There is nothing like a snow day to make you think about escaping to somewhere warm! I know that some people like to head to slopes on February break but I always prefer a warm weather destination. Getting away from the grey and wind of Nantucket to sit in the sun, by the pool, with a tropical drink is my idea of a true vacay. This year, I am taking my daughter on her first cruise! The week of warmth will certainly provide the mental reset needed to get us through the rest of winter!
Since I am stuck at home on this stormy day and our vacation is less than two weeks away, I have decided to start packing. Some may call me an over-packer but I would call it being prepared. I like to have everything we will need to make our trip as relaxing as possible. Of course, I pack all the basics. I’ve pulled our summer stuff out of storage, tried on last year’s bathing suits, and figured out what we still need. I find clothes to be the easy part though. Bathing suits, a few shorts and tees, an easy dress to throw on for dinner. Since the main goal is relaxation, we don’t need too much in the clothing department. But, once the clothes are picked out, I may start to get a little carried away!
Well, sun protection is essential for a Caribbean cruise. My daughter and I are both big fans of the Sun Bum kid’s spray. Cassidy loves that it smells like bubble gum and I like that it has been made to spray on to wet skin. It’s hard enough to get kids out of the pool for a sunscreen break, never mind making them wait until they are dry. As some destinations are getting more serious about protecting their reefs, a port or two ours require mineral sunscreen. So, we are bringing a sunstick from All Good as well. It’s great mineral-based protection and the solid stick can go in our carryon instead of needing to be checked. As a bug spray spill in the luggage isn’t something I am willing to risk for a chance of bugginess, a sheet of Nantucket Spider bug repellant stickers is much easier to pack. And, you’ve got have a hat. I will happily sport some Bartlett’s garb on the ship. It’s always fun to see how many people out there are fans of the farm.
Since we will be someplace warm, there will be plenty of pool time. Both Cassidy and I are fish. We are more than happy to spend most of our down time in the pool. As water play is such an important part of a vacation for us, I make sure we have all of our pool essentials. I have found sinkies to be the best way for my kiddo to make vacation friends. As soon as I spy her checking out a potential playmate, I offer to get her sinkies out. Once she throws those a time or two, she has usually attracted the attention of other children and, suddenly, she no longer needs me to entertain her. (Mom score!) At that point, I can hop out and read for a bit or just chill on my floatie. I love an inflatable hammock for travel. They pack up small, aren’t too difficult to blow up with lung power, and can be used in many different ways. When we eventually get out of the water, I am so happy to have my Sand Cloud towel instead of the provided pool towels. Oversized, quick drying, and so soft, it’s hard to go back to thick and heavy beach towels. Plus, it will make a great plane blanket on the way down.
After the warm weather and pool necessities are packed, I start squeezing in the gear items. This is where many people will say I get carried away but I like to take all the things I know we will use. We pack quite a few hydration items, water bottle, tumblers for cocktails/soda, and a thermos for coffee. As a solo mom, I don’t really have the option of running out and grabbing coffee in the early morning. Instead, I fill up my thermos after dinner so I have nice warm coffee while we chill in the room the next morning. After I am done with coffee, it’s time to switch to a tumbler. Instead of sweaty, poolside cups filled with melting ice, I can savor my nice and cool cocktail for as long as necessary. Never knowing when you’ll be stuck with a paper straw, I make sure to pack a few stainless ones. We use them in our tumblers and they are great for the frappes my kid will want at least once day. (It is vacation after all!) A couple of snack bags are great for packing up buffet leftovers so I am never stuck with a hungry kid. And, since I am bringing sunscreen, pool toys, towels, drink containers… I will definitely need a bag. The farm’s lightweight shopping totes make a great vacation, pool bag. They fold up really small for packing but hold all of our daily “essentials”. The hope is we come home sun-kissed, relaxed, and ready to take on March.
