Also, I now have another broken suitcase.  So much for my great deal on a new set of luggage!

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I would like to say, however, that we really enjoyed seeing family.  We only get to go home once a year but this year seemed especially hectic for some reason.

Dec 23rd – I worked a 10 hour shift and packed some

Dec 24th – I worked an 8 hour shift and packed some

Dec 25th – We flew to Houston and then took a 1 hour drive to my dad’s.  Total travel time: 11 hours

Dec 26th – We visited with my dad, mom, all my sisters, and had Christmas at home

Dec 27th – We took some time to go and see Kemah Boardwalk.  I was amazed at how hurricane Ike tore up Galveston.

Dec 28th – We said goodbye to my family and drove 3 hours to my aunt’s house in south Texas.  There we had a good time with my mom’s side of the family.  This was the first year my grandma wasn’t there to great us and it was very hard for me.

Dec 29th – My kids got to feed the cattle and ride around on the ranch.  They had a great time with their cousins.

Dec 30th – We ate lunch at my favorite restaurant from childhood and drove 2.5 hours to my sister’s house.  My mom and sister met us and my older sister and her two kids for dinner.

Dec 31st – We flew to Missouri to see my mom and dad.  Total travel time: 11 hours

Jan 1st – We celebrated my dad’s birthday and had Christmas in Missouri.  Turkey Butt finally got Chou Chou.  She didn’t put that silly doll down for days!  My allergies kicked in so I started taking Benadryl every 4 hours until Monday.

Jan 2nd – We played with the kids and mom and my dad even got to hang out with Turkey Butt for 2.5 hours while we put away the tree.  I had to call my doctor’s office to get DH an antibiotic as he was ocne again very sick.

Jan 3rd – We took the kids to the park for a while.

Jan 4th – We finished packing and flew home.  We fell into bed around 1 am.  Total travel time – 10.5 hours

Jan 5th – I had to be at work at 7:30 am.  By the time I got home, my eyes were bloodshot and my face still had lovely hives from my allergy attack at mom’s.  My co-workers said I looked like I was wasted!

Jan 6th – I took the kids to school and baby sitter and then took a nap.

Total travel time: ridiculous and I lost count

Total allergy/sick time: way too much

Total family time: priceless

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The first set of tickets were only $750 a piece.  That was a $750 savings for my family.  Then the directions changed.  We had to fly to Texas first, then Missouri.  Lucky for us, we hadn’t bought the tickets yet.   So I called again.  Online I had the tickets down to about $800 a ticket, or a little more.  The travel center came back with tickets just under $600 a piece.  I’m totally happy now!  And just for that, we will continue our membership.  Oh, wait.  It’s a one time fee.  Now that is a great deal!

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For our family, timeshares just don’t work.  The fees each year cost more than we typically spend on a hotel.  Along with their fees, you have to pay around $10,000 for the property, rights, whatever they’re called. 

So I’m curious . . . do you have a timeshare?  Do you prefer to book your own room at a hotel or do you use a travel camper?  What are your travel arrangements?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Many of us will be traveling over the holidays.  If you’re like me, you just about dread riding in a car (or flying) with your children.  I try to have an assortment of tricks up my sleeve to keep my kids happy and entertained.  Here are some tips that you can try to keep your children occupied and quiet somewhat amused.

 1.  DVDs – Don’t you just love technology?  Back in my day (no, I’m not that old) we just had to tough out the boredom while traveling and we had better not whine about it.  Today, kids have the luxuries of DVD players in cars.  We don’t have a DVD player in the car.  I wish we did.  If we had one, I wouldn’t let my kids watch it while riding around town.  I wouldn’t want them to expect to be entertained all the time.  I would save it for moments of craziness or traveling.  I feel if you constantly lavish your children with luxuries, then the thrill and excitement will quickly wear off and special things will no longer be special.  (Wow, how did I get on my soap box so quickly? Must be the sinus infection/cold. lol)  Bring along your rented, borrowed, or specially purchased movies. Sometimes a $10 dvd will save your sanity.

 2.  Special toys – I try to keep a stash of special toys.  These are things that are put away in the top of the closets, toys in the basement, basically just toys that they rarely see.  That way, when we’re traveling they’ll be excited to see the toy and they won’t just throw it down immediately.

 3.  Game systems – Need I say more?  Don’t forget the headphones though or put a volume rule in place before you leave.

 4.  Food – Granola bars, grapes, fruit snacks, cheese crackers . . . I keep a stash when we’re traveling.  I normally try not to load my kids up on junk food, but if you’re traveling, sometimes it will keep them extra quiet. 

 5.  Kid CDs – Keep in mind my kids are 2 and 4.  I can always whip out a kid’s cd and start singing along.  There’s something about the words, “Deep in the hundred acre wood, where Christopher Robin plays . . .” that make them hush (and causes my husband to roll his eyes). 

 6.  Phone calls – If my kids are getting restless, sometimes we make a call and let them talk to grandma.  “Sing a song for grandma.” lol

 7.  Books – Again, I try to bring along some new ones or ones they haven’t seen in a while.

 8.  Color Wonder, Aquadoodle, etc. - My kids are getting a Color Wonder for Christmas.  These are tablets that they can color and write on with special markers.  These markers will not write on anything but the special paper they come with.  My kids are getting a Backyardigans and Princess one for Christmas.  These will come in handy for the trip to grandma and grandpa’s house.  By the way, I used my coupons to purchase these kits.  

 9.  Pit stop – There’s nothing like a pit stop to keep the craziness away.  Take a bathroom break, walk around for a few minutes, walk around the truck stop, people watch.  lol  The last time we traveled, we stopped at a rest area.  We used the facilities and then my husband chased the kids around in the grass.  They had a blast and it helped get their energy out.

10.  Disposable or kid-friendly digital camera – My kids have a toy camera in the car.  Sometimes I hand it to them and tell them to take pictures of things they like.  They’re getting older and this technique isn’t so fun anymore.  I’m sure a disposable or digital camera would keep them plenty busy. 

11. Ok, this is only supposed to be 10 tips, but here’s an extra one for free.  Just when you think you have enough stuff for your trip, pack a few extra things.  Print off a few coloring pages, games, or mazes from Nick Jr, Printables4Kids, and Little Fun; Little Learning.

The picture above is from Family on Board Car Organizers.  These organizers look great and make it easy to keep things within your children’s reach.  Looks like a great Christmas gift idea for someone.  Hint, hint, wink, wink.  jk

Tell us.  What are your favorite ways to keep your children entertained on a trip?

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Did you know . . . One in four travelers say they’ve had a dispute over a hotel minibar charge, according to a recent study conducted by TripAdvisor.com.

I was clueless on the fact that many hotels are using automatic motion and weight sensors that register your purchase.  Just simply moving the items in the refrigerator around to make room for your snacks or take out food can register that you have purchased something.  It seems to me that these special refrigerators would cost more than they’re worth, but that just shows how much hotels are making off of this stuff.

You know those little bottles of water in your room that look like they’re set out for your drinking enjoyment?  They may not be free either.  I stayed at a hotel and saw some little bottles of water.  It seemed a little fishy to me, so I checked to see if there was a fee.

Here are some tips from TripAdvisor on how to avoid minibar mistakes:

Know the rules.  As a said before, just because it’s sitting out doesn’t mean it’s free.  When in doubt, call the front desk and ask.

Take an inventory of your hotel refrigerator.  To make it a bit easier, just take some pictures with your cell phone or camera.

Bring along your own snacks.  You know after a long day site seeing or sitting in meetings, those munchies may strike.  Have some snacks on hand to avoid paying for the $5 bag of chips.

Steer clear of the minibar entirely.  Sometimes people like to just peek inside to see what they have.  If your hotel offers you a key, decline it.

Thrifty Mommy tip:  Always check your bill before leaving the hotel.  Check for phone charges, minibar charges, or anything out of the ordinary.  Don’t be afraid to challenge the bill.

Have you had any problems with minibar charges?

Picture from about.com.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

An elderly man in Phoenix calls his son in New York and says, “I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough.”

“Pop, what are you talking about?” the son screams.

We can’t stand the sight of each other any longer” the old man says.  “We’re sick and tired of each other, and I’m sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her.”  And he hangs up.

Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone.  “Like heck they’re getting a divorce. I’ll take care of this!”  She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at the old man, “You are NOT getting divorced!  Don’t do a single thing until I get there.  I’m calling my brother back and we’ll both be there tomorrow.  Until then don’t do a thing.  DO YOU HEAR ME?”  And she hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone, smiles and turns to his wife.  “They’re coming for Christmas and paying their own way.”

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