Tag Archives: trips

(Sort of) a Vacation?

The end of last week was a whirlwind for my family. I’ve been in technicals the past week for a theatrical show I’ve been working on, my wife had an obligation in another city, and my graduate work for school certainly hasn’t let up at all. To top it all off I ended up going with my wife, out of town, for her work obligation. This ended up being a great thing but it certainly outlined the difficulty of trying to be in two places at the same time. It also outlined the difficulty of the types of work my … Continue reading →

Long Trips at Seven Months

Spring Break snuck up on the town like higher gas prices and egg shaped pastel candies. Once again my wife and I prepared for the overly lengthy trip back to Iowa. Our near thousand mile trek was certain to be different than our previous trips. It was also, certainly, going to be more difficult now that our son is more mobile than he has been previously. Strangely, the trip went extremely well and I can’t quite reason out why. One of the smartest decisions we made was to split the trip over two days and bite the proverbial bullet of … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Themed Family Getaways

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away; do you know where you’ll be gobbling up turkey this year? More importantly, what fun family activities do you have planned for the long holiday weekend besides stuffing your face? A few million Thanksgiving diners will be heading out to the streets of New York prior to chowing down on turkey and all the trimmings. The massive crowds are just part of the biggest Turkey Day event in the country—-Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. At 9 a.m. sharp on November 27th, more than 10,000 Macy employees and volunteers will gather at 77th and Central … Continue reading →

On the Road Again, Parenting On Vacation–Part One

Lingering over my Sunday paper this morning, I stumble across a story that asks the controversial question: “How old should globe-traveling kids be?” This Associated Press story by Beth Harpaz brings up some interesting issues–such as, just because you CAN travel with small children, should you? But, the article actually got me to thinking about nearly two decades of my own road trip and vacation adventures with kids of various ages. It can be done–traveling with children, and while I’ve never taking a long 20-hour flight with any of my children, I do have some friends who have. Firstly, my … Continue reading →

“Spiritual” Destinations–A Growing Trend In Travel

I’m sure you have seen ads for them posted in your church’s Sunday bulletin or perhaps you have heard commercials for them on the radio. They are tours of sacred religious sites and a new report out says that are gaining in popularity. The news may surprise some of you, but it’s true. According to the National Tour Association, hundreds of thousands of people are skipping Mexican cruises and all-inclusive stays in the Bahamas and instead, choosing to use their vacation time to partake in a spiritual tour. And, I’m not just talking about church groups taking a trip to … Continue reading →

The Great Carry-On Debate

Alaska’s Republican senator, Ted Stevens’ (who chairs the Senate Commerce, Science and transportation Committee) recent suggestion to restrict airline passengers to one carry-on bag sparked a lively debate at a dinner party I attended last night. Stevens’ theory is that airport screeners would be able to pay closer attention to potential terrorists if they weren’t so burdened by checking two carry-on bags. He has a point. But, I am a mom and two carry-ons is the way I travel. (Frankly, in the past, I have gotten away with having three carry-ons, but the flurry of activity that surrounds getting me … Continue reading →

Carpooling: A Company’s Success Story

This is a follow-up to my “Leave Your Car at Home Day” blog. In it I highlighted the benefits of using local Park & Ride lots to combat rising gas prices. Today, I am sticking with the subject of carpooling and sharing with you a story that may further encourage you to carpool. A company located near my home started a carpool program more than five years ago. (I live in a fairly small city and carpooling is not as popular as it is in bigger metropolitan areas. We don’t have a carpool or “ZIPPER” lane and the rush-hour commute … Continue reading →

Postcards… From My Drawer

No matter where I travel, I usually come home with postcards. I buy them with the best intentions: sending them to loved ones with a quick note saying how much I miss them and wishing they were here, yada, yada. Of course, reality is, I never send them out and they end up taking up space in what soon became known as my “postcard drawer.” But, one day enough was enough. It was time to reclaim the drawer. So, I came up with some clever ideas on how to make use of postcards, well after your trip is over. Use … Continue reading →

Keeping a Travel Journal

Over the years, I have had the fortune of traveling to many amazing destinations. However, I am not a crafty individual so I don’t have beautiful scrapbooks displaying my photos and souvenirs from each trip. I do though love to write. So for me a travel journal is my “scrapbook” of words, detailing memories of my trips. Keeping a journal… some might consider it a turn-off. “Sounds like a homework assignment,” someone once said to me. But it really can be very easy. Granted, some of my entries are long and detailed, but some are just a few sentences. Like … Continue reading →