tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89876210682953767052024-02-07T10:50:27.893-08:00Road Trips with Kids- Are We There Yet?Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-21634896687121033792011-06-15T18:01:00.001-07:002011-06-15T18:01:13.782-07:00AWESOME opportunity
<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>
<p>This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/disclosure_clicks?oid=3360032'>Walgreens</a> for <a rel='nofollow' href='http://izea.in/r1nk'>SocialSpark</a>. All opinions are 100% mine.</p>
<p> I've been entering this same contest a million times this week, <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/clicks?lid=10192&oid=3360032'>giveaways</a> from Walgreens because whenever we're on the road there's always one nearby and most of the <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/clicks?lid=9892&oid=3360032'>Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products</a> are made with the same active ingredients as the name-brand products but at a fraction of the price. We like to keep band-aids and rubbing alcohol, peroxide and antibacterial cream in our first aid kit because you just never know what kind of injuries or illness will hit you and it's just plain smart. <a href='http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/N5589.izea.comOX5264/B5173762.4;sz=1x1;pc=[TPAS_ID];ord=[timestamp]?'> <img alt='Advertisement' height='1' width='1' border='0' src='http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/N5589.izea.comOX5264/B5173762.4;sz=1x1;pc=[TPAS_ID];ord=[timestamp]?'/></a> So we like to be prepared. I also like knowing that some of the funds are directed to the <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/clicks?lid=9902&oid=3360032'>Walgreens Way to Well Fund™</a>. (like $3 million last year)</p>
<p> <img alt='120x30_WalgrensTransparentLogo' src='https://img.skitch.com/20110222-rp81dm7p8qypywxt5eyaybxjnc.jpg'/><img alt='Pharmacist' src='https://img.skitch.com/20110222-q97fxathyuq1ac5car8h1mstyw.jpg'/></p>
<p> So next time you're at Walgreens, check out the Walgreens Brand Health & Wellness Products and also, click on the word "giveaways" above to win some Walgreens gift cards. What would you do if you won? I already know what I would do. i would revamp all the first aid kits in the motorhome and in the house. I would also probably send a gift basket full of first aid supplies to my sister, she has boys and they're always hurting themselves. I hope one of us wins, good luck!</p>
<p>
<a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/disclosure_clicks?oid=3360032'>
<img style='border:none;' src='http://app.socialspark.com/views?oid=3360032' border='0' alt='Visit Sponsor's Site'/>
</a>
</p>
</div>
Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-16046834117080565172011-04-12T07:01:00.001-07:002011-04-12T07:01:14.867-07:00Where's the Pier?
<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>
<p>This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/disclosure_clicks?oid=1983002'>Pier 1</a> for <a rel='nofollow' href='http://izea.in/r1nk'>SocialSpark</a>. All opinions are 100% mine.</p>
<p> I'm visiting Manchester, New Hampshire right now and I have to tell you that one of the first things I noticed as I arrived at my hotel was that there's a Pier One store almost right across the street. How cool is that? how lame is it that it was my first exciting thought! Not that visiting a new town isn't exciting, but honestly, I wasn't planning to explore Manchester even though it looks cool. I just spent the most 72 hours in Boston, I must have walked a gazillion miles and I'm actually on my way to the Life Rocks Conference in North Conway, New Hampshire, so I planned to use my time in Manchester to catch up on my schoolwork, get a little paid work done and relax. my legs really need a break, y'know. Yeah- I suck at relaxing.</p>
<p> I was here all of 30 minutes when I decided that I simply HAD to walk down to that <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/clicks?lid=5252&oid=1983002'>Pier 1</a> store and browse around. You know what I love about Pier One? Everything. If you're picky about details, go to Pier 1. If you love amazing little treasures, go to Pier 1. If you're a freak about making sure your colors are rich and vibrant, go to Pier 1. If you love texture and hate plastic, go to Pier 1. I'm telling you, I could probably spend a million dollars in ONE visit if I could... (Can I use the word "could" twice in a sentence?) If you ever want to send me a present that will make me jump up and down squealing with delight, please please please send me a Pier 1 gift certificate, OK. </p>
<p> Did you know most of their furniture doubles as indoor / outdoor furniture? Plus they even have swinging Papasans (Swingasans :). I think I want like 4 of them! What a great way to update your patio, right? I mean, Spring is here and it's time to get ready for summer .</p>
<p> Anyway, check out their website because they're actually having some <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/clicks?lid=5902&oid=1983002'>Pier 1 Tweetups</a> in major cities all across the US and you can check out what those are about (Tweetups are fun).</p>
<p> What did I buy? Nothing, you goof- I'm traveling, I can't lug things 3000 miles home, but I have to say that when I get home, I do plan to replace our old tattered patio chair pads with some colorful new ones because I absolutely loved the prints they have and their prices are such a bargain.</p>
<p>
<a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/disclosure_clicks?oid=1983002'>
<img style='border:none;' src='http://app.socialspark.com/views?oid=1983002' border='0' alt='Visit Sponsor's Site'/>
</a>
</p>
</div>
Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-47979475077688854662011-01-12T07:00:00.001-08:002011-01-12T07:00:59.423-08:00Some like it hot
<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>
<p>This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/disclosure_clicks?oid=1009272'>TABASCO® Original Red</a>. All opinions are 100% mine.</p>
<p> I was so excited when we ordered take out t the hotel a few weeks ago because the driver had the teeniest little bottles of <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/clicks?lid=3762&oid=1009272'>TABASCO® Original Red</a> sauce with him. I love tabasco sauce on everything. Seriously, I eat it on eggs, I add it to sandwiches and burritos, but the very best thing is to drizzle it on pizza, especially a vegetarian pizza with lots of spinach. Mmmmmm- it's my very favorite meal ever. And the pizza driver had tabasco sauce with him, so it must not be an uncommon thing. In fact, it's <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/clicks?lid=3782&oid=1009272'>Pizza Perfected</a>.</p>
<p> We're planning quite a few tailgate parties this season and I was so happy to find that the Tabasco sauce website has a fantastic <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/clicks?lid=3772&oid=1009272'>Game-Day Party Menu</a> with recipes for hot wings, ppetizers and just a bunch of great party foods. It's amazing sometimes, to think about how our taastes change as we get older. When I was a child, I just thought it was disgusting, it made my eyes water. But now that I've given it a fair chance, I find that it's really a fantastic flavor that enhances the other flavors while enhancing the taste of the meal. I love it, and if you're a fan of Tabasco, go check out their website.</p>
<p>
<a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/disclosure_clicks?oid=1009272'>
<img style='border:none;' src='http://app.socialspark.com/views?oid=1009272' border='0' alt='Visit Sponsor's Site'/>
</a>
</p>
</div>
Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-28168242083378322452010-12-31T17:00:00.001-08:002010-12-31T17:00:54.742-08:00Kids and Entertainment
<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>
<p>This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/disclosure_clicks?oid=891242'>Charter</a>. All opinions are 100% mine.</p>
<p> We let our kids watch whatever they want. i used to try to limit their experiences when they were little, to things that i thought were wholesome, safe or acceptable. but then I realized that it made the "unacceptable" content that much more provocative. I wish sometimes that I could go back in time with my older kids and just relax a bit, y'know. I see moms all stressed out over what their kids are watching and i just have to say it's ridiculous. That's why I chose to follow <a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/clicks?lid=3212&oid=891242'>Charter Moms</a> on Facebook because they're asking parents questions about their viewing habits and I just think it's important to let kids choose their own experiences. That's how kids learn. And nothing they see on TV will scar them for life or anything, TV is entertainment, even the so-called "news" shows. </p>
<p> Another cool thing about Charter Moms is that they're the "first to know" about new programming and services. How cool is that? I'm not much of a TV watcher, but I do enjoy NCIS and House. My husband likes documentaries. I always end up falling for the arrogant jerk on Survivor, even if he never wins. I don't sit down to watch very often, but when I do it's usually mid afternoon. My kids and my husband watch in the evening.</p>
<p> So what do you think bout the discussions at Charter Moms on Facebook? Have you joined? And isn't it awesome that they share their news with the moms first?</p>
<p> <span class='placeholder'><img alt='CharterMomsLogo' src='https://img.skitch.com/20101217-mebcydwy2n2wcbiafag9d46g75.jpg'/></span><img alt='CharterMomsLogo' src='https://img.skitch.com/20101217-mebcydwy2n2wcbiafag9d46g75.jpg'/></p>
<p>
<a rel='nofollow' href='http://app.socialspark.com/disclosure_clicks?oid=891242'>
<img style='border:none;' src='http://app.socialspark.com/views?oid=891242' border='0' alt='Visit Sponsor's Site'/>
</a>
</p>
</div>
Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-47138086620735396912010-12-20T14:10:00.000-08:002010-12-20T14:10:04.777-08:00Hula Hooping and TravelIt's no secret anymore that I am a complete <a href="http://hoopmama.com">hula hoop</a> addict. but I'm not the only one, and hoping is a fantastic hobby for families on the road because hoops are great exercise and even though it may be difficult to hoop INSIDE a camper, plenty of RV families are hooping. Check out <a href="http://theorganicsister.com/">Tara</a>, <a href="http://fuhkauifamily.blogspot.com/">Vicki</a>, <a href="http://werhumansbeing.com/">Sara Parent</a> and <a href="http://thehappyhoop.com/">Sara Jannsen</a> for hula-hooping moms living in RV's.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-23833376028115612892010-09-21T01:32:00.000-07:002010-09-20T12:31:20.567-07:00The first 50 things I'll do on the road<div class="post-headline" style="font-family: tahoma, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><h1 style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 34px; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">50 Things I'll do on the road</h1></div><div class="post-bodycopy clearfix" style="display: block; font-family: tahoma, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 0px;"><div style="display: block; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Ok- I just put 50 for the hell of it. It’s a random number just because I plan to number these items so I can refer to them later. There will probably be more than 50, which will be funny later when I say “Number 75 on my list of 50 things to do” but I’m getting ahead of myself.</div><div style="display: block; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">1 – master hula hoop tricks and spread hoop love everywhere we go<br />
2-4 – go on a nighttime walking ghost tour of Salem, Boston, Savannah and New Orleans<br />
5- Watch the Disney World fireworks with my kids<br />
6- Swim with dolphins<br />
7- see Mt Rushmore<br />
8- pan for gold<br />
9- see real lava<br />
10- snorkel with sea turtles<br />
11- learn to Scuba dive<br />
12- dive for treasure in the gulf coast, where sunken ships are just everywhere, right?<br />
13- float down the spring-fed river in San Marcos<br />
14- sail from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean<br />
15- Spend a week with no electricity in the Green Mountains<br />
16- See Dollywood.<br />
17- Nashville (visit my cousin) and the Grand ole Opry<br />
18- Laura Ingalls Wilder museum in MN, I think<br />
19- Ice skate on a real frozen pond<br />
20- Burning Man<br />
21- A rainbow gathering<br />
22- Visit my mom, dad & grandparents in Maryland<br />
23- Smithsonian<br />
24- Liberty Bell<br />
25- eat fresh honey<br />
26- tour a million factories<br />
27- spend a week working on a farm, really working- like milking cows<br />
28- dig for opals<br />
29- spelunking in Arizona<br />
30- rapelling<br />
31- kayaking<br />
32- swimming in Clearwater, Florida<br />
33- soak naked in a Yosemite hot spring<br />
34- rollerblade Venice beach with my kids<br />
35- buy badass vintage clothing and resell it at the trendy overpriced thrift shops on Melrose Avenue in LA<br />
36- buy antiques at auction in the midwest and resell them in California<br />
37- decorate my RV to look very gypsy with purples, reds, beads and fringe<br />
38- sleep outside more often than I sleep inside<br />
39- naturally wake with the sun<br />
40- sing around a campfire with my family<br />
41- eat something we killed that day<br />
42- recognize wild edibles and enjoy eating them<br />
43- take better pictures<br />
44- sell my paintings<br />
45- see the beauty in everyone we meet<br />
46- make startling realizations that shatter assumptions I thought were facts<br />
47- stand on top of something really tall- like the edge of the Grand Canyon- and shout something very important, as loudly as I can<br />
48- watch the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean<br />
49- Watch the sun set into the Pacific Ocean (OK- I’ve done that, but I put it here anyway)<br />
50- Make out with my husband under a waterfall</div><div style="display: block; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="display: block; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">I totally exceeded the "50 things" mark. Check out the rest of the list on<a href="http://www.gypsymom.com/"> GypsyMom.com</a></div></div>Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-73710347877854392682010-09-18T12:34:00.000-07:002010-09-20T11:23:59.907-07:00Shopping and TravelI bet the retailers in tourist destinations across the US could really seriously put some pressure on airlines to get rid of their stupid cost-per-checked-bag situation on the grounds that maybe travelers are shopping less at tourist destinations since they don't want to have to spend $15 per bag to bring their new crap home.<br />
<br />
Personally, I'm not a shopper. Honestly, I hate it. I don't mind watching people at the mall, much like watching animals at the zoo. I can not relate to the endless, mindless consumption of meaningless crap. A true traveler collects experiences and photos, not souvenirs. Although- handmade souvenirs by some local indigenous people really are awesome, and I'd rather collect that than a snow globe or a stupid tshirt.<br />
<br />
I tried to search for other web articles about tourists shopping less, or if travelers were shopping less, but I couldn't find anything. <br />
<br />
So what about you, are you shopping less because of those stupid baggage charges? I wonder if airports have post offices built-in, so people can just mail themselves their packages because I'm sure the arbirtrary rates are sometimes more expensive than just mailing it.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-88882111688644413392010-09-15T16:36:00.000-07:002010-09-16T16:42:22.756-07:00Comparing mapping software & sitesOk, I know everyone knows about mapquest and google maps, but are there other road-tripping software programs that are easier to use? I love that mapquest makes it so easy to add different destinations and rearrange them- but their system is slow and instead of live-updating, i think it should allow you to make your changes and THEN recalculate. Or enter all of your cities and THEN calculate it, because otherwise it takes so long to reload each change. and the fuel calculator is a little troublesome because it shows you the calculation for the entire trip, so I just use a calculator instead, because I like to know how much each leg of the trip will cost because then I can plan around my paydays, I work for like 30 different companies and they all have different pay schedules, so when we travel, I'm not like saving up for a trip and then taking off, I'm making the money as we go. And the scrolling is just ridiculous- if you collapse it, it should stay collapsed. I'm sure frequent mapquest users have better advice for them, I'm just venting. Google maps is best at finding local businesses, when they've claimed them, that is. Sometimes it's totally useless. What do you think? Which mapping software do you use the most? What features do you like the best, which ones are annoying?Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-75182061333833312062010-09-09T14:48:00.000-07:002010-09-09T14:48:14.620-07:00Free places to stayIf I didn't have kids, I think I'd be willing to open my home to travelers, maybe like a bed & breakfast. it's fun to cook for people. We had a friend a while back who couch-hopped for a few years before settling down. My husband teased him for it, but now there's actually an organization called <a href="http://www.couchsurfing.org/about.html">CouchSurfing</a> that's dedicated to helping people find hosts willing to let them sleep on the couch. Another one is the <a href="http://www.hospitalityclub.org/">Hospitality Club.</a> Check them both out if you think you might want to couch-hop for a while.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-12889599530343267302010-09-08T11:58:00.000-07:002010-09-16T16:34:30.527-07:00Train TravelWe spent much of 1997-2000 traveling by train. Most of the time we went coach, but we also splurged for the sleeper car on another trip. It was so much fun looking out the big picture windows, watching the USA go by. The restaurant car was also fun, the prices were inexpensive generally and the food was always tasty. We brought our own snacks and had a great time getting to know our fellow travelers. Amtrak runs a train with a children's play place built into the car. Other cars were for a smoker's lounge and a TV-watching car.<br />
<br />
I found this excellent Amtrak review:<br />
<blockquote>I recently took an Amtrak train for a cross-country trip from New Mexico to Michigan, and it was an experience. The best part about traveling by train is that one can actually enjoy the scenery on the trip, because the traveler doesn’t have to worry about driving. The other plus to taking a train instead of driving is that I’ve found that it is much more cost efficiant especially now with the price of gas being so high. The rate that I recieved to travel cross country was only a hundred sixty dollars. I think that it’s worth it for that price because you can actually watch the sights pass you by, which you cannot do on a plane.<br />
Granted, there are some problems with traveling by train that you may not experience on a plane. Depending on how far you’re going, you may be traveling over night. In order to have a sleeper car it costs an extra three hundred dollars which is too expensive for me. Sleeping in coach is not comfortable, and I don’t reccomend it if you can afford a sleeper car. I found it impossible to find a comfortable position, and Im a light sleeper, so I was waking up a lot when people walked by or the train stopped. The only other problem that I had with Amtrak is that their stations are highly understaffed. The first station I went to had one woman checking luggage, taking care of reservations, answering the phone, and communicating with the trains themselves to discover if they were running on time or not. The stationed that I was dropped off at didn’t have anyone working overnight, so if someone had to wait for a ride, they had to wait out in the parking lot, and there was no access to the pay-phones inside. This could be a problem on a cold winter night.<br />
<br />
Overall, I had a good experience with Amtrak, the staff was very helpful, I was moved to a seat by myself after the train had cleared out some, so I had room to stretch. One of the trains played movies to help people to not be so bored if there was nothing for one to do. Amtrak also has a snack car on all of their trains, as well as a dining car on those that go for longer distances. I thought the prices were pretty reasonable for what was served. There was one other major plus that I had with my trip, and that was that Amtrak offered a bus service to their station. This is very helpful for someone who lives in a big city that doesn’t have a train station. I had a good enough experience that I would travel on Amtrak again if I had a reason to travel across the country again.</blockquote>Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-23719791620047872602010-09-07T23:59:00.000-07:002010-09-16T16:36:00.808-07:00Decorating the RVOh my goodness, I am so completely excited to decorate the RV. That's the hidden beauty of buying a used RV, I don't have to like the way it's decorated because I can just change it. I'm torn between a steampunk theme and a gypsy wagon theme. What do you think? Check out the <a href="http://www.gypsymom.com/">GypsyMom</a> blog to see some of the ideas I'm thinking about. Who knows where this will go, it is so exciting.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-248386502805243052010-09-07T14:36:00.000-07:002010-09-16T16:34:49.811-07:00Best Summer Ever<em>This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of <a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=465942&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FdlBGMu" rel="nofollow">Kissimmee Tourism</a>. All opinions are 100% mine.</em><br />
<br />
When Meagan was 2, we spent a few months with my mom. She was working at Disney World at the time, and we really got spoiled with unlimited access to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot center, like that. <br />
<br />
But some of the nicest days we spent were actually away from the hustle and bustle and commercialism of Disney. Kissimmee is just outside of Orlando and absolutely adorable. I was never sure where Kissimmee, St Cloud and Celebration, Florida ended. Together, these 3 cities were so relaxing, so charming. I will never forget the day we sat by the side of a lake having a picnic. Around the lake was an eclectic shopping center with antique shops, sidewalk cafes and even a bookstore. <br />
<br />
I've always wanted to go back there. My kids are older now and they love ghost tours. Kissimmee has two ghost tour companies, Kissimmee Ghost Tours and Ghost Tracker. I know we'd have to do both, just for comparison. My must-see attraction would have to be the Forever Florida Zipline Safari tour. There's a 4700 acre wildlife refuge and you can ride a zipline through the entire park. Wouldn't that be a thrill? I can't even imagine what that would feel like- flying, maybe?<br />
<img src="http://www.visitkissimmee.com/meetings/things_to_do/get_outdoors/images/display.php?id=526&width=400&height=200" /><br />
We're planning to go back to the area for the winter of 2010-2011, now that we have an RV. I know in November and December the weather there is still so much nicer than here in Washington State, so we'll be comfortable playing outside and a lot of the attractions have off-season discounts. <br />
<br />
Anyway- the <a href="http://bit.ly/dlBGMu">Kissimmee Tourism</a> website, at http://bit.ly/dlBGMu is where you need to go to check out everything this town has to offer. When we go back, Disney will be a one or two day experience and Kissimmee will get the bulk of our time. I can.not.wait.<br />
<br />
<img alt="" height="1" src="http://bs.serving-sys.com/BurstingPipe/adServer.bs?cn=tf&c=19&mc=imp&pli=1653597&PluID=0&ord=-1" width="1" /><br />
<br />
<a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/post?slot_id=465942&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FdlBGMu" rel="nofollow">Kissimmee</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://socialspark.com/metrics/click/disclosure?slot_id=465942&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2FdlBGMu" rel="nofollow"><img alt="Visit my sponsor: What's Your Kissimmee Story?" border="0" src="http://socialspark.com/metrics/view/post?slot_id=465942&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsocialspark.com%2Fimages%2Fdisclosure_badges%2Fdisclosure_badge_grey_three.png" style="border: 0;" /></a>Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-57339000641597804642010-08-25T11:28:00.000-07:002010-09-10T11:31:28.582-07:00YAYYYWe finally officially have our big RV. I don't know how well this one will work for our family since it's a gas engine, not a diesel. But who cares, it's 36 feet long and huge. And I can't wait to decorate it.<br />
<br />
I'll post pictures when I have a chance.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, check out this list of full time RV families and resources for living on the road with kids from <a href="http://gypsymom.com/">GypsyMom.com</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="widget-title" style="display: block; font-family: tahoma, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; width: auto;"><h3 style="color: black; display: block; font-size: 1.6em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">RV Families</h3></div><ul class="xoxo blogroll" style="display: block; font-family: tahoma, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: auto;"><li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.anomadslot.com/" rel="friend co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">A Nomad's Lot</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.cagefreefamily.com/" rel="friend co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Cage Free Family</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://clanofparents.wordpress.com/" rel="friend met co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Clan of Parents</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://blogginbridget.blogspot.com/" rel="friend co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Ryan Family, Roadschooling with 5 kids">Don't Blink… On the Road</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://enchantedgypsy.blogspot.com/" rel="friend co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Enchanted Gypsy</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.familiesontheroad.com/" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Families on the road</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.fcrv.org/" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Family Campers and RVers</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://followthatbus.net/" rel="friend co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Follow That Bus</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.boondockingguide.com/Dean's%20List.pdf" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Free Boondocking Guide</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.fulltimefamilies.com/" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Full Time Families</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.jokars.com/" rel="co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">JoKars Wild (another family of 10)</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://kalers.blogspot.com/" rel="friend co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Kalers Adventures</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://bowmanfamilyontheroad.blogspot.com/" rel="friend co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Little House on Wheels</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.livinginsipredtour.com/" rel="co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Living Inspired Tour</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://livingabsolute.wordpress.com/" rel="co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Living Small (prettiest RV home ever)</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.nurvers.com/GypsyMom" rel="me" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">NuRVers (my profile)</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.ourbigtrip.us/bussie-blog.php" rel="co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Our Big Trip (they leave July 10- currently posting bus remodel pics :)</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.rubiconcrew.com/Rubicon_Crew/Rubicon_Crew.html" rel="co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Rubicon Crew (family of 10)</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://gypsyjournal.net/Unfriendly.html" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">RV unfriendly communities</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://rvingblogs.net/" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">RVing Blogs</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.rvingwomen.com/" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">RVing Women</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.soultravelers3.com/" rel="friend co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Family of 3 RVing through Europe">Soul Travelers</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.happyjanssens.com/" rel="friend co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Happy Janssens</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://theorganicsister.com/" rel="friend co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Organic Sister</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://ticknortribe.blogspot.com/" rel="friend co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The only FOTR (that I know of) who has more kids than we do">The Ticknor Tribe</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://unpredictablejourney.wordpress.com/" rel="co-resident" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Unpredictable Journey</a></li>
<li style="border-left-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 7px; display: block; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 2px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.work-for-rvers-and-campers.com/" style="color: #666666; display: inline; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none;">Workamping</a></li>
</ul>Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-49213668868757723462010-08-18T11:33:00.000-07:002010-09-10T11:57:24.208-07:00Writing about TravelI love to travel and I love to write. I've had travel articles published on <a href="http://www.trails.com/list_9759_pavilion-insect-center-denver-colorado.html">Trails.com</a>, <a href="http://www.travels.com/destinations/usa/unusual-things-do-vegas/">Travels.com</a>, <a href="http://traveltips.usatoday.com/kids-activities-brisbane-10541.html">USAToday.com</a>, <a href="http://www.hotelsbycity.net/blog/usa_oregon_portland/2008/07/04/exploring-portland-with-a-city-pass/">TravelSceneInvestigator.com</a>, <a href="http://www.golflink.com/list_16380_that-serve-lamb-seattle-washington.html">GolfLink.com</a>, <a href="http://www.suite101.com/content/shades-of-green-disneys-secret-military-resort-a160958">Suite101.com</a>, <a href="http://www.hotelsbycity.net/blog/usa_oregon_portland/2008/07/04/exploring-portland-with-a-city-pass/">HotelsByCity.net</a> and <a href="http://gypsymom.com/">Gypsymom.com</a> and <a href="http://www.bukisa.com/join/648">Bukisa</a>.<br />
<br />
If you love to travel and write, too, you should consider becoming a travel writer. There are so many resources online for learning how to get paid to write about your favorite vacations, and getting paid to research travel information. Try some of these travel writing sites to get started.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://30queries30days.com/wordpresssite/">30 queries in 30 days</a><br />
This is my writing website. I like to help other moms get into webwriting, and to make the most money. It's not directly related to travel writing, just to web-based writing in general, so enjoy, with that in mind.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thetravelwriterslife.com/travel_writing_resources/">The Travel Writer's Life</a><br />
This site has a class or a workshop for travel writing, but honestly the helpful resource page is HUGE with advice for would-be travel writers, it's awesome, not to be missed.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://istw-travel.org/resources.html">International Society for Travel Writing</a><br />
Is a professional network for travel writers. They have an annual conference and (on the page I linked) some great resources to help you get started.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.writtenroad.com/">The Written Road</a><br />
Is a website that publishes information about the travel publication industry. It's a great one to subscribe to. They have a nice resource page and a nice page of market leads.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-36840390491780061152010-08-01T12:40:00.000-07:002010-09-10T12:43:32.507-07:00Upcoming...Ok- here's what we have coming up<br />
<br />
Dallas Aug 30-Sept 7<br />
California (we'll arrive the 10th ish) - 20th<br />
Washington Sept 24-Nov 25<br />
Nov 25-Jan 5 whirlwind trip to the East coast, for Christmas with my grandparents in Maryland, New Yr's Eve in Times square, sightseeing in New England and the south<br />
<br />
sound busy enough?Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-6230648218570367402010-05-30T09:42:00.000-07:002010-05-30T09:42:42.677-07:00Trip CanceledIt's memorial day weekend and am I on the road? no. no road trip with my kids this weekend, dammit. We needed to have some work done on the Suburban. It was fairly important, new brakes and rotors and something else. These were things that would have killed us if we didn't take care of them. I'm glad they're getting fixed. I'm glad our trip to Vancouver was the one that was sacrificed and not the trip to Disneyland this summer. Speaking of Disneyland, we have to leave in like 2 weeks, so I sure hope that nothing interferes with Disneyland. Can you believe it's going to cost around $500 for my family JUST to get in for ONE DAY. $72 for everyone over age ten and $62 for everyone age 3-9. My youngest turns 3 in December, so she's free. WooHoo. I considered signing my 4 yr old up for the free birthday tickets, her birthday is August 28th but we plan to be in Texas at that time, attending a family convention, so that won't work. <br />
<br />
Have I ever mentioned that I can't stand not traveling? Being on the road is such an adventure. This whole "sitting still" thing is driving me nuts.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-1302809351759126162010-02-21T07:05:00.000-08:002010-02-21T07:05:58.937-08:00Sweet Home, Alabama?Not that I've ever been to Alabama, but I have an Aunt who lives there. My husband will be filming a movie there next month and, as is customary, the kids and I will be meeting him out there near the end of his trip. <br />
<br />
I just miss him too much<br />
<br />
And totally want to explore that area of the South with the kids.<br />
<br />
My oldest daughter wants to stay home, and that totally bums me out. She's 16, so.. she can. But still, it's a bummer.<br />
<br />
My RV thing hasn't worked out the way I planned it yet.<br />
<br />
We'll see, I guess.<br />
<br />
I should do my taxes now. That will help.<br />
<br />
I can't wait to share the Gulf of Mexico beaches with my kids. My husband can't wait to share New Orleans with us. I can't wait to share memories and good times with my kids.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-7127652735914703042009-06-03T21:25:00.000-07:002009-06-03T21:29:15.949-07:00Getting Ready for San juanWe are heading to the San Juan islands next week. It's a 6 hour drive with the kids, and we plan to leave early in the morning. I think that if we went without them, we could probably just go straight there, but that would make them really hate this trip. I want them to have a good time, we are going to be bringing a bunch of food, and instead of snacking in the car (car mess) we will end up pulling over somewhere for a picnic. We have adjoining hotel rooms when we get there so we should sleep comfortably. We have to take a few ferries in between islands per our itinerary. I'm sure excited, I hope it all goes well.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-13007714176380332002008-11-10T10:16:00.000-08:002008-11-10T10:19:11.958-08:00Renting a moving truckMan, I can't believe its only $170 for two days, I'll bet the gas will cost a fortune. If you follow my normal blog, you mgiht think we've already moved but it's really just a crazy situation that hasn't been resolved yet. It looks like it might have a fantastic turnaround, way better than anything we've been through yet. I'm excited and eager to get through this. Then we can explore the greener side of the mountains. What does this have ot do with travel? Everything, because it's about getting there, which means traveling, and padding the previous post with original content because them's the rules, OK.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-24170570863393143382008-11-10T10:10:00.000-08:002009-06-03T21:54:15.494-07:00Don't forget your bootsI love to go hiking. Whenever we explore a new landscape I'm always just itching to get out and soak up the scenery, I like investigating everything and checking out the plants and animals in the area. I love the fact that different areas have different colored dirt, isn't that silly? There's nothing quite as fun as hiking along the side of a cliff over the ocean. In fact, that's one thing I'm looking forward to after we move. I'll never forget the time we were vacationing in Baja Mexico and I wanted to go hiking but I didn't have any hiking boots with me so I had to wear steel toed work boots instead. What an adventure.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-63930511883327097112008-09-16T08:47:00.000-07:002008-09-16T08:54:06.342-07:00Next family road trip- Vancouver, WAYep, we're headed to Vancouver over next Memorial Day weekend, May 21-24, 2009. We'll be attending the Life is Good Conference at the Red Lion Hotel.<br /><br />I'm looking at renting a beach house, because the price of a hotel for the week ends up being more than a beach house. I wasn't too crazy about staying at a different hotel than the one the conference was at this time, I did it mainly because the price was so much cheaper- $311 for hotel and flight, the flight alone was supposed to be more expensive than that.<br /><br />This time, though- I'm wondering if I can get a beach house close enough to the convention. I guess I should see if they're having late night sessions, see how far we can get a house from the hotel. It would be nice if we could be right next door.<br /><br />A beach house would be cool, we could share it with another family. <br /><br />I don't know. I need to build a little countdown widget. I should also check out the hotel discounts, in case I decide I don't want to stay elsewhere. The point, though is that I need to get my family to one of these conferences.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-60063108233993784022008-09-16T08:41:00.000-07:002008-09-16T08:47:44.342-07:00Home from the tripDid you know that United charges $15 for each bag you check, even if it's not oversized.<br /><br />I didn't budget for that, I should probably have just layered all of my clothes on top of each other to wear home.<br /><br />Had I factored the $30 into my budget, I would have chosen a different airline, tickets were $12 more and their bags were free.<br /><br />Next time I travel, I will just bring an empty bag, buy clothes at a thrift shop when I get to my destination and then only pay to bring it home. Yeah right- I'm not really that organized.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-59666262875811530172008-09-05T17:50:00.000-07:002008-09-05T17:56:02.477-07:00Cheaper Travel WardrobeI foresee a revolution of thrift shops popping up around airports. I don't know if you buy clothes at thrift shops. My kids go through clothes so quickly, we are very blessed to have friends around us often giving bags full of clothes to my girls, but when we need something right away, we head off to Value Village or something. Anyhow- so I get to the airport, after carefully budgeting for my trip, and am completely surprised by the fact that I have to pay $15 to check a bag. It wasn't over-sized, that's just the cost now, $15 for every bag you check. So there goes my lunch money. If i had known about that, I wouldn't have spent money buying clothes before I left, I would have just bought them when I got there. So $30 round trip to bring my clothes. I have half a mind to wear them all home, so I don't have to pack anything. If I weren't traveling with a baby I'd do that. Hmmm, maybe we should both do that. I bet it's cheaper to mail my stuff home. I wonder if I tried a Space bag, could I fit it all into my backpack?Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-60405560925360794822008-09-05T17:44:00.000-07:002008-09-05T17:50:10.198-07:00Save a Fortune on Hotel Phone CallsInstead of calling my kids from the hotel, which would cost a fortune, I use <a href="http://www.bored.com/dialpeople/index.php">a website</a> that I found that calls them and gives them a message. It looks like it's marketed for prank calls, which is rude- but just to send a message from the internet, it's a great idea. All you do is punch in the phone number you're calling, you get to choose your own caller ID number and name, which doesn't show up at my house, it just says unknown and then you type in a message. A man's voice, which doesn't sound too robotic (according to my kids) relays the message. The first time I used the service, the kids were confused. "Mom- some guy just called us and said 'call your mother, she misses you and she wants you to call her' and he didn't even answer after that." Anyhow- I hope you enjoy that little travel tip.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8987621068295376705.post-9943652324923901582008-08-30T11:47:00.000-07:002008-08-30T11:53:19.656-07:00OMG- Priceline is amazingOK, so I thought $587 was a great deal for flight + hotel. Then, the charges come through and it's $311. What the heck? Time to make a phone call and find out what's up. Apparently, in between the moment that I decided to buy and the moment the card was charged, the price went down. Priceline could have made an extra $276 and I would never have known the difference. But they didn't, they just passed the deal on to me. So now I've got round trip airfare to Dallas, plus a week in the hotel for $311. SHaZAam.<br /><br />Have I told you how much I love priceline today?<br /><br />AND- looking up tickets for my daughter, I can get her round trip plus an entire week of rental car for $503 Oh how I wish I had a spare $503 today.Lisa Russellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494212460130465055noreply@blogger.com0