Chevy's MyLink Infotainment System

Last summer, we took a 3 week road trip to California. And while my children were great at entertaining themselves and rarely asking "Are We There Yet?", I found out about a feature in the new 2015 Chevy vehicles that would revolutionize our whole trip. 

Recently, I was invited to learn about and test-drive a few different 2015 Chevrolet vehicles at the TravelingMom Retreat at Walt Disney World (we were there to see the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train too!).  Being a mom, I hopped into the Suburban and Tahoe and got a glimpse of all the cool features they offer, but the one that struck my fancy the most? The MyLink Infotainment System offers hands-free information and entertainment for everyone in the car. 

What is MyLink?

Infotainment - like that term? Here's the "Info":  MyLink pairs with your phone to allow you to safely talk and drive and give you perfect navigation with turn-by-turn directions. And the "tainment"? MyLink connects you to several different music applications and even gives passengers access to the Internet. Most cars on the market offer some sort of "infotainment" system these days, but I spent some time with a Chevy MyLink expert and she showed me some really cool features you may not find anywhere else.

Time Shift Radio

When I used to work in sales and would be in my car 70% of the day, I would often find myself caught up in a radio talk show and not want to leave the car when I arrived at my destination.  MyLink offers Time Shift Radio, which acts like a DVR, recording the last 25 minutes of what you are listening to.  You can back up if you missed a joke and fast-forward through commercials.  And if you need to step out of the car for an errand, you can record the next 10 minutes and listen to it when you get back in the car.

Pair Your Phone

MyLink pairs with your phone to allow hands-free talk and driving. It will access your contacts in your address book to provide you with turn-by-turn directions.  And MyLink will answer your incoming text messages with pre-programmed answers such as , “I’m Driving. Talk to you later.” 

WiFi Signal

Chevy partners with On-Star to provide you with a WiFi signal that can hold up to seven devices in one vehicle. This is the one my children would be most excited for.  They can watch streaming movies as we are road tripping around the country! The signal is 4G LTE, provided by AT&T, is promised to be more reliable than a hotspot on your phone. And Chevy will be offering an AppShop on MyLink that allows customers a range of apps that include iHeartRadio, Priceline, The Weather Channel, NPR, Slacker Radio, TuneIn Radio, Cityseeker, Eventseeker, Glympse and Kaliki. The plans have not been announced yet as to pricing.

MyLink also has these cool features:

• Connect to your Pandora account through your phone
• Over 140 SiriusXM Satellite Radio channels
• Save your favorite artists, playlists, songs, and genres through Gracenote Technology
• USB connectivity to listen to music from your phone, iPod, or flash drive
• Voice Control
• On-Star turn-by-turn navigation
• And you can store up to 60 contacts, radio stations, destinations, or songs right to your home page.

So my biggest fear with MyLink is how complicated is it?  Is it easy to learn?  Is MyLink easy to navigate for a passenger?

I tend to really like gadgets and will take the time to learn them, and I found MyLink to be really easy to use.  As there are a lot of moving components to the system, it might take a few weeks to learn them all.  It’s pretty intuitive and once you get it down, it would be easy to show a passenger. And children will have no problems figuring it out.

Because it does offer so much at your fingertips, if you are going to invest in a car with this system, take the time to learn it. There is so much capability with MyLink that it would be a waste to not learn how to use it.

But don’t take my word for it, see for yourself all the cool features of MyLink:

Systems like MyLink in vehicles will make road-tripping so much easier for our family.  Obviously having a WiFi signal in the vehicle will be golden for my children.  But I know the navigation will be extremely helpful (as I used my phone all last summer).  I also will be able to enlist my passenger to get yelp reviews for upcoming restaurants, check out roadside attractions and make hotel reservations and not have to use my phone at all.

It's a great system for busy moms in general, not just roadtrippers!

This is a sponsored post by Chevrolet.  I was invited to try out their MyLink system and all opinions are my own.

A Smart Trunk ~ Benefits of Being Prepared

This is a sponsored post by State Farm.  I have written it and it's my opinion. And it was a very good reminder of the fact that I do not have a smart trunk. 

2 weeks ago, I launched a contest to find the trunk with the most "Trunk Junk".  Well, actually, it was all about having a trunk that is filled with items you may need in an emergency - a Smart Trunk.  Who would have ever thought that 1 week into this campaign, I would benefit from my own post???  

This past summer, I embarked on a 3 week roadtrip with my kids.  And I had my emergency kit - complete with a blanket and gallon of fresh water.  And we never touched it. In fact, it got pushed around so much after we returned, that I ended up taking it out of the trunk and it sat in my garage for 6 months.  That is, until I wrote a post on what goes in a "Smart Trunk".

I threw it back in the car after feeling like a hypocrite - writing about something I didn't necessarily do. 

Who would have ever thought that we would experience not one, but TWO ice storms in one week in Central Texas - not I!!  I was so incredibly thankful to have my kit, as I pulled out the ice scraper twice to clear off my windshield.  Just, this may be a minor example of needing an emergency preparedness kit in my trunk, but this carpooling-mom was happy to have been convicted enough to have put the kit back in the car!

I can't help but think about what happened in Atlanta last week, with hundreds of cars stranded during their winter storm.  How many of those cars had a smart trunk?  

It's all fun to joke about the junk we have in our trunk - some of your pictures were unbelievable!  But this campaign was a great way to bring awareness to the fact that we need to be prepared.  You never know when you might need an ice scraper......or jumper cables.....or a blanket.

Please take the time to gather the following items and keep them stowed in your car.  

- jumper cables

- blankets/warm clothing

- spare tire & tools to change it with

- cell phone & cell phone charger

- flashlight (with charged batteries)

- non-perishable food (peanut butter crackers, nuts, granola bars)

- first aid kit

- windshield scraper

- water

For more ideas, please see State Farm's Winter Driving Survival Guide by clicking here.

Over the past 2 weeks, we have seen some pretty comical pictures of your trunk junk over on Instagram.  Check them out with the hashtag #TrunkJunkSF

Today, using a random number generator, I have selected 8 winners to receive:

3 winners will receive a $100 Gift Card from State Farm

5 winners will receive a State Farm Safe Trunk Makeover 

$100 Visa Card = @lovekat77

$100 Visa Card = @madddal

$100 Visa Card = @jennykate77

State Farm Safe Trunk Makeover = @jensmithmoore

State Farm Safe Trunk Makeover = @evinschmevin

State Farm Safe Trunk Makeover = @tadstreet

State Farm Safe Trunk Makeover = @mollygrace5

State Farm Safe Trunk Makeover = @travelermom

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone for participating. 
 I hope this encourages you to keep your trunk SAFE!

10 Ways to De-Stress Your Driving

I enjoy driving. I really do. I love seeing the beautiful countryside, especially driving somewhere new.  Driving down country roads, up and down hills, not knowing exactly where the road may be taking you is fun and exciting to me. Even a bit relaxing.

That said, I do not enjoy driving on the road with others.  Truth be told, I can't stand someone driving in front of me and will do my best to get around them.  And city traffic?  Ugh. Nothing raises my blood pressure more than to be sitting on the freeway, going nowhere because I'm stuck in traffic.   And the holidays only brings more traffic - with more people on the roads, rushing to a holiday party or out shopping.

So this season, I wanted to approach driving in traffic a bit differently.  I wanted to not feel so stressed to get behind the wheel.  And when State Farm approached me to work with them on a Holiday Aggressive Driving program, I thought it was the perfect match.

Last week, I wrote about great tips for Holiday Driving and this week, I wanted to focus on creative ways to de-stress yourself before getting behind the wheel.

10 Fun Ways to De-Stress Your Driving

1. Let Go of the Tension - Before you start your drive or at a stop, let go of all the tension you have in your body.  Grip the wheel and clench every muscle in your body tightly, then let it all go in one big breathe.  Do this as many times as you need to get it all out.  It may sound silly, but trust me, it totally works.
2. Big Breathes at the Stop - Take a moment to focus your breathing.  When you come to that stoplight, take a deep breath.  There is nothing more relaxing than a simple breath.  Make it a habit to do one every time you come to a stop light. 
3. Sing It Out - Sometimes the best way to let the stress of the day go is to crank the music up and sing aloud with your favorite song.  The endorphins you release by doing something enjoyable will instantly calm you down.
4. Snack Break - Pull over and grab your favorite coffee drink or ice cream cone.  It takes your mind off of the mundane commute and gets you a treat!
5. Sit Up Straight - Observe perfect posture while driving in the car. Pull your neck up and straighten your back. Not only will your body thank you in the long run, but it put you in a better driving position.
6. Let Someone In - By "paying it forward" while behind the wheel and letting someone go ahead of you, you can't help but smile and wave to them.  And isn't that what we all need to do?  Smile a little more?
7. Story Time - Remember how relaxing it is to have someone tell you a story?  Pop in an audiobook and get lost in the story - but not so lost that you forget to stay focused on the road.  The whole point of de-stressing is to not be distracted while driving. 
8. Drink Water - Take a sip of water each time you start feeling stressed. It's great for your body and it delays you from reacting to any stressful situation.
9. Blow Bubbles - Keep a pack of bubble gum in the car and blow some bubbles - it will make you feel like a kid again!
10. A Good Old Conversation - If you have others in the car with you, take this opportunity to turn the radio off and try to have a meaningful conversation with them.  

And if these tips don't help ease the stress during a drive, maybe it's time to pull over - pop in a restaurant, go shop at a favorite store and get back on the road once your head has cleared. 

Here are some more great tips to avoid aggressive driving from State Farm.

And to make your Holidays a less Stressful one, State Farm is giving away to a lucky reader, a Stress Relief Kit filled with these fun items:

• Gel Squeeze Ball
• The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
• Water Bottle
• Sportster Mug
• Foam Can Holder
• Orville Redenbacher 100-calorie Smart Pop!
• Insulated State Farm Tote

Giveaway begins on Monday, December 9, 2013 at 9:00 am and ends on Sunday, December 15, 2013 at 11:59 pm.  Winner will be randomly selected an contacted via email.  Winner will have 24 hours to respond to the email or we will select another winner.  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am working with State Farm  this winter in a series of sponsored posts.  All opinions are strictly my own and not endorsed. 

10 Road Trip Boredom Busters

Heading out on a road trip anytime soon?  Here are 10 Fun & Kid-Approved Road Trip Boredom Busters that worked for us on our Bigger Than Texas Road Trip this summer!

 1. Old Shows on DVD - What a fun way to introduce your children to some TV favorites of yours.  My kids loved The Brady Bunch!

2. Seek & Find Books - Hours, I mean hours were spent finding Waldo!  Even the 4 year old took the time to find him!

 3.  Car Games - There are so many fun & unique car games to buy.  We played ones that got the driver involved too, like Travel Blurt!

 4. Reading Outloud - Not only are we working on our reading skills when everyone reads a chapter out loud, but we are all getting into a really great book.

 5. CD Sing-a-Long - My favorite, as I pull out cds from years ago and get lost singing along with forgotten lyrics.  How else are my kids going to learn The Beatles?

6. Build A Fort - My children came up with this one - I think my son needed some "space".

7. Window Markers - Love these things! My children really enjoyed the freedom of drawing on the car windows.

 8. Craft Projects - Grab some inexpensive craft projects for your children to try.  My son spent a lot of time building origami.

9. Magnetic Games - Perfect for little hands, we found a few magnetic stories and games for him to play.

10.  Stop for Ice Cream - When all else fails and everyone needs to get out of the car, stop for a treat!

Need even more ideas?  Here are 100 Road Trip Boredom Busters we came up with!

Road Tripping with Hotels.com

Heading out on a road trip soon?  Give me a minute to tell you why using Hotels.com on our 3 week road trip worked so well for us!

With so many websites to choose from, booking hotel rooms can be pretty overwhelming.  So I wanted to find a site that I was comfortable and familiar with before heading out on our 4600+ mile journey this summer.  As I am sometimes a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kinda gal, I knew I would be booking hotel rooms last minute at some locations, so I was looking for a site that would accommodate my procrastination too.

Turns out, Hotels.com worked perfectly on our road trip. Here's why:

1. Unless arrangements are made for me, I book last-minute. As a natural-born procrastinator, I tend to wait until the last minute to book things (yes, I know that is dumb.). And on our trip, there were a few instances where we didn't know exactly where we would be until the day before.  So, I really liked the flexibility of booking last minute on Hotels.com.

2. With my last-minute-ness, I still want a good deal. Who doesn't, right?  Each time I booked a hotel room on our trip, I found the best prices on Hotels.com.  Before I left on our trip, I did a lot of comparison shopping for a room in the San Diego area.  It just so happened that the week we were visiting was the same week at ComicCon.  And that made it pretty hard to find a room under $400.  Seriously. Hotels.com made it very easy to search surrounding areas and book a room in the San Marcos area - at a newly-refurbished hotel that was FAB.  And a very good price......

3. Hotels.com is super easy to use. This is my favorite feature.  Type in your city and date and everything available pops up.  No messing with the specific area of town or guessing how many stars you want.  Hotels.com shows it all.  You can also search by a particular hotel or brand too.

Hotels.com offers reviews and location information right on the front page. All the information you need to make a decision is listed right below each property.  Neat and easy to read, I found the style was appealing.  There were very few distracting sidebar ads to keep me from my task.

4. Hotels.com has a smart device app.  I loved seeing all the info I needed and booking directly from my iPhone.  We all understand how convenient that is. Enough said.

5. Hotels.com offers Welcome Rewards for repeat customers. I love utilizing loyalty programs and as I was going to be staying at hotels my entire trip, I might as well be earning a free night stay.  Welcome Rewards is super easy to use and free to join.  For every 10 nights a member stays at a Hotels.com Welcome Rewards hotel, they get one night free. The site boasts over 85,000 eligible hotel properties to choose from, so you can essentially earn free nights on vacation or business. And I love the fact that there are not blackout dates to use your free nights on.

 Hotels.com is worldwide and boasts the best prices.  I can't necessarily claim that I saw that, as I focused on quickly booking using a site I was comfortable with.  And personally, as a mom of 3 busy kids, I needed to find a good deal and book fast - like under 10 minutes fast.  And Hotels.com provided that for me.  And I'm well on my way to earning a free night....woo-hoo!

Hotels.com provided us with 2 Welcome Rewards stays to utilize on our trip.  All other booking on their site was made on my own accord and expense.  All opinions are my own. 

Paying It Forward On Our Road Trip

Recently, we completed our Bigger Than Texas Road Trip, which encompassed over 4600 miles and seven states.  Beyond all the amazing sites we saw and experiences we had, we had a goal on our 21 day trip - We wanted to spread the Texas Love.  Ok, what?

I wanted to teach my children the importance of giving back, helping others, and simply being nice to strangers during our travels.   More importantly, I needed my 12 & 10 year old to stop being so wrapped in in their own little world and start noticing others and the simple things they can do to improve the world around them.  

After we talked about it as a family, and brainstormed our ideas (see our big list of ideas here), it was very easy to implement.  All it took was a simple nudge at the beginning, but soon my children were noticing things left and right to do to make a difference.

Things like picking up trash - From the bottom of the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico to standing in line at Disneyland to the river beds of the Lower Animas River in Durango, CO - these kids became naturals at scooping up stray trash and finding a bin to put it in. Without Momma asking.....

One of the easiest ways to give back on a vacation is to simply Take pictures for Others - When it came to some of the amazing sites we saw, such as the Grand Canyon, mom or dad was always left out of the picture, so when ever it was possible, we offered.  Some people declined (mostly due to a language barrier) but most jumped at the chance.  And the cool thing was, they all offered to take our picture in exchange.  Even cooler, we noticed a family we had help out at one scenic view at the Grand Canyon, offer to help another family at a different point.  It was an awesome example of Paying It Forward.  It's a simple gesture that we even experienced ourselves through out the whole trip. - how else would we have been able to get this iconic picture?

We looked for opportunities to Give to Others.   When we had an extra pass to ride the Sandia Peak Tramway in New Mexico, we found a family with lots of children to give it to.  And when we had a few extra Fast Passes at Disneyland, we found a service member to give them to.  Both were surprised at our gesture - exactly the response we had hoped for. 

We looked for fun ways to give back too.  Doing laundry on the road was difficult.  It was time consuming and expensive.  We had purchased too much laundry detergent, so we thought it would be nice to leave it behind for the next weary traveler.  And then my daughter came up with the idea to leave our stack of extra quarters behind too! 

My 10 year old wants to serve his country one day and he really looks up to those that do.  Every time we see a service member or Veteran, we try to make it a point of thanking them for their service.  We visit SeaWorld San Antonio often, and because it is close to a few military installations, we have ample opportunity to thank those in uniform every time we visit.  On this trip, I finally observed my son get out of his comfort zone, walk up to those he saw in uniform and thank them for their service.  

At the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, several of the volunteers are Veterans and we were able to thank them.  But the coolest moment happened at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, CA. My son had the opportunity to hear from a former B-17 ball turret gunner who flew 30 missions in WWII before being hit by flak.  He was in awe of his stories, asking him several questions.  And afterwards went up to him to shake his hand and thank him for his service to our country.  

We wanted to find a place to leave a big tip for our waitress on our travels.  We had discussed this before leaving on the trip that we wanted it to be given to a waitress/waiter who we really felt needed their day to be brightened.  Waiting tables is such a tough job (I did it for many years, so I have a soft spot in my heart for the hard work.) - if we could, we would have left big tips all across the Southwest! As it happened, we left one for a waitress in a little diner we happened into around 8 pm one night in Albuquerque, NM.  She wasn't overly friendly, in fact she looked quite distracted, like her mind was elsewhere.  The meal was nothing special - honestly, can't even remember the name of the restaurant.  But something told me she was the one.  

So we left her a big tip and then left. We didn't wait around to see her reaction or get a "thank you." I explained to the children that we do good deeds because people deserve them and not because we want to see the reaction.  Sometimes, we just knowing in our hearts that we did something nice was all the reward we needed. 

But we were rewarded ten-fold on our trip.  We smiled at everyone we came in contact with and met some amazing people who truly enriched our experience.  

We met Bob, a former high school biology teacher who opened the American International Rattlesnake Museum in Albuquerque, NM to help teach people more about rattlesnakes.  He showed us a big rattler who was shedding and gave us some "behind the scenes" information about the museum.

While we were purchasing our tickets to get into the San Diego Zoo, my son struck up a conversation with the agent who had lots of Star Wars memorabilia.  She went on to tell us that her grandmother did still photography for the first 3 movies - so fascinating!!  And she then conveniently found a "extra" 50% coupon for admission.  Thank you Miss Star Wars!

Sometimes we experienced good luck without ever speaking to a soul.  My kids will be talking about how we were able to ride Space Mountain TWICE in a row without getting out of the car.  "Want to go again?" the Cast Member asked us - just a little bit of Disney Magic granted to us that day.

The coolest moment happened to us after a long day in San Diego.  I was looking for a place to eat dinner and made my husband drive us over to Pacific Beach in search of this particular restaurant I was dying to go to.  Turns out, it wasn't the same place and wasn't very good.  But my tired and weary crew  rallied anyway and after we ate, we took a quick walk down the beach.  

Finding the only gift shop on the beach, I wanted to get some souvenirs.  While we were making our purchases, the owner noticed my son's USS Midway hat and asked us if we enjoyed the carrier. We politely said yes and he mentioned his father was the Commanding Officer of the USS Lexington.  We made small talk and he went on to tell us all about his father, Eugene McDaniel, who was also a POW in Vietnam for over 7 years.  It was an amazing conversation that all of us were enthralled to hear.  And here we were in the middle of a little gift shop in a town we didn't really mean to go to - It was an experience we were meant to have.  And it was incredible. We were completely paid forward. 

When we started planning our "Bigger Than Texas Road Trip", it was all about what we would receive out of a trip of this magnitude.  Setting our sites on Paying It Forward on the trip rewarded us more than  we had ever hope.  And it made up realize the importance of having a mindset of doing for others rather than it be all about what's in it for me. It's a life lesson that I hope my children will maintain.

You don't have to Pay It Forward in special circumstances, like a vacation.  Doing good deeds, looking for opportunities to help and doing the right thing when people are not watching you are goals we all want our children to have.  And they can be done every day. 

It was natural to work with State Farm Insurance on our Road Trip.  It's their theme of "Like a Good Neighbor" that went hand-in-hand with teaching my children to be a "good neighbor", even on vacation.  For them, being a good neighbor is about good customer service.  But it is so much more than than - it's a philosophy we all can learn from.

I hope you are inspired to be more of a good neighbor at home and when you are traveling.  My children were very inspired and looked for opportunities every step of the way.  Our goal is to continue that excitement for doing for others now that we are home.

I am working with State Farm Insurance this summer in a series of sponsored posts.  All opinions are strictly my own and not endorsed. 

10 Road Trip Safety Tips

We are well into our 3 Week “Bigger Than Texas Road Trip" and have spent lots of time in the car  - over 1500 miles so far!  Before we left home, I did a little research into car travel and safety tips while on the road.  Being that the majority of the trip would be myself and my 3 children, I wanted to be prepared for any situation.  Here is what I came up with.

10 Road Trip Safety Tips

1. Emergency Road Trip Kit – Before hitting the road, make sure you have everything you need in case of a roadside emergency, such as:
Jumper Cables
First Aid Kit
Flashlight
Flares
Jack to change a tire
Basic repair tools and duct tape
Water

2. Scout your Route – know how far you are traveling and plan your stops accordingly – especially when it comes to gas.  Last week, as we traveled up to the Grand Canyon, I assumed we would run into a gas station along the way.  We drove 25 miles through the Chiho National Forest with my heart in my throat as my gas gauge inched lower and lower.  Did I mention, I didn’t have a signal on my iPhone to see where the next gas station would be??  Luckily, we came to a town – but I was 13 miles from empty.  Never again.

3. Avoid Being A Distracted Driver - Cell Phone – Hide it, put it in your purse.  As the only adult driver, I didn’t want to get distracted with email notifications and text messages.  I had too precious of cargo to look at my phone while driving. Nearly 85% of all car accidents occur due to distracted driving.

4. Get a Good Night's Sleep – Plan to get a good night’s sleep each evening (at least 6-8 hours of sleep).  The last thing you want to be is a sleepy driver!

5. Plan Your Pitstops – Make sure you break up the monotony of a long drive by pulling over and taking breaks when needed.  This is good not only for the driver, but the crew as well.  We downloaded Roadside America to find fun places to pull over and see like the “Infamous Corner” in Winslow, AZ.

6. Directional Backup - Bring a paper map.  Yes, we live in the age of smart phones that can track our every move, but there were places I encountered last week where my iPhone had no signal (see the above gas incident) and my car GPS showed we were not even on a road.  In these cases, I was thankful to have my paper atlas.

7. Safe & Smart Parking - When parking the car for the evening, look to park it under a light pole or near the entrance of your lodging.  Lock all your items in the trunk or back compartment (out of site).

8. Be a Good Passenger – On a road trip, everyone needs a good back-up.  Take turns driving, do the navigating, have great discussions with the driver, and control the music.  Also, have discussions with your children about not distracting the driver – bickering is the WORST way to do that!

9. Seat Belts for Everyone – I know this should go without saying, but Buckle Up.  Observe the Child Safety laws – if you are going through multiple states, its best to observe your states.  Technically, my 4 year old can move up to the booster seat in Texas, but we felt it was safer to keep him in his 5-point harness seat for the trip.

10. Relax and Enjoy the Ride – It’s not everyday you get to drive through different parts of our beautiful country.  If time permits, don’t rush it.  If you zoom to your destination, you’ll miss the great views.  Relax, enjoy the time you have with your family on the road and make some incredible memories.

State Farm Insurance wants you to have an incredible trip, but make it a safe one.  That’s why they have sponsored this list of Road Trip Safety Tips.  Their online Learning Center has a great deal of additional safety information. Have a fun and safe vacation.

I am working with State Farm Insurance this summer in a series of sponsored posts.  All opinions are strictly my own and not endorsed. 

Pay It Forward on the Road

Traveling presents so many opportunities for learning....especially with children.  While they in a completely new environment, learning new cultures and geography, they are also presented with the chance to expand their horizons.

This summer, while on our Bigger Than Texas Road Trip, I want my children to learn about the areas they are visiting.  That's easy.  But I also want them to grow within, making an impact and leaving a positive impression where ever they go. Hmm, that may take a bit more work.

So before we left on our trip, I sat down with my older two (12 & 10) and discussed the concept of "paying it forward" on our upcoming trip.  We have served in our community through scouts, church, and even spent a whole day over the Christmas break "spreading joy" with only $10 (we impacted over 43 people that day!).

It is easy and rewarding to give back in your own community, where you are comfortable with your own surroundings. But serving other while on vacation?  That was a new concept for my kids.  And that is why discussing it ahead of time and brain-storming ideas helped them realize that it really doesn't take a lot of effort to make a difference in someone's life.

My favorite idea that we came up with is to simply "be happy".  The impact of a smile and pleasant conversation to a stranger is immeasurable.  It's the core principle behind paying it forward.  Think about how you feel when someone flashes you a genuine smile - makes you want to smile back, doesn't it?

So here are a few ideas my children came up with of how we are going to make a difference while on the road this summer:

Ideas to Pay It Forward - Road Tripping Style

• Offer to take photos for other people
• Hold the door open for someone
• Pick up trash when you see it
• Pay a compliment to someone
• Write a great review on Yelp! of a restaurant or attraction we really enjoyed
• Leave a really BIG tip in a really SMALL town diner
• Let someone cut in line in front of you at Disneyland
• Give up your parking space to someone else
• Stop and offer to help someone with car trouble
• Give someone else your ride tickets/ fastpasses 
• Pay for someone else’s parking, entry fee, toll, coffee, etc.
• Try to eat and shop at locally-owned businesses 
• Write a handwritten thank you card to someone at a place you visited
• Leave your book you finished in a coffee shop with a note to "read it forward"
• If there’s an accident or potential hazard on the road, report it
• If you arrive at an intersection at the same time as someone else, let them go first
• Wave a Thank You to someone who does something nice for you
• Return a stray shopping cart to the parking lot spot

If you have a few hours and the time to plan

• Donate food or clothing to a local shelter
• Volunteer at a shelter 
• Plant a tree
• Donate pet food or towels to a local animal shelter
• Go to Serve.gov to find serving opportunities in the areas you will be in

I have these grandiose visions of the ripple effect of us paying it forward - how each little kind deed will inspire the recipient to do something good for someone else and so on and so on.  But I need to be realistic.  Honestly, if we impact just one person and that makes a small difference in the day they are having, awesome.  I think it is just as important to teach my children to be kind and giving, no matter where they are. 

I am excited to be working with State Farm Insurance this summer while on our road trip.  It's their theme of "Like a Good Neighbor" that went hand-in-hand with teaching my children to be a "good neighbor", even on vacation.  For them, being a good neighbor is about good customer service.  But it is so much more than than - it's a philosophy we all can learn from.  

I hope you are inspired to be more of a good neighbor at home and when you are traveling - take some of these ideas with you the next time you go on vacation and see the impact paying it forward can make. 

I am working with State Farm Insurance this summer in a series of sponsored posts.  All opinions are strictly my own and not endorsed. 

100 Road Trip Boredom Busters

In preparation for our Bigger Than Texas Road Trip, I have created a list of 100 Boredom Busters for my kids to have when I hear the dreaded, "What can I do MOM??" when we are only on mile 201.

100 Road Trip Boredom Busters

1. Read your book
2. Write in your Journal "What did I see today?"
3. Travel TableTopics
4. Play iSpy with your little brother
5. Try to blow a bubble in a bubble
6. Discuss this question: "What would the ultimate birthday look like?"
7. Fold origami
8. Practice tying your shoe
9. Make up a new song about the state you are in
10. Try to guess how many more miles we will drive before our next stop
11. Read a chapter of our Summer Book aloud to all of us
12. Play the Road Trip Scavenger Hunt
13. Blog about your day
14. Agree upon a movie to watch
15. Read up on our next city/attraction we will come to in our Road Trip Travel Binder
16. Play the License Plate Game
17. Make a creature out of pipe cleaners then tell us about it
18. Discuss this question: "What would the best vacation look like?"
19. Play hangman
20. Work in your Summer Bridge books
21. What shapes do you see in the clouds outside your window?
22. Select an "object" of the day and see how many times you find it (ex: red motorcycle)
23. Listen to a book on tape
24. Play a magazine scavenger hunt
25. Practice pig latin
26. Play Madlibs
27. Find where we are on the map
28. Work a puzzle in your activity book
29. Play the Alphabet Game
30. Put together a chain story starting with this prompt: "Yesterday, I drove to....."
31. Declare Thumb War!
32. Quiz each other on your state capitols
33. Teach your little brother a new song
34. Go through the Family Tree together
35. Write your grandma an email about our trip
36. Use washable markers and draw on the windows
37. Discuss this question: "If you had a super power, what would it be and why?"
38. Play Spot It!
39. You have one minute to talk on one subject - Go!
40. Play Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizards, Spock
41. Play name that tune
42. Create something fun out of aluminum foil
43. Practice your times tables
44. Find things that start with a certain letter - help your little brother!
45. Use the Roadside America app to find the next cool roadside attraction
46.  Play Scatogories
47. Practice your string animals
48. Play radio bingo
49. Discuss this question: "What would the BEST meal you could make be?"
50. Talk like a pirate
51. Tell each other a joke
52. Eat a snack
53. Car Travel Bingo
54. Pick an object and count it
55. Discuss this question: "What kind of food do you want to try when we get there?'
56. Slug bug!!
57. Imitate a family member for us to guess
58. Virtual Hide and Seek
59. Play Alpha-bets
60. Family Sing-a-Long
61. Play Simon Says
62. Draw on paper
63. Help me figure out the gas mileage we are getting
64. Read about the state we are in in this book
65. Practice a foreign language
66. Write a coded letter to each other
67. Play On Sale
68. Practice spelling states, capitols, and countries
69. Lines and dots (make your own)
70. Make your own paper dolls
71. Play a game on your iTouch/iPhone
72. Predict what time we will get to our next destination
73. Guess the songs on the radio
74. Discuss this question: "What 10 things do you want to see on this vacation?"
75. Play Twenty Questions
76. Make a fortune teller
77. Call a relative on the phone and tell them about our trip
78. Create something fun out of duck tape
79. Play favorites - "What's your favorite ______?"
80. Find 100 of an object (American flag, churches, dogs, etc.)
81. Play Battleship
82. Collect postcards and brochures at our stops and read thru them - tell us about them
83. Read a book to your brother
84. Write a newsletter about our trip
85. Suduko
86. Discuss this question: "What 5 things to you want to accomplish this year?"
87. Count to 1,000 - Can you??
88. Create something with playdough
89. Shadow puppets
90. Watch Planet Earth
91. Make a movie in the car with your iTouch/iPhone
92. Draw a comic strip
93. Play Travel Blurt!
94. Try finger-knitting
95. Discuss this question: "Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What will you be doing?"
96. Create something with LEGOs
97. Rent a movie at Redbox
98. Play a card game
99. Learn a magic trick
100. Take a nap

50 Great Road Trip Tips

My dream trip is about to become a reality and I realized, I need to gather as many tips from the expert Road Trippers BEFORE I go as possible!!  So I have worked hard to bribe ask all my sweet traveling friends for their experiences.

Here are the 50 Best Road Trip Tips 

from my Expert Friends!

Planning Tips:

My favorite is renting homes while we go - it doesn't feel so hotel-y, then.  Jessie from Wandering Educators 

Add 2 hours cushion on your travel time. Even if you already plan a stop or plan to drive for certain hours, sometimes unexpected things can happen. In our case, a tire with its thread torn out added 3 hours to our drive home which result in 3 AM arrival. Amy from The Q Family Adventures

Download the Roadside Attraction app and allow time in your schedule to stop along the way. They're fun & quirky, provide the perfect opportunity to stretch your legs and since most roadside attractions are free, they're budget friendly. Tonya from The Traveling Praters

Take a look at your route and see what interesting sights you can see along the way or with a slight detour. Not only does this turn a long day of driving into a fun day of sightseeing, but you can experience interesting places (at least briefly!) that wouldn't have made it onto the itinerary otherwise. Sometimes, these little places are more memorable than the larger destinations!  Liz from Travelogged

Get a National Park pass! The pass will pay for itself after a few visits to the more expensive National Parks. Use the restroom at the visitors centre - they almost always have decent baby changing facilities. Pack a lunch and find a picnic area in the park. With the National Park pass you won't feel guilty about keeping your visit shorter - ducking in to use the facilities is a lot more enjoyable than a greasy fast food rest stop or gas station bathroom.  Bethaney from Flashpacker Family

Look for coupons - groupons, etc. - before you go! Also, in the US, at the first public rest area when you enter a state, they will have whole books of coupons for hotels, attractions, etc. Jessie has a whole article on tips to save money on summer travel.  Jessie from Wandering Educators 

Get older kids involved in mapping and planning. Theodora from EscapeArtistes

Stay at a hotel with a pool so the kids can burn off energy after a long day of driving. Rebekah from The Golden Gleam

Join AAA. Not only can they help with car trouble but their TripTik travel planner can help you plan your route, locate gas stations, hotels and restaurants and lead you to some interesting spots along the way. Jodi from Family Rambling

Packing Tips:

If you plan to move around a lot, plan to pack one carry-on with enough outfits for that section so you don't have to bring everything from your car to the hotel,  especially if you will arrive late at night. We have a lot of stuff when we road trip but I packed a carry-on for the first night so when we arrive we can just bring only that carry-on to the hotel. Amy from The Q Family Adventures

Pack by the day, not by the person--one suitcase or duffel for each day/hotel on the trip, plus another for makeup/toothbrushes/pajamas and other daily needs. Mark them with a tag for the date/location so anyone can grab the proper one out of the trunk. At each new hotel, you'll only have to bring in two bags, instead of the potential many depending on your family size. Linda from Travels with Children

Also make sure you have a small first aid kit packed in the car and a small raodside emergency kit ( flare/flashligt/etc). Joe from Tips on Road Tripping

Keep a towel and a change of clothes per person in a small bag in the trunk for quick roadside water adventures. Splashing in fountains makes for fabulous photos and cools kids off before hopping back in the car. Lisa from Trekaroo

Make sure you remember your car charger... Our phone holds our GPS & our road tunes so when the battery is dead we are either lost or moody! Erin from Travel with Bender

Have a plastic bag, paper towels and wipes handy in the car for unexpected car sickness. Rebekah from The Golden Gleam

Put the kids in shoes that are easy to put on and take off so they can be comfortable in the car, but ready quickly at the stops. Annalyn from TravelTurtle

Tips for On the Road:

Give each child an age appropriate "job" while on the road. You can also switch jobs each day. Ex: Pump gas, clean windows, remove all trash from the car, fill water bottles, etc. Katy from Indy with Kids 

Download a free app called 'Road Ahead'. It's a great app to see what available in the exit up ahead on your highway. A great way to at least ensure we have decent selections of places to eat. Amy from The Q Family Adventures

Don't rely entirely on your GPS. When we were in Montana last summer, the GPS was down for an entire day. Thank goodness I had actual maps with me! Alysia from Michigalmom

Don't be on such a strict schedule that you can't make unexpected stops. Holly from The Culture Mom

If we were driving at night or if they were likely to doze off, I put them in pull-ups. Wasn't taking a chance! Also I had a stash of plastic grocery bags within reach. My kids were motion sick once in their lives and it was when I had nothing handy to "catch" it!  Corinne from Have Baby Will Travel

Be on the lookout for those brown roadside signs. The historical markers are pretty fun, quick side trips and teach a thing or two, too  Usually, the "attractions" are a short detour and worth the stop. Lisa from Trekaroo

For road trips in Europe (this is specific to Germany, though could be true in other countries): you have to pay to use the bathroom in the rest stop, but you get a ticket when you pay. You can then use that ticket as a coupon when you buy something at the rest stop. The value of the ticket is a portion of what you paid to use the restroom. For example, pay €0.75, the value is €0.50. Annalyn from TravelTurtle 

Leave at nap or bed time. Nothing ensures quiet as much as a sleeping kid. Jodi from Family Rambling

Boredom Buster Tips:

Fight the urge to start trips with iPads, video games, or movies. Hold back on the electronics and use them AS NEEDED. We always start with conversations, our family sing alongs, books, enjoying the scenery, license plate games, etc. One of our best trips was 8 hours of pure family road trip bliss, with a 3 year old, and no electronic interference. It was a shock and an amazing bonding time. Of course, the next trip called for the iPad before we even left town and it was needed for sanity the entire trip.
Lesson learned: You can always add the 'kiddo crack", but it is hard to take it away once introduced. Always have an ace in your pocket. Lori from Expedition Mom

Listening to audiobooks together helps the hours fly by on long road trips. Here are my tips for selecting and discussing books on road trips. Sandra from Albany Kid

Audio books! We always have audio books in the car, even when we are only driving a short distance. Not only do they keep the kids entertained but it increases vocabulary, listening skills, and attention span!  Amy from World School Adventures

Pack a Secret Weapon: A little treasure trove of boredom busters and new things that can be busted out when kids are getting antsy the drive is getting long or the unexpected ruins your plans! Fill it with fun little items from the dollar store: wikki stix, balloons, stickers, new coloring items, cards, a dice game, kaleidoscopes, things that can be fun in the car, not make a big mess and won't sugar them up!  Jennifer from Edventure Project

Make a "mix tape" or it's iPod equivalent--a playlist. Get input from all members of the family.  Vero from All Over the Map

I always have lots of things printed out - scavenger hunts, license plate games, car bingo, fact sheets about the states we are driving through, and quizzes - my kids love quizzes. Miles of Smiles is an awesome book for road trip games - I wrote about it and more here. Shannon from 100 Routes Across America

String small beads onto a pipe cleaner and hang from your rear view mirror. Use it as a mileage marker for the days travels. 25 miles per bead. Then you can tell the kids how much further by the number of beads left. Or "we will stop for lunch when we drop 3 beads". Michelle from Trekaroo

For toddlers and pre-schoolers make a busy kit with different activities they can do in the car with little to no assistance.  Here is the Little Sightseers Busy Kit we made.  Crystal from Little Sightseers

Blue painters tape! Tape is contraband in my house so when I give each of them their own roll and say "go nuts", it's like Christmas! Painters tape won't hurt if it gets stuck to hair or skin and won't damage the car. Plus it's cheap so they can use the whole roll. Evin from Food Good Laundry Bad

I gave the littles an old digital camera & ipod and verbal list of things to capture. i.e. only green things, things that make noise, things that have the sound B... Jeannie from For What It's Worth

A few days before our trip, I’d go to Walmart or Target or The Dollar Store and pick up several new inexpensive “toys” or items for me to pull out as needed throughout the trip. These were never expensive, just something different for the kids to enjoy. Joanie from Zagleft

Create a Survival Kit that is tailored to your individual child's likes, here is mine.  Marina from Mommy Snippets

 I try to buy a few cheap, new and car-friendly toys and books. To add to the fun, wrap them like a gift and give them out every 50, 75, 100 miles. Jodi from Family Rambling

Eating on the Road:

We try to find alternatives to fast food dining stops, and we love checking out the prepared foods in supermarkets like Wegmans, which has a dedicated hot food bar and a dining room. In this post, I polled other family travel bloggers for their own ideas on eating on the road. Traci from Go Big or Go Home

If you can borrow or purchase the mini-fridge that can plug into your car, it's a great little thing to have.   Dad can have his cold drink of Mountain Dew to keep him going and we can also pack cold cut meat for lunch. Amy from The Q Family Adventures

Don't let the kids gorge themselves on drinks. I let my kids have drinks, but I make sure to spread it out. This keeps us from making extra stops.  Megan from Mommy Travels

Don't disregard highway non-chain restaurant signs. Try out the mom and pop restaurants! Amanda from MarocMama

Check to see if there are any farmers markets in the places that you'll be passing by. They make a great place to relax, see local life, and get fresh food that is often lacking in restaurant meals. Jenna from This is My Happiness

Because our kids are quite young, we love packing a picnic lunch or dinner instead of eating in a restaurant (which inevitably involves more time having to sit still and behave--precisely what they need a break from!). Then we just stop at a rest area, nearby playground, or state park. I wrote a post about that here. Nicole from Arrows Sent Forth

Pack healthy food like cheese sticks, bananas, nuts, dried fruit and cereal rather than stopping for fast food along the way. Rebekah from The Golden Gleam

We found eating on the road to be our biggest challenge because the Interstate is nothing but fast food chains. Yuck! If you don't mind taking a little extra time during stops, use your Yelp and/or Trip Advisor app to find healthier (and tastier) options off the beaten path. Save them to your favorites so you're not trying to find them while on the road and the directions will be right there on your phone. Colleen from San Antonio Mom Blogs

We also use our GPS (not the one on our phones--ours is a Garmin unit) to find restaurants along the way. You can do searches by cuisine/type and also search for options along your route or near your destination(s). We try to eat locally as much as possible to experience local cuisines but sometimes the kids just want something familiar so it's easy to find them that way. Plus, the GPS helps you estimate how long it will take you to get there! Brenda from Meal Planning Magic

Memory Making

At the end of each day, write down one thing/sentence that each person liked about the trip that day. By the end of the trip, you'll have a nice keepsake without much effort. Even better if the kiddos write it out! Perhaps, include drawings. Lisa from Trekaroo

Pack crayolas and give each a journal they can draw in to chronicle the journey, as they can hand it down to there kids. Also, have them draw pictures they can hang in their room. Grab a stack of postcards and stamps for each child and let them mail out to themselves telling about the trip this way it will help them remember all the fun they had. Glenda from Mommies Point of View

Give your kiddos a disposable camera to chronicle the road trip. To me, the most memorable part of the trip is the journey there. I like to snap photos as we pass a city or state "Now entering... or welcome to"  Plus if you plan ahead and know memorable sites or landmarks those are fun to snap up too! Alvina from There's Magic Out There

Give your kids a composition book, a glue stick, tape and colored pencils. Let them put any paper objects they find in the notebook, plus they can draw and add thoughts if they want. Even young kids can do this! Annalyn from TravelTurtle 

Love all these great tips!!  Follow our "Bigger Than Texas Road Trip" this summer and see how we fare!