Travelling with kids? Take lots of "stuff" with you.

There's a George Carlin skit that I remember as a kid that left an impression on me, and which sort of describes a trip from this past weekend as it pertains to taking a condensed version of our home with us for this trip.

George Carlin "Stuff" skit

I just got back from a weekend "getaway" to the north Georgia mountains with my family and two other families. We rented a mountain cabin for four days of relaxation and family time. While we all had a good time and relaxed as best we could with kids running around everywhere, the planning that goes into such a trip becomes a logistical nightmare and it's something that requires patience, checklists, and lots of second-guessing ("Did we remember to bring that ...(fill in the blank with whatever item)? or "Did you remember to turn off the ... (fill in with any kind of appliance)?).

The funny thing about going on a trip with kids is that you're packing things that allow the kids to have a sort of comfort level around them, which ends up resembling a smaller version of the things they have around them at home. Favorite plush toys, games, blankets, DVDs of shows, particular sippy cups and dining utensils - all these things and more, go into making a quick trip to the mountains an excursion that's worthy of having a brigade of Sherpas at our beck and call to make the trip happen. In our case, the Sherpas just so happen to be us, the parents. Man, kids don't realize how lucky they have it when it comes to going on trips and making sure that their "stuff" comes along!

Weekend Getaway to Blue Ridge, Georgia