Hubs and I have fond memories of these at his age)
• Non-peppermint Candy Stick (what kid hates peppermint? mine.)
• LEGO Mini-figures
• Angry Birds Dog Tags

We are travelling pretty light, one bag each, so the list is carefully thought out ... consumable or compact with high entertainment value or just downright practical (dog tags!). Along the way, before the boredom bug bites, we'll whip out one of these packages. The candy will be doled carefully, when we are trying to keep him awake, like say, right before landing. I speak from experience when I say it's difficult to deplane an 85 lb sleepyhead while juggling with luggage in a small space surrounded by cranky travellers. Hopefully some Fun Dip will help. Don't judge me.

Travel Journal Supplies

VIENNA + LONDON  |  TRAVELS WITH KID

Our travel journal supplies for our 2 and half week Vienna / London trip include:
· 3 ways of sticking stuff into our journals (acid free glue sticks, double-sided mounting squares, and tape runner)
· 3 neutral coloured Sharpies (great for when you want to do watercolour after!)
· 3 fine black Sharpies (for writing)
· Dual size Sharpener
· Multiple colour ballpoint pen
· 12 LYRA pencil crayons (including 3 metallics)
· 4 Staedtler dual ended felts
· 2 erasers (including "kneaded" eraser)
· 2 mechanical pencils (I'm going to have to add another one to this pile)
· 3 sizes of Niji waterbrushes
· small watercolour pad (I wish we could bring watercolour pencils as well ... not sure if I can squeeze them in!)

Here it all is packed and ready to go.

DIY Family Travel Journal ... Check!

VIENNA + LONDON  |  TRAVELS WITH KID

Guess what I did in front of the TV the other night ... 8 signatures made of watercolour paper and stitched with blue embroidery floss. 

Each signature has 4 sheets (9" x 12" cut in half long ways).

I also made little accordion pop-outs and mini-books to fill out and glue in. The mini envelopes we bought. We are hoping to fill some with stamps or other flat treasures we find along the way.

Hubs, Spud and I will each start with one journal and if/when they fill up we will just grab another. Here they are each ready for our day packs.

And the spares waiting in the wings.

The idea is that at the end of the trip, I will bind all the full ones together for one big happy family journal.

Confession: I still have to do that with our Morocco journals from last year! I guess I'll being doing both when we get back.

UPDATE: Check out our bound Morocco family travel journal here.

Travel Dog Tags Update

TRIP PLANNING  |  TRAVELS WITH KID

Last year Spud wore dog tags on our little trip to Morocco. I posted about it here. It was a peace-of-mind thing more than anything. It had our names and an emergency phone number as well as an email address that is set up to go automatically to our immediate family. On top of that, I rigged it so we could add our current hotel's address on the back, you know, in case we should get separated. 

So, we're doing it again this trip. With only one of the original tags this time (because we lost one on the last trip) plus one I found for our little Angry Birds fan. Spud needed a new chain anyway; over the span of our 1 month trip last year his cheapy chain got nasty, leaving an orangey-brown stain on the back of his neck. So this I Heart Angry Birds, lenticular dog tag is going to do just the trick. I can't show him this post though ... going to keep it a surprise until we get en route!

Guess Where We Are Going!?

LONDON  |  TRAVELS WITH KID

It's official. Vienna and London, here we come!

I posted about the launch of this Lonely Planet travel book set for kids on Apartment Therapy last October. Little did I know we would be in the need of purchasing one ourselves! So excited. I wish they had one for Vienna too but alas only Rome, Paris and New York so far.

Spoonflower Fabric Design Contest: Robot Cheater Quilt

I've officially entered! Funny thing is, months ago I started this idea; putting together virtual fabric swatches from my Robot Gear Garden line, that you could just print, make a quilt, and you know, not sew so much.

No wonder they call it a cheater quilt! When I saw Spoonflower was having a contest specifically on the same project I had already started, well, that was reason enough to finish it and enter it. Curious to see what other people did too? Go vote for your favourites. This week's contest is at the top right, called Robot Cheater Quilts. Have fun!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

Somebody got a Cat in the Hat inspired skewer today in their lunch!

Marshmallows and strawberries on a stick ... say yum. Check out a roundup of similarly themed, and way more elaborate, snacks I gathered over at Apartment Therapy yesterday.