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‘Road Trippin’’ Category

  1. The Museum of the Dog

    August 27, 2013 by admin

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    Part of our continuing series on traveling with pets

    This place is for the dogs!

    We truly enjoy taking our dog on vacation, so our research always includes looking for places she will enjoy.  Our trip to St. Louis produced a great find—The Museum of the Dog (MOD).

    The MOD is sponsored and supported by the AKC, and features exhibits about dogs of all kinds.  But it’s not just a museum about dogs– it is a museum that allows you to bring IMG_0422your dog into it!

    You must keep your dog on a leash as you explore three floors of dog related art and history.  Moo had a great time exploring the MOD with her family, instead of being left at the hotel on a museum day.

    The MOD won’t take you and your pooch longer than one hour to visit.  But it is right on the edge of Queeny Park, so you can take a long stroll before you go off on your next adventure.

    Category Road Trippin' | Tags: ,,, | 1 Comment

  2. Magna Doodle!

    August 25, 2013 by admin

    Part of Our Continuing Series On Travelling With Kids

    For trips both long and short, we sometimes need a small item to occupy the time.  We have found that we return regularly to one particular boredom buster: The Magna-Doodle!

    X6601-doodle-pro-neon-doodler-green-d-1We love the Magna-doodle because it is easier for young hands to use than the old school Etch-A-Sketch.  At a very young age, our Bluey was using the Magna-doodle in the car. (He called it his DS, in homage to his older sister’s Nintendo DS, which she rarely allowed him to use.)  It has saved us on many car rides that went longer than Bluey’s expectation or tolerance.

    Tip: Keep an eye out at garage sales for the MagnaDoodle, or a similar knock-off version.  They come in several different sizes!

    It’s a great car toy!  It is quiet, requires no batteries, and can last for years.   It tolerates drops and spills.  And the fun lasts as long as kiddo (or Mom and Dad) can come up with new ideas of what to draw—from practicing letters and shapes, to maps and pictures, or a quick game of hang-man, the Magna-doodle can do it all.

    Best of all- your kiddo is not ‘plugged in’- s/he can still talk to you, see the scenery and enjoy the adventure!

    Category Road Trippin' | Tags: ,,,,, | 1 Comment

  3. Stretch It Out!

    July 11, 2013 by admin

    IMG_0333This TR family likes to travel.  Our weekends are filled with jaunts that typically take us at least an hour from home.  And about once a month, we can be as far as two or more hours afield.

    As typical of most children, Bluey and Plum get quite squirrely if they have to sit in the car for a long stretch.  We have various tried and true solutions to keep our kiddos happy during a road trip.  But at some point in the journey, everyone needs a break.

    We have found that nothing turns around deteriorating moods quicker than some physical exercise.  A simple walk down the main street of a town off a random highway exit, an interstate rest area that has a small playground or expansive open fields, or a planned mini-excursion to see a road-side attraction can be just the thing to bring back the smiles.

    Surviving an endless journey shouldn’t be the only lasting memory of any adventure.  Make the time to take a break.  It’ll be worth it!

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  4. Hotel For Dogs

    June 7, 2013 by admin

    Part of our continuing series on traveling with your dog.

    We do our best to always make extended travel plans that include our dog, Moo.  But this desire creates its own set of issues, including lodging.  Finding a good pet-friendly hotel takes some research.

    There are websites dedicated to organizing lists of pet-friendly hotels and they are indeed a good source of information.  Once you identify a chain that meets your requirements and you have a successful visit, why not stick with that hotel for all your future travel?  That has been our approach.

    LQ Logo Tag underneat_edited1_fullWe are card-holding Returns Members of La Quinta Inns & Suites (LQ) .  Not only does this hotel offer very affordable rates with locations across the USA, it provides free breakfast AND all LQs are pet-friendly – with NO FEE.  The very few times we have had problems with our reservation at a LQ, their customer service reps were very quick to intervene on our behalf and load our Returns membership with a free night.

    Knowing that we don’t have to spend time trolling through hotel information to try and identify a pet-friendly and affordable chain certainly helps ease the stress of planning a vacation!

    Category Road Trippin' | Tags: ,, | 1 Comment

  5. Outfitting Your Car To Travel With The Dog

    May 28, 2013 by admin

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    Part of our Continuing Series on Traveling With Pets

    We take our Moo everywhere we can, including on vacation.  Many people we know see it as too much trouble to bring a pet on a family trip.  But we know we’d miss Moo and worry about her constantly, if we left her behind.  We see Moo as a member of our family.  So we follow a few simple steps to make the decision to take her with us on vacation successful.

    An important part to making traveling with your dog work well is to prepare your vehicle.  Things to include and consider:

    • Where will the pup sit and sleep?  We try to leave a dog-sized piece of floor free in a quiet part of the car.
    • Keep a food/water bowl and small jug of water in the car at all times.  Whenever you stop, offer the pup a drink.
    • Keep a towel in the car for wiping paws and drying off a wet dog.
    • If your dog likes to chase balls or Frisbees, make sure you always have one in the car.  Many a long drive can be pleasantly interrupted with a chance to run and chase in a roadside rest area.
    • Keep a stash of plastic bags in the car for clean up at bathroom stops.  Be a courteous pet owner.
    • An extra leash in the car can help set minds at ease if you lose track of the primary one.
    • Treats!  Who’s a good pup?  Yes, you!
    • Never leave your dog in a vehicle on a warm day.  Never.

     

    We find our Moo fits right in, once you take a moment to consider her pup needs.  And she is really no more trouble to bring along on journeys than anyone else in our family.

    Category Road Trippin' | Tags: , | 1 Comment

  6. Travelling with Kids: The Traffic Game

    April 11, 2013 by admin

    61cfwficxzL._SL1500_A short time ago, we picked up a travel game for one of our longer road trips:  Rush Hour Traffic Jam Jr (Rush Hour).  It has been a vital part of our far reaching journeys ever since.  Rush Hour is a fun little logic puzzle involving the movement of small plastic vehicles on a free-standing grid.  The goal is to free the ice cream truck from the traffic jam.

    The traffic jam puzzles get progressively more challenging and will occupy your kids for hours as they try to figure out the solutions.  We typically have the parent in the passenger seat set up the game for the player. The parent will hold onto the cards so that we can help prevent our kids from giving up and sneaking a peek at the answer.

    This game was even a hit with Bluey when he was a tad too young to understand the concept—he’d just drive the little cars around on the grid.

    We love that Rush Hour is non-electronic, encourages problem solving, and gets progressively more challenging (kids can even work together to solve a puzzle- teamwork!!).  It has saved us from dealing with unhappy and bored kiddoes on many road trips!

    Category Road Trippin' | Tags: ,, | 1 Comment

  7. Raisins!

    December 15, 2012 by admin

    We’re hittin’ the road with our family a lot during the holidays!  We find that a key factor to ensuring smooth travel is to be certain to have a supply of car food.   And we always have an eye out for great new additions to our typical snacks for when we’re on the go.

    As we’ve discussed before, we try to avoid processed sugars and high fructose corn syrup.  So we’re really not into just grabbing a bag of candy and hopping into the car.  What can we offer our kiddoes when they want something a little sweet?  Well, there are lots of choices!  But one that’s most popular for us is Raisins.

    IMG_1237Ok, they can make a sticky little mess sometimes, which only proves that those glove box baby wipes are truly useful.  But raisins are an awesome natural treat.  They are low in fat and high in fiber, with a nice little protein boost as well.  Yes, they are also high in sugars.  But since these are natural sugars and we offer raisins as a treat, not a staple – we don‘t worry too much about our kiddoes snacking on raisins.

    Another thing we like about raisins is that they keep little hands focused and occupied when traveling.  Busy hands are a great distraction from the constant wondering of where we are or when we’ll get to our destination.  We find that a small box or reusable container of raisins works as a complement to a car bag to keep our Bluey occupied and satisfied during travel.  Especially now that he is occasionally riding in the dark and can’t see his familiar visual clues that help him to understand how far he is from home.

    What’s a favorite travel snack for your family?

    Category Road Trippin' | Tags: ,,,, | 1 Comment

  8. Trader Joe’s

    November 25, 2012 by admin

    We don’t always head out on a jaunt with a picnic packed.  And we may not have the desire, or the funds, to eat at a sit down restaurant.  When out and about on an explore that will require a meal on the road, we highly recommend that you consider Trader Joe’s (TJ’s).  They have numerous locations across the States.

    Tip:  All stores have a clean customer bathroom which is a huge bonus to factor into any family stop.  And in the back of most TJ’s, you’ll find a free sample station, which is always a welcome sight for hungry travelers.

    TJ’s has a well-stocked, prepared cold food section that offers up items ranging from 6-piece sushi to giant falafel sandwiches all priced right around $3.99.  Recently, our family stopped in to satisfy our lunch needs and we managed to feed our brood of 4 for $10.79.  This price included a half gallon of high fructose corn syrup free chocolate milk!  It’s a quick in and out to grab food to eat in the car, or to pick up supplies for an impromptu picnic.  The wide range of ready-to-eat sandwiches and salads, fresh fruit, and snacks means there’s always something for everyone in the family at a far cheaper price than any restaurant.  It’s far healthier, too!

    We are curious if our experiences at TJ’s could be duplicated within a large supermarket.  Our local Hyvee has quite a selection of hot and cold prepared meals.  But we’ve yet to test the supermarket waters for lunches while on the road.  The vegetarian options and the low price point that can be found in a TJ’s is going to be pretty hard to beat!

    What are your out and about meal tips?

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  9. Car Essentials: The Rubik’s Cube

    October 17, 2012 by admin

    OK. We know that it has been thirty years or more since this toy was all the rage.  But it’s still a great item to have in the car.  We consider it a “car essential.”

    Having a small stash of toys and activities in the car for our kids is a must for us.  When a trip goes too long, or a wait at the doctor’s office looks ominous, all we have to do is dig out a special car toy.  It can keep a kiddo occupied for a long time.  For us, one of the standbys in the car is the venerable Rubik’s Cube.

    Even when Bluey was still too little to really do much with it, he loved playing with the Rubik’s Cube.  Over time it has helped him learn his colors and has improved his hand-eye coordination.  Now that Bluey’s old enough to understand that the ‘goal’ of the puzzle, you can see his mind at work trying to figure out how to solve it.

    And of course, it is fun for all ages.  Although Plum didn’t encounter the Rubik’s Cube at the same young age as her brother, she also gets sucked into trying to figure it out.   Even Mom or Dad will take a crack at it on a long drive.

    The Rubik’s Cube is a great car toy.  It’s colorful. It has moving parts.  But it has no removable bits to lose.   And it offers a new challenge every time you pick it up.

    What’s your go-to boredom buster?

     

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  10. How to Turn Your Kids Into Great Travelers: Food

    July 30, 2012 by admin

    Any adventure that takes us more than ½ hour away from home requires thought given to snack options.  Our kids are certified grazers.  Even though we sit down for 3 meals a day, our kiddoes seem to be constantly snacking.  The cost of purchasing food while on the road from convenience stores or fast food restaurants can easily add up.  And the quality of options just can’t compete with your home supplies.

    We try to limit liquid intake when on a longer journey as the often exclaimed. ”I need to potty!” can get tiresome.  But we always bring along our watered down juice and recyclable cups for a supervised thirst quench.  When we know we want to stop in a half hour or so, we hand out the juice to all takers.

    We typically follow one of 3 paths for food that are dependent on the length of our journey.  Path 1 consists of a handful of quick and easy snack foods:  curried cashews, pretzels, bananas, or some sliced cheese.  These items get thrown into a lunch sized tote with 2 small containers to hold the snacks and ease the passing of it to the kids.  Path 2 requires a small cooler.  We’ll throw in our little cutting board and a sharp knife.  Then kiwi, apples, pb&j sandwiches, cheese, carrots, etc., can get packed up.  Again, we bring along small containers for the food and a bag for trash.  Path 3 involves a trip that requires a full meal.

    Tip:   Hand-wipes.  Nothing makes snacking on the road more pleasant for our family than being able to wipe off sticky hands and faces without a full-on bathroom stop.  We keep a pack of baby-wipes in the car for this purpose.  The lid snaps shut keeping them moist.  They tuck out of the way when you don’t need them.  (But you have to bring them in during the winter— ice-cold wipes aren’t a fave with anyone in our family!)

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