From the moment my kids hear we’re going on a trip they begin packing everything in sight: books, toys, pillows, favorite blankets, and three or four stuffed animals each.

When I heard about Zoobies Pets I knew there was a good chance a huge portion of my problem had been solved. And I was right. What exactly are Zoobie Pets? Zoobies are a brilliant three-in-one stuffed animal, pillow and blanket.

The new Zoo Line came out this year and let me tell you, they are adorable. My daughter is in love with her pink Hada the Hippo (in photos) and my son thinks his furry Bobo the Baboon is the coolest (he even has a pink bottom!). Some of the others are: Jafaru the Giraffe, Winda the Wildebeest, Cheche the Cheetah, Mashaka the Monkey, Kojo the Croc (I love this one), Gogo the Gorilla, Rhaxma the Rhino, and my personal favorite, Tama the Tortoise.

Are you curious how this fabulous innovation works? Let me explain:

The stuffed animal keeps its shape via two Velcro straps. When you undo the straps the animal transforms into to a pillow. On one side of the pillow there is a zipper opening where inside you will find the softest fleece blanket you have ever felt. The blanket attaches to the animal with a zipper. This makes for super easy washing. The best part: the blanket is huge!

I am seriously considering snagging one of my kids’ Zoobies for my long flights to and from Hawai’i with my fellow Traveling Mamas later this month. Seriously, the blanket really is big enough for an adult and oh so soft.

If you are traveling this summer this is one Traveling Mamas On The Move Approved item I highly recommend.

1. Because Zoobie Pets are all in one you won’t have to keep track of several items.

2. Did I mention the blanket is super soft?

3. Zoobies are easy to use. When my children are ready to pull out the blanket they can do it themselves. Hada and Bobo even helped make a successful road trip.

4. No more airplane pillows and blankets. In fact, the last plane I was on didn’t have blankets and it was freezing.

5. There is a wide assortment of Zoobies to match every child’s (and adult’s) personality.

6. On one final note, this Traveling Mama says,

Zoobie, Zoobie DO!

Happy Travels!

Sometimes, travel writers take press trips. Also called familiarity trips, these involve a few professional travel journalists being ushered around a particular vacation destination by PR folks in the local community’s travel and tourism business. I, MudslideMama, have been in the midst of a southern California beach town press trip, and just learned a valuable lesson regarding keeping one’s guard up. I carelessly left my PDA in a hotel lobby, and someone walked off with it. Travel tip: Don’t leave your personal digital assistant laying around in hotels. Yes, I know, this is a lesson that should have been learned many years ago, but hey – I’ve been burned, so lesson learned!

Top 10 Vacation Loss and Theft Prevention Tips

1. Keep an eye on your stuff. It sounds simple, but the sights and stresses of travel can distract even the most inveterate travelers. For example, I had taken some things out of my purse when I was looking for my sunblock, which it turns out I had left in my room. Apparently, I left my Blackberry on the table in the lobby. When I got back downstairs, it was gone. Someone STOLE my new Blackberry – and all my contact info, photos, and favorite ringtones that were on it.

2. If someone does steal your PDA, or if it’s just plain lost, cancel your service with your service provider. While you may be able to get the police to trace any outgoing calls on it, you’ll be held responsible for any charges anyway. Even if you have unlimited calls, the thief could be downloading songs and videos and whatnot, incurring huge fees.

3. Leave your most valuable jewelry and prized possessions at home. If you must take objects of considerable worth or sentimental value, pack them in your carry-on bag instead of the luggage to be stowed. Luggage gets lost or rifled through more often than you’d think.

4. Put a TSA-approved lock on your checked luggage. These ensure that the TSA won’t have to cut open your lock if someone decides your suitcase needs a closer look. In fact, carry-on is safest, and you don’t have to wait at the baggage carousel after arriving at your vacation destination. When feasible, try to stick with carry-on bags.

5. Prescription medications should be clearly labeled, and in their original containers. The security guy at the airport is still going to need to inspect it, of course, but this makes his or her job easier, which makes your time spent on the security line also easier.

6. Most hotels these days have a safe in the closet. This is where to store your passport, credit cards, cash, and any jewelry you decided to bring on your vacation. It’s the most secure place in the room.

7. Don’t travel to part of any country that is considered dangerous. While “considered dangerous” is open for interpretation, the US State Department issues travel alerts for particularly unsafe parts of the world. It’s a big world with plenty of terrific vacation spots; why ruin a romantic getaway or family vacation in a dangerous travel destination if you don’t have to?

8. Try to scatter your passport, credit cards, cash and I.D. throughout different pockets while out and about, rather than putting them all in your wallet or purse. Use inside pockets if you have them.

9. Be aware of who’s around you. Pickpockets and thieves often have plans, such as working in teams to nudge or distract you. Most people are essentially good, I think, but it only takes a couple of people – sometimes little kids – to lift your wallet, steal your purse, or otherwise ruin a vacation experience.

10. Your personal property or home insurance may cover theft or loss. Check your policy before you go, but it goes without saying that, even if your covered, still keep an eye on your stuff. And me? I wasn’t covered for the loss of my Blackberry. This was my stupid mistake – remember, don’t leave personal items unattended outside your room, even in 4- and 5-star hotels.

Vacations, be they family trips, weekend getaways, or that luxury UK experience you’ve been saving up for, are meant to be enjoyed. Don’t lose your stuff! Please, employ these Top 10 safe travel tips, but don’t get so tense about potential crime that you can’t a great time. You can be smart and still relax for a fun, safe vacation.

The last few weeks have been very disheartening for the airlines. We said goodbye to Aloha Airlines, ATA, and Skybus. American Airlines has grounded over 2,000 planes to correct a wiring issue, leaving thousands of travelers stranded. I may be one of the unhappy passengers Monday morning when I’m supposed to board a flight to Lexington, Kentucky.

Today Frontier Airlines made headlines with the announcement the airline is filing for bankruptcy. The good news for Frontier passengers is the airline will keep flying. The problems Frontier is experiencing isn’t comparable to the other airlines’ problems. Rising fuel prices are not being blamed; instead the isssue is with Frontier’s principal credit card processor’s announcment to increase the “hold-back” of customer receipts, an action that could be a real blow to Frontier’s liquidity.

According to Frontier’s website: “Frontier Airlines intends to continue normal business operations throughout its reorganization process. Specifically, we expect to continue to:

It’s been a sad week for Hawaii travel authorities; Aloha Airlines has declared bankruptcy, and ceased passenger transportation. Some people taking vacations in Hawaii were temporarily inconvenienced, since their round-trip Aloha tickets obviously became one-ways. But airlines serving Hawaii moved quickly to fill the gap, and affected travelers shouldn’t have (or have had, already) much trouble finding seats on outgoing flights.

According to John Monahan, the president of the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, the “airline community serving Hawaii anticipated that this might happen and has been quick to fill the void left by Aloha’s closing.”Aloha reps cited increased fuel costs (boy, these affect us all!) and heightened competition for interisland flights - specifically, low-cost carrier Go! Airlines, which offered much lower priced tickets for Hawaii island hopping. This affects Hawaii’s state economy as well, what with around 1,900 people losing their jobs.

I’ve been feeling wistful about Aloha Airlines closing up shop. Every time I landed at a Hawaiian airport, I’d see their planes, with distinctive bird-of-paradise flowers on the tails; the sight instantly helped me relax and know I’d arrived at my favorite island chain. Now, Hawaiian Airlines has a similarly iconic lady-with-hibiscus-flower design. Hopefully, after the appropriate period of mourning, I’ll be able to transfer my feelings over to Hawaiian Airlines fleets’ tails. Even more hopefully, the former employees of Aloha Airlines will find solid replacement jobs, and Hawaii’s tourism-based economy will thrive.

We recently had a reader ask us about services that send baby supplies to your vacation destination before you arrive. Kari, a mom of two traveling to Maui this month, says, “I’ve heard of some, but can’t remember the names. I’m also not quite sure if it’s more cost-effective to use these?”

You may have heard about Babies Travel Lite. This online service delivers more than 1,000 name-brand baby products to hotels, resorts, vacation homes or apartment rentals around the world. (Heck, you could even order hard-to-find baby products and have them delivered to your own home!)

Items that you can buy are quite varied, from formula, baby food and sunscreen to pacifiers, baby thermometers and even car seats! I think the gear packages, called “Baby Bundles,” are a great idea—buy everything you need for a week’s worth of diaper changes, for example.

As far as prices of the various items go, I’m not up on the cost of baby supplies, honestly. (I’m rather removed from the diaper-wearing stage!) You might want to compare prices with those you find at your local grocery store.

The website does add a “convenience charge” to each order, which increases the closer to your departure date. However, a current promotion allows you to use the online coupon code TRAVEL at checkout. If it’s 15 days or more from your departure date, that fee is waived.

Orders are shipped via FedEx Ground or Express. FedEx rates are based on package weight, destination and shipping method. International orders may include various custom duties, taxes or other fees.

Here are some other options for you to consider for your upcoming trip:

• Buy the items at your local grocery store and ship them yourself. This could be less expensive for you in the end, but consider the convenience factor. It’s more hassle-free to sit at home and select your supplies, enter your vacation destination address, and hand over your VISA number, without schlepping a box to UPS yourself.

• Just bring all your baby supplies on the plane with you. Remember, though, with airlines starting to charge for extra bags, and increasing “heavy baggage” fees, you may not save any money in the end.

• Find out if your hotel or resort offers grocery-stocking service. Again, you’ll want to compare the total price of this concierge service to a service like Babies Travel Lite.

• Wait and buy the baby supplies once you arrive. In Hawaii, you may find yourself with sticker shock, however, since groceries are traditionally more expensive on the islands than in the continental U.S. Also, factor in whether you want to spend part of your first day on the glorious Hawaiian Islands hunting down the local Wal-Mart. You may want to take advantage of Babies Travel Lite, and spend your first day in paradise on the beach!

Kari, I hope you’ll let us know how you decide to get your baby gear to Hawaii. Best wishes for a great trip!

Got a question for the Traveling Mamas? Just email us at questions (at) travelingmamas (dot) com and we’ll do our best to answer it — whether you’re looking for travel tips or destination advice!

A couple of months ago when my parents flew from Denver to Tucson for a visit my dad thought I would get a kick out of the fact that the voice on the Denver International Airport (DIA) train was that of Denver’s Mayor John Hickenlooper and apparently, a lot of Denver residents recognize the voice. Being that I once worked at DIA for Frontier Airlines I did find it funny.

It just so happens Denver isn’t the only airport using a famous voice at the airport. In fact, it’s been going on for quite sometime. Last month in USA Today columnist Harriet Baskas wrote an article about familiar voices on airport moving walkway PA systems. According to Baskas’ article, Lee Ann Womack greets passengers in Nashville and the Las Vegas McCarran Airport has been featuring entertainers over the moving-walkway PA system since the 70’s.

So, the next time you’re killing time in the airport, tune in and see if you recognize the voice. You might just be able to name that voice.

If you find yourself twiddling your thumbs while a flight is delayed, or just have a long layover at an unfamiliar airport, you may be drawn to the overpriced bar and grill (really, I don’t think this is too horrible a way to pass time–striking up conversations with other stranded travelers can be entertaining) or those mega-huge cinnamon rolls (only bad if you think 10,000 high-glycemic calories in one sitting are a problem).

But if you want to change up the ways you kill time in any airport, consider these tips:

Log onto the airport website(s) before your travels. Most airport websites have a directory of stores, restaurants and services. Get the scoop on which terminal or concourse you’ll likely land in, and familiarize yourself with what’s available.

If you’re traveling with kids, find the children’s attractions. Some airports have lame play areas (DIA’s goofy rabbit on on the Mezzanine level of Concourse B comes to mind), but Boston’s Logan International Airport has a branch of Beantown’s fabulous Children’s Museum. And little ones can pretend to be air traffic controllers and load luggage at the “Kids on the Fly” interactive play area designed by the Chicago Children’s Museum in O’Hare’s Terminal 2.

Consider a day pass to an airline’s lounge. If you don’t belong to a the Delta Crown Club or United’s Red Carpet Club, ask about day passes to the facilities, which might include showers, computers or complimentary snacks and drinks. Day passes range from about $30 to $60.

See what amenities you can use at an airport hotel. Again, it helps if you’ve done your research online ahead of time. But if you’re faced with a super-long layover, you just might be able to exercise at a hotel gym, shower, and make it to your flight in time.

Get rubbed. I always seek out the little chair-massage places in airports. Even just 10 minutes having the kinks worked out of my neck puts me in a much better mood before my next flight. I know exactly where the “A Massage” storefront is at DIA (that would be just across the way from the lame kids’ area in Concourse B). And I give huge props to the sleek Xpres Spa at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport

Enjoy some art. Most airports have some sort of public art display. Ask at the information center where you might find history, photography or fine-art exhibits.

Everyone loves Southwest Airlines. They’re good to their employees, they have loyal customers, and they have always had a wonderful safety record. I know, I worked there for five years and loved every moment.

But, last I heard SWA had to ground 43 of their aircraft from their 737-300 and 737-500 fleets. Why? SWA found inaccuracies regarding their safety records and brought their findings to the FAA. Now the airline is facing a $10.2 million violation fine. Yikes!

The airline has canceled 4% of today’s Southwest flights due to the aircraft pull and some weather issues. SWA says they are being overly conservative by inspecting or reinspecting the aircraft. Fortunately, as of this afternoon almost half of the inspections are complete and some of the jets have already returned to the air.

The findings: So far, four of the aircraft did have cracks but they have been repaired properly. The one thing I know from my experience in the airline industry is that cracks in aircraft are common. Does that sound scary? Don’t fear. They’re just part of the wear of an airplane. That’s why regular inspections are necessary. And yes, Boeing released a statement saying the cracks on these aircraft never jeopardized the safety of the aircraft. Whew!

Should you worry? No. The aircraft in question are being properly inspected and are currently undergoing evaluations. In situations like this, we will be better off because the FAA and SWA are ensuring the aircraft are thoroughly inspected and 100% airworthy. The good news is SWA still has an outstanding safety record and if anything we should feel safer knowing SWA has been under recent scrutiny. Besides, this situation will soon be resolved and only make the industry require higher safety standards not just for the LUV airline but all airlines - and that’s a good thing.

Travel in the U.S. is going to be picking up soon. We’re on the cusp of spring break and Easter and the glorious summer months are on the horizon.  USATourist.com has kindly provided us with this week’s prize – a plastic travel tote for your toiletries (or germ fighting strategies) complete with four TSA approved carry-on travel containers. To be entered to win, just post a comment below telling us where in the USA you are planning to travel or wish to travel in the coming months.  

If you feel compelled to enter a second contest, head on over to USATourist.com and sign up for the free monthly USATourist News Magazine (written by yours truly). After signing up you will be led to an entry form to win the Postcards from North America board game (ARV $29.99). Don’t you just love prizes?

We’ll take comments until midnight (EST), Tuesday March 11^th. The winner’s name will be drawn on Winning Wednesday, March 12th. Be sure to check back here to see who the winner is and find out about our next giveaway. Drawing is open to U.S. residents only; family members of TravelingMamas are not permitted to enter.  Good Luck and Happy Travels!

It’s common knowledge that airplanes recycle air - and that’s a big reason so many people get sick a couple days after flying. Such a bummer, that: We travel for vacation and come home with a runny nose. Those germs that someone coughed up in first class make their way to business and coach in no time, and with the air being recycled, those perky germs have more opportunities than ever to find a nice new host. That’s why, for years, I’ve taken Airborne before I fly - and upon returning home as well. The cute, friendly packaging was enough to convince me that this was a good, preventive measure against the common cold. After all, it was invented by a teacher, and teachers are smart (was my line of thinking).

But get this - the makers of Airborne just lost a major class-action lawsuit, and have to pay consumers 23.3 million dollars for false advertising. That’s a lot of dollars. Why? There were no clinical trials, as purported by the company - instead, “tests” were carried out by only two laypeople. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (a non-profit advocacy group) said this money goes towards refunding people who bought Airborne. Turns out, Airborne’s no better than a plain old daily multivitamin, and may be worse in the way of being wasteful. Supersizing your daily dose of vitamin C, for example (Airborne has over a thousand percent of our recommended daily allowance!) only taxes our kidneys and then the other 900 percent is turned into…you know, bodily waste. We just can’t use more than 100% of what we need, right?

Airborne has already changed its ad campaign, though the company spokesperson admits no wrongdoing. To me, 23 mil sounds like quite a bit of wrongdoing - in this case, cold-curing claims that are unfounded. Here’s a tip: Colds go away on their own, even if untreated, after a couple of days anyway. If you take a daily multivitamin, adding an Airborne can actually give your body (your poor, sick body) too high a dose of some vitamins. Levels of vitamins A, C, and B12 are pretty high in an Airborne tablet. I’d say, just stick with the cheaper daily multivitamin, and relax over a cup of hot tea. It’s just a cold; you’ll feel better soon.

That Airborne was created by an elementary school teacher supposedly gave it some credence. Now that I think about it, though, I want my medicine created by knowledgeable people in the medical field, and so should you. Would you think it’s a plus to find that the shunt about to be placed in your heart was invented by your mailman? Me neither.

Since Airborne just lost this class-action lawsuit, here are some tips to stay healthy during air travel:

• Stay well hydrated by drinking water. Being well lubricated gives germs less sticky “landing points.”
• Take a daily multiple vitamin, cheaper generic brands are fine.
• Get a good night’s sleep before flying. A well-rested body is less stressed, and better able to fight off germs.
• Travel with a topical antibiotic (like Purell) if you’re especially sensitive to germs. If not, washing hands with soap and warm water should be fine - and we don’t need to add to the growing problems of Purell-resistant Superbugs!

I’m feeling a little let down by Airborne. Its efficacy is no greater than my vitamin pill, and the tablets are really expensive. Now, 30% of people have positive responses (i.e. get better) from placebos, so there might also have been the placebo effect here. Next time, I’ll just plop a Sweet Tart in my water; it should work just as well.

My family spent a summer week in New York City, notable mostly for its daily downpours, alternating with scattered showers and incredible humidity. Needless to say, my family was looking forward to returning home to dry, humidity-free Los Angeles. Due to some travel planning snafus, we were round-trip passengers of Jet Blue for the first time. Jet Blue has a lot going for it, but its egalitarian layout may leave the luxury travel lover feeling a bit adrift.

My family typically flies American Airlines, as that’s where our frequent flyer miles are, and we manage, occasionally, to use these miles to get upgraded to business class. Ah, the luxury of flying cross-country in the business-class section! Forget the comfy seats which fully recline, forget being served a real meal with real cutlery; my older kid’s favorite part about flying business class on American Airlines, is the heated mixed nuts served by flight attendants at the beginning of the flight. She loves picking through both her and my bowl for her favorites, and is as hopeful as the title character in “Oliver” that she’ll get some more.

This fact occurred to her as we waited to board the Jet Blue airplane for our trip home. Jet Blue has very friendly flight attendants, but they sure don’t serve heated mixed nuts. The lack of prepared meals and pampering is one money-saving aspect of Jet Blue that helps keep their costs down, and this is reflected in their much less expensive tickets (we saved nearly a thousand dollars by choosing Jet Blue for this last-minute trip). But in the waiting area of JFK, my charming eldest realized the loss of business class amenities would continue as they had on our Jet Blue flight to NYC. I watched her freeze, momentarily and in mid-step, as this realization hit her with full force.

The only thing for a kid to do when facing such adversity, apparently, is to chant. And so she did: “Warm nuts! Warm nuts! Warm nuts!” …This, repeated loudly in the hopes of inciting the crowd a la “Attica” in Dog Day Afternoon. Well. Al Pacino she’s not, and the crowd of travelers remained un-incited. I, however, was deeply embarrassed; I hushed her as quickly as I could, and bustled her through the security line. We couldn’t board fast enough!

I’d bet that many of us have had to stay at an airport hotel at one time or another. What fun, right? The dreary shuttle ride from the airport, the uninspired furniture and room decor, the limp salads and possibly reheated burgers from room service. Airport hotel management know that the joints are just pit stops for travelers, and rarely try to be anything else. And then came the Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel.

I stayed at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel at the end of a vacation in Vancouver, knowing that I’d have to catch an early flight the next day. The Fairmont brand is known for its luxury amenities and accommodations, of course, but I still figured that its airport hotel would be as generic as any other. As soon as my taxi approached this hotel, I knew I was in for something different. And it is, it is mind-blowingly different from your average airport hotel. It is literally at the airport, above the international building. That’s right - the Fairmont Vancouver Airport is constructed above the airport terminal from which you’ll be arriving and departing. The triple-pane windows reduce the airport noise to practically nothing, and the view is of airplanes taking off and landing. The next morning, my room service breakfast was fresh and delicious (fluffy scrambled eggs from a local, organic farm). I packed up my stuff, and took the elevator down a few floors to the Alaska Airlines terminal, walked around 50 feet, and checked in. That was it! No lousy food. No generic art. And best of all, no airport shuttle bus.

I wholeheartedly recommend the Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel. If you’re planning an Alaska cruise or a trip to British Columbia, and need to fly to get there, this hotel will be the ideal bookend for your trip.

So, it’s not just Southwest Airlines that is revamping its checked-luggage policy, now United Airlines is on the warpath. And actually, UAL makes SWA’s charging $25 for a third piece of checked baggage seem kinda tame. As of May 5, United will charge all passengers (who don’t hold “Premier” status with the Mileage Plus program) with a nonrefundable economy ticket $25 for each second piece of checked luggage.

With Denver as my United hub, my family flies UAL regularly, but we rarely check more than one suitcase apiece anyway. Usually my husband and I each have one checked bag, and I fit the kids’ clothes and gear in a third. But I feel for the families who have several children or lots of baby gear (checked car seats and strollers will not be charged additional fees, but your pack-n-play will). My mom is notorious for bringing treats for the kids when she visits, often arriving at our Colorado home (via United) with at least two checked bags. This new policy means she’ll need to dish out the fee, or ship kids’ gifts via UPS.

We always weigh our luggage to make sure we’re within the 50-lb weight restriction United Places on checked bags. No way do I want to pay the hefty fee for overweight bags, which is increasing to $100 per piece on all domestic flights as of May 5! So, you can be sure, I’ll continue to pack smart and light to avoid the $25 United will soon be charging for an additional checked bag per person.

The suits say United will make an additional $100 million a year on these new policies, helping the airline maintain its “competitive” rates. If that’s the case, so be it. But you can bet I’m not going to contribute to the kitty if I can help it.

I don’t know about you, but I am all about staying germ-free when I fly. I “just say no” to airline pillows (with or without mice) and I carry my own -3oz hand sanitizer, so let me tell you my excitement when I came across the cool store, Flight 001, and its Germ-Free Pack. $32 gets you anti-bacterial hand soap sheets, toilet seat covers, a plane defense inhalation pouch, no-cooties spray, anti-bacterial towelettes, mini tissues, and E-Boost immunity booster and it’s all packaged in a TSA approved 1qt zip-top pouch.

“Staying healthy stuff” isn’t all Flight 001 is loaded with. It has all kinds of great traveling gear like the Titan Luggage 22-inch Flash Trolley (if you order the green or orange one you won’t miss it on the luggage carousel). There’s even a luggage scale for only $12, so you can make sure you’re not over-packing weight wise and having to pay extra, unless you bring three of them. They also have paper shampoo - seriously.

Apparently, Flight 001 was created by two traveling business men whose idea took flight - now there are eight stores (three in NY, one in Chicago, three in CA and one in Dubai) and the cool part? The store is designed to convince shoppers they’re in a Boeing 747. Now that’s aiming for the sky.

Do you have too much baggage? If so, it’s going to cost you.

No, I’m not talking the emotional stuff where you need to go to support groups for self-healing. I’m talking real luggage.

Southwest Airlines is now putting a price tag on the third checked bag (effective January 29, 200 and don’t you dare try to stuff your over-sized bag to where it’s about to bust at the seams and so heavy even the Hulk couldn’t lift it - there is still a weight limit.

What’s that third bag going to cost you? $25. Not a big deal, I don’t think. It would probably cost more to ship it if it’s a good weight - plus you don’t have the hassle of having to go to UPS. What’s that? You’re going on a cruise and have four bags: one for shoes, one for makeup, one for the formals and bikinis, and one for souvenirs to bring home. Well, now it is going to cost you…if you have four to nine bags the cost is a hefty $50 a bag, then anything over nine will cost you $110 per bag.

Ouch!

Yet, that’s probably what the ticket agent and guys on the ramp loading the bags will say when they see your load-o-luggage.

I guess some other bloggers aren’t too thrilled with the new policy. They think SWA is losing its Southern charm.

Me? I might be upset if I was one to packed everything including the kitchen sink (I’ve seen it, a custom made something or other, and somehow it did fit in the overhead bin) but I don’t. I’m a one bagger plus a carry-on. Ask me this summer if I go on a cruise. Then, my attitude might change a little.

If you or someone you know has a serious baggage issue and are likely to overdose on checked luggage, no matter how much is costs, I highly recommend you check out this Southwest Airlines video. It is sure to help you through your baggage issues and maybe even make you a better traveler.

We did it! We finally had made plans to take our daughters with us for a week of fun and sun in Hawaii. Hotel reservations - check. Car rental - check. Airline tickets - check. Well, mostly “check,” anyway. All our frequent flyer miles are at American Airlines, but we have to travel during the holidays: Major blackout period. So, after doing some online research, we settled on flying Delta. Without using all our miles, it was significantly cheaper than American, for when we wanted to go (no red eye flights for us). Only problem was, by the time we booked out tickets to Maui, we couldn’t get two rows of two seats each anymore. We settled on a row of three in the middle of the plane (no window seat!), with one parent to sit by her or himself.

The pre-flight plans made sense; I would sit in the row of three with our daughters for the first half, and around midway through I’d swap seats with my husband. Fair enough! But about two hours into the flight, my spouse sidled up to to me and muttered, “You don’t want to switch seats with me.”

What? Is this some kind of Jedi Mind Trick? Of course I’m tired of playing Uno and Go Fish, of course I want to settle into my junky paperback undisturbed. I gave him a look. “I don’t want to switch seats with you?” I replied with a smirk, and stood up. But he had his Serious Face on, the Face which Must Not be Smirked At. He quietly explained that the guy he was sitting next to wouldn’t stop talking, had B.O. and bad breath, and - to top it off - was a slightly scary retired Navy Seal. This seatmate, apparently, wouldn’t stop talking, leaning too close for comfort, despite such nonverbal cues such as looking out the window and flipping through the SkyMall magazine. Making matters worse, Navy Seal had bad breath and B.O., and fervently believed in a couple of rather odd conspiracy theories. He has proof, you see, but he cannot divulge too much as it gets into heavily guarded State secrets, and you never know who’s listening.

I looked at my kids. They were happily playing with their Tamagotchis (muted) and laughing, getting along with each other. I leaned out to take a peek at Dave’s seatmate. He certainly was talkative. With Dave gone, Navy Seal had pulled a flight attendant into his orbit, using his arms and hand to gesticulate wildly as he continued, midway through a story about how, apparently, Ronald Reagan is both our country’s Greatest, and Most Underappreciated, president. …Suddenly, six hours of Uno and Go Fish didn’t seem so bad. Plus, there is that party popcorn cart in the SkyMall magazine to look at. In short, I stayed put. My husband: Hero Dad.

This past weekend I had the privilege of flying Southwest Airlines (SWA) from Tucson to San Diego. It was the first time I’ve boarded one of the Luv Jets since I was slinging peanuts in the khaki pants and polo shirt uniform myself a few years back.

I checked my bag at the ticket counter kiosk, managed to sail through security without any stories to tell, but when I got to my gate I was surprised to find the whole SWA boarding/cattle call process has been organized numerically. For those of you who don’t fly SWA there are no seat assignments, only open seating.

I was fortunate to be in the awesome “A” boarding group (out of A, B, C), but I was the last number of the group (60). It wasn’t by accident that I got “A” either. I checked-in online that morning to be sure to score the “A” boarding group for the sake of getting my super-desired window seat, preferably emergency exit row.

As the gate agent started to line up the “A” group I tried to figure out my place in line. I felt like the newbie and people probably thought by the dumb look on my face it was my first flight – ever.

My conversation with the other passengers as I tried to figure out my place in line went like this:

Me: “Hi, are you 59?”

Gentleman passenger: “No, I’m actually older than that.”

Lady passenger: “I’m 55.”

Me: “I’m 60.”

Gentleman passenger (looking me up and down): “I have to say you look greeeeat!”

Eventually I settled into my “spot” in line and my sense of excitement grew. I love to fly and since I was a child I loved watching out the window as the plane left the ground.

However, the “A” group did not stand for “awesomeness” that night. It stood for “Aren’t you lucky you’re even getting a seat?”

The flight had originated in Baltimore, stopped in Albuquerque, then flew to Tucson (then it went on to Oakland and Portland) and every window seat and almost every aisle seat was taken by the time I boarded.

I grabbed the first aisle seat I came to and settled in with my iPod and Kt Tunstall (on my iPod - not next to me). 

The flight was smooth, the flight attendants were friendly, the peanuts were honey roasted, and the guy on the window didn’t mind me sitting on his lap one bit. (Just kidding - I know the FAA regulations.) 

All in all, I’d give the boarding process an A and the actual flight an A+. After all, it really is about the Luv — and getting there safely.