Happy 4th of July!
Today is one of the days we traditionally venture out as a family each year. We aim to visit a new park, catch the 4th of July parade, and have a picnic lunch all before nap time. Then, fireworks, of course!
The 4th isn’t our only adventure filled day though. During the summer months we are on the go much more often than normal. I mean, who isn’t? Summer = vacation! Summer = fun! Plus my kids are the lucky ones who have both a grandma and aunt who are teachers so we always have extra helpers tagging along on our adventures. And, for that, I am so very thankful!
This summer already we’ve hit the beach, a nature trail, the splash pad, and too many playgrounds to count. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t hard to pack up and make memories away from home, but, it’s worth it … I think. I mean, my kids will look back fondly on these days I’m sure.
In the vein of trying to be prepared for all these summer outings I’ve revamped what all I carry in my purse. It’s been a long time since I gave you a peek in side my mama bag, like pre-Reid, I think. So, I figured, since my summer bag has extra essentials and stuff for a little mover once again now was as good as ever!
When I stock my bag before a summer outing I like to methodically work through each kid and imagine what they need from the ground up. By ground, I mean, nakedness. And by nakedness, I mean, what would I do if everything we had got puked or pooped on? From there I assess the weather and the length of our trip and each kid’s individual favorites. Then I multiply everything by 2 just to be on the safe side. This usually leaves me packing 2 bags … one to tote along with us and a spare for the car. Whatevs. This is the magical life known as “3 kids”.
Diapers + Wipes — Is it too obvious that diapers and wipes are the first thing that go into my bag? They’re definitely essentials and recently we’ve fallen in love wth Huggies Little Movers for Reid. He has started doing this inchworm crawl thing … yes, at just 6 months! … and all his wiggling means he needs a diaper that is ready to move and groove with him. Huggies diapers have a stretchy SnugFit waistband that keep everything in place and I’m happy to report, thanks to that and Huggie’s leak lock protection we have yet to experience any type of poo-splosion while on the go!
Outfit Changes — Rather than packing entire outfits for each kiddo I keep a spare swimsuit for everyone with me. That way, if we need an outfit change or if we stumble upon a splash pad, we’re ready to go! Summer simplicity at its best!
Sunglasses — Do you kids complain like crazy when the sun is in their eyes? Mine do!
Snacks — Duh.
Sunscreen — Honestly, I alternate between sunscreen and a combo of hats/SPF clothing. Sunscreen is just so messy and I seem to always miss a spot on someone.
Binoculars — Max’s must have for anything new we explore. (He’s always on the lookout for eagles these days).
Entertainment — Here’s a confession, our new van has a DVD player and if we go on long drives I like to surprise the kids with a car movie. It keeps them quiet so I can think while I drive. Brilliant, I know. I always pack a book for me too. You never know when you’ll be nap trapped! For the bag that stays in the car I’ve also been trying to remember to grab a ball for park stops and some Reid-proof toys too.
Towel + Blanket — They’re both so versatile when we’re out and about so I keep a handful of each in the car for helping with messes, providing shade, and giving Reid a soft place to roll around.
Ice Cream Money — Also known as mom’s wallet.
Calendar — For planning play dates and organizing more adventures!
… and my regular purse stuff too. But that’s not as exciting to read about :)
Is it time to give your mom bag an overhaul for summer? Gather your essentials from home, make a shopping list for what you need and take note of this fabulous savings at Sam’s Club!
Through July 17th you can save $3 instantly on Huggies Little Movers at Sam’s Clubs, no coupon needed. You can pop into the store or order online. The savings is valid either way – yippee! Also through the 17th you can enter to win a $500 Sam’s Club gift card. What the what? $500 would go a long way in outfitting any mama’s summer adventure bag! Enter below …
That’s a good idea to think about the kids from the ground up. I’ve been caught with not enough stuff a few times and regretted it. And I love that you have binoculars I’m the bag!