10 items

It is a well known fact that I was in Girl Scouts growing up.  In some other blog entry we can discuss the differences between being in Girl Scouts and being a Girl Scout - because I'm actually a strong believe that once you in Girl Scouts - you are a Girl Scout forever.  Okay, enough of the soapbox.

When hiking we were bombarded with the "basic 10" over and over again.  What are they again:

1. Map
2. Compass
3. Flashlight
4. Food
5. Clothes
6. Sunglasses
7. First Aid Kit
8. Pocket knife
9. Matches
10. Firestarter

Before I moved from Washington I would have four or five items on me at any given time. Once in California I soon found out that women carrying pocket knives just wasn't something that should be done...So I keep it in my desk at work.  And yes - I use it about once a week.  

Nowadays, the basic 10 looks like this:

1. sunblock
2. antibacterial foam
3. diaper
4. diaper wipes
5. Changing pad
6. sunglasses
7. bandaids
8. hairbands
9. sunglasses (three pair: Mine, His, and Hers)
10. paper

As long as I am carrying these items we can go anywhere...for at least the afternoon.  If we go somewhere for the day, I'll take along the clothes, food, and extra diapers.  But that first aid kit...that's in the larger diaper bag too.  

It used to be that I'd carry changes of clothes, 10 diapers, diaper cream, diaper wipes, lotion, toys, sippy cup, baby silverware, and anything else that "I might need", but I gave up on that after 5 months. I'm not lazy, I just wanted my purse to hold my stuff and not hers. I seriously cannot wait for her to stop using diapers.