Road Trip with Kids? Simple!

In the past 4 months we've visited both US coasts and traveled about 2K miles by car. Here's what we've learned that we think makes a difference in road tripping the simple way:

For the car:

1. STORY: A good story line is more useful than a DVD player. Telling stories to pass the time means less equipment, less stuff and less power hogging from the car. When the kids gets especially restless, old favorites to the rescue: Old MacDonald had a Farm, Bingo was his name-o, and The old lady who swallowed a fly! Get silly with the songs so that even you entertain yourself a little! Finger rhymes/tunes are especially entertaining for the kids - if you're not the one driving, that is!

2. GPS: A GPS is invaluable. We use the one on my phone. It may require a little extra juice from the car so another reason not to clog up the energy sources with a DVD player. One of the features we love about GPS is being able to find exactly what we're looking for - the cheapest gas, a certain store store, groceries, etc.

3. TREATS: Real treats as treats. For each road trip, I purchased snacks that I would otherwise not buy. New snacks are novel and serve as great bargaining chips when the going gets rough plus if you get what you like too it's something to look forward to when the road gets long. For the driver, I recommend the small 5-hour energy drinks and expensive chocolate!

4. PLAN: Plan ahead: use google maps and plan to avoid traffic or other potential delays if possible, spend a little time brainstorming up topics of conversation between you and kids or you and other adult so that whoever is driving can be sufficiently engaged to stay awake. Plan on restroom breaks and plan on diversions from the plan.

5. COMFORT: Make the car as comfortable as possible with some of the conveniences of home: tissues, wipes, hand cleaner, hand towels, travel pillows, blankies, dolls, books, other novelty items to entertain little hands.

For the hotel/place of rest:

1. SCENT: Febreeze/air spray to help promote the scent and feel of home. We use Febreeze and a lavender pillow spray at home so mini sized ones are what we bring with us. Depending on where we've chosen to stay, I bring along a small can of Lysol too (!)

2. MONEY: A well thought out budget. On our most recent road trip, we budgeted to dine out our first night in town. The kids had a different idea and were a little tapped out by dinner time. Since we knew precisely what we budgeted for food, we could opt to get room service and dine in to everyone's relief and comfort and not break the bank.

3. CONSIDERATION: A nice tip for the cleaning staff. Our kids are messy and between dirty diapers, carpet crumbs and pillow fights, the cleaning staff deserve a little extra for what they will be asked to do upon our check out.

4. PERKS: Ask if there are any perks for kids. Our most recent hotel stay had a scavenger hunt for kids that might have been necessary had we not planned enough to entertain the little rascals.

5. COMFORT: Again with the conveniences of home: wipes, hand cleaner, lotion, safety pins, nail clipper, nail file, floss, blankies, etc.

For out & about:

1. HANDS: Wipes are so handy after dining out, ice cream, the beach, petting puppies, anywhere the quality of little (or big) hands might get compromised. Hand sanitizer is also a must.

2. BUBBLES: Bubbles are perfect in times of boredom brinking on disaster. You can buy mini containers at party stores.

3. PENS: and paper are handy to have to jot a note to yourself or to save your sanity by letting the kids get their draw on.

The road trip out east was longer and punctuated by multiple stops and starts than the road trip to the west but these were some of the nuggets that we know we'll continue to find useful for future excursions. Happy Trails!

Why We Don't Have TV

We've been without a proper television since 2006. Our antiquated hand-me-down died one October 4 years ago and we chose to see how long we could go without. We like TV - we are big fans of our "stories" - but here are 5 reasons why we don't have one:

1. Simply cutting out the massive advertising that TV offers has cut our desires by at least half and increased our activity by leaps and bounds. We like this. While we may not be privy to all the latests and greatests in films, or anything really, cravings for the latests and greatests is not missed at all.

2. We are sufficiently entertained by DVDs through Netflix as well as its Instant Watch feature. The variety is great and for $10/month we get unlimited online instant watching. To have unlimited access to watch Barney, Dr. Who and Law & Order whenever we want = priceless!

3. We have computers to pass the time in lieu of TV and given the access available via the web, not having TV is painless. We see a lot of our favorite programming by going direct to the TV station's website or by watching via hulu.com.

4. With program viewing now a ritual rather than a habit, there is a tremendous amount of time to spend doing other cool stuff.

5. Being a fan of products that multi-task, the computer has greater utility than a TV. We network, shop, research, and play online video games for free. If we had to choose a shiny box of colored light to keep around, the computer is definitely it.

Business Simplicity: Know Thyself & Perspective

Knowing one's strengths and limitations is paramount in any game being played but setting up a business requires an extra keen sensibility of such qualities. Ten or so years ago I tried to have a business but the most common of things kept getting in the way: money. It was a creative endeavor wherein I made stuff for sale and by commission. I did not like thinking in terms of profit and loss and therefore didn't. My partner was a stickler for such things and eventually we drove each other a little bonkers. After several emotional exchanges, we parted ways in this regard. We're married so we didn't part far.

We're older and, hopefully, wiser now so instead of focusing my time and energy on strictly generating and maintaining revenue, I concede to a partner who sees to those details. I get to see to every creative aspect of my business and he sees to the flow and balance of the details that he's talented at managing. Regular conversations to address how our "duties" are being carried out in relation to my overall grand scheme are integral.

Recognizing where each of our individual strengths lie affords us each opportunities to excel. Keeping tabs on the big picture on a daily basis is essential to maintaining perspective of the business's goals and productivity.

So what is the business and what is the grand scheme? Elaine Kessler Photography is the business and the grand scheme is to generate enough money to consistently and continuously "capture the love and energy of the good life." This is the beginning so as I get my feet wet I imagine that kinks will come more frequently before they go but as I've fielded 1 or 2 (kinks) so far, I am buckling up, with a smile, and getting ready for the ride.

Why We Drive A Hybrid

After 10 years of sharing a car (4 of which were for 3+ people), we finally, begrudgingly, became a 2-car family. Of all the cars on the market, here are 5 reasons why we drive a Hybrid:

1. We wanted a cool, quality second vehicle. Buying one that combines the power of a gas engine with an electric motor that reduces fuel consumption and emissions was a no brainer, especially since we like to think of ourselves as green & clean!

2. Trendy can be cool. We like protecting the environment and setting a new standard for our kids. Hybrid's "produce about 90 percent fewer smog-forming tailpipe emissions compared with the average new car," according to the Head of Environmental Engineering for Toyota. We want to set a trend for our kids in how to treat the planet, driving green is just one way we can put power behind our action.

3. Comfort counts. Our Honda Insight is just as, if not a tad more, comfortable than our Saturn Vue and it rides as smooth as other gas-powered drives we've experienced.

4. Driving a Hybrid is peaceful. When the car is stopped, the engine completely shuts down so gas isn't wasted or toxins emitted.

5. We like saving money. With the Hybrid's fuel efficiency, we visit the gas station less than twice a month as compared to the once a week we visit with the Saturn.

Despite having to be a 2 car family, I truly do adore the Honda Insight. We may have been able to survive on 1 car, perhaps even no cars, but our quality of life would have suffered as a result. Sharing a car was fine for the 2 of us but once we grew in number, it seemed wiser and safer to have access to more mobile resources. Choosing a hybrid was one of the best choices we could have made and when the time comes to choose again, we'll trade the Saturn in for a hybrid too.

Why We Compost

I grew up composting so it was only natural that I would compost as an adult. There were some fallacies about composting that I had to work through to finally arrive at the green & clean method we use today. Here are some reasons we compost:

1. It's easy. Once you get the hang of it, composting becomes second nature. I find myself looking for friends' compost bins whenever I'm at their house. Throw the banana peel in the trash can? Really? Maybe I'll just stash this till I get home to my bin.

2. It saves space. With the terrific accumulation of waste product, composting can save quite a bit of trash space. We use MAYBE 2 small plastic grocery bag's worth of trash every week for a family of 4 (that includes diapers!) Btw - of course, we recycle.

3. It's good for the planet. Landfills are being pushed to the max. The EPA estimates that roughly 25% of the garbage in the U.S. is made up of yard trimmings and food scraps. Imagine all the land and energy we could save, simply by composting.

4. It's good for the garden. "Black gold" loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. Composted gardens tend to produce more and higher quality fruits and veggies than gardens made with commercial fertilizer alone.

5. It saves money. After the tiny initial investment of setting up a space to compost, we find that composting saves us money by reducing what we pay for fertilizer and yard waste removal. We save $5/month by composting ourselves and not paying for the municipal yard clipping bin pick up. We used an old crib to set up the boundaries for the outdoor compost and we use various bowls to haul indoor scraps outside. Recycling means zero-minimal cost on both ends.

6. It's clean. Only composts done wrong attract pests. Keep dairy products, meats and anything cooked out of your pile and you'll be golden.

How to Simplify a Traditional Sit Down Dinner Party

We enjoy entertaining. We've had brunches, bonfires, small & large, in & outdoor dinner parties. We recently hosted a sit down dinner party that was a complete success. There were no stressors that caused unhappiness and all of the guests seemed truly to enjoy themselves. I applied the principles below and think the outcome was absolute perfection. Here is a little on how we made it happen:

1. Get the past out of the present & your future*: Don't plan on having a party that is like other parties you've had before. Understand that this endeavor is a unique one and make it unique in all the ways only you know how.

2. Give up looking good*: Have fun with the planning and execution of the event - don't forsake your personal sense of enjoyment for this cause.

3. Do the best you can with what you have: Create the menu from items you prepare well; use what you already have; and be original with what you don't.

4. Plan your Work & Work Your Plan*: Be prepared

5. Choose what works*

*(Principles courtesy of Landmark Education)

The Menu

7 homemade Northeast Thai (Issan) dishes - made from scratch. There are a myriad of cuisines I could have chosen but I chose what I feel I do well and love doing. I planned my work and worked my plan. I had a schedule for 2 days before the event to map out how & when I'd be prepping then ultimately cooking each dish. I divided the day of the event into 4 sections and then into hours to be sure I gave myself adequate time to make each dish fresh then to clean as I go. There is nothing more daunting to me than to have a kitchen full of dirty dishes as guests arrive so I clean as I go and eliminate that stressor altogether. As far as the leftovers, which there were plenty since I fail to understand portions for a group, I composted what could be composted and stored the rest of the food for lunches and dinners the following week.

The Home

We live in a modest home. While Bill recently became an Assistant VP at a major banking institution, he wasn't always an AVP. The home we live in once belonged to my parents - interestingly, my daughters sleep in the room I slept in as a child. We bought the house for really cheap as a starter home and have since chosen to make it a "till retirement" home. It is a humble home in a humble neighborhood and I sometimes feel conflict that my environment doesn't adequately reflect my "station" in life. This is the area where I have to give up "looking good." I wouldn't choose this space and location, given our resources today but since we didn't always have these resources, I now choose this space because I love it and am tied to it in an intimate and amazing way. As one guest remarked - "It's a surprise inside!" That's the kind of sentiment that works for me!

The Seating & the "Silver"

Given the size of our home, 16 guests would not comfortably fit in one room. I appointed 2 tables for guests, one in the front room and one in the back. Guests were invited to switch up seating for dessert which made for a lot of laughter and fun. To reduce waste, we used the glasses, plates & bowls we owned then since there wasn't enough silver, we also used some plastic ware. I set the tables the day before and to eliminate confusion, I made place cards then reminded guests to switch around at dessert time. We normally use cloth napkins but not having enough and wanting some congruity on the table, we used large paper napkins. While I don't advocate regular use of such items due to the amount of waste that accumulates, every now and then an occasion sees fit to use some. We had a lot of dishes to wash afterward (we don't have a dishwasher) but organizing the work (and waiting till the next day) proved helpful to make quick work out of a large stack. Plus, not having pots and pans to clean in the mix made a big difference in how fast we got through the dinner party dishes.

Little Touches

Being creative with the food is one way to enjoy yourself. I personally liked creating a physical menu so everyone could see in Thai what the dish was called and how it was pronounced. I'm also a big fan of the "goodbye gift" - nothing too ornate this go around but in fitting with the theme, I made individual bags of banana chips that guests could take with them.

Oops

I forgot an item when I plated dessert. No one said anything and I noticed after everyone left. I was pretty bummed about it for the next couple of days and had to constantly remind myself that the incident was over and pondering it now just gets in the way of what new things I could be creating.

To reiterate - Giving up the past, giving up looking good, doing the best you can with what you have, planning your work & working your plan, and choosing what works are sure fire ways to have a dinner party that dazzles and delights you AND your guests!