Miz Meliz
My Life, My Loves, My Journey
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The Movie EPIC Opens Soon: Win Free Passes from @MizMeliz
May 11, 2013
Sign up to see a FREE Screening THIS SATURDAY at 10 AM in Burbank, just email MizBizEvents@Gmail.com for details.
What is Epic? EPIC is a 3D CG adventure comedy that reveals a fantastical world unlike any other. From the creators of ICE AGE and RIO, EPIC tells the story of an ongoing battle between the forces of good, who keep the natural world alive, and the forces of evil, who wish to destroy it. When a teenage girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she teams up with an elite band of warriors and a crew of comical, larger-than-life figures, to save their world…and ours.
I have a special offer for you to see a screening on behalf of 20th Century Fox and their upcoming 3D animated feature EPIC. You can attend a special family screening of the movie on Saturday May, 18th.
If you would like to attend the special family screening of EPIC on May 18th at 10 AM in Burbank, leave a comment telling me what is your favorite animated film and send me an email to mizbizevents@gmail.com letting me know how many passes you need for your family. I will send a reply email with all the details to qualified winners. I will need the exact names of all attendees prior to the date of the screening by WEDNESDAY, MAY 15th.
Check it out!
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Nwdpa5PcU
Website: http://www.epicthemovie.com/
Note: You must live in the local area and provide your own transportation to the theater. These passes do not guarantee admission to the film. It is important to show up 45 minutes before the start of the screening to ensure VIP seating. Space is limited. I will post a message when all passes have been given away. Only the names of the limited eligible winners will be placed on the guest list.
Book Review: Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle by Jennifer Chambers @hikingalongkids
May 6, 2013
— 18 Comments
I loved the story of Scout, the little water bottle who takes an accidental adventure through the waterways of Washington D.C.
Image credit: picsfive / 123RF Stock Photo
Author, Jennifer Chambers, takes us on a journey through the waterways and habitats of all the creatures Scout encountered along the community creeks and urban rivers in Washington D.C. all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to the shores of England. In a simple yet well told story, we are shown a new perspective about the ways in which animal life is threatened by the act of throwing away a non-biodegradable object in the “wrong” place. Readers are introduced to wildlife indigenous to the East Coast of the United States who personify the need for thoughtful respect of nature.
The protective Blue Heron mamma warns, “The Earth is not an ashtray,” as she explains how cigarette butts and other garbage humans throw away can be hazardous and potentially lethal to her young. Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle serves as an educational accompaniment to Earth Day lesson plans and other presentations about protecting the environment. Jennifer Chambers adeptly brings the lesson to life for her middle school science classes with this story. The book subtly offers suggestions and tips on recycling and cleaning up the environment while gracefully explaining the reasons behind them. These are lessons everyone can learn and should be applied to our own lives to preserve the environment and protect the wildlife that live in our own waterways.
Jennifer Chamber’s book Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle brings the animals and their individual stories to life in a way that even younger children can understand. Endearing and adventurous, Scout is swept up in the mouth of danger, yet is saved by a little girl. We can all do our part to be watershed heroes in our home towns, saving the “Scouts” in our life, just by making sure they go to the right place.
Learn more about Jennifer Chambers
Win a copy of the book from the author. How to win: List in the comments three items that can be placed in your recycling cart that will help to save our environment. Each answer will qualify for one entry in a traditional drawing. All entries will be placed in a hat and a winner will be drawn by an innocent fun-loving child. I will notify the winner and they will get an email from the author with instructions on how to receive a free copy of the book. An additional entry will be added to the drawing if you can tell me the name of a river or creek in your local watershed area.
Useful Resources:
Disclaimers: I received a copy of the book for free and I liked it. This review is unpaid and entirely my opinion of the book after reading it. I will conduct a random drawing around May 31st and the winner will be notified by email.
Author Interview: Jennifer Chambers
April 29, 2013
— 4 Comments
Jennifer Chambers
Author
“Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle” – Children’s book, March 2013
“The Best Hikes for Kids: Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia – Guide book, Summer 2014
Author, Jennifer Chambers
Jennifer is a busy mom, author, blogger, teacher, environmental advocate and outdoor adventure director who is constantly juggling 10 things at a time – which she says, makes her husband’s head spin! She considers herself highly organized and a half-way decent teacher. Well, I think she is much much, more than that! I had the chance to interview Jennifer about her new children’s book, “Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle” and I found her to be quite inspiring. . .
Jennifer, I look forward to reading your book and reviewing it on my blog http://MizMeliz.com but before I do I would like to get to know you a bit. Tell me about what you are up to these days.
Thank you for wanting to review my new children’s book. I am having a lot of fun networking with people to promote this book. Besides teaching and working as an advocate for the environment, I enjoy hiking the scenic trails of Washington, D.C
with my two children, my husband and our dog. I blog about our adventures and I love to help others learn about the outdoors.
with my two children, my husband and our dog. I blog about our adventures and I love to help others learn about the outdoors.
What is the book about?
Here is the official synopsis: Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle tells the story of a water bottle’s journey in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and Atlantic Ocean. Upon reaching a storm drain, the personified water bottle travels the streams and rivers of Washington, D.C., meeting animals along its ride. Each animal—from the water strider to the loggerhead turtle—teaches the water bottle about itself, its origins, its journey, and those of other pollutants in the watershed. Alima is the five-year old water bottle’s heroine; making us all believe we can be one too.
It sounds great! Why did you want to write a book about watersheds?
I wrote the book for educators and parents to use as a tool to engage kids to learn about the impact litter is having on our watersheds and oceans. In addition, 100% of the profit from the book is being equally donated to the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the Surfrider Foundation’s Rise Above Plastics program.
That’s amazing, 100% of the profits are going directly back to help the environment. How did you get the idea to write a children’s book like this?
The idea came to life from a lesson I developed for a 6-week Earth Day program for our county’s public housing after-school programs in my community. The lesson had two purposes: to engage the kids in understanding how long litter lives in our environment (biodegradable of a banana peel to a plastic water bottle) and where the litter can travel to when it enters a storm drain in their neighborhood. A lot of people think litter magically disappears; it just moves from location to location impacting the plants and animals that live at each spot.
During the activity, I had kids trace the travels of a juice box from their neighborhood street into the storm drain and then they determined the path/travels it would take, eventually ending up in the Atlantic Ocean. We brainstormed all the animals, from insects to mammals, that it could encounter along the way and what negative impact the juice box could have on the animals. After teaching this workshop eight years ago, I realized that this lesson would make a great children’s story.
How long did it take you to write the story and make it into a children’s book?
It took me another six more years to begin writing it when I was spurred to do so for my children’s elementary school. Some moms I was working with loved the idea and wanted to perform it as a play for Earth Day. (I have written it also as a play.) Therefore, over two years and a complete ending change from its original version, I finished it last summer and found two publishers who accepted the project for publishing and began that process last Fall.
Besides raising awareness about littering and it’s impact on wildlife and helping to raise funds for groups that protect the environment, what is your vision for the book?
I really hope this book can be used as a tool for environmental educators and teachers to engage kids in a science issue, one we have great behavioral control of, in an entertaining way. Science can come alive when presented in literature and story.
Why are you doing this? What motivates you?
I love being a teacher. I teach middle school science at a special ed school. My passion is to engage kids in the outdoors in whatever way, through education, adventure, play, etc. I have been writing a blog since 2009 to share my own experiences and adventures in nature (many with my children and some without like my post entitled “Three Muddy Moms….“) and my advice for families to help them engage their children in the outdoors (i.e., Camping in the Rain).
I would love to read those posts and learn more about what you do. Thank you!
To connect with Jennifer Chambers, go to her website: HIKING ALONG, Science & Hiking for Kids.
@hikingalongkids – Twitter
Thanks so much to Jennifer Chambers for sharing a little bit about herself, her important work and her new book, ”Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle.” I look forward to reading it! I hope you are inspired to check it out and share it with your kids.
Click HERE to purchase the book online.
Check out what I thought about ”Watershed Adventures of a Water Bottle” in my book review. Let me know if you have any questions for Jennifer in the comments. Sign up for the Newsletter for updates or Follow Me.
Do you have a book you would like me to review or a new adventure you want to tell me about? Let me know! It’s your time to shine!
5 Stops on a Culinary Road Trip
April 23, 2013
— 6 Comments
One of the best things about taking a vacation is going to new restaurants and checking out the local fare. On our recent road trip to the Southwest, I enjoyed some of my all time favorite foods. If you are a foodie and like to read about food adventures, grab a cup of coffee, sit back and relax as I take you on a Culinary Adventure Road Trip!
1. Green River, Utah
I wanted to go to a family style diner, somewhere I could relax and stretch out a bit after a very long drive, and a nice server would wait on me. When we pulled off the highway and arrived at the halfway point between Las Vegas, Nevada and Boulder, Colorado we were literally in the middle of nowhere. Green River is a small town in Utah and for some reason it seemed very desolate. I had looked up restaurants in the area online ahead of time and there seemed to be quite a few. It’s the only populated area around and I expected there to be restaurants dotted along the main road. Not so much. Maybe we got off an exit too soon, or too late but we certainly didn’t see any signs of life around.
It was mid day and even though we had an early breakfast and snacks on the road, we had built up an appetite. As we drove down the main street looking for signs of life that hopefully lead us to a full service restaurant, one of the boys spotted a burger joint. A box style, family run, three table, stick in the mud. It was awesome! We had Green Chile Cheese Burgers and Fried Tater Tots. It was the first time we saw green chile burgers on a menu on this trip and the boys and I had been looking forward to having one. I don’t think they used New Mexico Green Chiles, but they were big, juicy and had the tasty tang and spicy heat that we were hoping for. After lunch, the chocolate soft serve ice cream hit the spot! We were ready to take on the long road ahead of us once again.
When we finally arrived at our destination after a grueling day of driving which included an incredible excursion over the Rocky Mountains, we didn’t care where we ate – we just wanted food. The boys went to Denny’s and brought me back a pancake sandwich that I devoured in my hotel room. In the morning, we had just enough time to grab coffee and a continental breakfast provided by the hotel. It was pretty good. We stayed at the Best Western Kiva Inn near Fort Collins, Colorado. It was one of the nicest Best Westerns I had ever stayed at. If you are in the area, I highly recommend it.
2. Fort Collins, CO
For lunch that day we had specific instructions from a friend to try Lark Burger. We were told they had awesome burgers. For some reason, I didn’t expect to find a high-end gourmet eatery in Fort Collins. I was pleasantly surprised by the selection and the quality of the food I tried. It was totally yummy and the prices were good for what you got. It turns out that Lark Burger is a chain, so if you have a chance to try it let me know. I had a Larkburger with Swiss Cheese and Truffle & Parmesan Fries. I loved every bite!
From Fort Collins, we drove to Boulder, Colorado. The first thing we did after checking in at the hotel was go on a factory tour of Celestial Seasonings. Even though we planned on being in town all weekend, it was a holiday so this was our only chance. The kids weren’t too interested and we had just experienced quite a bit of “togetherness” over the last 48 hours, so my hubby and I decided to go it alone. We had a blast! We have both always loved Celestial Seasonings teas. On the way there we reminisced of the past thirty or so years that we have enjoyed the herbal tea, the encouraging words on the packages, the unique artwork and our favorite, the Sleepy Time Bear. Besides the fact that we have both loved the product since childhood, we both love taking factory tours.
3. Boulder, Co
I am sorry to say that we did not get to eat at the Celestial Cafe because it closed early for the holiday. But we did enjoy the Tea Room very much and it deserves a stop on the Culinary Adventures Road Trip! When we arrived we were given our “pass” to the factory tour (it was a small package of blueberry herbal tea) and to unlimited hot and cold herbal tea tasting. There is a snack bar and a gift shop where you can buy anything and everything tea related and Celestial Seasonings trademarked. The tour itself was quite impressive. Our favorite was the Mint Room where all the mint is stored exclusively from the rest of the herbs and teas. Everything smelled remarkable and refreshing! We learned a lot about tea and herbs from around the world.
That night, we met my cousin for dinner. She has lived in Boulder for a number of years and qualifies as a local. We discussed in advance where we should eat and since it is a local favorite, this fit the bill. Turley’s serves buffalo meat as part of their very extensive organic and “clean” menu, which was something the boys wanted to try. I had a hard time deciding what to have since I was still full from the burgers over the past few days and all the tea I drank! I ended up having the Chicken Pot Pie. It was a little dry with a pizza dough kind of crust rather than a flaky pie crust. It was pretty good. I never saw the food on the boy’s plates. It vanished before I could take a picture. It must have been good!
I enjoyed a wonderful, fresh and hearty meal at Turley’s in Boulder Co.
Turley’s provided an elegant atmosphere, excellent service, and great food. A perfect place to visit with family!
4. Broomfield, CO
Easter Brunch at the Renaissance Boulder Flatiron Hotel was to die for! It was very pricey, but you would expect that at a fine restaurant located in a four star hotel on a holiday weekend. The buffet menu was extensive combining unique chef prepared dishes with hometown favorites and brunch classics. Everything was displayed beautifully, the service was exceptional and the meal was a dream. Especially the bottomless mimosas!
It was very difficult to pick a restaurant in the Pearl Street area. There were plenty of choices and everything looked amazing. The boys are clued into finding the local fare and skipping the chain restaurants and things we normally eat. So, it was hard to resist an eatery called the Boulder Cafe. It is right in the center of Pearl Street Mall. It has inside and patio dining. The place felt authentically local, with a cafe menu, oyster bar, fondues and “Rocky Mountain” cuisine. It looked like a great place to take a date and there was a young clientele. I assumed everyone there to be college students. At this point, still stuffed from the reckless vacation eating I had been doing, I had an Asian Chicken Lettuce Wrap appetizer for my meal. It was such a bountiful helping, I shared it with the boys. They also chose light meals that ended up not being quite enough to fill them. They finished every last bite of my dinner! The best part was just hanging out with my boys. We walked the length of the mall and shopped a little. I got them to go in LUSH with me and they got me to go in Rocket Fizz with them.
A cool brew at the Boulder Cafe
The boys toast with their sodas from Rocket Fizz on a cool Spring night in Boulder, CO
In the morning, we rushed to check out of the hotel and get to the college tour at the University of Colorado. We had no time for breakfast, so it was “hotel room” coffee, tea, granola bars and juice on the way. Then we grabbed a bite to eat at the cafeteria at the college before we got back on the road for our next, and final stop on our road trip. Boy, were we famished when we were driving along the dry, dusty road to New Mexico! As we approached each little town, my husband would ask, “Do you want me to stop to find a place to eat here?” We were all thinking the same thing. If we stopped now, we won’t be able to eat when we go through Santa Fe. We would drive the entire distance just to eat real New Mexico chile! So, we held out until 9 PM.
5. Santa Fe, New Mexico
As we rolled into one of my favorite all time places to visit, we started naming restaurants we knew in Santa Fe. We did a Yelp search based on our location and we selected the closest “New Mexican” restaurant we could find. As we walked in to Maria’s New Mexican Kitchen, it seemed vaguely familiar. I may have been there before. I wasn’t sure. I know for sure I felt at home. It may have been the smell of tortillas and sopapillas cooking, the smiles on the faces of the servers, the families eating a late Monday night dinner, and the old adobe that appealed to me. It was familiar. It was wholesome cooking, the food that my family makes. We took a quick look at the menu and we all looked at each other, who would ask first? “Red or green?” We all have our favorites and we like both! One of the boys ordered exactly that – both, referred to as “Christmas.” Red and green sauces made with New Mexico chiles.
Maria’s New Mexican Kitchen served it up fast, large portions of all of our favorites, complete with sopapillas and honey. I had my favorite, Stacked Enchiladas with Chile Adovada and Red Chile with a side of sour cream to cut the heat. The heat of New Mexico chile always gets me at first. Luckily, I had the chance to eat it quite a bit during our visit over the next few days and I was able to adjust! It was an amazing meal. It had been far too long!
Roasted Green Chiles being chopped for NM Green Chile Stew
My Cousin’s Red Chile Sauce
Stacked enchilada dream with New Mexico Red Chile
Everything is a blur after that! We spent a few days with family and ate wonderful food while we enjoyed being together. The boys managed to get out to their favorite local restaurants in New Mexico like Twisters Burritos and Dion’s Pizza. On our way home we stopped at a Cracker Barrell in Flagstaff, Arizona. I don’t have any more food pictures to share from the trip. It turned out to be a fun Culinary Adventure Side Trip that I hope you enjoyed.
Have you been to any of the restaurants listed here? Do you have any suggestions on where to eat in New Mexico, Colorado, or Utah? Let me know! I would love to hear about your foodie adventures!
So, I didn’t mean to leave you hanging! If you are following the entire Six States in Seven Days Road Trip Saga, I left off describing the exciting adventure just as we made it over the Rocky Mountains. Stay tuned for more fun! I would love to share with you what I did to make this trip fun for myself and how our family survived driving the rest of the 1000 miles or so through Boulder, Colorado and Albuquerque, New Mexico and back to our home sweet home in Southern California.
College Decision Time!
April 21, 2013
— 2 Comments
The purpose for my family’s recent big road trip was to visit colleges. Since the decision deadline is fast approaching, now is probably a good time to share the details of the college tours we attended.
Over all, our son applied to eight universities. His first choice from the start was San Diego State University. San Diego State was the first college he visited and was seriously considering. Lucky for us, our son decided early on what he wanted to focus his studies on and he determined his major before we began the search. He carefully considered schools based on the programs they offered in his field, as well as location and what his friends showed interest in! He had a lot of support from his school and especially his counselors.
We were mainly interested in the Engineering Departments of these schools, with a focus on Construction, Civil, and/or Architectural Engineering. We visited the following universities and attended their regular admissions tours:
University of California, San Diego
University of California, Santa Barbara
California Polytechnic, San Luis Obispo
Colorado State University, Fort Collins
University of Colorado, Boulder
Here are the photos from our favorites:
Colorado State University at Fort Collins
It is difficult to decide on a university to attend based on how it looks on their website, or on paper, or even based solely on a recommendation. Every school is different and has its unique qualities. Just like the students! I think it is important that each student has the opportunity to visit as many colleges as possible, even before they are in high school, so they can get a feel for the place. It’s a good way to start imagining what college life is like. If you can dream it, you can make it happen!
University of Colorado at Boulder
University of New Mexico at Albuquerque
After being accepted to five universities, my son decided on Cal Poly, SLO. He liked it instantly when he arrived there for the tour. It is a beautiful campus and it is a reputable school for architectural engineering. He was honored to be accepted because he had been told how difficult it is to get in. It’s affordable within reason, and it is not too far away from home. But more than anything, he felt comfortable there and that is the most important thing.
California Polytechnic at San Luis Obispo
I am happy to give you my opinion of each school based on what I experienced. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Do you want to find out what happens next? The Six States in Seven Days Road Trip Saga continues in my next post: 5 Stops in a Culinary Adventure where I highlight some of the restaurants that I visited in on the road trip through Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona.
Our Wild Rocky Mountain Drive
April 17, 2013
— 6 Comments
Continued from . . . What Happens When a Determined Mom is in a “Road Trip State of Mind” . . .
Soon, I was in a State of Excitement and Anticipation
Do you know that feeling in the pit of your stomach that you get when you hear the click of the seat belt as you are getting seated on a roller coaster ride? You know, when you ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?” Will it be fun? Will it make me sick? Will it be worth it? Will it be. . . . oh . . . here we goooooo! And it starts. It is exciting. Every breathtaking turn and each heart stopping plummet makes you smile from ear to ear. Your screams are screams of delight! And when it is over, you wonder if you will have time to take the ride again. You realize it was just a few minutes of joy. And now, it’s over. What’s next? Well – this was nothing like that!
It started slowly, after hours and hours of driving through dirt dry desert terrain and long twisty mountain roads with nothing to see but a giant blue dome overhead and the far off promise of a horizon in the distance. I kept thinking that in the near future we will get to our destination. We will be sleeping in Fort Collins, Colorado tonight and in the morning we will be touring the campus that my oldest son might be calling home before long. This might just be the first time I drive this road. It might be the first of many times. I was thinking about that when we started to drive up a long steady incline, through the foothills of a large mountain range stretched out before us. It was like the long tall ascent of a big rollercoaster and the car felt like it was being pulled by cables, slow and steady, and I couldn’t see what was at the top. My excitement was building. I felt somewhat breathless. That was probably my body adjusting to the altitude. I took some slow steady breaths. I drank some water. I looked over the railing to the land below, and I saw a vineyard. It seemed so out-of-place. The only thing that looked alive and colorful was the sign for the vineyard, and the buildings, and billboards around the area. Everything else was dry with just the hint that it had all survived the winter months and may be dormant just before Spring bursts through the vines. I took note of the place, Grande River Vineyards, and considered it might be thriving the next time I come through here, perhaps in the Fall. It might be worth a stop if we had time. I closed my eyes for a while. I repeated my mantra to myself, “I will be sleeping in Fort Collins tonight and I will wake to a new day!”
At this point my husband was driving. He had taken over at the last gas station where we had stopped to fuel up and stretch. I planned to drive longer, but he offered and I didn’t refuse. I figured I could rest and then take over again in a few hours. The next four hours of driving proved to be another testament of my husband’s stoic character. Over the years he has been my rock. He has the ability to stay calm and persevere through the most difficult times. I have seen him run into a burning building to fetch beloved items for my elderly aunt and give mouth to mouth and revive our newborn son – there is no doubt that he is an angel and a hero! He has to be patient, calm and understanding with me! I get nervous and I worry a lot. I have suffered from anxiety and panic attacks in the past. I have had bouts of vertigo. I love driving curvy roads that I am familiar with, but I get nervous and sometimes dizzy when driving through canyons where there are steep cliffs or long tunnels. But I have learned to trust him and his abilities and boy was I glad he was driving at this point in time!
We are Southern California city drivers. We are used to rush hour traffic and freeways. I shared my husband’s concerns of the hazards of driving in a snow storm with no chains, battling poor visibility, and dealing with the dreaded black ice. This is the reason I pushed the kids to leave early that morning. I wanted to get through this mountain range before nightfall. I wanted to get to Fort Collins in time for dinner and a jacuzzi. But it was about 6 PM and all I could see was mountains ahead and it was getting cold, cloudy and dark.
Driving Through the Rocky Mountains Was a Wild Ride through the State of Fear
We travelled from Henderson, Nevada through Arizona, Utah, and Colorado that day. A total of 819 miles. The estimated driving time was exactly 12 hours. When we stopped for lunch in Green River, Utah, it was sometime around 1 PM. We had 400 miles to go driving along Interstate 70 through the majestic Rocky Mountains. We had already marveled at the breathtaking and gorgeous mountains and rock formations that we saw as we drove by Arches National Park and the Colorado National Monument areas. None of it was quite as exhilarating and exciting as driving along side the Colorado River through Aspen and Vail. The curving roads around mountain peaks, the steady ascent into higher and higher elevations, the river rushing past us, the quaint snow villages with their elegant homes and lush chalet style cabins, all of it was straight out of the Travel Channel!
Throughout the entire trip, my very techie family referred to Siri on their iPhones whenever my husband would ask a question. Where is the nearest burger joint? Where is the nearest gas station? ”I wonder how cold it is outside?” My hubby would tease. Even though he could see that number get lower and lower on the dashboard thermometer, one of the boys would ask, “Siri, what is the temperature outside right now?” “It’s 38 degrees right now.” Siri would answer. We knew the forecast in Vail was snow. The weather was at the freezing point, there were dark clouds over head, and we were going up steep mountain roads. It began snowing as soon as we reached the summit of the mountain in Vail.
At first they were just pretty flurries of snow flakes hitting the windshield. We still had a light glow from the sky behind us and the mountainside looked so pretty with the tall fir trees lining the slopes covered with fresh snow. Ahead it was dark and looming. There seemed to be fewer cars on the road and at some points we were all alone. As the snow started to fall all around us, I was surprisingly calm. A part of me (I will admit, a huge part of me!) was all, “Yeah! I knew it would snow, take that Hertz! My husband knew what he was doing when he reserved this vehicle.” We were prepared for this moment. Did we know what we were doing exactly? Heck no! But we had our safe roadworthy brand new Chevy Traverse All Wheel Drive and we were damned well going to need it for the next several miles. The rest of me was holding on for dear life and praying the Rosary in my head as my husband tried not to show any sign of fear lest he freak me out. The next hour of my life was spent singing the soundtrack of Les Miserables with my sons in the back seats watching the original Superman on the DVD player with headphones on while I thought positive loving calm beautiful thoughts of kittens and puppies.
We followed another SUV with a Colorado license plate rather closely due to the very poor visibility. I figured they must be experienced driving through this area. My husband knows everything about cars and how to drive them and he is very skilled with using the proper gears and shifting at the right time . . . etcetera, so on and so forth. He knew what he was doing. But I felt his stress and concern. It wasn’t terribly dangerous or frightening and we were very lucky that the snow although it was sticking to the ground, was not wet or icy. We did not see any accidents or stalled vehicles. It was just slow going through heavy snow over the highest point of the mountain and then a very long slow descent down down down on a curvy road until we made it to the bottom. It felt like skiing down a black diamond run that you ended up on by accident when you are first learning to ski or snowboard. There is only one way down. We took our time and made it. We were incredibly encouraging to each other through it all. The boys were quietly enjoying their movie even though I interrupted them often with, “Did you see that? Look over there!”
Always the Adventuress, I loved every moment of this trip. My teen-aged sons rolled their eyes. To them, it was like you’ve seen one mountain, you’ve seen them all. Overall it was impressive to them and they enjoyed it. But I was taking it all in like I would enjoy a bouquet of flowers admiring each flower for its individual beauty and scent. I loved that gorgeous drive and I hope to go back again, someday!
I will post even more about the trip, the college visits, the food, and what happened next in the coming days when we arrive in New Mexico.
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What Happens When a Determined Mom is in a Road Trip State of Mind
April 9, 2013
— 18 Comments
What happens when a determined mom, like me, gets in a “Road Trip State of Mind?”
Let’s go on a road trip!
First, don’t mess with me! I am determined to make sure everyone has a good time and is comfortable. And I mean it! Hopefully, everyone ends up having a reasonably good time and no one gets hurt. Second, like most things in life, going on a vacation is a journey. Obviously! But it is a process. There is a beginning, middle and end. I have some experience at this, so I planned it all out and it went pretty well. Lastly, even though our lives were never truly at risk, any trip is about survival. Especially when a perfectly normal family unit is going to be cooped up for hours on end in close quarters. Here is how we all survived. . .
THREE TIPS that helped me to enjoy a road trip through SIX STATES in SEVEN DAYS with FOUR BOYS:
#1 Do everything you can to drive a big, comfortable, and reliable vehicle.
#2 Pack lots of water bottles, snacks, medicine and chocolate.
#3 Have a plan to make it fun, for yourself.
“Our life is composed of events and states of mind. How we appraise our life from our deathbed will be predicated not only on what came to us in life but how we lived with it. It will not be simply illness or health, riches or poverty, good luck or bad, which ultimately define whether we believe we have had a good life or not, but the quality of our relationship to these situations: the attitudes of our states of mind.”
― Stephen Levine, A Year to Live: How to Live This Year as If It Were Your Last
Yeah, we drove over 2500 miles in seven days. It was pretty hard at times and we had a blast at times. It was worth it, but it took a lot of planning and forethought to survive it. I would like to share with you why we actually needed to do it, how we actually ended up doing it, and why it was so worthwhile that I would highly recommend that you do it – at least once in your life! I believe in living life fully and making each moment count. I like to celebrate the milestones and create memorable events for my family. I became determined to take the task of visiting colleges and turn it into a vacation.
In the Beginning, I Found Myself in a State of Dilemma
We live in California and we wanted to take our oldest son to see three universities that he has been accepted to for the Fall. Two of the Universities are in Colorado and one is in New Mexico. We had a week off for Spring Break and a little savings to use for a trip. The money we had saved was not enough for all of us to travel by air and stay in hotels at all three locations, so we had to make some choices. I looked at it from many angles. I could afford to send my son to visit the schools if either my husband or I went with him, flew to Colorado and then drove to New Mexico and flew back from there. That was not only a hassle, but how would we decide who would go with him? Our first dilemma.
I soon realized that all five of us could go on the trip if we drove and stayed with relatives for most of the time. Since we have four drivers and lots of relatives in these areas, I thought – “Great, problem solved!” The best part being that we would get to see some of our beloved relatives and we were overdue for a trip to one of our favorite places to visit! I thought it would be a good experience for the younger boys to visit these colleges and see what they have in store for them down the road. Then I realized we don’t have a reliable vehicle that all of us would be comfortable in for many hours at a time. That’s the second dilemma.
I did a web search of hotels, rental cars, and driving distances and figured out a way we could manage this trip. I reached out to my relatives and confirmed that all five of us could stay with my cousin in New Mexico for three nights, the longest part of the vacation. My son and I coordinated the visits with the three schools and I worked out a schedule from there. I priced out the rental cars online and found a pretty good deal with one and my husband chose the type of vehicle he wanted to drive for the trip. I found some amazing hotels with great reviews in the vicinity of the two schools we were visiting in Colorado, and got awesome deals since I was booking far in advance and online.
I put together an itinerary, got someone to feed the cats and watch the house, and I set to work on creating a memorable experience for our family. It wasn’t until the day we left on the trip that I realized this wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought.
This says it all!
On the First Day, I was in a State of Despair
I know that sounds dramatic, but it certainly was an urgent and desperate situation! The whole trip I planned depended on the perfect vehicle. It had to be spacious and it had to be reliable. I have three teen-aged boys and my husband and I aren’t exactly “compact” so it needed to be comfortable. Since we are on a tight budget it needed to be affordable. We were going to be driving over the Rocky Mountains and snow was predicted on the days we were going to be there, so it needed to be an all wheel drive vehicle. Mostly, I wanted it to be perfect. I wanted my family to be comfortable. I wanted to make my husband and kids happy. They weren’t as excited as I was about taking this road trip!
I thought I found the solution when I went through Hertz. I did, but it was a very difficult and disappointing ordeal. The main reason it became so harrowing is the poor customer service we received when we went to pick up the vehicle. The car I reserved was not available and the substitute was not at all acceptable. I called twice in advance to see if the vehicle I reserved would be there and both times was told that it or a comparable vehicle would be there when I arrived at my appointed time. It turned out that the staff did nothing to honor that commitment. They accepted what they believed to be the closest thing and never bothered to notify me. When we arrived, my husband and I waited forty-five minutes before anyone could even help us and then we found out about the mini-van. My stress is beginning to elevate now just thinking about it. If it had not been that important to my husband, we would have driven that mini-van through the blizzard we hit in Vail, Colorado. But instead, I stuck my heels in the ground, we made some calls, we delayed our departure and we exchanged it at a different Hertz location within the vicinity. It took some work, actual work, on the part of the employees at Hertz, but they were in fact able to provide the vehicle that I reserved. I think it was a surprise even to them! We ended up in a brand new, just off the lot, the window sticker still attached, Chevy Traverse LT AWD. Exactly what I had reserved.
Crazy Car Rental Experience
I won’t go into details about the employees at Hertz and I would never name names, but they could stand to learn a lot about customer service, respect, common sense, courtesy and compassion, none of which was observed at either of the locations I had to interact with.
I must say that it all turned out okay in the end. The District Manager at Hertz did a lot to make it work out for us, but it is important to note that I had to really work hard to get what I wanted and I was not satisfied with my overall customer experience. Since Hertz claims their goal is “to provide the best customer experience possible”, they seriously failed to meet it. Eventually they discounted the rental, but I had to go through the corporate office by getting their attention on Twitter ( https://twitter.com/Hertz) and publicly proclaiming my dissatisfaction. If you know me, you know how extremely difficult it was for me to do that. I am probably the most positive person you will ever meet and it saddened me to complain. I was of course happy to get a discount, but what I am still waiting for is an apology and I would like to see the management take responsibility and show me how they plan to improve the service at my local office before I will ever consider returning to or recommending Hertz again. Service and reliability are extremely important to me. It was particularly challenging to remain calm and upbeat during this experience and it was vital that I didn’t get upset at the beginning of the trip. I had to use restraint to show my kids how I could take care of things without totally freaking out! I put myself under a lot of pressure to make this trip great and this was the very first step.
When we finally drove away and I was on the road for the first leg of the trip, I saw a black crow perched on a post at the freeway on ramp. I wondered if that was an omen. At that moment, all I could do was pray. I prayed that it would only get better from there. Thank God that was the worst of it!
If you like to read about travel disasters and conquests, visit this blog: http://elliott.org/ I will keep you posted on what I now call the “Hertz State of Despair.” I will recommend them if I ever get a note of apology and some clear perspective on how they plan to meet their goal of providing a positive experience for their customers.
That First Night, I Slept Soundly in a State of Relief
It was late. We were about four hours behind schedule. I had originally hoped to have time to have dinner with my mother-in-law in Henderson, Nevada on our first night. The boys were looking forward to hanging out with their cousin. My husband planned to meet up with his brother. None of that happened, but we were welcomed by my husband’s mother close to midnight when we finally arrived on her doorstep. Even though we said not to go to any trouble, she had of course cooked for us! She warmed up the food and laid it out on the table and we sat down to eat as if it were the normal dinner time. I knew if we weren’t there, she would be sound asleep! We felt at home and I relaxed for the first time in over 24 hours! We were safe and warm and comfortable.
The boys were aggravated when I told them that I wanted to leave at 5 AM. My husband was annoyed when he realized that we still had a 14-16 hour drive ahead of us the next day. No one understood that the first night was a mere “lay-over” and “rest stop” for what was to be the longest and most difficult, yet most beautiful and exciting part of our drive.
I planned that first night to be easy and carefree. I could depend on my mother-in-law and she came through with flying colors! This is a beautiful person who knows how to make the people she cares about feel special. If we needed it, wanted it, dreamed of it, she had it for us. I am not kidding! Sneezing? Is it allergies? She had a package of medicine for us to take. Forgot your tooth-brush? Here is a brand new one. Need snacks and drinks for the road? I bought extra. I made cookies. Take them. We hardly had room, but she filled the rental car with the essentials (most things I had thought of and packed already, but we graciously accepted anyway.) A roll of paper towels, a box of Kleenex. Even a pretty outfit for me to wear on Easter! She loves to give me clothes! I will probably be like that someday with my daughters-in-law! She got up early and made breakfast for us. She was at the door to see us off and wish us well.
At the moment we were about to take off, I really wanted to bring her with me! I needed another woman to balance out the hormones in the car. I could feel it already. It was going to be a bumpy ride! Me against the boys. They are easy going and good kids, but I am sensitive to their little remarks. I am a people pleaser and they never seem satisfied. If I plan ham, they want turkey. If I plan turkey, they want ham. You get it. They are gracious and sweet, but given a 50/50 chance to get things right, I always make the wrong guess. And there are three of them! The odds are stacked against me! Is that all in my head? If you ask any one of them or my husband, they will tell you, “Yes.” But think about it. Even logically, I knew that I needed to be at my most calm, best and easy going self to survive this trip. I think this is the first time ever I wished my mother-in-law was with me! I certainly wouldn’t have wished this experience on anyone else. No girlfriend could have taken it. I know I am in a “special mom place” when I am in the mother hen role. Since I no longer have my sister or my mom around to back me up, the only one who could have pulled it off was my MIL. Yet, would I come out alive after a trip with her and her grandchildren and son? Thankfully, I will never know for sure! But packed to the gills with chocolate, drinks, and allergy medicine, I knew I had everything I needed to make it through. Only five more states to go!
Sunrise over Nevada
Beautiful Las Vegas Strip
It’s not too late to go to Vegas!
The First Mesa We Saw
Early Morning Leaving Town
Fake Animals on the Road Side
Jagged Mountain Tops in the Distance
The Second Day I discovered myself in a State of Awe and Wonderment
We quickly drove through the dry barren desert area of Nevada and into Arizona in the first few hours of the drive. We spent most of the day driving through Utah. None of us had ever been through this part of Utah before. In fact, only my second son and myself had ever been to Utah. I went on a business trip to Salt Lake City once and my son had been to Park City with another family last Summer. So, this was very new and exciting. Driving through this part of the country is amazing and difficult to describe, but I will do my best.
We were truly in awe. The trek through Arizona was like being in the movie Cars. There is no doubt that the movie and the ride at California Adventure is based on someone’s travels on the very roads we were on. The rugged terrain, the mountains, cliffs and gulleys were crazy gorgeous, colorful, jagged, rocky and out of this world. It was a curvy, dangerous, and fun road to drive!
Everything seemed to smooth out when we entered Utah. The terrain was calm and the mountains were smooth and the lightly dusted mountain tops in the distance were soft and serene. It looked like someone had gone through moments before with powdered sugar and sifted it on the tops of the mountains that looked like giant mounds of lemon cookies. Then I began to notice that the shrubs and trees were getting bigger and the mountains were getting closer. We drove through them and it was no big deal. I thought, “Hey, this isn’t so bad. If this is the snow I had heard about, then we are doing great!” Little did I know!
The terrain changed drastically through this part of Utah. We saw every different kind of mountain that I could have ever imagined on this leg of the trip. They were all different sizes, shapes and colors. It felt like we went back in time. I imagined the dinosaurs walking over those giant rocks. I felt like we were on a different planet. The bright reds and coppers of the soil and the layers of rock jutting out of the ground at disturbing angles made me think of earthquakes and volcanoes. I had nothing but my imagination to keep me occupied during the long hours of driving in the middle of nowhere. For hours we saw nothing but mountains and sky. It was breathtaking. They are majestic. They are mystifying. They are high! The elevation grew with every mile. We are used to being at sea level! Before we knew it we were at the mile high mark. Over 5000 feet. And with each mile it got colder. I told the boys to bring jackets, none of us brought anything heavier than a sweatshirt! I think we had one coat between the five of us!
We stopped for lunch at the halfway point at Green River, Utah. There was not much green and I didn’t see a river. It was dry and barren and barely anything in sight for miles. There was a stretch of road that was slightly inhabited. We stopped at a burger joint that would be worthy of a spot on the show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. We had green chile burgers and tater tots. It was delicious! I had a soft serve chocolate ice cream. We rested and the boys played ball in the parking lot. (Dirt road on the side of the building.) The boys play lacrosse and the locals were in awe having never seen such a thing. They were a hit!
As we made our way through Utah, we continued to see the most amazing views of mountains and scenery! Everything got bigger and bigger and I felt small as we zipped by in our “little” car. As we started to drive up through the mountains, around each turn I would notice we were driving higher and higher and there were more and more mountains. It seemed we would never get to the “top”. Around each bend there were more and bigger mountains to climb. Until we got to a point that seemed to be at the base of another set of mountains. Welcome to Colorado, the sign said! We were almost at our destination for the day! The time had changed and we realized we gained an hour. Were we an hour closer? No. In fact with the long stop for lunch and the time change, the time estimated for arrival to Fort Collins, Colorado was 9:00 PM.
When we finally did arrive in Fort Collins, with the time change accounted for, we had been travelling for 17 hours. technically that was just the first day! The boys weren’t too happy with me that first night! I haven’t even gotten to the part about the snow storm!
Read more about the trip in the next installment at Our Wild Rocky Mountain Drive. Follow this blog to be notified when new posts are published or subscribe to the newsletter. If you are new here, please leave a comment and let me know. Heck, leave a comment anyway! I love to hear from you!
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Do you Instagram? Follow Miz Meliz @mizmelissa and See Beautiful Vacation Pictures!
April 8, 2013
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I love Instagram! I feel really connected with people when I know they are following my adventures. With Instagram I can post a picture, improve the way it looks by adding a filter and a frame, write a caption, include a hashtag, share it instantly on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Flickr, and even check in via Foursquare.
New Mexico
On my recent Spring Break Vacation, I asked my friends to follow me on Instagram @mizmelissa for daily updates. I went on a road trip with my family and we made lots of stops. We drove over 2500 miles in one week. We drove through beautiful terrain and I saw some of the most exquisite views of the sky that I have ever seen. All the pictures I took were with my iPhone and mostly through the window of the passenger seat! I think my pics came out pretty good and I enjoyed sharing them!
I called my trip Six States in Seven Days and I will chronicle my travels in my next few posts. The trip was amazing for many reasons. It was a great break from routine and get away with my family. I planned meet ups with family and friends that I haven’t seen in years. The main objective and reason for the trip was to visit the universities that my son had been accepted to and help him make a decision on where to attend in the Fall. It was probably the last family road trip vacation I take with my three sons. This vacation was also a great way to test my social media skills and have an adventure!
If you want to see the 25 pictures that I posted on Instagram during my trip either click HERE and see them on my Instagram page, or you can search for the hashtag #mizmeliz. If you like what you see, I hope you follow me to see more fun and gorgeous photos. Let me know your Instagram name so I can follow you!
Here are a few of my favorites:
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- California
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- Nevada
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- Utah
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- New Mexico
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- Colorado
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- Arizona
Flip Flop Day
April 4, 2013
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I’ve been on a Spring Break vacation. It’s a road trip. Over 2400 miles in a week’s time. I’ll write all about it in the next few days. I saw this sign in Flagstaff, Arizona today. It sums up my feelings on most non-vacation days. It reminded me to be grateful for relaxation and easy going days! It made me realize how lucky I am to have fun in the sun, sandy beach, wiggle my toes kind of days.
If you would like to take a rest and transport yourself on a mini-vacation, click here.
It’s Spring Break and for a lot of people that means it’s time to take a vacation or a road trip. Here is a way you can take a little trip and get some rest and relaxation in under three minutes! I made this video for you. Sit back and relax. Go on a brief adventure. Remember, it’s your journey and you make it beautiful. . .
