1. I am always looking for fun reads. I need some new books to bring to Hawaii. I love chick lit but am open to anything (well nothing too scary or scifi)! You can see what I have already read here . Leave a comment with your recent recommendations!
2. Favorite toddler toys for the airplane/travel (H is 14 months)
I already bought: Button Book, Cheerios Animal Play Book, a set of Color Wonder markers and coloring book.
I am looking for reusable stickers that H can stick on the window and tray during the flight and then they will come off! Also any toys that will entertain him in a hotel room but won't take up a ton of space in a suitcase
3. Favorite relatively quick and healthy toddler friendly recipes that his parents would like too. I'd love to make something for H that can be reheated for grownups :)
4. Favorite items to put monogram stickers on. I need some new ideas! I have a couple of monogram decals to use up. Items that already have a monogram decal: lamp shade, side table, tray, cookie jar
I just read Emily Giffin's "Somethng Borrowed" - it's a fun book and would be good for relaxing on the beach! Also, Phillipa Gregory is a great writer. She wrote "The Other Boleyn Girl" - which is a amazing book as well!
ReplyDeleteNora Roberts has a series of 4 books out called the Brides Quartet which I thought they were good chick lit.
ReplyDeleteI love Emily Giffin - all of her novels are great.
ReplyDeleteFor non-fiction I really like Malcolm Gladwell. What the Dog Saw is a collection of articles from The New Yorker on a range of topics and really interesting.
Try some of Jen Lancasater's books - she's HYSTERICAL!
ReplyDeleteEmily Griffin just came out with Heart of the Matter and I have heard Water for Elephants is good - I bought it yesterday!
ReplyDeletea vintage affair by isabell wolff, the art of racing in the rain by garth stein(though I cried at the end)
ReplyDeletehester browne and mary kay andrews also have good beach reads.
for monogramming-what about a drink tub or pail?
HIGHLY recommend the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. They're fun, adventurous, romantic, hilarious and touching.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.goodreads.com/series/43040-stephanie-plum
I love the Bride Quartet and are great beach reads! Also love Water for Elephants! SO great! I definitely recommend reading it before the movie comes out!
ReplyDeleteWhen are you going to Hawaii? Lucky girl! I tweeted you - we need to go to Pink Taco, I'm craving it lol!
ReplyDeleteGreat portable toys...Leapfrog Chat and Count phone - super small and educational too - has a puppy named Scout that kids love. Maybe lift flap books- fisher-price has great ones like at the farm, cars/trucks, zoo etc. Aquadoodle travel doodle (fill 'pen' with water and they can draw). def crayons & paper too.
ReplyDeleteEasy meals? whenever I have only 10 mins to make dinner I do chicken tortellini (the kind that is 'fresh' in the refrig section near the deli) - boil for 8 mins, put a good chunky tomato sauce on top with some pecorino romano (or parm cheese) that you can buy already shredded in the deli area and then make garlic bread (pepperidge farm's in froz section is great). I sometimes go to Whole Foods and get a premade salad too. It is relatively healthy and is filling and everyone will eat it. no it's not gourmet but it's not fast food either. Precooked rotisserie chickens from the grocery store are another idea. Then you just make rice and veggies on side (like Uncle Ben's ready rice-90 secs in micro) and steamfresh veggies (~4 mins in micro).
Whole Foods has lots of food that is either premade or that you just have to cook (but it's already 'prepared').
Baked ziti is always great too and very easy.
Have a great time on your trip!!
xo
Michelle C.
Two words for toddler on an airplane: PAINTERS TAPE! I'm serious, one roll should last a while.
ReplyDeleteGet some new small toys (or things he isn't usually allowed to play with) and crumple paper around them...then wrap thoroughly with painters tape. Have one for every hour of the flight. It'll take him 20-30 minutes to get into each package...and then he'll play 20-30 minutes with each new toy.
Painters tape also is great for windows, tray tables, etc.
It's not quite reusable stickers, but have you considered the gel window clings? Kids seem to love the texture, they will cling to plane windows or trays, and they are reusable! Other ideas would be magnets. You can even print your own with magnetic sheets from an office supply store. For toys at the hotel that don't take much space in a suitcase (and could even be helpful on the plane) try puppets. Either a few finger puppets or the kind that goes on your hand work great.
ReplyDeleteA great chick lit book is Chasing Harry Winston, but I recently took the plunge and read Pride and Prejudice, and it's phenomenal! (:
ReplyDeleteLauren Weisberger writes some great ones, Last Night at Chateau Marmont was GREAT, and one of my faves of all time is Retail Hell by Freeman Hall (seriously laugh out loud funny -- especially if you've worked retail!)
ReplyDeletei recently read the island by elin hildebrand! great beach read!
ReplyDeleteWow, I am loving all of the books suggestions.
ReplyDeleteI've already read:
The Other Boleyn Girl
Water for Elephants
Jen Lancaster
Lauren Weisberger
I'm going to check out all of the other recommendations this week!
Michelle, CJB, and Heather-thanks!!! I didn't even think of some of these. Always great to hear from moms who have been there!
ReplyDeleteFirefly Lane by Kristin Hannah is one of my top four favorite books, I also loved the Brde Quartet series by Nora Roberts, Water for Elephants is great, the Pioneer Woman's book-High Heels to Tractor Wheels is funny and cute. If you haven't read The Help it's a must read.
ReplyDeleteRead Molokai, it is so good and takes place in Hawaii!
ReplyDeleteFor airplane travel with my young ones, when all else fails, I download a disney movie onto my ipod and let them watch it. My son feels special when he gets the ipod all to himself :)
ReplyDeletePS- since your guy is only 14 months, maybe download some elmo or barney.
ReplyDelete