Photo source: kthread

I’m in the midst of planning my first trip without my family. Ever. Ever.

Did I say ever?

Oh, I was supposed to fly to see my sister after she had her first baby, but I got the Flu from Hell and stayed home, dying a slow painful death. And I have done a few weekends away with my husband over the years, but overall, I stick to the homefront, usually with a nursing baby in tow.

But, now I’ve kinda committed myself to a real live trip. By myself. I’m heading to Nashville next month to meet Sarah Palin and hundreds of bloggers at Blissdom. (OK, Sarah Palin isn’t attending the blogging conference, but she’s a keynote speaker at another conference in the same hotel.) Still….

So, I’ve got my eye on traveling type things and all sorts of tips and tricks are popping out at me. Amazing how things materialize when what’s on your radar screen changes.

Are you hitting the road anytime soon? Then here are some helps to get you (or a loved one) on your way.

• Mom’s Travel Tales is a blog dedicated to helping moms and families who travel. Amy’s got some great tips if you haven’t flown in awhile and need to brush up on airplane rules and regulations.
• You can earn free airfare funds on Swagbucks! By searching the web via Swagbucks you can earn points which can then be traded for prizes, including gift cards to Southwest Airlines.
• The Happy Housewife has some great tips to Make It Easy for Someone to Watch Your Kids while you’re away.
• Are the grandparents setting off for the beaten trail? Tell them that if they join AARP, they will receive a receive a free travel kit!

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