Friday, August 4, 2017

New Mexico or bust!

I was about ready to bust. After all, it was a twelve hour drive each way for our family. Four kids, one being 8 months old. All of us stuck in the rental van together. You know how that goes? "Mom, her leg is touching me!", "Mom, can I have more chips?", "I have to pee!" (at which I respond, "Can you wait just a little longer? We have to find a gas station.") "No, I can't hold it. I really have to pee!" 

*deep sighs and a head slap*

Yep. That was the drive there and the drive back. We left early Friday morning and got back home Sunday night. It's been described as a "whirlwind trip" and that's exactly how it felt. Too much time in the car, not enough with the person we went to see. 


We spent time and money preparing for this trip. I wanted to make the road time as painless as possible. I wanted to keep the kids as entertained as possible. I wanted myself and my husband to feel as comfortable as we could. Sitting for 12 hours... I can barely manage 2 hours at time! But I had a goal. A very important goal. We were going to see Great Grandpa Al! 

One thing we purchased to make the trip better was the Ozark Trail cooler.
It was truly worth the nearly-$50 price tag! If you make long trips, plan to go on all-day park adventures, or otherwise need a long-lasting drink/food cooler - this is it! They boast staying cold for up to 3 days. And they aren't kidding. I had 2 ice packs and enough drinks to cover us for at least half the drive one way. We thought we needed more ice, so we filled 2 gallon-sized baggies with ice to add on the bottom and the top of the waters. After 12+ hours, the ice from one bag had melted, but was still icy cold. The other bag still had ice! The zipper on this thing is water tight. Keeps liquids from spilling out like you wouldn't believe! The carrying strap that goes over your shoulder has gel in the center to keep it comfortable. I can't stand chaffing straps. And it has a convenient zipper pocket in the front. Need I say more? My husband and I were thrilled all throughout our trip that we had decided to spend the money and get one. We have so many plans to use it. Water park, lake, road trips... Oh yeah, gonna have some ice cold water all day today and tomorrow without adding ice! If you are looking to get one for yourself, we picked ours up at the local Wal-Mart. *These opinions are strictly my own. I was not paid, given incentive, or otherwise coerced into writing this mini review!*

Most of the trip was through flatlands.
Seriously. Everything is flat and looks the same.
I even got so bored that I started playing with my sons fast food toy...
Most towns we drove through were ghost towns. People lived in shacks, but there was nothing in the form of businesses. How do they manage?! 
We did enjoy some rainbows along the way. 
We stayed at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico right alongside the airport. It was affordable, we were able to book it online, in a safe part of the city, and within a 5 minute drive to Grandpa's house. Let me just say, this hotel room was perfect for our 6-person family.
There were two beds in the room, with a half wall separating the "living room" area that had a pullout couch.
Trash cans were larger than your standard hotel rooms normally carry. This is a big deal when you have kids.They even set my daughters Minecraft Ocelot stuffed toy in her pillows to greet us when we came back that afternoon. I only had 2 issues with this place. One elevator was constantly having issues. We found it quicker to take the stairs sometimes. And then we had issues with drainage being slow in the shower. Other than that, it was a wonderful stay! 

My baby girl even begged Daddy to let her "drive". I can already tell, she will be quite the troublemaker! Just like her Mommy. 
Every time we stopped, we all had to get out. Potty, food, gas, and stretching those legs. Probably why the trip took 12 hours. But the time we spent there was totally worth it. The weather is a million times better than what we have here in Texas. They actually had cool breezes! Can't tell you how refreshing it was. 
I'm looking forward to the next time we go. So much more to do!

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Taking Time Out for Family

Anyone who reads my blogs often, knows that family is very important to me. I'm dedicated to my family. Especially the older members in it. I lost my Nana this year. She was near and dear to my heart. But I gained another great grandparent when I married the love of my life.

My husbands great grandfather is truly a remarkable guy. He lives a 12 hour drive from us. Try doing that with 4 kids, youngest being 8 months! Felt like it went on forever. And then, we couldn't stay long. I thought I had to work the following Monday morning (turns out, my shift was canceled and I wasn't told). So we stayed the night Friday night, visited all day Saturday, had breakfast with him Sunday morning, and drove madly back to Texas right after. As my husbands Nana so accurately put it, "a whirlwind visit" was exactly what it was. But in those hours with him, we learned so much of his life. We saw his enthusiastic attitude light up the atmosphere. It was such a joy being there with him. 

I think todays generation, the millennials, has lost the ability to see past what is commonly referred to as senility to see the person beneath. Those wrinkles cover years of hard work. Those tired eyes have seen more than we can imagine. Those shaky hands have handled far more than any of our generation could possibly think to do. They are full of stories. Wonderful, daring, and exciting tales. Sometimes, we need only listen. The stories they tell us are often full of wisdom. Wisdom that will be lost once they pass on. 
Our trip gave us insight to a man who has had two careers; one in the military and one for the police department. Both were intertwined over the years. Both had him meeting famous people. Both had him doing things that tested his abilities and rewarded his efforts. I could listen to him for hours on end. Just as I did with my Nana. 
Maybe its because I love history. Maybe because I want to further my self-growth by drawing from the aged. But I also know that just as I am gleaning from them, they are fulfilling a need of their own. You see, so many times the elderly are set in the corner of life. They get lonely. Feel forgotten. Feel as though no one truly cares anymore. They need to be reminded that they are still a necessary part of our society. That they are still contributing. There is more to them than what they have to leave their kinsmen at death. They need to be reminded they are loved. 
So I end with this. I implore you to take a few moments and genuinely listen. Interact with them. And grow.

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Get ready to go back to school with Label Daddy!

I LOVE Label Daddy! They have been my biggest go-to for name labels. Since its time to start preparing the kids to return back to school, you might want to consider getting personalized name labels for their school supplies. 
Get ready for school and save 25% on Label Daddy peel and stick custom name labels! Label Daddy is the number one solution for labeling your belongings! No ironing or sewing . . . just peel and stick. Their exclusive laminated coating gives labels an extra layer of protection and is a must for school! Remember to label all clothing, books, bags, sports equipment, musical instruments, electronics, and other personal belongings your kids bring to school, camp, sports leagues, day care, vacation, and other places Label Daddy labels keep them from getting lost or mixed up with others. These convenient labels are great for adults too! Put them on your sunglass/eyeglass case, phone, camera, sports equipment, tablet, e-reader, hats, clothing, and more.
These labels are super durable peel-and-stick washable labels -- they're washer/dryer safe, microwave safe, dishwasher safe and UV resistant! Label Daddy labels are also fun and attractive. You design your own labels! Pick from tons of colors, sizes and logos, including professional sports team logos (NBA, MLB, NHL), classic clip art icons, Emojis, kids' icons (princesses, trucks, and monsters), and more. These labels are made in the USA and shipped directly to you worldwide. 

Save 25% on your entire Label Daddy order - this is the best discount available anywhere. Use code USFAMILY25 at checkout. Use this code to access the website and use the discount code. http://www.USFAMILY25.labeldaddy.com/

Friday, July 21, 2017

Falling in love with Sasquatch!

No, I'm not a Big Foot fanatic. And my husband, while somewhat hairy, is nowhere near being considered a Sasquatch. He's too short. 

No, I'm referring to the pizza company!
We have tried, and now love, the Sasquatch Pizza Co. In our search for tasty pizzas, full of flavor, we tested out a variety. DiGiorno was our go-to for quite some time. But you get burnt out after a while. My kids always want Tony's (its like cardboard for me). Yes, they are weird ones. My husband discovered the joy of Screamin' Scicilian pizzas next. They have great toppings on theirs. We still love them, but they don't have as much of a variety as we would like. So on we went to try others.
We came across Sasquatch Pizza Co. A pizza that boasts a weight of 3 pounds! They weren't kidding. While most of the weight is in the crust, they have huge slices of pepperoni and chunks of sausage on their supreme version. My husband and I usually finish a whole pizza in one sitting. This one was so heavy, we only finished it because the kids helped! We were stuffed after just a few square slices. But it was so delicious! 
The crust is thick. The sauce has a slight sweetness to it. All the other toppings were in a decent quantity and tasted great. Quite pleased overall with this one! 
So far they only have three flavors, but we would hope to see more of a variety one day! If you happen to give them a try, be sure to share your 'Squatch sightings on their Facebook page! #SquatchOut They are a Walmart exclusive.