Traveling with kids can keep a Mom super busy and the right travel bag can make your life substantially easier. The more organized you are the better. But, everyone has different needs, so I tried out all these bags and found them to be excellent choices for a variety of reasons. Many address different needs from helping you be organized, fashionable, carry food, swimsuits and more.

1. Kate Bag by MZ Wallace

A personal favorite for traveling and for everyday use too is the fantastic, fashionable Kate bag by MZ Wallace. It boasts a travel sleeve, six exterior pockets, two side pockets for bottles/sippy cups and it’s water and stain resistant. It’s durable, easily cleaned and since it is super stylish, it also can be used as a regular purse for nicer events.

MZ Wallace

2. Be Brilliant Bag

Another terrific travel bag that is useful on a plane and for evenings out is the roomy, pocket filled Be Brilliant Bag. This multi-functional tote has a front-zip compartment for your iPad or a book. It also has a zippered bottom compartment to store a pair of shoes. The bag is filled with pockets and also comes with a clear, removable interior case which is great for airplane travel as it can be placed on the security belt when you check in lotions, liquids, baby items.

Be Brilliant Bags

3. Citi Babies Explorer Diaper Bag

The backpack Citi Babies Explorer Diaper bag is a fabulous option for travel with a toddler as it is a backpack that also has a comfortable shoulder strap. It is great for hiking and doing outdoor activities. The bag, made of faux leather has ten pockets, a laptop compartment. a changing pad and tons of room and is waterproof. Perfect for both men and women.

Citi Babies Explorer

4. Sash Bag

A lightweight bag to carry just the essentials such as passports, plane tickets, credit cards and your phone is the Sash Bag. It’s a cross-body bag that boasts several pockets to stash your stuff, freeing your hands to keep hold your kids’ hands or drag your luggage. It’s also useful when you are taking a quick stroll in outside and don't need an entire diaper bag.

5. Two Neighbors

The Two Neighbors Adeem Tote Bag is a gorgeous bag that is multipurpose. An international bag with a unique story, it is made of Italian leather, crafted by Israel women and adorned with a beautiful crossbody stap created by Palestinian women. It also has over the shoulder leather handles. The top opens with a magnet closure so it’s easily accessible and perfect for a night out with the little ones. This handmade bag is a joint venture to encourage peace, fashion and the quality is fabulous.

6. Stephen Joseph Wet Dry Bag

Stephen Joseph has the cutest designs for kids and their wet dry bags are adorable, well made and actually are waterproof. Designed to keep wet and dry clothes separated, the bag has an inner pocket and an outer zipper pocket too. It is the perfect bag to store a bottle of milk with an ice bag in your diaper bag or to put in the essentials while traveling on a plane. It’s great for beaches, pools and anywhere you might need to store any wet items.

7. French Bull Giraffe Sling Lunch Bag

French Bull knows cute designs and lunch bags prove to be handy when traveling with a little one. An especially cute one is the Giraffe Insulated Lunch Bag. The backpacks are sized to fit lunch containers, bento boxes, or soup mugs. Also the exterior mesh pockets stretch to fit all standard water bottles. It’s always helpful to have food organized and packed so you can easily access food for your little one. Added bonus they are easily cleaned buy wiping with a damp cloth.

8. Flightline Travel Totes

The Flightline Travel Tote is great organizer to have with you on an airplane, as it can easily be fit in a travel bag and then stored in flight in the seat-back pocket. It’s an ideal place to place your passport, boarding passes, important documents and phone. It has a detachable bag for mid-flight trips to the bathroom and each tote comes fully stocked with eight Flightline Travel branded essentials: lip balm, lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste, eye shield, travel socks, brush/comb combo, and ear plugs.

Flightline was started by a woman who traveled the globe working for the US State department, so her products were designed with a great understanding of the needs of travelers. The bag I find extremely useful is the Sunbrella Blue Tote which is made in the USA.

9. Quilted Kids Backpack (Airplane Design)

Seeing the world is an adventure, so before we go anywhere, I always tell my two year old about what we will see and do. I also recently gave him his own super light, ultra cool airplane quilted backpack, a Stephen Joseph design, to get him excited for our trip. It is a great backpack for toys, extra clothes and a book.

Quilted Kids Backpack (Airplane Design)

10. French Bull Kat Insulated Picnic Tote Bag

A multipurpose travel bag that can be turned into a beach bag and picnic bag is the Kat Insulated Picnic Tote Bag. It is a lightweight bag with a cheerful design it is both sturdy, stain resistant and it cleans easily. It comes in two sizes, and can be filled with everything from food to clothing, depending on your needs.

11. Peace Frogs Recycled Cooler Tote

The Peace Frogs Company believes in optimistic thinking which is always the way to go while traveling long hours with little ones! Their lightweight Recycled Cooler Tote is a wonderful product for traveling on planes, trains and automobiles. It is 50 percent recycled and has a zippered main compartment that will keep food cold for hours if you have it with an icepack. It’s the perfect side for snacks and items that need to be kept cool. It fits inside most diaper bags and travel bags easily.

The post Best Travel Bags for Moms appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Traveling is fabulous, but it can be a tiring experience with young kids. I've set foot on 6 continents and been to nearly 50 countries so I know everything you pack needs to be practical, multi-purpose and as lightweight as possible, especially when traveling with a little one. Here are some amazing travel items for you to check out – I’ve sampled them all, and think they are fabulous.

1. Crane and Lion Wrap

Make sure everything as multipurpose as possible. For example, planes rides tend to be cold, so instead of taking a baby blanket, wear a wrap sweater. I like the super soft Crane & Lion wrap sweater as it’s the perfect cover for when my little boy falls asleep in my arms. It also can also be used as a nursing cover up. It’s lightweight, elegant, and useful for places where you might need to have covered shoulders.

2. Crane and Lion French Terry Pants

Comfy soft clothing is the only way to travel. These yoga pants are ultra soft, comfortable, have pockets, a draw- string waist and are 100% cotton. They are available in Vintage Indigo, Microchip and Pottery.

3. Jeep by Delta Children Ultralight Adventure Stroller

A solid stroller is a must while traveling, and the Jeep by Delta Children Ultralight Adventure Stroller is a great option for sunny days as it has an oversized canopy with a pop out SPF 50 sun visor. It protects your little one from the sun, is sturdy and folds up easily. It also has reflective shoulder straps that ensure you can be seen at night and will work well on rocky sidewalks and streets. It’s fantastic for traveling and for everyday use.

4. Poop Opps and Barf Remover

I never leave home, whether flying or driving, without a small bottle of Poop, Opps and Barf Remover. What is magical about it, is that it removes odors rather than masking them. It uses natural enzymes which neutralize and eliminates odors, and for a car or plane it is a must have both for travel and in your home. It is made in the USA.

5. Citronella Soap

Throw a bar of Citronella soap by Siege in your luggage. The soap is a natural repellant for bugs and mosquitoes. It keeps the critters away, this especially in hot and humid destinations. Also, it makes your clothing and suitcase smell wonderful. It’s multipurpose, natural and made in the USA.

6. Sleep Mask

Sleep is hard to come by while traveling, try the Gilchrist & Soames signature sleep mask. It is made of super soft, 100% Mulberry Silk, and importantly it has an additional blackout layer to prevent light.

7. SoundBub Sound Machine

The SoundBub helps with sleep for both parents and kids alike. It is a Bluetooth enabled portable speaker, which comes with white noise; rain and ocean. It also has a timer with options of 30, 60 or 90 minutes. Connect it to its app and it presents more options such as creating your own voice recordings as well as additional sounds and songs.

8. Tile

If you are prone to leave things behind or misplace your personal items such as keys, cell phones or bags try the Tile. A lightweight “tile” can be attached to a bag, keys and more. It has a variety or ways to help you track down your item depending on the distance and can even show you where you last had it on a map.

9. Play Tape

Play Tape is a lightweight way to instantly create roads for those little cars and trucks your child might take with them everywhere. It sticks to any flat surface and is easy to move around as well as peel off when you are done playing with it. They have different sizes and also sell rounded edges so you can create winding roadways. Added bonus is that it is made in the USA.

10. Alex Creamy Crayons

Little ones like to keep their hands busy especially if they have to be sitting. For airplane travel consider ALEX Toys Creamy Crayons. They are duel purpose, perfect for drawing and they come with paintbrushes so just add a little cup of water and suddenly you can watercolor. One of my personal favorites.

11. Tervis Tumblers

Tervis Tumblers are terrific for road trips as they keep your drinks cool or warm for hours. They have tumblers, water bottles and sippy cups and more with thousands of choices of design raining from Disney to Collegiate and everything in between. Basically the whole family is covered and will stay hydrated.

12. Lego Classic Creative Suitcase

Lego's are truly a timeless toy. They light up a kids imagination and are easily transported while on an adventure. There is the Lego Classic Creative Suitcase which comes in a case as does the LEGO® Classic Mission to Mars, both are perfect for traveling They are lightweight and engaging and can be turned into endless creations. LEGO's are great to use while at your destination, (not so much while on a plane or in a carseat) and are sure to keep your kids busy for hours.

The post Top Travel Tips for Moms: Essential Items When Traveling with Young Kids appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Many of you know that my Mom passed away 2 years ago. I want to share a song I wrote about my Mom. It’s crude and recorded with basic equipment (I cried) but before that, I’d like to introduce her to you.

Mom’s name was Henrietta and by her name alone, you know she came from a different era. She called herself a “Polyanna” (ie. innocent girl) from a far away village in Ganazi, Southern Philippines. Despite her very humble beginnings, she was extremely cultured. She loved to play the piano, and appreciate art in all its forms. Her favorites were the Impressionists. She wrote Haikus and articles about government corruption. She was a key political resource and she testified in front of the US Senate at the Capitol building (personally encouraged by big shot Senators Kerry and Lugar in the 80s). She influenced the eventual fall of the Marcos dictatorship.

Mom loved Broadway and one of her favorite songs was “The Best of Times is Now” from La Cage Aux Follies. She would always want me to sing it with her and I always resisted although now I wish I gave in more. Her interests and compassion trickled down to all her 7 children. But the one trait that I will remember and admire her for the most is her ability to give “GRACE” (ie. give charity where it isn’t deserved).  Even when she was correct, she would give up that right and ask forgiveness. That ability to forgive would almost always put her detractors to shame.

Don’t forget this Sunday is Mother’s Day. To all you Moms out there: Thank you! You guys don’t get enough recognition for all the amazing things you do. Those of you fortunate to have mothers still around, don’t be a shmuck! Go and show Mom how much she means to you while you still can. (I know some of you are estranged … sorry, I hope things get better). For others like me, remember that we are an extension of their lives. As the refrain of my song goes:

And though today no longer with us,
You planted well enough your seeds.
You will always come and visit
In our thoughts and in our deeds.

CLICK HERE to listen to my song. The lyrics of the song are also there.

I would also like to whisper a prayer of encouragement to some of my friends who are going through very difficult times. You know who you are.

Of course, this is just me.

TGIF people!

The Baby Specialist

Shared by Ernie of New York

I wondered if I should include this here because the subject matter is questionable and it is quite lengthy. I hope I made the right decision.

NFL Chip Commercial
Sent by Mike of New York

This commercial needs no introduction. Silly. Funny. Clean.

WATCH VIDEO

Don’s Puns

From Don’s collection of puns

Parting Shots

Thanks to Jennifer of Southern California who shared this photo

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

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