Having Archer and Lyla has continued to change me in ways I never dreamed possible. They constantly make me consider every move I make. After finding out TIME Magazine named 16-year-old Greta Thunberg as their person of the year, I realized I could be doing more to help combat climate change and reduce my carbon footprint. Even though climate change is a global issue and it seems like I have little control over it, there are some small changes I can make that will ultimately impact Archer and Lyla's future.
I wanted to share some of these small changes I've been making to help inspire others and to also hopefully get some new ideas on other ways I can help. Please give me new ideas!! I am far from perfect, but change doesn't always have to be something monumental. It can start small.
Here are a few of my small changes:
I use a reusable water bottle. I ditched using plastic water bottles long ago and have used some form of a reusable water bottle for years. My current favorite is stainless steel and the perfect size. I bring it everywhere and love that the lid stays on tight even when my kids chuck it across the room. I have to have ice water and this keeps my water cold all day long!
I use reusable bags when shopping. I always bring reusable bags when I go grocery shopping. Recently, I even invested in some heavy-duty canvas ones that I hope to have for years to come. I've also tried to make sure I bring along reusable bags when I go to other stores. If I do forget to bring them in (does anyone have any ideas for remembering to bring bags inside the store??), I tell the cashier I don't need a bag and just carry the items to my car or stick them back in my cart.
I say "no, thank you" to plastic straws and lids. Whenever I go out to eat, I decline a plastic straw. If servers put one on the table for me, I always hand it back to them and say that I don't need it (as politely as possible). I should probably take it a step further and mention I don't need the straw when I order my drink since some restaurants automatically stick a straw in the drink. I did get some reusable silicone straws and keep them with me in the diaper bag. Archer and Lyla aren't quite skilled enough yet to drink from a cup without a lid without the entire drink ending up in their laps, so these straws come in handy. I actually like that they are softer than plastic and I don't have to worry about them accidentally poking a straw down their throat or in their eye. (One of the reusable silicone straws is featured in the photo below.)
I bring my own cup to coffee shops. I don't actually drink coffee, but I sure do enjoy hot chocolate. One of my guilty pleasures is going through the drive-thru of Caribou Coffee (which is a coffee shop attached to the HyVee gas station, classy right?) and getting a hot chocolate when I go out and about with Lyla and Archer. Recently, I started bringing my own ceramic mug with me. When I give my order, I just mention that I brought my own cup. Then when I pull up to the window, I hand it over and they fill it up with delicious hot chocolate. I even get a discount for bringing my own cup! (The one I have is ceramic and has a silicone lid. It was a gift, but I'm sure you can find one similar on Amazon.)
I stopped buying individually packaged food items. Oh man, this was a hard one to give up. Those little pouches of applesauce and yogurt were so convenient and mess-free for Archer and Lyla! But I felt a horrible sense of guilt every time I threw one in the trash. I also bought tons of pre-packaged snacks for Archer and Lyla. Since then, I've purchased some reusable snack pouches and just keep those filled with snacks in the diaper bag. They actually seem to keep the snacks from getting as smushed so I don't have to hand over a package of Cheez-It dust to the kids when they want a snack. I've tried these (which you can put in the dishwasher) and these (which you can put in the washing machine) and like them both. I think it's nice to have a variety of different materials and sizes.
I use waxed fabric instead of Saran wrap. This was an easy swap to make because I hate using Saran wrap. It just sticks to itself and makes me angry. So when Adam brought home some waxed fabric from Trader Joe's, I was excited to give it a try. Now when I have to cover a bowl of pizza dough so it can rise or cover up some leftovers, I use some waxed fabric. I will say it's hard to get a completely air-tight seal, so if that's what I need, I just store it in a glass container with a lid. I think there is thinner waxed fabric out there that can give you a completely air-tight seal, so I'll have to look into finding some different options. (You can see the waxed fabric in the bottom left corner of the above photo.)
I use a menstrual cup. This might fall under the TMI category, but I'll share about it just in case anyone out there is interested. A menstrual cup is a small, flexible cup that is worn inside your vagina (like a tampon) to collect your monthly flow. It's pretty amazing because you can't feel it once it's in place and you can wear it for up to 12 hours at a time. I will say there was a bit of a learning curve for me and it took awhile before I got the hang of it. But I've been using it for a couple years now and haven't bought any pads or tampons! So I'm saving money and preventing waste from going in the landfill. The Put A Cup In It website is an excellent resource if you want more information or feel free to ask me any questions.
I recycle everything that can possibly be recycled. Sometimes this makes me seem like a weirdo when I put "trash" in the diaper bag to take home to recycle or gather all the wrapping paper at Adam's family Christmas get-together to take home to recycle. But it makes me feel better knowing I am keeping excess stuff out of landfills.
I hit up thrift stores when possible. Lately I've been looking at thrift stores before I buy something elsewhere. For example, Lyla needed a few long-sleeve shirts and I decided to go to a secondhand children's clothing store. I found just what I needed, spent less than I would at other stores, and gave old items a second life. I also needed another pie dish this Thanksgiving. So instead of getting a new one from Amazon like I was going to, I stopped by one of our local thrift stores and got one for a couple bucks!
I use reusable cleaning cloths. I used to use a ridiculous amount of paper towels and wipes when I cleaned my house. I realized how wasteful this was, so I picked these reusable cloths at Target about a year ago. I've used them ever since and have been very happy! The green cloths are great for cleaning glass, and don't leave lint behind like paper towels did. I dampen the blue ones to dust with and use the gray ones to scrub the counters. I also cut up one of Adam's old white undershirts that got a hole in it and use the little squares to clean things like the toilets. I also found some super soft cloths that I use to wipe the kids' faces with after they finish eating their meals.
I use wool dryer balls instead of fabric softener. I ran out of fabric softener a few years ago and did a few loads of laundry before I had a chance to make it to the store. I realized I couldn't tell a difference, so I just never bought any more. A few months back, I got some wool dryer balls with the promise of cutting down drying time. And I definitely agree that I don't have to dry our clothes as long if I have the balls in the dryer. I just found some random ones at TJ Maxx, but I see them everywhere now.
I've stopped buying stuff just to be buying stuff. In addition to trying to make changes to better our planet, I've also been on a bit of a minimalism kick. While I'm a long ways away from considering myself a minimalist, I have adopted some minimalist qualities that have made my life simpler. I've donated tons of random housewares and clothes and just stuff that wasn't serving me a purpose other than taking up space. Since getting rid of so much stuff, I've also been more conscious of the things that I do buy and bring into my home. I used to be a sucker for a good bargain, so now I have to ask myself if I truly need and want each item or if I'm just getting it because it's a good deal. And I've done a much better job of saying "no" lately. By not buying as much, (in my tiny way) I'm creating less of a demand for products to be manufactured.
I am far from perfect and nowhere near living a zero-waste lifestyle. But I am trying to do what I can and am looking for ways to improve. My next goals are to shop thrift stores for my own clothes, look into using more eco-friendly personal care items (think wooden toothbrushes, plastic-free beauty products) and look for ways to reduce food packaging waste. So give me all your ideas!! And hopefully my small changes gave you a few ideas too.
If this post doesn't epitomize the whole "less is more" idea, I don't know what does! Adam and I decided to make over our front porch with this idea in mind. When we were looking for the house that would become our home, one of the things I really wanted was a welcoming front porch. I envisioned sitting on the porch while watching my future children play and enjoying summer evenings on the porch with Adam. So it's no surprise that our house has a lovely front porch.
Over the last few years, the porch posts and railings started to show their age. We're not sure if they were original to the house, but they very well could have been. Ants and chipmunks (we think) started to eat away at parts of the posts. And some of the railings were suffering from water damage. It was definitely time to address the issues and bring our front porch back to life.
When Adam and I first started talking about fixing our front porch, we knew we wanted to remove the woodwork at the top of the porch near the ceiling. It gave off more of a country cottage vibe and made the porch look and feel more closed in. So we knew that definitely needed to go. We also wanted to replace the posts with something less ornate. Adam wanted to go with meaty 8x8 cedar posts. Initially, I was worried the posts would look too big for the size of the porch and end up making it look more squat. But after Adam created some drawings on the computer, I was sold with the look.
The next thing to decide was what to do with the railings. We threw around the idea of replacing them with wrought iron or even creating a different design using wood. But then I got the idea of removing them all together. When you sit on the porch, you definitely see the railings front and center. Being rather short, the top railing was right in my sight line, which kinda ruined the view. When I suggested just removing the railings and not putting anything in their place, Adam wasn't sold. He worried it would look unfinished.
So as a compromise, I suggested we build some lower plant boxes that would mimic the idea of a railing, but would open up the view a bit. So Adam added some plant boxes to his computer drawings to give us a visual. We came up with something we liked, but then got busy with other projects. So when this summer rolled around, we got back to work on the porch. We looked back at what we had come up with and I wasn't sure I still liked what we came up with. I felt like our whole goal with redoing the porch was to open things up. Adding plant boxes would still make things feel pretty closed up. Besides, our porch is on the narrow side and I wanted to make sure we would still have a decent walkway.
I managed to convince Adam to start the project by taking down all the railings and replacing just the posts. Once we got to that point, we could reevaluate whether or not we needed to add back railings.
So late in the summer, Adam took down all the railings and woodwork up top in a matter of an hour. As soon as they came down, we both realized there was no way we were putting railings back! It opened everything up and looked like it was meant to be that way.
I should mention our porch is about a foot from the ground and well within our city codes for not needing safety railings. So we weren't worried about a steep drop-off or anyone falling.
Once the railings were down, the next step was to replace the existing posts with new 8x8 cedar posts. Adam's mom kept an eye on the kids one weekend while Adam and I got the posts put in place. Adam also added a faux beam at the top, right below the ceiling. This helped finish off the space and make the posts-only look intentional.
Over the next several weekends and during some late evenings, Adam added trim to help dress up the posts and the overhead beam. I must admit, I wasn't sure all this additional trim work was really necessary, but seeing the finished product has made me a believer!
Adam does such beautiful woodworking and it truly makes the front porch shine. The trim around the columns make them look more stately. The dentil molding detail on the beam ties in nicely with the other dentil molding on the right side of the house above the garage.
Allow me to show you a before and after to fully appreciate the new front porch.
We had planned to have some painters paint the new posts, beam, and ceiling white to match our other trim work on the house. But due to tons of rainy days, they weren't able to fit us in this season. So our new plan is to wait until the spring. We are even throwing around the idea of painting the whole house!
But in the mean time, we can still enjoy our new porch in all it's open glory. I can sit on the front porch and watch Archer and Lyla play in our front yard. They like to jump off the porch and can manage it just fine. My view is no longer obstructed by busy railings. Our front porch looks and feels like the welcoming front porch I always imagined our home would have.
I was so excited to plan Archer and Lyla's second birthday party! I chose a Sesame Street theme since they are all about all things Sesame Street these days. Their favorite thing to do is watch this old Elmo's World DVD from the 90s. We've seen the thing hundreds of times by now!
I wanted to keep things simple, like last year's party. Because let's face it, they won't remember anything from this day. But I still wanted to make it special for them.
We decided to keep it small and just invite our families. I whipped up an invitation on Google Drawings and Adam had them printed at the print shop at his work. I was way too excited when I found out the United States Post Office was releasing Sesame Street stamps just in time to send out the invitations! (I realize this makes me a loser for admitting this.)
The food was simple. We ordered pizza from a local pizza restaurant since both Archer and Lyla are pizza lovers. I also made some fun fruit trays that somewhat resembled Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Oscar. Lyla and Archer love strawberries, blueberries, and grapes so it was perfect! I also included some fruit dip, which basically negated any of the health factor of the fruit, but that's what birthdays are for, right?
I made some red velvet cupcakes with Sesame Street cupcake liners we got from Party City. Archer and Lyla went with me to get them. I think we should all get medals for that shopping trip. I let them walk through the store, which had all sorts of toys and candy at their level. But they listened quite well and we made it to the checkout lane. They loved their cupcakes, and they each even blew out their own candle! Adam had been practicing with them beforehand, so it was cute to watch them show off their new skill.
It's funny how cute I think they look with cupcake all over their faces when it's their birthday. I somehow don't find it as cute when they rub yogurt in their hair or ketchup on their cheeks on any other day.
I kept the decorations nice and simple too. I got some streamers from the dollar store and the happy birthday balloon from the dollar spot at Target. So for just a few bucks, I whipped up the perfect backdrop with the help of Adam and my mom.
All in all, it was a fun day! We didn't have much on the agenda aside from eating lunch and singing happy birthday. It turned out to be a nice day, so we spent some time in the backyard. Cupcakes aside, I think Archer and Lyla's favorite part of the day was opening their presents. Our sweet family sure spoiled them rotten! Lyla and Archer are so lucky to have so many people who love them! I know they were super happy to have so many people they love spend their birthday with them.
Lyla and Archer turned two years old on August 3rd! They are so much fun right now and I'm trying to just soak it all up before we are in full-blown "terrible twos" mode. Both Archer and Lyla are learning so much and making such gains each and every day. It truly amazes me how much they are able to do and comprehend.
Lyla has mastered most of her colors. She's got blue, green, pink, purple, orange, yellow, black, brown, and white down. She loves to show off her color knowledge too. She'll tell me the color of something repeatedly until I acknowledge that she's correct. She knows most of her letters and likes to point those out too. Lyla also knows a few numbers and understands one-to-one correspondence when I count things aloud for her as she points to each item. She adores "reading" books and tries to get away with reading a bigger and bigger stack each night before bedtime.
She's hit a separation anxiety phase and is glued pretty tightly to me these days. It's interesting, because she never really had much separation anxiety up until this point. I love that my kisses heal her boo boos and sometimes she just needs me to hold her.
Lyla walks around well and has the cutest little run. It definitely uses up lots of extra movement, but it's so adorable to watch. She can gallop and jump. She loves to dance to music and make whatever happens to be in her hands (her blanket, Elmo, her baby doll) at the moment dance along with music, as well. Lyla is very into songs right now. She loves when I sing to her, which is a bit surprising given my lack of musical talent. She tries to sing along with me and especially enjoys songs which include motions for her to do. The Wheels On The Bus is her favorite jam these days.
Some of the things she has come up with truly surprise me. We pass by a car that has a cover on it during our daily walks and Lyla likes to say the car is going "night night" when she sees it. Whenever we see a Jeep, Lyla says, "baaaa." At first I couldn't figure out why she thought Jeeps were sheep, but then it dawned on me when we read the book Sheep In A Jeep one day.
She said her first full sentence about a month ago. She had a mosquito bite on her arm that was bothering her. I asked her if she wanted to go upstairs and get some cream to put on it to help make it less itchy. So she turns to Archer and tells him, "We'll be right back." I was stunned! She had said 2 and 3 word phrases up until that point, but not a full sentence. And it made sense! She even used the correct grammar!
Her baby dolls are still her favorite things to play with. She's amassed quite the collection and seems to love them all equally. She also loves building towers with Legos and playing with her little Sesame Street figurines. Lyla can also cook up some delicious meals in her kitchen. She enjoys going up and down the slide in our backyard.
While Lyla will pee in the potty before bath time, we still have a ways to go before she's potty trained. That will be our next big adventure. We also need to work on the difference between indoor and outdoor voices. Lyla seems to only have one volume: LOUD. Though she does know how to whisper and will tell me to be "piet" and hold her finger on her nose (instead of her lips) and it's so dang cute.
Archer is incredibly active. The few times we've tried to get him to sit in a chair, we've regretted it immediately. He wiggles and moves all over the place. He can run really fast and is very agile. He loves to jump and can gallop. One of his favorite things to do is run full speed into my arms and not slow down at all as he's approaching. I'm constantly covered in bruises. Archer also learned how to do a somersault on his own and enjoys kicking things (balls, the side of his bed, us when we're trying to change his diaper).
Yes, I said bed in the sentence above. He figured out he can climb out of his crib about a month ago. He and I had a very intense battle one night while Adam was out of town. He would climb out of his crib, I would put him back in and round and round we went for a good two hours. I won. But only for that night. After a few nights, I heard a thud followed by howling. He'd always managed to climb out of his crib without getting hurt, so I wasn't in too big a rush to switch him to a toddler bed. But I didn't want any injuries, so I knew I needed to do something. Before giving into a toddler bed, I tried to put his mattress all the way on the ground in his crib, but he still managed to climb out. And then I bought a toddler-size sleep sack to try to prevent him from climbing, but he busted out of that thing like the Hulk! So the transition to the toddler bed was inevitable. After a tricky night or two, Archer got into a good groove. He likes his bed and magically stays in it (I'm knocking on wood as I type this) throughout the night. Much like every other transition we've been through, I made it far worse in my mind than it turned out to be.
Archer has mastered his letters and is happy to point them out to anyone who will pay attention. He loves to read books and pull them all off of the bookshelves even more. He's a big fan of trucks, though he will cuddle a baby doll every once in awhile. He's especially fond of his stuffed Elmo and Big Bird he sleeps with every night.
Archer does this adorable swaying whenever he hears music. It's so cute since he's usually so crazy. It's nice to see him slow down and just rock back and forth to a little music. He's also into songs and singing. He tries to get me to sing more and more songs each night before bed.
He still sleeps with a pacifier. It brings him so much joy that I'm reluctant to make him give it up. I know that day should come soon, though. We've also got to tackle potty training. Man, growing up is hard!
Perhaps the best part of watching Lyla and Archer grow up is watching their bond grow. Sure, Archer likes to rip toys out of Lyla's hand and Lyla likes to come tell me that "Archer mean," but those instances don't happen all that often. They truly do love each other. They always give each other a hug and kiss before nap time, even if I don't remind them to. If one of them gets a drink of water, they will go bring the other one a cup so they can have a drink too. I'll catch them holding hands in the stroller. I'll hear them giggling upstairs when they're playing in their rooms. They spend most of the day following each other around and move from room to room together. They have such a sweet bond and I'm lucky I get to witness it.
I'm so stinking lucky. They way they squeeze my neck and the way they reach for my hand is almost too much for my heart to handle. They love me in ways I've never felt before and I love them in ways I never dreamed possible. I can't wait to see what the next year will bring.
This little project started a few months ago when either Archer or Lyla (I'm still not sure who did it, but my money's on Archer) decided to yank on the curtains in the living room. Their tugs caused the flimsy brackets to bend and the curtain rod to hang at a lovely angle. I tried to just bend the brackets back into place and that did work a couple times. But eventually the bracket had had enough bending and just broke. So it was time to replace the curtain rods.
The curtain rods that were hanging were just inexpensive ones I got when we first moved in. They were cheap and the oil-rubbed bronze finish blended in with the chocolate brown walls. So I decided to go bold and make a statement with new rods. I ended up getting these from Lowe's. I looked all over the place before I decided on these. I wanted them to be super sturdy with substantial brackets that could withstand a little tugging here and there. These fit the bill.
I decided to go with the brass finish so they would stand out from the wall and add a bit of drama. The modern style of the rod made the brass look fresh instead of dated. We've also got a few brass decor items which helped tie the new rods into the rest of the space.
Hanging them up proved to be a bit tricky. There's really only one height they can be hung from since there's so little space between the top of the window frame and the crown molding. But I did want to extend the rod our further from the sides of the window. Hanging the curtains so they just barely cover the sides of the window frame helped make the windows look bigger and allow maximum light into the space. I ran into some sort of metal plate right in the spot I wanted to hang my bracket. I don't even want to admit how many holes I drilled in the wall trying to find a place I could put my drywall anchors! But eventually I found a spot that would work. Just don't measure the distance from the brackets to the window frame on each side of the window. They definitely won't be even! But you can't tell with the naked eye.
I really didn't think this change would make that much of a difference, so I didn't think to take pictures along the way. But it totally transforms the space now! To make an even bigger difference, we decided to take down the blinds. This was actually my mother-in-law's idea (Thanks, Janet!) and it was an excellent one! When she stayed with the kids overnight, she just closed the curtains over the blinds instead of lowering them and pulling them shut. It definitely saved a bunch of time! Each morning I would raise the blinds and stick the cords up and out of Lyla and Archer's way. Then I'd have to lower them at night. It was a big pain in the butt! So when Janet suggested just closing the curtains each night, it was as if a giant light bulb went off in my head. Why did we even need the blinds if we were going to just close the curtains each night? The curtains are heavy duty and have a lining, so they offer up plenty of privacy in the evening.
So Adam and I took the blinds down one evening after the kids went to bed. The sunshine filled up the living room the next morning and made me so very happy! Plus, I didn't have to mess with raising and lowering the blinds each day. For some reason, I had it in my head that windows have to have blinds, even if there were curtains. But I'm happy to break that "rule" now!
We did have to fill the holes and touch up the paint where the blind brackets were. But luckily we had leftover paint so it wasn't a big deal. I love our living room even more now! Who knew removing something from a space could make it that much better? Jazzy and the kids love the blind-free windows too! They all appreciate the unobstructed view of the neighborhood and I find all three gazing out the windows, especially when a trash truck comes rumbling down our street.
I dug up some older before photos to help illustrate what a difference hanging the curtains wider and the new curtain rods make. Here's a view from before:
And here's the view now. Such a brighter, cleaner view!
My dining room blinds better watch out! I'm coming for them next!
I've been using reusable bags for our groceries for years now. When I remember to get them out of the trunk, that is. I've been wanting to get some bags that could be washed (hello, leaking chicken!) and would last a long, long time.
So I hunted down some canvas bags on Amazon. I picked some that had a bottom gusset, which means they expand a bit on the bottom and were machine washable. The main reason I wanted to get new bags was so I wouldn't be putting produce in the same bag I used for chicken last time. I also wanted to get some that were heavy duty and just the right size. I was previously using some that were huge, but I would overload them and the heavy load caused the straps to start to rip. Luckily, those old bags were 100% recyclable, so I chucked them in my recycle bin as soon as the new ones arrived.
I didn't want to have to wash my bags every time I used them. I just wanted the option in case one got dirty. So that meant I needed to figure out a way to identify which type of groceries to put in each bag. Enter, the trusty paint pen. I had this paint pen leftover from a previous project. You can find paint pens at craft stores or Amazon. Just make sure you look for one that says "permanent" if you plan to wash them.
I ended up getting four bags, so I thought about the four categories most of my groceries could fit in. Produce, Dry Goods, Meat, and Dairy ended up being my categories. While these don't cover everything, it definitely covers most of my groceries. I also bring along this freezer bag for frozen groceries. (I should also mention I shop at Aldi, which means I bag my own groceries. I wouldn't expect a bagger at another grocery store to adhere to my bag labels.)
Once I had my categories nailed down, I just neatly wrote the categories down on each bag. I thought about doing some sort of fancy cursive, but decided to stick with a simple font that can be easily read. Usually I have Archer and Lyla with me, so I need to hustle when it comes time to bag since the snacks are running low by this point in the shopping trip.
The paint pen claimed to be permanent, so I wanted to wash them once to test the claim. The bags came out great and are currently stashed in my trunk! I tried them out the other day and they worked out beautifully!
There's nothing like making grocery shopping just a little easier and more exciting!
Let me begin by saying I share these tips with the full knowledge that they won't work for everyone. Having two kids at once is perfect proof that no two kids are the same and what works one day will likely not work the next day. However, I'm sharing these tips because you never know what might work. Hopefully these tips will work for some poor parents who get the privilege of flying with a squirming toddler on their lap.
The idea of getting to share new experiences with Archer and Lyla is just plain exciting to me. I absolutely love getting to go on new adventures with my kids and see those adventures through their eyes. But getting to the location of those adventures is a whole other story!
Adam and I decided to travel to Chicago with Archer and Lyla a couple weeks ago. We landed on Chicago because it was a short flight (only about an hour) and had tons of fun things to do as a family. When we booked the flight months ago, we told ourselves the kids would be older and better equipped to handle a flight. Fast forward a few months and I was in a blind panic thinking about how in the world our energetic, willful children could possibly sit in our laps for a flight.
So I set out to prepare as much as I could. I told myself tons of people fly with toddlers all the time. We could do this! Here are a few tips that ended up helping us out:
Consider the Logistics
The first thing we had to think about were the logistics of handling the kids and luggage. We planned to get around via public transportation once we made it to Chicago. Adam felt pretty confident navigating the trains and buses. Plus, we wouldn't have to deal with parking in a busy city or bringing car seats. So that meant we would have both kids and luggage to contend with once we arrived in Chicago. Most people would just bring a stroller along, since you can gate check it at the airport. But Archer and Lyla don't like to be confined to the stroller for very long. The last thing I wanted to deal with was a bunch of luggage and two screaming toddlers in a stroller. Or having to push an empty stroller while we run after our children. Plus, I wasn't sure how getting a stroller on the train from the airport would work. After carefully considering our options and our children's temperaments, we opted not to bring a stroller to the airport. Luckily for us, the place we stayed at in Chicago had a double stroller available for us to use once we arrived at the condo.
It turned out to be the right option for us. Now, if I was traveling alone, I would definitely need the stroller to keep my kids from running away. But since both Adam and I were there, we felt comfortable with one person managing the luggage, while the other handled the kids.
Pack as Lightly as Possible
Kids definitely require a lot of stuff. But it was still my goal to pack as lightly as possible. We ended up packing two suitcases (which we checked) and two backpacks. I was pretty proud of myself for not going overboard with a bunch of stuff. I tried to stick with the stuff I knew we would definitely need (diapers, sound machines, snacks) and not get caught up trying to plan for every possible unexpected event.
I did the math to calculate approximately how many diapers we would use and only packed one extra outfit for each of us. The condo we stayed in had a washer and dryer, so I knew I could always throw in a load of laundry if necessary.
I also didn't pack a ton of toys for the kids to play with while we were in the condo. I only brought along two small cars, a pack of flashcards, two bedtime books they are familiar with and love, and balloons. The balloons are nice because they don't take up any room at all! And Archer and Lyla were perfectly content the whole time!
Another thing that helped with packing was to create little rolls to keep each kids' outfits together. I stacked shorts/skirt on top of the shirt and rolled it up with a pair of socks. That definitely saved space in the suitcase and also made it easy to get the kids ready each morning.
Run While You Can!
Allowing the kids to do a lot of walking and running prior to getting on the airplane helped them burn off some energy. The Kansas City airport wasn't very busy, so they had more room to run around without getting in other people's way. We found some stairs and let them climb them a few times. They found a little ledge that was a step off the ground and let them walk back and forth across it for awhile. We just kinda let them take the lead and move while they could.
Our flight back from Chicago was a little bit trickier. We flew out of Midway and it was definitely a lot busier and crowded than the Kansas City airport. We had to do a bit more monitoring to make sure they weren't getting in other people's way. They loved the moving walkways! Archer particularly enjoyed running full speed across them, so I'm sure I gave a few people a good show running after him before he got to the end.
Letting them move around before each flight definitely helped!
Snacks, Snacks, and More Snacks
Lyla and Archer are highly motivated by food and need to eat at least every three hours or else they get HANGRY. I made sure to pack a ton of snacks. I would wager to say 25 percent of our luggage was made up of snacks. I did not want to run out!
I also got some "new to Archer and Lyla" snacks. I picked up some snacks they hadn't ever had before in hopes that they would elicit some excitement. I also brought a few tried and true ones. It was a good thing too! I brought some of those little bread sticks you dip in cheese. While Lyla absolutely loved it, Archer was not at all interested. So I would recommend bringing a mix of both.
Cheese dip aside, I tried to pick snacks that weren't super messy. I also brought along their snack cups to help minimize dropping an entire package of teddy grahams on the floor of the airplane.
I also brought along their sippy cups. We made sure to empty them out before we went through security and fill them up with water before we got on the plane. These sippy cups worked out great because you have to suck a bit to get anything out, which helped their ears acclimate to the pressure changes. And I love them because they don't leak, even if someone happens to chuck it across the room.
Flight-Friendly Activities
I wanted to pack flight-friendly activities that wouldn't take up a lot of space or be too messy. I didn't want things with lots of little pieces that could be dropped and I didn't want anything too bulky. I also didn't want to spend a fortune buying a bunch of new things. So I settled on a good collection of things that miraculously kept Archer and Lyla entertained.
I divided up the activities and put one set in each backpack. So Adam had a set with his backpack, while I had a set in the diaper bag backpack. We switched sets on the flight home and it was like brand new activities for each kid!
Highlights Magazines- We already get a subscription to Highlights magazine (the Hello version meant for ages 0-2), so I kept the latest edition as a surprise for the flight. They always enjoy looking through the new pages. (By the way, if you enter your email address, you can get $5 off if you are interested in purchasing a subscription.) Plus, it's very thin and doesn't take up lots of space.
Indestructibles Books- Lyla and Archer got a couple of these books when they were babies (Thanks, Sherry!). They can't be ripped or torn and it doesn't matter if they get wet. I like them because they are thin and can't get damaged. I checked out a bunch at my local library (for free!) and kept them a surprise for the trip. A lot of them don't have any words, but we had fun finding different objects and pointing out colors.
Water Wow!- These were the two things I did purchase for the trip. These little books can be "painted" on with water and a picture shows up as you "paint." You just fill up the included paintbrush with a little water and you are good to go. And the when the water dries, you can re-paint the pages. Archer and Lyla did enjoy these. And the amount of water used is minimal, so it doesn't make a big mess. At one point, Lyla was just sucking water out of the paintbrush. But she was quiet and sitting still, so I just let her do it.
Kids' Meal Toys- The little cardboard things at the top right of the photo are actually toys that came with a kids' meal at Wendy's. It was just a picture with flaps you can lift up. Lyla and Archer are really into lifting and turning things, so I thought this would be high quality entertainment and it was! I've since started saving the toys from kids' meals for future trips. They don't understand a toy comes with the meal yet, so I'm just stashing them away.
Candy & A Pill Case- I brought along this activity as a last-resort sort of activity. A friend of mine (Thanks, Lindsey!) recommended this activity. They could use their problem-solving skills to get to the candy. I had an old pill case lying around, so I just washed it and brought it along. And the Smarties were leftover Easter candy...it's probably still good right? So it didn't cost a thing. Luckily, we didn't have to pull it out on the flight. But I did have to pull out some of that candy at the zoo when they were both having meltdowns. They rarely get any candy, so it's enough to pull them out of whatever craziness they are experiencing.
These activities were more than enough entertainment for the hour flight. And they didn't take up a lot of precious space or cost a fortune. Adam and I planned to use our phones, if necessary. They are big fans of looking at pictures and videos of themselves. But they did just fine with the other activities.
Hide Their Favorite Toy
My friend Kelsey (Thanks!!) gave me this tip and it was a good one! She told me to hide Lyla and Archer's favorite toy a week before the flight. I picked a stuffed Elmo for Archer and one of Lyla's baby dolls. Then, when they got a bit restless, Adam and I pulled out their toys and you should have seen the joy on their faces! They definitely spent some time just looking at and snuggling their toys.
It Doesn't Hurt to Ask
We had the biggest stroke of luck on our flight to Chicago. As we were boarding, the attendant told us there were supposed to be a few empty seats on our flight. So that meant Archer and Lyla could have a seat to themselves! We didn't even think to ask this question and were so thankful this kind lady told us. So it definitely doesn't hurt to ask if there are empty seats if you happen to have a child who's going to sit on your lap. We weren't as lucky on the return flight, so they had to sit in our laps. There was still lots of wiggling, but we managed.
I should also mention that we couldn't sit in the same row. There are only 4 oxygen masks per row (3 seats, at least on Southwest flights), so Lyla and I sat in front of Adam and Archer. I think this was actually a really good thing. They tend to feed off of each other, so I think they would have been more rambunctious if they had been able to see each other. I think it also worked out to sit next to the window. They could look out the window obviously, but it also trapped them in a bit. I don't think they realized people were walking in the aisle, so they didn't think to try to get up. It also helped to have strangers sitting next to us. They don't mind smiling and waving at strangers, but they didn't want to climb across their laps.
All in all, the plane rides turned out far better than I imagined! Adam and I tried to control what we could, but then just went with the flow for the rest of it. More trips are definitely in our future! Though, maybe not anytime too soon.
We just got back from our very first family vacation! We've visited family before, but this was our first big adventure as a family. A lot of thought and planning went into our trip to make it the best it could be. The first big decision to make was deciding our destination. We wanted to take advantage of flying somewhere without having to pay for a ticket for Archer and Lyla. (Kids can ride on your lap for free up until they are two years old.) But we didn't want to travel too far away because there's no way our kids could handle a long flight at this point. We also wanted to be able to take advantage of a place we could walk around or use public transportation so we wouldn't have to worry about renting a car or bringing along car seats.
So with all those factors in mind, we settled on Chicago. It was just over an hour from Kansas City. Plus, we felt comfortable using the public transportation (and wouldn't need to lug along car seats) since Adam and I have traveled there before. In fact, that's were Adam proposed to me! So it definitely holds a special place in my heart.
The part I was most nervous about was the flight. Lyla and Archer do not sit still. Like, not ever. They will sit in my lap for about 20 seconds for a snuggle occasionally. They can make it a bit longer if we're reading books, but even then we're talking minutes. Not an entire hour. And I wasn't sure if they would have any issues with their ears. So I pretty much thought they would do terrible and it would be a horrible experience.
I am very pleased to say I was wrong! Thanks to some careful planning and packing beforehand, we managed to keep them entertained on the plane ride there! It was incredibly lucky that the flight we were on had a few empty seats, so they actually got to sit in a seat instead of our laps. (I'm working on a post where I'll share a few tips and tricks that worked for us.)
Once we got there, we took the train from the airport to our condo for the stay. We were quite happy once we finally arrived! It was hard work lugging around toddlers and suitcases, but we managed! We ended up booking a place through VRBO. It turned out to be the perfect place for us! It was located along the Gold Coast, which was close to the majority of the places we wanted to see. It had two bedrooms, a bathroom (with a tub for bath time), a kitchen, a washer & dryer, a long hallway perfect for running down, and four flights of stairs. Archer and Lyla are in love with climbing stairs all by themselves right now, so it might have been their favorite part of the whole trip. It also came equipped with two pack 'n plays, a high chair (two were promised, but only one ended up being available), and a double stroller.
It was still being cleaned when we arrived, so we dropped off our suitcases and took the kids to get some deep dish pizza. This was well after their normal lunch time and smack-dab in the middle of nap time. We fully expected some epic meltdowns, but Archer and Lyla had a blast! I think they were too busy taking in all their new surroundings to think about how hungry and tired they really were. Off to Lou Malnati's we went! It was just as delicious as we remembered it to be and so much fun to get to watch Lyla and Archer gobble up the pizza.
After our late lunch, we headed back to our condo so the kids could take some much needed naps. While they were napping, I unpacked a bit while Adam went to a nearby grocery store to pick up a few breakfast items. Since we had had such an eventful day, we took it easy the rest of the day. Bedtime was a bit rough. We figured they would be fine since they went right to sleep for their nap. We were wrong. We tried to put them both in the same bedroom, but they just set each other off and it was a big hollering mess. Our kids are very good sleepers...so long as they have their own crib in their own room. So this new environment was definitely throwing them off. Eventually, we moved one kid to each room and got them to sleep. Whew! Adam and I were ready for bed that night!
We slept in the same room as Archer. He decided to wake up around 4:50 the next morning. I stuck him in between Adam and I in our bed and he slept a bit longer. Archer apparently rolls all over the place while he's sleeping. I'm not even sure how, but he ended up laying horizontally across my pillow. So, needless to say, I didn't get back to sleep. Eventually he woke up again and I just took him out to the living room to play while Adam and Lyla got a bit more shuteye.
On a side note, I only packed a few small things to play with while we were there. I brought along two small cars, a few books, a box of picture flashcards, and some balloons. And that was more than enough to keep them occupied. Now I'm thinking all those minimalist parents are onto something!
Once everyone was up and had eaten breakfast, we headed off for the Shedd Aquarium. It was just a six minute walk to the bus, so I said, "I think we can get away with not taking the stroller." Famous last words. The kids did enjoy walking around and were pretty good about holding our hands, but they did want to be carried a fair amount. They enjoyed the bus ride, until Lyla ran out of her snack. I'm pretty sure all the passengers were happy when we finally got off the bus.
Adam and I both thought the kids would love the aquarium! They love to look at the fish in our fish tank at home and read books with fish in them. But they didn't seem to really enjoy the aquarium. They did like to see some of the exhibits, but were just generally pretty whiny. I thought it would be a great idea to go to the dolphin show. We sat there for about two minutes until we looked at our two loud, squirming children and decided it was a stupid idea and left. Luckily, Adam and I were able to just laugh it off. We did keep exchanging looks as our cranky children kept having fits and gazed longingly at the other kids sitting nicely in their strollers. I made a mental note to bring the stroller from here on out!
It happened to be Father's Day and I kept wishing Adam a "Happy Father's Day!" whenever one of them screamed. Here's a little video to showcase some of our fun:
We got some lunch at the aquarium, attempted to see a few more exhibits, then decided to head back to our condo. Archer fell asleep in Adam's arms on the bus. Lyla decided she wanted her daddy, so we switched kids during our ride. Once we got off the bus, I carried Archer and Adam carried Lyla. I didn't realize how much they help me when I'm carrying them until I carried my limp, sleeping toddler down the streets of Chicago. We made it back to the condo in time for Archer to finish his nap and Lyla to start hers. Once they woke up, we headed out for an early dinner. We made sure to bring along the stroller this time! Archer and Lyla loved sitting in it and looking at everything. I think they were fully able to take in the sights and it was fun to watch how they reacted. There was one point when an ambulance drove by with the sirens on and it scared Lyla. She was fine once I held her hand. Adam enjoys trying new beers, so we thought we'd give Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery a try. While Adam did enjoy his beer, the food and service was just okay. I wouldn't really recommend it. We headed back to the condo afterwards to turn in for the night.
The next morning, we decided to venture out for some breakfast and then hit up Navy Pier. We tried to go to 3rd Coast Cafe, but it happened to be opening later than usual. Archer and Lyla don't exactly wait patiently for food, so we ended up going to The Original Pancake House. It's just a chain, but it was close by and turned out to be yummy. Usually, Adam and I like to try to eat at unique, local restaurants, but we needed to find a place before Lyla or Archer got too hangry. We made sure to stick them in the stroller as well and they were happy to ride along.
After breakfast, we hopped on a bus to Navy Pier. We were a little unsure how getting two toddlers on the bus along with a stroller would work out, but it turned out just fine. I got the kids on while Adam wrangled the stroller aboard. Luckily, it wasn't very crowded.
We made it to Navy Pier and walked around. It was pretty chilly, so I'm glad we all had jackets. We let the kids get out at several spots to run around. They had a blast climbing on railings and benches and playing with the buckles on the stroller while Adam and I enjoyed the views.
Adam actually proposed to me at Navy Pier! So it holds a special place in my heart. It was even more special that we got to bring Lyla and Archer to that very spot and snap a picture.
Even though we'd eaten breakfast not too much earlier, we grabbed a quick bite so the kids would stay happy. We walked around a bit more and then took the bus back to our condo just in time for nap time.
When they woke up, we took advantage of happy hour at Centennial Crafted Beer & Eatery. They had a nice selection of craft beers and delicious food. Lyla was especially fond of the beer cheese dip and chips. It had a very nice atmosphere, fun decor, and our server was very kind and accommodating to our crazy kids. Luckily it was early, because Archer and Lyla decided to be very vocal. They were happy, but they were loud! We walked back to the condo for the evening with full bellies.
The next morning, we decided to hit up the Lincoln Park Zoo. We considered going to the Chicago Children's Museum, but figured Archer and Lyla still might be a bit young to truly enjoy it. Plus, the zoo was free!
We stopped by 3rd Coast Cafe again for breakfast and luckily it was open. It was delicious and definitely worth a visit. We walked through Lincoln Park on our way to the zoo. It's a super nice park! We walked around this pond that had a nice boardwalk all around it. Archer and Lyla loved running around it and looking at all the flowers, birds, ducks, and geese. I think they actually had more fun there than at the zoo!
We made it to the zoo and Lyla decided to promptly fall down and scrape her hand and knee. It set her off and kind of set the tone for the rest of the day. It was a really nice zoo, but we didn't see many animals. And it got pretty crowded. Plus, Archer and Lyla were just crabby! They didn't want to ride in the stroller, but they didn't want to hold our hands or go where we told them too. I think all the people around didn't help. I think they tend to get overwhelmed when we're in big crowds, Lyla especially. So we exited the zoo with two screaming toddlers. Once we got back to the park area with fewer people, they calmed down. Or it might have been the Smarties I gave to them to get them to stop screaming so people would stop looking at us.
So after their candy, we decided to go get ice cream for lunch. We are wonderful parents. But I must say, Lyla and Archer's spirits soared once we got to Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream. It was super cute and the ice cream was delicious! After we got the kids all sugared up, we headed back to the condo so they could crash.
When they woke up from their naps, Adam had the idea to take them to see Lake Michigan. The weather had been pretty chilly and cloudy, but the sun came out and it seemed like the perfect excuse to go check out the water. Our condo was located a block away from the coast, so we didn't have to go very far to see the water. There's a nice path all along the coast. Walking along the path was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Archer and Lyla were happily gazing at the water. There were pretty views of the skyline to take in. The sun was shining and the temperature was perfect. We passed by some parents with newborn twins along the way. It helped me remember how far Lyla and Archer have come! And how far Adam and I have come as parents.
We stopped at one of the beaches so Archer and Lyla could dip their toes in the water. Archer was excited to get into the water, but as soon as the chilly water touched his toes, he turned right around. He found a stick on the beach and was quite content to drag it around in the sand.
Lyla, on the other hand, loved the water! She kept her feet in until Adam had to take her out because she started shivering! She also enjoyed the sand and even tried a mouthful of it.
We wrapped up our last evening eating some more pizza at Giordano's. While it was good, it doesn't top Lou Malnati's in our book. As soon as the pizza arrived, both Adam and I said we should have eaten at Lou's again.
Despite Archer and Lyla having their moments, it was an awesome vacation! Adam and I feel so lucky we have our sweet little family and the ability to give them new opportunities. Our vacation also gave us the confidence to think about planning more vacations in the future. It's a big, beautiful world out there full of all kinds of places and people and experiences. I'm pretty excited it's my job to expose Archer and Lyla to this wonderful world of ours!
