Its been some time since I last posted. Time just slips by and before you know it the week is over.
My week has been consumed with planning and prepping for travel. Its spring break time and I’m ready to head out with the family for some much needed R and R. Definitely for sun, sand and siesta.

With all the baggage fees that have been imposed (not a new concept, one that looks likely to stay) and the restrictions placed on what you can take with you on a plane, travelling light is key.
Travelling light with kids can be tricky, but with good planning and careful wardrobe considerations, travelling strictly with carry on bags shouldn’t be too problematic.

Here are some of my suggestions for packing light and defintely what happens in my house.

Two weeks ahead
Check carryon size and weight restrictions and make sure to stick to them. You want to avoid the embarassing mess of having to rearrange at the airport to avoid fees!(I’ve seen that happen… unless you’re one of the lucky ones that get their bag checked at the gate for free)
Sort through the clothes and shoes you would like to take are re-evaluate
Take an inventory of all toiletries (and medications) you will need
Sometimes, it may be prudent to check one bag with all your toiletries. In some cases it might be too expensive to buy all that sunblock, bug spray, face wash, etc at your destination and worth paying the $25 bag fee.
Buy the stuff you are missing (new swimsuit and rashguard for mama!)
Make a list of all the things you need to pack (include your passport, sunglasses etc! You don’t want to forget these when in a time crunch and midst of multi-tasking.)

Week ahead
Go through clothes and shoes one more time and cut out those “nice to have” items (extra swim wrap, extra platform sandals, 2nd hat etc)
Be realistic when planning your wardrobe. Consider that you’ll be wearing some items more than once, you can handwash others, and you could send things out to get laundered if you don’t have a washer/dryer where you’re staying. Worse case scenario, if you Really needed something there’s a good chance there’s a store that carries it.
Start packing items (leave toiletries for last, you still need these) and see how they fit in your suitcase.
Don’t forget to separate your liquids in a small clear plastic bag and have it easily accessible for airport security.

Day before
Pack some snacks/lunches (forget the liquids). On one flight, they had sold out of their boxed lunches before the flight attendants got to our row and we were left with a very limited selection of chips and cookies. If you’re going overseas or to Hawaii from the mainland, make sure to consume all your fruits on the plane because they’ll have you toss those before you set foot on their land. Also leave the tuna or egg salad sandwiches at home, you don’t want to offend your neighbors. hahaha
Set out your traveling clothes. I always try and wear loose comfortable clothes with pockets for all the stuff you end up having to carry for everyone. I keep a set of clothes easily accessible for a quick change in case of accidents.
Pack some toys (nothing loud and obnoxious), books and iPods for some inflight entertainment.
Pack your travel documents and passports or identification in an easy to get to part of your bag.

You should be all set for your travel day. The most important thing is to remember that part of going on vacation is the adventure of getting there. I love every moment of it, some really easy breezy, some really hectic and stressful, but all in all, it’s a lot of fun. Happy vacationing!

When I run out of time or I get up too late, I choose to do Jillian Michael’s 30-Day Shred video. It says it’s a 20 minute workout, but it’s really more like 27 minutes plus all the time it takes for her to do the introduction (it doesn’t allow you to skip that part).

Although it’s a short workout, it really pushes you to maximize the little time spent on a workout. She also reminds you that you only have “20 minutes” and you have to make the most of it. At one point, she says “You should be gargling your heart” and “You want to feel like you’re going to die!” She pushes you to do more and to do it for yourself.

It really cracks me up everytime I hear those two lines. I’d like to think I’m in pretty good shape but I still have a tough time in her workouts. I can just imagine someone who’s in terrible shape, inspired by The Biggest Loser tv show to buy this dvd and is trying to do this workout. Can you imagine having her hover on top of you and saying that to your face as you’re struggling to push out a few more reps. I’d push myself just so she doesn’t give me another bad visual.

What gets me through the workout is that I know what to expect. She tells you up front that there are 3 stages to the circuit, 3 min strength training, 2 min cardio and 1 min abs and you do that 3 times. Knowing how little time is spent on each exercise makes me do them all (quality movements of course) and get through the workout.

After 27 minutes (cos it really isn’t 20minutes) I’m wiped and feel like I left everything on the mat. Feels great and a great way to start the day. Writing this makes me want to go back and do it again.

You know how they say that for each pregnancy you have, you add another 5 pounds? They also say that each of those 5 pounds is very difficult to lose.

Well, after months of trying, and you know my littlest one is now 3 and a half right? Well, after months of trying, I’m now within those last 10 pounds. Mind you, my goal is 12 pounds away still, but the fact that I’m within the dreaded 10 pounds, 5 pounds per pregnancy, is quite amazing. I’m thrilled, I’m excited, I’m looking forward to pushing through to the end.

Weighing in this weekend (I weigh in each Saturday morning as part of a competition which I’ll talk about another time) made me so incredibly happy! I wasn’t expecting to lose this much this week, but it happened. Something seemed to click in place this past week. I also ate very well and watched all my carb and sugar intakes (apparently makes a big difference) and was vigilant about drinking water to stay hydrated after my workouts.

Today marks the last big push before my Cancun trip. I really want those sculpted arms and firmer middle. I’m on my way! yay!