Perhaps the thought of being in a small, enclosed space with several of your neighbors' children along with your own doesn't sound easy, but here are a few ideas to help make the ride more enjoyable.

• Make sure that everyone, both parents and children, know the "Carpool Rules."   Meet with all the parents before the carpool  starts and make sure you are all in agreement about things like seat belt use, music being played, food and drinks in car, etc.

• Make a written schedule of who drives when.  Having the schedule in writing ahead of time will avoid conflicts and misunderstandings later.

• Establish a set time and place for pick ups; i.e. 15 minutes before practice in front of the mailbox.  If each person knows when and where they need to be it will avoid tardiness and confusion.

• Learn some games and activities to keep the children occupied in case of delays due to road construction, bad weather, etc.

More carpool tips coming soon! 

Smooth Sailing!

Paula Farris

PS For more great ideas, including tips on carpooling, subscribe to our weekly travel tip ezine!  "Everywhere You Go"

http://www.paulafarris.goldphoria.com/page/page/3756093.htm

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Yesterday I mentioned that we usually cook all of our meals when we stay at my Mom's Time Share Resort.  While those suites have fully equipped, albeit small, kitchens most motel rooms barely have a microwave and a refrigerator.  So how is it possible to "cook" in one of those?  Here are a few suggestions:

Serve wraps instead of sandwiches. Using a tortilla instead of bread not only saves packing space, but it also minimizes crumbs. And tortillas aren’t as likely to get squished as a loaf of bread is.

Everything from bowls to knives can be bought in a disposable form nowadays. While you may not choose to use these items at home they may be the perfect solution to washing your dishes in a bathtub that has been used by many different people.

For a fun treat serve breakfast cereal in plastic bags with a cup of milk to drink. You might even “splurge” on the sugar kind.

If you have a microwave you could just serve TV Dinners to everyone, but keep in mind that you will probably be limited to only warming one at a time. This could make dinner time last an hour or longer.

• Here are some alternatives:
  • Baked Potatoes complete with butter, sour cream, chives & bacon bits
  • Fry some bacon for BLT’s
  • A Family Pack Frozen Meal. These come in a variety of microwaveable choices.
  • Quesadillas served with chopped lettuce, sliced tomato, sour cream, guacamole, chopped green onions & sliced olives.  Most of these can be purchased pre-packaged or prepared ahead of time and stored in zipper top bags in your cooler.

What does your family do for meals on the road?  Leave me a comment and let me know.

Smooth Sailing!

Paula in AZ

ANNOUNCING!!!  Our brand new website!!!  It isn't completely finished, yet, but we do have some interesting and helpful info there.  Let me know what you think. 

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For many families money causes a whole lot of stress (and not just when it comes to traveling!)  To ease the pain we have found a few ways to enjoy a vacation while exploring our own "backyard." 

We trade dog-sitting services with my Mom while she travels in exchange for a week at her timeshare resort.  The resort offers a large suite with a complete kitchen and we cook many of our own meals.  It takes a little creativity with the limited space and minimal utensils, but it sure saves a bundle of money.

The resort also features family activities for low or no cost.  Our children have participated in a checkers tournament and won a movie rental, roasted s'mores and played organized, supervised games poolside.  We also take several board games and card games to enjoy with our family or with new found friends.

The downtown area of large cities usually offers numerous family-friendly adventures.  Downtown Phoenix is referred to a Copper Square.  It has a free shuttle bus that circles the Square  .  We have paid $3.00 to park our car in a parking lot caught the shuttle and enjoyed an entire afternoon of free fun.  We visited the Arizona Rock and Mineral Museum, the Wesley Bolin Plaza featuring outdoor monuments including the anchor from the USS Arizona that was sunk in Pearl Harbor, and the State Capitol Museum.  We also rode the elevator to the top of the County Courthouse and looked through the windows at the tiny, little people and cars. 

There are ways to enjoy a trip without stressing about the finances.  The object of getting away is to relax.  Reward yourself by indulging in that novel you never have time for or get an exciting book on tape from the library to share with the whole family every night before bed. 

With a little bit of thought and planning you can avoid Vacation Sticker Shock and actually enjoy a good time.

Smooth Sailing!

Paula in AZ

PS Do you have any free or low cost ideas for travel fun?  Leave me a comment and let me know.

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