Happy Turkey Season everyone!!
I feel like I haven't blogged in ages! It's crazy how time just whizzes by in the weeks between Halloween and Thanksgiving.
It has been a whirl wind around our house ever since.
Brett has been working LOOONNGGG weeks, I say weeks because we don't see him throughout the week, only on Sundays. Gratefully he was able to have 2 Saturdays in a row off. I couldn't tell you the last time I remember that happening!
We also have been trying to plan our Thanksgiving. About a month or so ago, Brett informed me that he was able to take a WHOLE WEEK off of work for Thanksgiving, December is going to be crazy busy at work and he isn't going to get anytime off.
A WHOLE WEEK people!! Let me just tell you the last time the hubbs even had more than just a weekend off........ ummm..........
NEVER!
(since he became a pilot anyways)
Wait! There was that time we decided to make a move cross country in 20 days, he had a week off of work then. But cleaning, packing, 2 1/2 days of driving and trying to find someone to rent your house 1,280 miles away is NOT a vacation!
Sorry for my ranting... On with the point.
Since we decided we needed to take advantage of this rare opportunity, and we have been dying to see
San Antonio since we came to Texas. I am SOOO excited to tell you that we are making it happen!
AND I may even tell you that SHAMU is involed!
YAY!
As long as in the next few days we don't learn that Azure needs knee surgery!
Follow up on that bit later.
Now I will admit that we have not been on a real family vacation. This will be the 1st real family vacation with all 3 of us and only all 3 of us. We also have a very limiting expense budget for this trip.
Brett and I agreed that we would use the $ we would have spent on each other at christmas and put it towards this trip. And since I have had Azure's Christmas shopping done since....... September and only spent $38!
black friday shopping!
(sniff sniff)
We will be spending 6 days away and with our limited $ we have been working our behinds off in creating magic for this trip. Some of those tricks involve camping 2 nights. Its way cheaper than a hotel, and we have been feeling really deprived from camping this year. It's just too darn HOT in the summer.
We also are planning on eating out for only 2 meals the WHOLE week! The nights that we are in a hotel I plan on taking the crockpot and a few freezer meals.
Lunches and snacks will be prepared ahead of time for on the go.
Breakfast will be provided by the hotel, but for those mornings that we will be camping I have prepared freezer breakfast burritos & bacon, egg and cheese mcmuffins that we can warm up over the fire. MMmmmmm....
For all of this to go down I had to put my OCD pants on (which is more common than not, lately).
For example, I will confess to my siblings that I am now the mystery cup thief.
Growing up in my house back in the day we had a running joke that we liked to call the vanishing cup. If you left a glass empty/full unattended for a second, it would find its way magically (by mom) to the dishwasher.
For example, you could think you are alone be alone in the house, get a cup from the cupboard, go to the fridge to get the milk and when you turn around the cup had vanished and could be found in the dishwasher!!
NO JOKE!
hahaha.....
There have been several occasions where Brett's glass has gone "missing" because he left it out. I HATE clutter and to me anything out of its place or in sight is CLUTTER!
I'm being serious, the older I get the crazier I become! But its a good crazy... until I am hauled off in a straight jacket.
Anyways, to prepare for this vacation, I made my lists. Lists are a must in my everyday life, otherwise I get distracted and forget what I am doing. I'm like a monkey, show me something shiny and its over from there.
Well I thought I would share my lists with y'all just incase you have a vacation coming up. You can download and print them off so I have done all the planning and organizing for you!
Here are what MY lists look like...
Having a typed up Itinerary dates back to my parents. I remember my Dad always had his "lists" and a vacation Itinerary was always one of them.
To me it is essential if you're heading on a sight-seeing vacation. Knowing the hours of operation of the places you want to visit ahead of time lets you fit more into your days. You are also able to visualize and plan things by location, cost, length of time you plan on spending at that spot and so on. It is also a good idea to check out locations websites to find out what they allow you to bring with you, any discounts or coupons offered, and if kids are free. In our case since Azure is under 2 she is FREE with everything!!!
Here is a blank copy...
Since we do not have the luxury of eating out for every meal. A menu is crucial for many reasons.
#1: it prevents me from giving into the temptation of just eating out anyways. If I'm going to put the time and effort into prep work, I'm not going to "waste" it.
#2: my hubbs is... a MAN, and when looking for something to eat, I can guide him/hand him an already planned out meal; instead of the usual opening the fridge/pantry/cooler and waiting for something to smack him in the face.
I know you all know what I am talking about!
All meals I will have prepared ahead of time whether it be that they are a freezer meal meant for the crockpot, or sandwiches already assembled. To make it so that the food stays fresh and organized; here is what I do.
I do not put condiments on anything. I have been gathering ketchup, mustard and mayo packets anytime I have had the opportunity.
I wash all fruit and veggies and put them in single serving containers. That way when needed I can reach into the cooler and they are ready to go.
I make my own trail mix (hubbs doesn't like nuts). I mix whatever I want into a large ziploc bag. In this case my "Surprise Mix" contains: dried tropical fruit, yogurt raisins, mini marshmallows, dried berries, white cheddar goldfish, and m&ms. Weird combo, I know, but everyone LOVES it!
Since I am a soda girl, Dr P is my drug. And Brett likes Gatorade. That is what I bring. I also bring our water bottles that we can refill any chance we get. And since Seaworld does not let you bring in any drink that has a plastic cap, straw or anything harmful to the animals; it is another good reason why water bottles are great. I also got juice boxes for Azure and will just transfer the juice to her sippy cup.
The day before we leave is my food prep day. Unless its a freezer meal, then I have it assembled already!
Our camping meals I have prepared already. Breakfasts are already cooked, wrapped in tinfoil and frozen. Then all we have to do is throw them in the fire for a couple minutes to heat up. Hobo dinners I will have put together, wrapped in tinfoil. Then when it is time to cook, all I have to do is throw them in the fire and watch them cook! And for easy clean up in the hotel with the crockpot, I like to use Reynolds slow cooker liners. I use these on a regular basis at home too.
When using a cooler, I hate things being wet from ice. So I saw an idea somewhere that if you freeze your milk or a milk jug of water, you can use that as an ice pack. I'm going to try this out. But since I have frozen food that needs to stay frozen for a couple of days til I can transfer to a fridge I will also put everything in individual freezer ziploc bags and use ice.
This week I also made a batch of cookie dough. On my food prep day I can easily throw a batch in the oven to take with us.
When we normally camp, we each have a mess kit. We will be taking these and will also use them in the hotel. I put these together last summer. They each include a durable plastic plate, matching cup, coleman cutlery set in a mesh drawstring bag. Easy to clean, afterwards you put them in the bag and hang to dry.
Here is a blank copy of the MENU....
Next is my Supply List...
I'm missing a few things on the list, but you get the idea.
And since I hate clutter, I will be using bins, containers and totes for all loose Items. Just like I enjoy having a clutter free home, I enjoy having a clutter free car.
Here is a blank copy.
And because I pack EVERYONE'S bags...
Yes I pack Brett's bag. Otherwise who knows what he would bring, if anything at all!
And to save space/make it easy. I put all of mine and Azure's individual outfits in ziploc bags with the day of the week labeled on the front. That way there is no digging through bags searching for a missing sock or lost jammies. Though I do not do this with Brett's bag, I have to draw the line somewhere with my craziness!
I also am not packing any "extra" clothing, I figure if worse comes to worse I can use the hotels coin laundry mat. That is when those free laundry samples that come in the mail come in handy!
All these lists I will have with me during the trip, including brochures, tickets, maps and any other info.
This might not be new info for you, you are all so much wiser than I am. But this is what I do and what works for me. I have used this method with other trips, times away or anything that involves planning.
Hope y'all have a Happy Thanksgiving and if you find my printables desirable feel free to use them, and don't forget to leave me a comment if you like them! :)
