10 Tips for RVing With Kids

Going on an RV trip can be a fun experience with children. You can have a great time traveling together on an adventure and also help instill a love for the outdoors in them. However, to have the best experience, it will take some planning and organization. Here are 10 tips to take note of when RVing with kids.

1. Explain That Everyone Will Have a Job
If you have children that are old enough to accept responsibilities, then you need to let them know ahead of time what they will be responsible for doing. Setting up and taking down camp in an RV takes time, and older children can definitely help.

Other tasks will need to be done as well such as taking the trash to the dumpster, making beds and washing dishes. Make it easier on yourself while RVing by enlisting the children’s help.

2. Designate a Storage Space for Kids’ Items
Kids like to bring along all sorts of things on trips, such as toys, books, electronics and games. Designate a space for them to put their belongings where they will stay neat and organized when not in use. Otherwise, the RV will become cluttered in no time. Oh, and don't forget the Car Seats!

3. Designate a Living Space for Kids
Everyone needs his or her own personal space — including kids. In RVs beds often double as dining room or living area seating. At a certain time of the evening, the space might be assigned to a child or two.

4. Let Your Kids Work With a Paper Map
Even though GPS installed in your vehicle or on your phone is the way most people navigate nowadays, it might be interesting for you to hand your children a map and ask them to highlight your route to your destination. You might need to give them a little direction on reading a map first, however.

You can also show them how to determine how many miles are between each town on the map. As you’re traveling, your children can consult the map instead of saying “Are we there yet?”

5. Have a System for Dirty Shoes or Feet
If you’re not proactive and you don’t take the time to let children now that coming inside the RV with dirty shoes or feet is unacceptable, it won’t be long until you have dirt, mud, sand and water all over the floors.

Require everyone to remove their shoes before coming inside. Keep a doormat at the entrance. Make a rule that if a child’s bare feet or dirty or muddy, they need to wash them off and dry them before coming inside. Keep a jug of water and a towel right next to the steps for this purpose.

6. Make Sure Someone Is Always Watching the Youngest Children in the Group
Never assume that someone will keep on eye on a baby, toddler or young child that needs constant supervision. Other people traveling with you might also assume that someone else is watching the child or children and that’s when accidents can occur. If you’re not able to watch your children yourself, then you need to ask someone else and get a confirmation that the person will watch the children.

7. Bring Entertainment
Although you’ll likely spend tons of time outdoors while on an RV trip, there will be times that you will be hanging out at the campsite. Bring entertaining items for children like kid-friendly board games, bubbles, movies, coloring books or arts and crafts supplies.

8. Bring Bicycles
RV campgrounds offer a great opportunity for kids to ride their bikes, so pack them. Once you get to the campground, go over some bicycling safety rules and make sure the children know where they can and can’t ride. Also, don’t forget to pack helmets.

During busy arrival times, such as a Friday or Saturday evening, you might want to keep children off their bikes until the campground settles down.

9. Do Traditional Activities
Don’t discount traditional activities. Even though you might not like eating s’mores, your children will likely be delighted to participate in this decades-old camping tradition. Other traditional activities are sitting around the campfire telling scary stories.

Or you can come up with a new tradition of your own. For example, you could plan a scavenger hunt for your children by making a list of 10 to 50 things they have to find and cross off during your trip.

10. Have a Plan for Mechanical Emergencies
Anything can happen out on the road or at a campground with your vehicle or RV, so it makes sense to have a service plan in place. Check the Good Sam website for extended service plans for your vehicle and/or your RV, which you can purchase for an affordable price. Such a plan will give tremendous peace of mind and will keep you and the children from being stranded indefinitely.

Four Tricks to Stay Comfortable and Look Fashionable While Traveling in an RV

When you’re renting an RV, there’s a lot of planning to do! Not only do you have to think about the kind of RV you want to rent, you have to think about where you and your family are headed, and you have to think about what you’re going to do when you get there.
You also have to think about what you’re going to wear.

You obviously won’t want to bring your stilettos and your little black dress, but that doesn’t mean you want to wear grass-stained sneakers and a holey T-shirt either!

Here are four tips for staying comfortable, but still looking fashionable, when you’re hitting the road in an RV.

Go for a Comfort Waistband

You’re going to spend a lot of time sitting in the RV, so you will want to make sure you aren’t wearing pants that are uncomfortable. Chances are, that means reaching for pants with a comfort waistband instead of constricting jeans.

From floral pajama pants to jogging pants, you have many options, and with the right accessories, they can look very stylish. Yoga pants are also an option, especially if you choose high-quality yoga pants in a dark color, like black or navy.

Know How to Wear Your Hair

Traveling in an RV is not the time for curls or elaborate hairstyles. You’ll want to keep your hair out of the way, especially if it’s going to be hot.

Keep the curling iron at home, and instead bring along items that can be used to cover your hair. If you’re going for a stylish look, avoid the baseball cap. Instead, learn how to tie up your hair in a turban, or use a head scarf. If you like the idea of a hat, reach for a fedora or a floppy hat.

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Choose the Right Layering Items

The quickest and easiest way to look fashionable is to layer. It’s also the best way to ensure you’re comfortable! That means bringing wardrobe staples on your RV adventure that include:

• Tank tops
• T-shirts
• Sweatshirts
• Scarves
• Jackets

To keep from overpacking your suitcase, reach for neutral items that can easily be mixed and matched. That way you only have to bring one or two of each item, but you’ll still have a comfortable outfit that looks put together.

Bring the Right Shoes
Planning an RV vacation is the perfect excuse to go out and buy some new shoes! You’re looking for a pair that is cute, but is also comfortable to walk in.

Look for a pair of tennis shoes that can go from a hike on the trail to a casual dinner in a restaurant. You should also look for a pair of sandals that are as comfortable at the beach as they are exploring shops in town.

You can look put together and comfortable at the same time, even if you are traveling in an RV. You just have to follow the easy-to-follow tips on this list!

Sacramento And San Francisco: Nearer Than Expected

Get The Best Of California, And A Good Education Too!

California has many things to offer. To the north are vast redwoods. To the northwest are vast mountains. To the south is substantial desert, and to the southwest are the mega metropolises of Los Angeles and San Diego. Smack dab in the middle of California’s west coast is San Francisco, jewel of the bay area. Just north and east of that is Sacramento.

Sacramento is an interesting community in that it gets some of the year’s finest weather, but it also manages to avoid much of the overcrowding you see in places like San Francisco and Los Angeles. But it is not too far away from the city by the bay, and it’s also not too far from the ocean, or the redwoods to the north.

If you’re a young person with access to a vehicle, Sacramento is a great place to go to school in California; and not just because of its centralized location. There are also some exceptional higher education programs in the region, like the college located southwest of Sacramento at the outskirts, UC Davis.

 

UC Davis is just 72 miles away from San Francisco. With traffic, you’re looking at about a two-hour drive; but at least twenty minutes of that would be covered by your transit over the bay bridge. Another twenty minutes is consumed in going through east Oakland, though you could loop around through Santa Rosa to the north, if you like.

 

These things are all academic (pun-intended). The point of attending college isn’t your route to adjacent cities! But one of the fine things of college is having an independent base of operations from which you can explore. To that end, it’s better to live in an apartment than a dormitory.

 

Some Real Considerations

Granted, there’s a lot of camaraderie to be experienced in a dormitory, but really this method of living just serves to uncomfortably extend your adolescence. You’ll get a similar portion of experience living in apartments, but you’ll have increased responsibility and more quickly learn the atmosphere of independent living.

 

Until you reach a certain point in life, you’re very likely going to live in homes that you don’t own, but lease. Getting the feel for this atmosphere while in college will save you a lot of difficulty later. Oftentimes new things aren’t hard, but because they are unknown, we fear them and put them off. Sometimes it’s better just to jump in that cold water.

 

Additionally, owning an apartment will increase your credit, and make it easier for you to lease living situations in the future. And there are some excellent options available right near UC Davis.

 

Living Arrangements

According to CarmelApartments.com, some of the finest living situations are apartments near UC Davis campus; these apartments are, as the site puts it, “a newly renovated student housing community in Davis, CA conveniently located just minutes from downtown and UC Davis.”

Also according to CarmelApartments.com, west village solutions are “Now leasing for Fall, 2017!” The more swiftly you source a living situation, the better—obviously you’re not the only one who will be leasing from such a complex of apartments!

Generally when it comes to collegiate arrangements, you want to get everything squared away as soon as possible. But like alluded to earlier, the more foreign something is, the more likely you are to balk and procrastinate. It’s not that you can’t do it, or don’t have a work ethic; it’s that you just don’t want to. You’ll have to get over that!

4 Tips to Keeping Your Home Safe During Holiday Travel

Traveling for the holidays is something my family always looks forward to. There's no better way to close out the year than by hitting the road, singing holiday songs at the top of our lungs, spending time with family and friends, and eating delicious food.

But if you're anything like me, whenever you travel, a little voice in the back of your mind says, "Is my home safe? What if a fire breaks out? Could a pipe burst? Could a thief break in while I'm away?" So even though I love holiday travel, I'm never able to completely relax.

So I breathed a sigh of relief when I was contacted by Ooma—a leading internet home communications hub—with the opportunity to deliver 4 tips for keeping your home safe and secure when you're on the road this holiday. Before you lock your doors and hop in the car, make sure you follow these steps to ensure your home is safe.

#1- DON'T TURN YOUR THERMOSTAT OFF
Before leaving for an extended trip, it's important to lock in a safe temperature in your central heating system. If you live somewhere with cold winters, don't turn your thermostat off! To prevent your pipes from freezing, set the temperature lower than usual—ideally between 40 and 55 Fahrenheit. Live in a warmer climate? Leave the thermostat at about 69 Fahrenheit. Alternatively, you can completely avoid worry by controlling your thermostat remotely. Ooma detects when your thermostat is on "Away" mode and will automatically forward any home calls to your mobile device.

#2- SHUT OFF THE GAS AND UNPLUG ALL APPLIANCES
Always turn off gas-powered devices such as stoves, ovens, and fireplaces, and unplug all appliances. This can prevent any accidental fires and potentially hazardous carbon monoxide leaks into your home, as well as save energy. This is especially important if you have pets at home who can't defend themselves against unforeseen hazards. For an added layer of protection, be in the know—Ooma can warn you via text and direct you to call 911 when your Nest Protect smoke/carbon monoxide detector has been triggered.

#3: DON'T KEEP YOUR TRAVEL A SECRET
When leaving home for several days, tell someone you trust where you'll be in case of emergency, such as a fire, burglary, or carbon monoxide leak. Friends staying in town or a thoughtful neighbor could be options. They can keep an eye out for suspicious activity and notify you of any out-of-the-ordinary occurrences. Ooma allows you to be notified immediately when 911 is dialed and you can call them or call police to investigate.

#4: LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY TO MONITOR YOUR HOME
Thanks to technology, our homes are getting smarter and smarter. Did you know there are countless apps that can connect to systems in our homes—from central temperature to security systems, light bulbs to the Amazon Echo? The Ooma Telo seamlessly interacts with your favorite smart home products and services to make your home safer and more convenient than ever before. Whether it be increased levels of carbon monoxide or a home break-in, Ooma can be the first to alert you of any danger.
 

Thankfully in my many years of travel, we haven't had any major incidents occur while we were away. We make sure our neighbor's are aware that we will be out of town and they have an emergency key just in case.

You can learn more about Ooma's home monitoring system and buy an Ooma Telo at http://www.ooma.com.

Has an emergency ever happened at your home while you were away? Tell me about it in the comments below!

7 Hacks For The Perfect Road Trip

Going on a road trip has its pros and cons. Pros, you’re going on an awesome adventure; cons, it can be costly. Here are some hacks you can try to balance those pros and cons to reach vacation nirvana.

1. Download a gas app: One of the most costly aspects of any road trip, especially in this economy, is gas. When you’re travelling in an unfamiliar area, it’s hard to know where to stop for the most frugal fill-up. To aid in your decision, you can download GasBuddy or Gas Guru, only two of the several gas pricing apps. These apps display the location and gas prices of gas stations near you. Most apps like these are free and update pretty regularly, so you won’t be deceived when you pull up at the pump.

2. Take side stops: Have you ever gone on a trip and passed signs for museums or monuments that you think would be awesome to see in person? Allot time in your travel to make a few stops on the way to your destination. It will not only keep you entertained throughout your trip, but it will also give you a chance to stretch your legs and learn something new.

3. Gassing up a rented or borrowed car: Chances are, if you’ve never driven a car, you probably don’t remember which side the gas tank is on. If you do forget, look at the gas gauge. There is an arrow that will point to whichever side of the car the gas tank is on. This will save you a tiny bit of time and hassle when you have to stop at the pump.

4. Stay awake while night driving: If you’re feeling sleepy, it’s probably best to switch drivers or check in to a hotel. But if you’re feeling only a little drowsy, try listening to comedians on your road trip. Odds are, the comedian will keep you laughing and their jokes will keep you engaged, chuckling and most importantly, awake, all the way home.

5. Know North from South: If you’re old school and like following paper directions instead of having a little square computer yell at you to turn, you know that your passenger might end up telling you a wrong direction by mistake. Remember that interstates and highways with odd numbers run North to South, and interstates with even numbers run East to West. If you get mixed up, this will help you get back on track, or at least in the right direction, in a jiffy.

6. Cool down hot cars quickly: In the dead of summer, stopping for only five minutes for a quick bathroom break can leave your car unbearably hot. To cool down a hot car in seconds, roll down one window all the way and open and close the car door directly across from that window a few times. This will force hot air out of the car.

7. Know where to get directions: When asking for directions, some people gravitate towards gas stations. However, the best place to ask for directions is a restaurant with a delivery service. Stop in at Pizza Hut or Dominos to ask for directions. Odds are, they have a driver waiting for a delivery who can give you quick and easy directions to a destination in the area.

With these seven road trip travel hacks, you’ll be ready to hit the road for the vacay of a lifetime. For more tips on all things car related, visit Blitzify.com, check out their blog, and download the Blitzify app that is revolutionizing the way motorists search and shop for automotive services.

About Blitzify 
Blitzify is a new mobile application that connects customers and automotive service providers through a comprehensive and innovative mobile platform that is changing the way people buy and sell automotive services. The app merges data from local market research, information from service providers, special offers, testimonials and ratings and reviews from customers into a user-friendly interface giving the user out-the-door, real time price comparisons.  For more information, visit www.blitzify.com.

Fruit Vines Bites - Perfect for road trips

Although the summer is almost over, there is still time to fit in some day trips before back-to-school. We traditionally sneak away right before school starts just to refresh our minds for the non-stop weekdays ahead. We always pack snacks, drinks and food to take with us. One of our new favorite is Fruit Vines Bites by the makers of Red Vines. 

They come in 2 flavors- Strawberry and Cherry. I received a box filled with both varieties in 3 sizes-- resealable 10 oz. stand-up bag allows for portion control,  2 oz. single-servings for quick trips and 5 oz. bags for sharing. 

Honestly, I don't know about sharing. These bite-size candies are irresistibly soft, chewy and fruity. I think the 10 ounce stand-up bags are good for portion control. We can easily eat more than our share! Fruit Vines are also low-fat and preservative-free for guilt-free snacking. They would be perfect in school lunch boxes too. 

These are going with us when we take a little road trip later this week. You can find Fruit Vines Bites at many retailers including Target, Walmart, Walgreens and more. I saw them at Target today and think they would make a nice "just because" treat for my little one's teacher. Check out Fruit Vines Bites on the web, Facebook and Twitter for product promotions and updates. 

I received complimentary samples in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own as always.