If You Give a Blogger Three Hours

If you give a blogger three hours they will probably go to Starbucks.

Once they are at Starbucks they will take out their laptop, plug it in and order some coffee.

When you give them the coffee they'll realize they want a butter croissant to go with it.

Once they've eaten the butter croissant they'll open a window to start a new post. After writing an intro they will realize that they don't remember the deadline.

They will open their email to check the deadline and see other emails. After checking rug prices on a World Market sale, deleting all the junk emails (how did they let it get that bad?), and remembering that they need to invoice for another job (and logging into another tab to send the invoice) they will finally find that deadline.

Two H2 headings later they will realize that they need a specific image for the post. They will go into their picture folder and start searching for it. While searching for the image in question they will realize that there are a lot of extra photos that are blurry and should be deleted. They will start deleting blurry photos and those that are no longer needed.

And if they start deleting photos you better believe that they are going to rename the ones that survive. Once the photos are renamed they will probably create new folders to file them in. With neat file folders of pictures they will realize that they never found the original picture they were looking for.

There goes a good 30 minutes organizing pictures. Photo Credit: Nasreen Stump

Maybe it was posted to Facebook? So off to Facebook the blogger goes. Once on Facebook they are reminded that it is Virtual BFF's birthday so they write a quick post on their page. Of course this post needs a funny meme, after searching Google and not finding one that speaks to them they open up Canva. Once in Canva they create the perfect birthday meme and remember that they needed to post Twitter party questions in a network Facebook group. They quickly create questions and images and post them in the group. Then since there is no time like the present they pop over into MeetEdgar to program those questions. While in MeetEdgar they'll remember that they had a question about functionality and they'll go back to their email to contact Support.

DING! A new opportunity has been matched with them in their email inbox so the blogger pops over into that influencer network's site to apply. Social links are needed so they pop onto Twitter (why is #EpicKittenFail trending? Explore.), check out Instagram (3 other people are at a local CVB meeting today, why didn't they know about it?), and head to their FB page (4 new messages- 2 unsolicited out of country link requests, 1 will you post this for the karma PR rep friend one, and 1 brand message asking to use video they made without additional compensation on their site). The blogger remembers that they were originally looking for the image that they needed for the post they started writing two hours ago.

The blogger finds the photo on Facebook- finally. And if they find the image on Facebook they'll download it and pop into PicMonkey to brighten and crop it. Into the post it goes. This is when they realize that they are missing a link that they need to direct people to another article. After 3 Facebook messages they will realize that it hasn't been published yet. DING! A Facebook message from someone else asking to be added to a campaign Google Doc. After adding them the blogger remembers that they also need to put up a reminder post about this campaign in the network group.

PicMonkey- another great time killer. 

The blogger will spend 10 minutes carefully crafting a "Please Help Out" post that both acknowledges that they appreciate everyone's help but also reminds everyone that they should be helping more. At this point the blogger needs a bathroom break. After finding someone to watch their laptop for a minute the blogger makes it to the bathroom. They check their cell phone and realize that they  only have 7 minutes left before they need to leave.

The blogger frantically rereads their "Please Help Out" post and edits it for passive-aggressive tendencies because they really do love and appreciate everyone. After posting it they respond to people's offers of help with Thank you's, You're Awesome's and Hell Yeah's.

They hit save on the blog post that was never finished and shut down their laptop. Chances are that because they didn't finish they'll ask for another three hours at Starbucks and they'll probably stay for four.

The Positive Side of Puke

I thought I heard my four year old yelling over the sound of the baby crying in his car seat. Yelling that I'd be there in one minute I started running the water to warm it for a bottle. We'd been stuck in the car waiting to turn onto our road for more than 15 minutes due to road work and I'd been questioning my morning timing- maybe if I hadn't stopped for a latte, maybe if we hadn't brought food by the station for my husband, maybe if I had gone the back way I wouldn't be dealing with this. The baby was cranky and hungry. The four year old had been pale and quiet and immediately took off into the bathroom when we got home.

Walking into the bathroom I saw her puking off to the side of the toilet on the floor. And I laughed. I asked her if she was ok and I laughed. I handed her the trash can to puke into and I laughed. I put her hair up on top of her head and I laughed. The room filled with the smell of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and I laughed. I laughed because four kids in sometimes you just have to look on the positive side of things.

Poor kiddo. While puking she was yelling "Take my picture" because she wanted to show her big sister that she had "throwed up" when she got home from school.

Thank God this didn't happen five minutes earlier while we were trapped in the car waiting for a TXDOT worker to spin the sign from STOP to SLOW. Forget questioning the morning- our timing had been perfect for this. If we had gotten home earlier she would have been off in the playroom somewhere puking when the urge hit. Instead she was in the bathroom and cleanup was as easy as it could be for vomit. (I have a strong gag reflex for smells and cleaning up puke is always touch and go as the chance that I may puke also is ever present.)

I ran back to the kitchen, got the baby his bottle and started thinking. I didn't used to be this way. I always had trouble seeing the positive in things. I was easily irritated with people, frustrated and quick to drop a big sigh and think "Ugh it's one of those days." And I can't exactly pinpoint the change that took place or when but I became one of those people who gets cut off and thinks "They probably have a lot on their mind,", smiles at people because everyone needs some positivity and instead of yelling at the kids immediately tries to find the reason behind things (apparently the crayon all over the floor in the front hall was because my 4 year old thought that if she drew a treasure map that treasure would appear near the x).

While I can't pinpoint exactly when I made the change I know that it was inspired by someone in my life from years ago who no matter what thought that the world was against them. A canceled dinner meant that friends were probably plotting to get together without them instead, a quick question text was analyzed to the point of reading in subtext that never existed, and work issues were struggles. Everything and anything was an example of how difficult it was to be them. I remember thinking to myself "Man that is no way to live" and I started to see things differently. Some days I have trouble recognizing the overly positive person I've become from my younger self but I am so glad that it happened. I still have bad days, there is still injustice in the world but my own personal framework allows me to process everything better.

I reentered the bathroom. She was sitting on the toilet clutching the trash can. "I done throwing up. I feel better now." She immediately blossomed back into her chatty self. I gave her a hug and vowed never to eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch again.

What to Pack For a Week in Orlando

New Year's Resolution: Stop Whining on the Internet and Do Something!

Can we make ourselves a promise for 2016? Let's become people of action. In this political and social climate I am so sick and tired of reading comments on social media that start with "I would have" or "Why didn't you". And yes I'm feeling sassy this morning- you know why? I went on Facebook into a Minimalism group I'm in. Yes, I'm in a minimalism group. I'm trying to break my "I can't get rid of this it might come in handy later mentality". I'm never going to be the person with bare walls and 4 place settings of dishes but I'm working on paring down. 

Back to what got me all riled up- Lady #1 posts that she is feeling so relieved because she cleaned out her families closets and dropped everything that they didn't wear or that didn't fit off to a charity for Syrian refugees. Lady #2 chimes in with "I would have donated to American children in need". You know what Lady #2- the problematic word in that sentence is WOULD. Lady #1 took action. She got off her butt and she donated stuff she wasn't using. Lady #2, you are sitting at a computer talking about what you WOULD do. Instead actually do something so that you can type "I also donated our extra clothing to local children in need". That is how to not be an asshole on Facebook. 

You can support what you'd like, but TAKE ACTION! Make 2016 a year of change. Instead of bitching on the internet about how your school system sucks go to a meeting of the school board, send a letter, propose something that worked for another district. BE LOUD, BE HEARD! 

Are you on Facebook posting cute memes about how Jesus was a refugee? SIGN A PETITION, MAKE A DONATION, VOLUNTEER!

Do you think that the local precinct could use some cheering up? BRING A GIFT CARD, BUY A MEAL, DROP OFF A THANK YOU NOTE!

Strongly dislike a political candidate? Here's an idea instead of spending your energy calling their supporters idiots or posting memes online FIGURE OUT WHO YOU WANT TO SUPPORT AND GET INVOLVED. PUT UP SIGNS, MAKE CALLS, VOLUNTEER!

Are you appalled by the numerous shootings of black folks taking place around the country? GO TO A MARCH, SHOW YOUR SUPPORT, DEMAND CHANGE!

Realize that your area has a large population who can't afford basics like food and clothing? START A FOOD DRIVE, VOLUNTEER, DONATE YOUR EXCESS!

Do you really want the local playground playhouse painted neon green? GO TO A MEETING, OFFER TO BUY THE PAINT, VOLUNTEER YOUR TIME? 

Seriously guys even the little things matter if you JUST GET INVOLVED. If you believe in something find a way to support it with something other than empty words and internet bickering. 

So please join me in this resolution to get off our butts in 2016 and stop using the phrase "I would have" because that means you didn't do a DAMN thing. 

This year let's all say " I DID."

7 Tips for Spending the Holidays in A Hotel

Note: This post is part of a promotion I am doing with TravelingMom & Hyatt House but my opinions and tips on Holidays in Hotels are all my own!

Travel during the holidays can be a whole different animal. Kids who are always excited to go to a hotel suddenly have big questions- "How will Santa know where we are?", "Does it have a chimney?", "Will we be able to have a tree?". If holiday travel is in your plans this year I've got 6 things you can do to prepare for a hotel holiday!

1) Get tree-ative!

Now is the time to show the kids that the Christmas tree is open to interpretation. Many hotels will have a lobby tree but for your room you can pick out a small tabletop model or even a wall decal or kiddo's drawn picture. Decorating a tiny craft store tree can be just as fun for your littles, even offering the ability to be creative and create ornaments out of ribbons and construction paper. 

2) Maintain a family tradition. 

Do you cuddle up every year and watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer while drinking cocoa and eating popcorn? You can do that in a hotel! With extended stay hotels like Hyatt House you can even bake cookies as a family in your hotel room. Continuing annual holiday traditions can put kids at ease about being in a new place during the holidays. 

3) Make travel the tradition. 

Traveling for special holiday events can create a new tradition. Picking the right hotel can open up whole new experiences to your family. I've done a special girls trip the last few years with my daughters. Our time away also gives dad a chance to go shopping on his own and hide presents. We spent one year in a San Antonio Riverwalk hotel where we watched the Ford Holiday River Parade & Lighting Ceremony from the balcony and this year we are headed to New Orleans to stay at the Hyatt House (review to come soon) and watch the Crewe of Jingle Parade.

4) Spread the joy. 

Take the time to connect with a member of the hotel staff. There will inevitably be someone working on a holiday away from their own family. Have your kids color a card and slip a local gift card or tip in it as a thank you!

It's beginning to look a lot like #Christmas! I admit my #Grinchy little heart has swelled a few sizes. My husband and his dad are REALLY into decorating. We even have special #holiday dishes. ☆☆☆ #christmaslights #christmastree #deckthehalls #tinsel #mantle #tmom

A photo posted by Nasreen Stump- Road Warrior (@ramblingstump) on Dec 1, 2015 at 6:26pm PST

5) Make it a family affair. 

Families that travel together.... don't have to clean their own houses in preparation for relatives. Propose a destination Christmas in lieu of presents. Everyone gets to spend time together exploring a new place, no one has to clean and host, everyone can retreat to their own rooms at night- win, win, win! 

6) Make up for any lack of decoration by seeking out a winter wonderland in the area. 

Many areas have a well known lit up neighborhood, drive thru light display or if you're anywhere near College Station Texas head over to Santa's Wonderland to see more than 3 million twinkling lights.

They were not joking about the #Texas level of #Christmas at #SantasWonderland y'all! There was even a giant red white and blue #armadillo. Full post to come... #tmom #travel #travelgram #instatravel #tx #christmaslights #collegestation #collegestationtx #Santa #holidays

A photo posted by Nasreen Stump- Road Warrior (@ramblingstump) on Nov 22, 2015 at 7:30pm PST

7) Above all else keep in mind that the holidays are about family so as long as you are together wherever you are you can celebrate!

Want to chat more about travel and holidays?

Join me on Monday, December 7th as I chat holiday travel with TravelingMom and Hyatt! Follow along on Twitter at 8pm CST by watching for #TMOM and #HyattHouse!

During the party we'll be giving out prizes. One person will win a 2-night stay at any Hyatt House Hotel and three people will win a $100 Visa gift card! RSVP below and be on the party for a chance to win!

Hyatt House Twitter Party Giveaway

When the Travel Stops

Travel freeze. In corporate terms it is the equivalent of being grounded as a teenager. Don't go anywhere. Save money. Work from home. Sell, sell, sell just from your desk virtually. It happens. But when your job is all about travel and you are suddenly told to not travel what happens to you as a person.

It's been 26 days since my last flight. I may be twitching a little bit. I slept in my own bed for 19 nights in a row. That is an all time record since starting this job. I drank more coffee than usual and less water which resulted in a lot of 3am emails and lunchtime power naps. I learned some major things about myself.

1- I work better in public. I have always suspected this. After years of setting up shop wherever I am for work I need the hubbub around me. Right now I am in a coffee shop at Houston Hobby with my headphones firmly planted in my ears and I have finished 2 reports, 13 emails and 3 articles. During the time at home I determined that the cost of the latte and a gluten free cookie at our local coffee shop was worth the price of productivity.

2- Despite my protests I am actually a morning person..... if I can get myself up. When your commute is down the stairs to your office the day can start a little later but for me it comes with a cost. If I start early and plow through the work it gets done. If I wait till "starting time" it takes me longer to get going. Structuring my day around when I work best has been key in keeping up.

3- I know very little about my own town. One of my first days home I drove my daughter to school. It was maybe my third time doing so this year. I wanted to head to a coffee shop that I had never tried but passed frequently. I had to use Google Maps for directions. That was a wake up call. We moved here almost a year ago and I need to put a little more effort into learning what is available to me. Since I drive to a city 30 minutes away for most box store errands I hadn't spent time driving our streets.

So even though the travel has started back up a bit as meetings get booked I am trying to hold onto these 3 things and am looking forward to reorganizing my home office a bit to be a better fit for when I am home. What are your best office organization tips?

When Teen Driving Shenanigans Come Back to Bite You and the Chance to Win Tires!

*This post is sponsored by She Buys Cars and Michelin but the shenanigan stories are my own. *

There's that moment when you are asked to write about driving safety for National Teen Driver's Week and your mind suddenly becomes a slideshow:

* the time you were 15 and tried to take your parents car for a ride around the neighborhood but it was a stick shift and you spent the rest of the afternoon just trying to get it back into the same spot on the hilly driveway before they got home
* when you were a senior in high school and attempted to hide the shrieking noise your car was making because prom was a few days away and you didn't want to be driven by your parents if your car was in the shop
* the senior skip day that never happened because when you and your friend were headed into school to sit for attendance and walk out a fat raccoon ran across the road and you rear ended the lady in front of you
* the time in Driver's Ed when the German foreign exchange student started going 85 on a rural highway and the 100 year old instructor finally told him to slow down to which he replied "in my country we do not have speed limits"
* the time you and your friend decided it would be really fun to drive across another state on Labor Day since you had no school but didn't tell anyone because it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

And then you realize that your oldest is only 5 years away from driving and HOLY CRAP that is scary considering what you did as a teenager. Seriously, if karma plays a role in this I am screwed.

Luckily the fine folks at Michelin North America and Katie Couric have partnered for the #SharingSafety campaign during National Teen Driver's Week. Click over to see tons of fascinating tips on their site.  They also have the oldie but goodie of checking your tire pressure. Every single time I saw my grandfather whether I was driving or it was my parents he inevitably asked "Is your tire pressure good?" and "Do you have enough gas?". Thank you Michelin for proving that my grandpa was on the cutting edge of driving safety, even if he did really enjoy turning to me at a particular set of train tracks and saying "Watch this, if you hit them just right you catch air!" (Reflecting back he may be where I got some of my driving mannerisms from).

But I'm not just here for fun driving tips and stories of my misguided youth- enter below for the chance to win $600 for Michelin tires and join the conversation on Thursday 10/22/15 at 9pm EST when we chat safety and teen driving education. Find out what you should be modeling now even for your youngest kids to start them off on the right foot!

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You Are a Match

Eleven times.

I had moved 11 times when a courier appeared at the door to our temporary rental home in Vermont bearing a letter saying I was a match to someone needing a bone marrow donation. I had given birth less than a week prior and could not move forward with the process.

Fourteen times.

I had moved a grand total of 14 times since joining the registry in college during a drive in our student center when my husband received a call asking him to have me call in. I returned that call and am now in the process leading to bone marrow donation.

I learned two things. The National Marrow Donor Program and Be The Match is really REALLY good at finding people and that there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding donation and the registry itself.

I will be writing my way through this process as I wrap my head around it, trying to answer questions where I can. Time to start with a few questions to kick things off that came up from friends when I introduced the idea.

Do you know the patient?
No. All I know is that he is in his 50's.

Why are you donating? 
My father in law received a stranger marrow donation while fighting leukemia in 2012 and it's a large part of why he is still with us today. I want to bless someone in the same way that we were blessed.

How can I sign up for the registry? Who are they looking for? 
Sign Up Here. The main group that they are looking for is 18-44 year olds. HLA (human leukocyte antigen) markers used to match are inherited so ancestry can play a part in match. For this reason I strongly encourage my friends of color to register as there are groups that are underrepresented.

Source: Be The Match

Why are you writing about this?

Honestly, I struggled with this. I certainly didn't want anyone to think that I was looking for asspats or praise. I think it is a really important topic and I would love to see more folks join the registry. And selfishly I struggle sometimes with perfection. I want to be able to tell a neat little story and so I procrastinate waiting for things to be perfect. With donation there is no guarantee that my story will wrap up in a pretty little package. Everything could work out and I could donate, or they could at the last moment have a better match. Writing about something with an unknown ending will be good for me. 

I'll be back with more on donation as I go through my process. What questions do you all have?

7 Tips for New Business Travelers

Being a frequent business traveler is a little like being in a secret club with a lingo all it's own and a shared set of experiences. Even networking with someone I just met we compare our airport favorites (identifying airports by their codes of course), share restaurant recommendations in upcoming cities, and discuss preferred brands and points promotions. Whether you are a newbie business traveler or have been spending 100+ nights annually in a hotel since before 3.4 oz carry-on liquids became a thing here are 7 tips to keep in mind.

1. Become a creature of habit when you enter a hotel room. Let's face it. When you stay in a different hotel every night they all kind of start to look the same. You start entering the wrong room number when you go to enter the wifi password, wake up trying to remember what city you are in, and wonder how soon it will be the weekend. Now throw in a potential a middle of the night fire alarm that leaves you standing out in the cold in pj's with no wallet and it's enough to drive you prematurely gray. But if you have a standard spot for certain things in every hotel room you stay in you will never find yourself pantsless in the middle of the night looking for your keys. Immediately upon entering a hotel room I place my keys, wallet, and room keys on the bathroom counter. I hang an outfit on the peg on the wall (Hampton Inn's) or on the back of the bathroom door. My shoes go directly in front of the door. This way if there is an emergency I can throw my pants on, grab my personal items, and put my shoes on before leaving the room quickly. I also take a picture of the room phone when I first get into my room. It always has the address of the hotel on it.

This #hotel room is bigger than most of the apartments I lived in in #Boston! Bigger in #Texas y'all! #tx #tmom #travel #travelgram #instatravel #igdaily #igtravel #igtexas #IGTX #HamptonInn #hhonors

A photo posted by Nasreen Stump- Road Warrior (@ramblingstump) on May 12, 2015 at 2:02pm PDT

2. Be brand loyal. I'm a deal girl. I love to look for the best price but for business travel I stick to the best price in one brand. By being brand loyal I earn more points per stay, get free wifi, receive free drinks & snacks at checkin, pick up free breakfast slips and have access to last minute rooms that others don't have. Plus on Thursday when my brain is fried I at least know what brand hotel I booked.

3. Don't unpack. This one cuts two ways. I don't unpack in hotel rooms. It is a waste of time when I am only going to be there for a night and it speeds up my morning routine. But once I arrive home I also don't unpack. I open my suitcase in the laundry room and take out my packing cube of dirty clothes to wash. Once they are out of the dryer back into my suitcase they go. By having a minimal business wardrobe and repacking right away I save myself time. The toiletries I bring with me are not ones I need at home so I don't need to worry about forgetting anything. Keep a separate toothbrush, deodorant, and makeup kit in your suitcase if you travel frequently. Anything that you use both at home and on the road is an item that you can and will forget on a trip. Buy 2.

4. Make a list and check it twice. At the end of every week review your upcoming travel plans briefly. It can be easy to miss a step if you are booking a lot of trips and while finding a hotel room last minute is usually not a monumental task, standing at O'Hare and realizing you don't have a flight home is a little bit of a larger problem. Better to catch these things early. Pay special attention to airport codes. Back when the Monroe County Airport in Bloomington Indiana had commercial flights a coworker found herself there, 3 hours and 40 minutes from her intended destination of the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington Illinois after a mix up with a travel agent. Oops. Double check all reservations and put them on your calendar so you can see a missing hotel night or flight info easily.

5. Think outside the restaurant box. Back to back nights on the road, especially when you are in different cities can wear on a person. Remember that restaurants aren't your only choice when you are on the road. Although it is nice to get out and interact with other humans sometimes you just need to refuel in your room watching trashy reality television and eating takeout. Don't count out grocery stores either. If you have dietary restrictions grocery stores can be a great spot to pick up items you can eat. Whole Foods have condiment stations that you can utilize to doctor up a bag of salad mix into a meal. Seek out small local locations. Some of my favorite lunches are fruit cups in San Antonio. Made to order meal sites like Texas-based Snap Kitchen are also great options. Since I am not able to have gluten Snap Kitchen is one of my favorite stops in Austin, Houston or Dallas to pick up ready to eat meals. I bring them back to the hotel with me and microwave them. I can also grab breakfast for the next morning since I can't eat many items in the free hotel breakfasts.

One of the things I love most about #Texas! Fruterias! 🍍🍉🍈 ¡Viva #escamocha! ♡ #fruit #whatiate #foodie #satx #tx #myfab5 #summer #nomnomnom #igdaily #travel #travelgram #instatravel #tmom #fruteria #vegan #healthylifestyle #health #paleteria #sanantonio #fruit

A photo posted by Nasreen Stump- Road Warrior (@ramblingstump) on Jun 13, 2015 at 5:38pm PDT

6. Don't be afraid to change plans. We all want to be responsible business travelers and stay within company budget parameters but this being said you also have to be flexible with travel plans as new opportunities and appointments come up. This means feeling confident switching reservations. I book on Southwest since my plans change a lot and they allow me to move flights around with no change fees. It is also a good idea to relook at rental car prices a few days before your trip if you booked in advance. They often go down.

#frequentflyer confession: Sometimes after going thru security by the time I reach the #Departure board I have forgotten where I am #flying to. ✈️✈️💺💼💺✈️✈️ #businesstravel #businesswoman #travel #travelgram #instatravel #tmom #igdaily #texas #Dallas #lovefield #everyweek #airplane #southwestair

A photo posted by Nasreen Stump- Road Warrior (@ramblingstump) on Sep 24, 2015 at 1:28pm PDT

7. Know what to do if you're sick on the road. At some point in time or another you will get sick on the road. You'll be in a strange city, lying on the bathroom floor in a hotel room trying to crawl to the phone to tell them you need late checkout. Hopefully your experience won't be that dramatic or happen when you are 32 weeks pregnant (that was quite the week in Cleveland). But the great news is that now you can have access to a doctor from the comfort of your hotel room. You don't even have to put your pants on! Part of the agony of not feeling well on the road is that the effort involved in "getting better" is a lot. Researching somewhere to go in a different city. Playing the insurance game. Waiting. Usually I just muddle through.
Not so with American Well. They are the nation's largest telehealth company with doctors on call 24/7 365 days a year. The docs are board certified with an average of 15 years of experience. Did I mention you don't have to put your pants on? You can book a quick appointment with a doctor and they can even issue any prescription you need. Save time, save money, save yourself the agony of laying on the bathroom floor plotting your next move. I am so excited to have this new tool in my business travel trick playbook. You can sign up at any time and there are no charges until you have an appointment. And here is where Travelingmom and American Well are offering my readers a special deal. Use code TMOM and receive a visit free (up to $49 value). Look at you smart business traveler, look at you!


This post was sponsored by Travelingmom and American Well. Please see the info below for Twitter party info.

Travelingmom will be having a Twitter party on Monday September 28th at 8pm CST to chat about travel and wellness. Follow #TMOM and #AmWellMD. I'd love it if you'd join!
Any business travel hints that I missed?
TravelingMom AmericanWell.com #AmWellMD

Planning For Spontaneous Travel: Pick a Hotel, Pick a Theme

Sitting in a Chick-Fil-A nursing a diet lemonade with my phone plugged in I make the 18^th phone call of the evening. “All sold out,” the hotel clerk chirped in my ear. I combed through Kayak, went to individual hotel sites, and tried Priceline but there wasn’t a hotel to be found that was under $399 a night from Houston stretching all the way up past Huntsville. Even the fleabag motels showing prices at $175/night were sold out when I called. Luckily that night I walked into the hotel next door to the Chick-Fil-A looking pitiful and the desk clerk took pity on me. They had one room that someone hadn’t shown up for that they gave me. This was me on the road by myself on a business trip, I can’t even imagine trying to entertain 3 kids while trying to find a hotel room. Which brings me to the most important point of spontaneous travel with kids pick a hotel first.

“That doesn’t sound very spontaneous” you say but trust me you don’t want to kill a good last minute weekend away by sleeping in the car at a rest stop because all the hotels are full. Your lodging is usually the biggest expense on a trip so lock it down. Don’t let your wallet take the hit on last minute travel.

After you’ve picked a great hotel (preferably with a pool and free breakfast) it’s fun to pick a theme for last minute travel. Some of my family’s favorites are:

Stopping at all historical markers along a certain route.

This was how I found out that my 11 year old thinks you have to hold your breath in cemeteries so that you don't bring in a ghost and take it home with you.

Trying all of a certain type of food. (We’ve done BBQ treks, coffee treks, donut treks.)

#BBQ for #breakfast #selfie. Drove up to Snow's in #Lexington #TX for a ribs, #brisket, sausage & pork shoulder #snack. Line was 30 deep 15 minutes after opening. Freaking delicious. It was easily the best brisket I have ever had. #ribs #texasbbq #texas #foodie #tmom #foodspotting #roadtrip #rural #countryliving #nomnomnom #myfab5 #snowsbbq #iheartbbq #bbqforbreakfast

A photo posted by Nasreen Stump- Suitcase Packed (@ramblingstump) on Jul 11, 2015 at 7:46am PDT

The kids develop a rating system and rate each location.

Visiting strange roadside attractions and museums.

We loved the Mustard Museum and Spam Museum. 


Hiking. Our family is always happy with a good hike in a pretty place.

Win a Weekend at Staybridge Suites

Staybridge Suites (an all suite hotel with free WiFi and free breakfast) is running a  Family Weekend Getaway contest to help families escape for a weekend of fun. Three winners will receive:

• 3-night stay at a Staybridge Suites hotel
• $250 MasterCard prepaid card
• Kindle Fire HD7 8GB Tablet
• $50 Amazon gift card

You can enter right on TravelingMom. 

There will also be a Twitter party on Monday, July 20th at 8PM CST. Join us to chat spontaneous travel! #TMOM #StaybridgeSuitesWeekends.

This post was sponsored by Staybridge Suites and TravelingMom.com but opinions are my own. 

How To Save $40 A Day (Or More) at Disney

When I was a freshman in high school my parents announced suddenly that we were going to Disney. My dad had gotten a bonus at work and boom we were headed off to Florida for vacation in 2 weeks. Now my mother is one of those planning people, there is a list and a system and a plan, so to say that a two week turn around rocked her world a little bit. She bought one of those Unofficial Guide to Disney books (yes, I am that old- travel web sites were not utilized) and started the listmaking process in fast forward. One of the other things that she did was a big shopping trip where she stocked up on oatmeal packets, snack foods, and juice boxes. She packed all of this into our checked luggage and anytime one of us talked about being hungry that trip she magically pulled a snack out of her fanny pack (yup, fanny pack- as a teenager I was of course properly mortified). Our money on that trip went to nice dinners.

Years later, I have my own family and like me they are grazers. We love snacking in our family so when we were headed off to Disney World for the TravelingMom retreat I immediately began planning my snack strategy. With my gluten free requirements and my parents coming along as well I planned to pack a box of snacks to check as one of our free pieces of luggage on Southwest. Using coupons and shopping sales I was able to buy enough breakfast and snack foods for our trip for roughly $30. 

Next up I laid everything out on the counter and took it out of the boxes. Packing items in their original boxes takes up too much space but you don't want items to get squished- this is where plastic cereal containers come into play. They fit a ton of items and protect them from baggage handlers intent on squishing all of your Nutri Grain bars. 

Packing snacks for #tmomdisney. Fit all the boxes on the left into the container on the right. #packingsuperstar #tmom #Disney #travel #familytravelmonday #travelgram #packing

A photo posted by Nasreen Stump (@ramblingstump) on Apr 13, 2015 at 12:03pm PDT

I did several like this - one with all gluten free items for myself, one with breakfast foods, and one with snacks. The great thing about these containers is once you've eaten all the food on your trip you can pack them full of dirty clothes and put them in your suitcases on the way back. The main goal with snack packing is to have to check a box on the way there and not have to check one on the way back.

Top 8 Things to Remember When Packing Snacks

1- Pick things your kids will actually eat. Now is not the time to convince them they like tiny boxes of raisins. You won't save any money if your kids won't eat what you brought. Our kids love fruit snacks and Go Go Squeez's so we made sure we had plenty of those.

2- Attend to those with allergies. Allergy friendly dining at Disney is fantastic. They specifically shine at table service locations but for quick snacks planning ahead is your best bet unless you want days of fast food. I packed enough gluten free snacks to cover my time at Disney and also to substitute in for a meal if I couldn't find something.

Gluten free goodies for me (and tea for my parent's nightly cup of tea). 

3- Don't forget about drinks. It's brilliant planning to bring reusable water bottles (and you should) but your kids are going to see other folks with a variety of drinks and they will probably get tired of water. We packed a box of Capri Suns and also powdered Propel and Gatorade. With all the walking that we did we were still easily able to keep the kids interested in drinking fluids and were constantly replenishing their electrolytes. 

4- Breakfast items will give you the most bang for your buck. If you can eliminate an entire meal from your daily budget then you get a savings gold star! For us oatmeal packets are always a popular choice and the hotel room coffee maker provided hot water. I packed 2 plastic bowls and spoons. For myself I packed a roll of rice cakes and some peanut butter. 

5- Bring a couple fun snacks that you normally don't have in the house. Part of my strategy to keep the kids away from snacks at Disney was to offer a few items that I don't normally buy. Fun size packs of cereals and Pop Tarts provided a distraction from the ice cream and cotton candy swirling around us. 

6- Start a bin ahead of time. I set up a laundry basket roughly the size of the box I wanted to use and started buying items on sale and with coupons to toss in it. I also "shopped" our own pantry for items that fit the bill of small, portable and non-sticky. 

The laundry basket of snacks at it's fruition. I might have needed a bigger basket.

7- Buy larger and bring Ziploc baggies. Cost- wise the tiny packs of Goldfish didn't make sense for us so I bought in larger quantities and packed them in the large bag to save space (and to decrease the likelihood of them turning into Goldfish crumbs). I also packed small snack size Ziploc baggies (a Sam's Club super sale coupon find from last year I have enough of these to last till the girls go to college!). Once in the hotel room I was able to divvy them up. 

8- Once at the hotel set up a Snack Command Central. To the sound of my husband's teasing I packed my Ikea fabric drawer organizers. They unzip to lay flat and made the perfect snack holders. I designated a snack drawer and a breakfast drawer and put my gluten free snacks in a separate holder. 

Organized snacking in our Coronado Springs hotel room. 

We found that planning our snacking ahead for Disney allowed us to save at least $40 a day in snacks (those $4 waters/drinks add up). I put our savings towards the purchase of Memory Maker which pleased the grandparents in a big way! What are your kids favorite snacks? Did I miss any major points? 

Disclosure: My family and I were hosted on our trip to Disney as part of our TravelingMom retreat. My parents paid for their own accommodations. I would have packed snacks either way :) . 

Parenting? There's An App for That

Working from home I dread the "Wahhh" coming from the upstairs playroom when I'm in the middle of a report or article. Because.... sisters. Quiet hours long tea parties and the building of a town out of Legos can dissolve into an instant into an interrogation scenario. While I'd love to think that when I run from my office to see what happened I'll be told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth it usually ends up being the individual child's creative interpretation of "their truth".

The system we have. Description & image from panasonic.com

Enter the Panasonic Home Monitoring System. The starter kit had 2 outdoor cameras and a monitoring hub. From the moment it arrived at the house my husband and I were in a debate about where exactly to put it. We already had an alarm system but no cameras with it. Until my father in law, the voice of reason, chimed in "Why don't you use it to watch the girls in the playroom?". Genius! With a micro SD that could record video and direct viewing on the Panasonic Home Network app it was the perfect solution. After a quick setup that didn't involve massive amounts of Googling or scratching our heads we were ready for a test run. (Fellow TravelingMom Karyn Locke gives a really in depth setup review HERE.)

The True Test

"Now we just have to wait for them to argue," I told my husband. Of course everyone knows that kids have their own timeline so we waited for a long 15 minutes (does that count as a date?). And then the shrieking kicked in. "Stop," we yelled thru the monitor. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that you can talk THROUGH THE MONITOR? Epic. The girls froze. 

We went upstairs. Normally asking what happened results in a song and dance where we try to interpret the embellishments out and understand the younger one (who is speech challenged). This time the talking monitor had them at full attention and we got a quick answer. It was such a momentous occasion that I even documented it on Facebook. 

Video confirms this story. 

We've also gotten some fun random captures from the camera. Did you know that stuffed animals dress up when you aren't looking?

Monster is really rocking that cowboy hat. 

The Verdict

This product is a strongly recommends. It has solved several mysteries for us (Yes, the dog does stand behind me when I'm not looking on purpose). We have another camera aimed at our stoop for security purposes. I receive a lot of packages for work and if anything ever goes missing I will have footage of it. We are looking at purchasing additional cameras. This system is a much more realistic system for families. With the smart phone app integration it is extremely easy to check in on your house or family from wherever you are. 

Now I'm not advocating parenting through smartphone or consistently reviewing the tape to see who is in the clear but the ability to speak to the kids through the monitor and do quick safety glances while still being productive in my office has been fantastic. (And is the reason I was able to even type out this review!)

Disclosure: I received the  Home Monitoring System to use and review as a member of the TravelingMom Network.