Travel Made Easy with journeyBee
I love traveling. Except for the part about the schlepping of the stuff, especially the bulky, heavy stuff such as travel cribs. So I was intrigued to learn that there was a new (parent-designed) travel crib in town, and then find out that journeyBee delivers what it promises. Weighing in under 12 pounds (about half the weight of other play yards), and decidedly easier to schlep (the crib folds down flat and comes with a travel bag), it takes about 2 seconds to pop open and maybe 5-20 seconds (depending on how good you are at following left/right instructions) to fold down. I initially wondered about the coziness of a crib that sits directly on the floor (compared to footed travel cribs), but journeyBee has a nice, thick mattress pad and fleece cover sheet.
Today is the first day of November (!) which for me signals -- among other things -- the approach of the holidays. Every year, Jon and I try to minimize holiday stress (incidentally, I'm super excited about the ideas Asha and I share on this topic in 
Our final site visit in Ethiopia represented the awesome and the ironic. 
Ever since reading Roger Thurow's 
The more Ethiopian families I've met and the longer the time apart from my family grows, I find myself increasingly wondering about how the girls are doing in school. Did Laurel have a good day? Was the special Italian, art, music, or gym? [I can never keep the schedule straight.] What songs did Violet sing today at circle? All of what I envision -- the shiny classrooms, piles of books, and endless snack supply -- lies in stark contrast to what I'm seeing on the ground in Ethiopia, whether at 
Today was a day of inspiration. We rose at 4am and flew from Addis Ababa to Bahir Dar. We then spent many hours traversing bumpy rural roads on a bus. Our first two stops were the Madera Woreda Health Office and Anbesame Health Center, which both benefit from 
This morning the 
I have been a complete jumble of emotions since arriving in Addis Ababa on the 
The beginning of my journey to Ethiopia was not ideal. I slept through my 3:30 am alarm and was woken to the sound of my phone ringing -- the cab company calling to find out why I missed my 4:15 am reservation. Luckily, they doubled back and I made it to my flight out of Boston (barely). Then we had a 5 hour delay in Dulles (I am forever grateful to my friend 
A month from today I head to Ethiopia as part of 
Last month I sailed the 
Today, 
Ah, car travel. Often necessary for getting from point A to point B, and also characteristically challenging for parents. Today, 
Happy snowy Tuesday everyone! I hope you all had a lovely and reflective long weekend. This morning I wanted to share one timely online event + some other fun updates. First, today at 1pm ET, I'll be co-hosting a live chat on 
Laurel typically enjoys quite a bit of generosity from her relatives during the holidays, so in the Christmas aftermath, it's particularly impressive when one thing captures her attention. And, well, ours too. This year, that thing is 
Pursuant to yesterday's 
Ever since Sarah shared her 
I admittedly tend to shy away from plastic toys, but we recently caved and bought the 
Today, 
Though it's been in operation since 1954, 
I'm not sure if all families experience this, but in the past I have found family vacation planning a little challenging even with just two grownups and one (very vocal) child verbalizing preferences. Which is probably why we haven't done much in the way of just-us (vs. trips to see friends or family) family vacations. However, 
Since Violet's arrival, I've been wondering whether we need to upgrade from our little four door sedan to something like a small-footprint wagon or SUV to accommodate our expanded family (not to mention an extra booster for Laurel's playdate buddies). We haven't taken any steps on car shopping so far, instead opting for super minimal packing when it's time for car travel. During our getaway this past weekend, I jotted down some minimalist travel tips that I thought would be useful as you pack for summer travel. I hope these are helpful, and if you have other favorite minimalist travel tips, please feel free to share them in the comments below!
Today, 
Pregnancy hasn't slowed me down at all, but when I travel, I do now feel more acutely the burden of toting luggage along with my front-riding precious cargo. So I was thrilled to learn about 
If you didn't have a chance to watch 
Today's 
Since Laurel is academically oriented by nature, this summer I've been all about simply playing and getting her outside and active. However, she loves activity books and they are my go-to item to bring to restaurants and when we travel, and we also use them for quiet time at home. And whether you want to use activity books to warm your child up before the school year starts, or simply want to use them on the go or at home as we do, check out 
Today, 
Here are some lovely links that caught my eye this week around the web. Clearly I've got DIY projects (and travel) on my mind. I love this pretty 
Today's 
In a fit of panic during the (first) great flood of 2010, Jon and I made the mistake of using one of Laurel's (ratty but apparently beloved) beach towels to soak up water in the basement. She was distraught. It subsequently was oddly fortuitous that I received a 
Already longing for your next vacation? Today, 
When I travel, I try valiantly to stay hydrated and consume lots of fruits and vegetables, but despite my best efforts, invariably I crave a huge salad on return. And on Sunday after Jon and Laurel picked me up at the airport, we decided to celebrate the conclusion of a rather 
Apologies for my reduced posting this week, but, save a couple of brief 
I admittedly have a bit of a weak spot for creative and colorful educational toys (especially those under $10), so this weekend when Laurel and I picked up 
A few weeks ago I experienced a rather 
So much of parenting is about modeling behavior. And though Laurel is a ways away from having her own phone, I know she is well aware of my phone and my behavior with it. And this is what the 
Today, 
Never more evident as when you’re trying to pack for car or air travel, kids have a lot of stuff. And that’s why I think the 
Air travel is challenging for many families in this economy, but the good news is that there’s a way to grow your child’s awareness of the world on a budget (think staycation!). 
Probably due at least in part to feeling conspicuous as one of a few minority families in our town growing up, I have a residual thing about blending in when I travel. Though I don’t bat an eyelash when I see tourists out and about, you'll never catch me holding up a map at a congested intersection in an unfamiliar city. So on my recent 
Today, 
You know you’re either terribly predictable or somewhat loved when folks write in asking if you’re trapped under something really heavy on a day (yesterday) with no posts or 
Need a 
We do lots of arts and crafts at our house, but every now and then I discover a magical item that positively consumes Laurel, be it at home, while waiting at a restaurant, or during travel. The Orb Factory’s sticky mosaic kits currently are Laurel’s project of choice; she's so instantly, happily, and independently engrossed in these kits that they even allow me some time to catch up on work or household matters nearby.
Welcome to 
The busiest travel holiday of the year is fast approaching, and today 
It’s not easy drumming up new material when your kid asks you to conjure a story, but luckily, parents now can find relief and inspire their child’s creativity with a nifty twist on choose your own adventure. Written by Newburyport based author Jennifer Karin Sidford, 
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
For compact travel toys, I love the concept of magnetic or reusable sticker books, but we’ve repeatedly been disappointed by the mediocre magnetism or stick of several brands. That is, until we tried Mudpuppy’s 
Here’s a fun twist on the camping experience. Reader Maureen from Newton 
My first visit to Florida was not a pleasant one. I was there against my will (the mere beginnings of my dysfunctional relationship with my postdoc advisor…), presenting data I barely understood for an otolaryngology conference (don’t try to say that 3 times fast). And I wasn’t alone in my suffering. I lured poor Jon to join me, with promises of calm beaches, nature excursions, and swimming with manatees. Little did we know that the hotel was simultaneously hosting Canadian Spring Break and Harley Davidson Week (hence the bargain hotel rates), and the manatees had long since swum off for cooler waters.
We’ve been on the go a lot these days, and waiting anywhere got a whole lot easier once I started toting Laurel’s 
Compared to some of our other jet setting friends, it took us a long time to get around to flying with Laurel, and things went remarkably well. In part, I think this was related to traveling with a 3-year-old who can sink her teeth into an activity with relative independence, communicate needs, understand instructions, and not need as much gear. But we also made some planning decisions that made travel enormously easier; here I share them with you:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
with extensive experience with other Aquadoodle products weren’t as happy with this new entry in the Aquadoodle line, but as newbies to Aquadoodle, we have no complaints. If traveling, we’d just suggest bringing a bottle of water along to keep the pen (and yourself) hydrated during the journey.
