The PCS Files: What's in that carry-on?

In two days, we'll be traveling for a good 24 hours with two small children. For weeks, I've been looking up information about traveling with kids to try and prepare for our first long flight with our girls. Though we're not on a super-tight budget when it comes to buying things for our trip, I'm still quite a tight-wad and I made an effort to spend as little money as possible. So, here are all the things that are going in my girls' carry-on's. I probably could have fit a few more things in their backpacks, but I wanted to be sure not to overload them so that they can actually carry their backpacks by themselves through the airport (at least that's the plan).

• Two BPA-free water bottles
• A coloring book for each of them
• A Highlights magazine for Thing 1
• Some semi-healthy snacks (fruit chews, dried apple crisps, peanut butter and crackers)
• Two sticker-books for each
• One neck pillow each (though these are actually packed in a different carry-on)
• Headphones for each
• Bubbles
• A new, small toothbrush for each
• Two small flashlights for fun
• Twistables crayons
• Knock-off Polly-Pocket set with two dolls and lots of clothes
• Puzzle
• LeapPad for each with 4 new games/videos downloaded on each

One of the BEST ways to transport anything with small pieces or cords is to buy $0.97 pencil bags. They are more durable than plastic baggies and their zippers are easy for little fingers to open and close. I put the Polly-Pockets, crayons, puzzle, headphones and LeapPads in these. 

As for me and the hubs, we are each taking a backpack and my husband is taking an additional rolling carry-on with a change of clothes for each of us and extra diapers and wipes for Thing 2. Here are some of the things we are packing in our backpacks:

• Our iPads and all iPad accessories (chargers, keyboards, etc)
• Our Japan notebook
• Navy records that my husband will need
• Cell phone chargers
• Wipes
• A few diapers
• Snacks for the kids
• Water bottle for each of us
• Camera and accessories
• Toiletries (deoderant, hand sanitizer, medicine for the kids [in case of allergies... or needed sleep....], makeup removing wipes, toothpaste Wisps, makeup, and even shampoo and conditioner for our night in the airport)

I'm sure we'll acquire some new things throughout our airport stays, but I *think* we have things pretty covered. It will be quite the adventure.... And I'll breathe a huge sigh of release once we're in Japan.