In 3 days, my girls are going to get the surprise of their lives. We are taking them on a surprise trip to Disneyworld. Actually, my MOM is taking ALL OF US to Disneyworld, along with my brother, his wife, and little boy Garon.
I can hardly contain my excitement! This week is going to be pure heaven for the girls. From riding in an airplane to eating with the princesses, this week will be a week my girls (and I) will never forget!
BUT, it has been a little bit tricky to pack/prepare for this trip without the girls knowing. While I know a bulk of the packing will be done the night before after the girls are asleep (we are leaving our house at 4:15 in the morning...ouch!), there are a few things I have been doing to make that time less hectic:
1. Getting the house clean and in order.
While this isn't always the easiest with a 4 year old, I am trying to work room by room to make sure I come home to a clean house (a thing of mine...). I started in less used spaces, and the day before, will do a massive clean of the main areas of the house, hopefully only having to pick up a few things here and there before we leave.
2. Packing little by little...and stashing it in hiding places.
Now, the key to this is not forgetting where you have stashed everything. 8 ) I started out by packing backpacks, snacks, paperwork, etc...things I don't need to do laundry for. Here are a few things I have already packed:
Snacks:
I packed a bunch of snacks (for the airplane and to keep on hand) in a Thirty One cooler bag. I will be adding some peanut butter sandwiches and chips to this, as we may not have enough time to grab lunch during our layover in Texas (we are flying out of Grand Island). This will be super handy to pull out and to keep all food/drink organized. This will fit in my backpack perfectly.
Play things for the girls:
I filled these Thirty One fold-n-go's with goodies for the girls. Coloring books, activity books, colors, games...another item I can pull out on the airplane to keep them busy.
(I have a smaller backpack I will be taking with me (photo coming soon)that I will use for the theme parks. I wanted to only take one, but found I needed a slightly larger one for the traveling part of the trip. When we get to the resort, I will do some reorganizing and put the things we need for the day in the smaller backpack).
Important Cards:
I make and sell these holders at my shop...they are perfect for organizing your license, insurance cards, credit cards, photopass cards, etc....this way I don't have to get my bulky billfold out everytime I need one of those all important cards.They are also perfect to slide into your back pocket, which will be ideal in the airport and at the themeparks where we will be needing to pull out the photopass card for pictures they take inside the park.
All of those other little things:
Then you have all of the other little items-tissue, wet wipes, sunscreen...I have packed them all in this little case. I like doing this versus throwing them in the bag and having to dig for them. (Doesnt help that I LOVE this little case...)
3. Lists
I have been adding items to a list as I have thought about them for weeks now...from remembering to call the school (another thing I was able to get done in secret) to items I don't want to forget.
4. Technology organization
Don't forget that camera battery that needs to be charged (plus, don't forget the charger...for your camera, phone, etc). I have made sure that my camera is empty of photos as well, leaving all the room I will need to take photos during the trip. I also packed an extra card, just in case I fill up the one I have (which is likely...). If you don't have a rechargeable battery, don't forget to pack those batteries, you will likely need them.
Laptop-I am leaving mine home...my husband will be taking his. We plan to pack a movie or two so the girls can watch them on his computer if needed. Be sure to pack all of the cords, etc that you need to keep it charged and running.
Doing these things ahead of time will really help me out when I am frantically trying to pack after the girls go to sleep Friday Night (especially if Dan and I want to get any sleep at all). I will be sure to have all laundry done, then I can just follow my list, pack our bags, and load them in the truck. They won't know a thing. 8 )
How are we pulling off the surprise?
We are going to tell them that we are going to the airport to pick up a relative-this will be an easy sell as with my mom being sick, we have had a lot of company lately...We will go into the airport as though we are going in to find them. I will have these posters in a backpack or gift bag for the 'guest we are greeting' and while someone takes the kids in one direction, Aaron (my brother), Tina (his wife) and my husband Dan will each take a poster. We will point the kids in their direction, tell them that we aren't really picking up a relative, but we are...cue cards...GOING TO DISNEYWORLD!!! Oh, to see the looks on their faces...I can not wait!!!
More to come...8 )
xoxo
