Make sure your words are sweet

Since you don't know when you may have to eat them.

Yesterday I said I would be supervising what my 12 year olds would be packing to go to Becky's house.
They came out last night with their bags all packed (despite not planning to leave until Saturday). I said I needed to see what they had packed. This was met with much eye rolling and grumbling.
"Moommmm! We packed everything we need. It is just FIIIIINE"
"Underwear?"
"Yes"
"Socks?"
"yes"
"Good clothes?
"Yes! and before you ask... we packed play clothes too... and enough of EVERYTHING to last several days!"
"What about your toothbrush?"
"No Mom. We will NEED our toothbrushes a couple more days before we pack them. But we ARE going to pack them."
"Swimsuits?"
"MOM! WE. HAVE. EVERYTHING. PACKED. RIGHT!"

Ok... I guess I am no longer needed as packing supervisor.
Maybe I should just lay claim to having taught them well. We have been packing for trips several times a year as long as they can remember.
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Over all the years we have been packing and taking trips, we have learned a lot about packing, especially to fly. We almost never check bags. A simple carry on for each person is what we limit ourselves to. This prevents lost luggage! We haven't ever travelled to a place that didn't have a laundromat somewhere in town. When the twins were babies, I would check a bag... it was easier than keeping track of carry-ons with my hands full of babies. I would only take enough diapers for one day- making my first stop outside of the arrival airport for diapers and baby supplies.

When the kids would travel to camp(or to Grandma's house), we would place one complete change of clothes into a plastic grocery store bag for each day before packing the bags into the suitcase. When the kid was ready to get dressed, they took a bag out of the suitcase. Dirty clothes went back into the bag. Simplified the kids dressing themselves, and keeping track of their dirty clothes.

We found you get more clothes with less wrinkles packed into a bag if you roll the clothes instead of folding them. These days, be sure you check to see what the rules are for what you can and cannot carry on and/or check.

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Maybe I ought to discuss a few things with Daniel and Sam about their packed stuff. If they take their pocket knives along, they may have to mail them home if they have to fly home.
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oh, Happy Independence Day, everyone! I hope you have your flags flying and your water melons chilling- we do!