The BadAssMama's Guide to Vacation Prep

No more classes, no more books....it's that time of year! It's time for summer vacation...or at least a few long weekends here and there if you're anything like me.

While vacation with kids is really better defined as "family time" than the 100% relaxation that vacation represented in our pre-kid lives, it is a chance to take a break from the daily grind and reconnect with what matters most. It's also a great opportunity to let someone ELSE take care of the cooking and cleaning for a few days.

While I'm certainly no expert, I have a few sure-fire tricks that help to make preparing for my annual family vacation go a bit more smoothly. I hope these can help you enjoy your family time even more:

• Go for the upgrade - Many hotels (even the value chains) are willing to upgrade a family with 2 kids or more to a "junior suite" for no additional fee. A junior suite will give you enough room to let the kids run around without slamming into the corner of the dresser and ending up in the local hospital. They usually come equipped with a sleeper sofa and extra room for a rollaway bed or pack-and-play (giving the grown ups the opportunity to watch TV or have some private time in the evening, rather than going to bed at the same time as the kids). These expanded rooms often include a kitchenette (with refrigerator and microwave), which leads me to tip #2.
• Order ahead - In my opinion, grocery delivery (both at home and on the road) is a mom's best friend. Order juice, milk, fruit, breakfast cereal and snacks to save on your restaurant bills while away from home. For those with little ones, save the packing space and add diapers, wipes and pull-ups to your order. Many family resorts will keep your perishables in cold storage if they arrive before your room is ready. Garden Grocer delivers directly to all Disney resorts in Orlando. Even if you're not splurging on a major destination trip, most cities have Peapod or Fresh Direct delivery service available. Just call the hotel to make sure they can store any cold items if your room is not ready upon arrival. If grocery delivery is not available, Google the closest grocery store to your hotel and stock up on arrival.
• Have breakfast in bed - Nothing sets the day off in the wrong direction like a vacation morning that feels more rushed than your typical Monday. While it might be nice to have a leisurely hotel breakfast each day, chances are the breakfast buffet line will be overflowing with your fellow tourists ten minutes before you need to be on the bus for your next excursion, the pancakes will taste like rocks and the coffee will be burnt. Save yourself the disappointment and some money and eat breakfast in your hotel room each morning. The kids can have cereal in their PJs while they watch cartoons (they'll be up at 5am anyway...) and you can enjoy your coffee at a more leisurely pace.
• Hide from your kids - At least once a day, you need to carve out some time for yourself, or you'll need a vacation AFTER your vacation. While ideally you would be able to bring a grandparent (or a babysistter) on the trip to give you a good chunk of "me" time each day, chances are this isn't going to happen. So make a deal with your spouse/travel companion to take turns sleeping late, make time for a massage, time by the pool with a good book or just a quiet cup of tea sans kids. Trust me, even 20 minutes a day can make ALL the difference in the world.
• Do laundry - OK, this may seem like an oxmoron, but my BIGGEST vacation tip is to take time to do ALL of your laundry before you go home. Nothing kills your vacation buzz faster than feeling like Cinderella in your laundry room for 3 days after you get off the plane. Add laundry detergent to your grocery order, get quarters from the front desk and do all of your laundry the day before you go home. There is nothing more joyous (to me, at least) than transferring clean clothes directly from your suitcase to your drawers when you get home. Trust me on this one...
• P-L-A-Y - It may be tempting to focus on keeping your schedule, making sure that no toys are left behind and that you make it to the airport on time but you will only TRULY enjoy your vacation if you take some time to relax and actually connect with your kids. Play tag, have a pillow fight, build a fort out of sheets, have a race down the hallway to your room every night before bed. I mean, come on, if you're just going to focus on your to-do list it would be easier to do that at home.