The Great Family Road Trip: 5 Tips for Travelling with Young Kids

This summer we went on the Great Family Road Trip. We actually toned down our initial plan, which was to drive from Phoenix to Chicago with a three-, four-, and seven-year-old. We decided that it would be best for everybody's sanity to postpone the 27 hour (each way) car trip for a couple more years. Instead, we drove from Phoenix to San Diego. We had never been to San Diego, and it is one of the few trips that we have ever taken where visiting family was not the main event. Some friends flew into San Diego to meet up with us, so the destination included beaches, temperatures under 110 degrees, and quality time with good friends.

While spending more than thirty minutes in the car with your kids can seem daunting, and while it is easy these days to pop movie after movie into the DVD player to keep the kids occupied, that's not how we roll (plus we don't have a DVD player in our vehicle, so it really wasn't an option). Instead, we found ways to fill the hours in the car with quality time, family bonding and memory-making.

Car naps are wonderful, even with sand in your hair!

1) Road trip music is a must. When I was in college, making a cassette tape with some favorites was the way to go. The iPod doesn't have quite the same old school mojo, but it does make it so easy to create a playlist specifically for your trip. Here are our standards for every road trip that we take:


On the Road Again, Willie Nelson - This is the first song that we play after every stop
Holiday Road, Lindsey Buckingham - Our tribute to the Griswold's trip in the Family Truckster
Eastbound and Down, Jerry Reed - Technically it only works for one direction of the trip, but we play it anyway.
Drive My Car, The Beatles - Self Explanatory
Route 66, Nat King Cole - Classic
I've Been Everywhere, Johnny Cash - You can attempt to memorize all of the places he's been.

The first time in the ocean

We also add songs that pertain to the destination, so this trip's playlist included Surfin' USA, Surfin' Safari, and many other Beach Boys classics. The road trip playlist is a great way to expose your kids to various musicians and to create traditions that give grownups a much needed break from kid music. We had so much fun belting out these songs together and making up car seat dances. Good times. (Subsequently, if the kids get a chance to listen to their music, my wife and I will turn the music only to the back speakers. It is amazing how we can have a conversation while Pandora's Disney station plays in the back of the car.)

Little E was not a fan of the waves. The girls were.

Big A working hard on the USS Midway

2) Look for activities that your kids can enjoy by themselves or with each other. Little E, our three-year-old, loves playing trains. In the car we used a cookie sheet with sides and he was able to play with a little wind up train from the dollar store. That was good for almost an hour of entertainment each way. All three also love playing Guess Who (although the rules seem to be in a constant state of flux), and it is pretty self-contained, making it a great car game. Lacing cards also went over well with the seven-and-under set.

3) Make memories together and get to know each other better. We bought a book of Mad Libs and wrote several stories together. If you get creative, this even works for younger kids. (Instead of asking Little E for parts of speech, we would say, "name something on your body" or "what is something you can do." "Belly" and "go potty" were his go-to answers). The oldest got to reinforce her parts of speech. And of course we all laughed when we read about Potty Ice Cream. We also had a book of conversation starter questions. We would have the kids pick a number, and we would go around the car giving each person a turn to answer the question. Some of them were harder for the kids to understand, so we would either adapt the question or move to a different question. My wife had a Mary Poppins' bag of activities ready to go for this trip, but these activities where we engaged with our kids, created something together and laughed together were the simplest and the most fun.

The kids' commissioning after the scavenger hunt on the Midway

4) Never underestimate the power of snacks. Our kids eat more in a two hour period than many small towns consume in a week. We packed up what should have been sufficient food for a trip up Mount Everest, and our kids attempted to clean us out before we left our street. But many small snacks along the way helped keep them occupied. We would give them time frames ("You can have this fruit bar now, and then you need to wait 20 minutes until your next snack."). Trader Joe's has fantastic healthy snacks for kids. Target also surprised us with a broad range of natural and organic packaged foods. The key is novelty! By the way, small paper cups or other containers are a must for things like cherry pits to prevent the kids from putting them in the cup holders or door wells.

5) Kick car-sickness to the curb. One of our kids is notorious for getting motion sick. I think she inherited it from me. We spent part of several trips cleaning vomit off the car seat and digging through luggage for a change of clothes... Not our favorite memories. Then we discovered the wonderful world of peppermint essential oil. Peppermint helps with nausea. So a little dab of peppermint oil behind the ears and on the back of the neck (parents should apply to the kids and should avoid the eyes. Trust me on this one), and a peppermint to suck on, and we had no vomit on this trip. It was amazing! She did complain a couple of times about feeling car sick, but we dabbed on some more peppermint essential oil, gave her a mint, and she made it through.

While I initially had some stress about this road trip, we all ended up having a great time. The kids enjoyed a change of scenery, we all enjoyed the cooler weather, and my wife and I enjoyed not having to clean up puke in the car.

But the destination was not what was important. The time we spent together was. We created some tremendous memories. And the fact that I never once had to yell "If you kids don't stop fighting I'll pull this car over, so help me God" made this a win in my book.

Get a Buddy and Get Running: My Road to Getting Into Shape

When I was in high school, I ran cross country. I actually only ran my senior year. Something about junior high trauma from being cut from sport teams prevented me from ever trying out for a high school sport in which I could be cut. Cross country was different. I just got out there and ran. Through college, I continued to run on a quazi-consistent basis.When I began teaching, I coached cross country for six years. And then I went cold turkey and completely stopped running.

Occasionally I would attempt to go on a run. After about half a mile I would feel my lungs beginning to explode. Fifty yards after that I would think I was going to throw up. I would walk home and decide that I was done running. It was kind of like Rocky, except instead of deciding to push through and run, I just decided that I would be done.

The day we got Kona in November 2014.

Last fall we got a dog. We were not looking for a dog, but the dog came to us. Kona was a 50 pound German Shepherd puppy rescued by the Phoenix Police Department. Yes, I just used the words “50 pound” and “puppy” in the same sentence. Kona is a little different than the Miniature Pinscher puppy that my wife and I had for 12 years (parenthetically, Beanie was a wedding present. While we loved Beanie, please don't ever consider giving a puppy as a wedding present. Many, many other things make better wedding presents than a puppy). We quickly realized that a massive, growing, working dog needs more exercise than just playing ball. So I dusted off my old, cheap running shoes, fired up my Map My Run app on my phone, and took Kona on a run.

I made it about a block before I needed a rest. And a nap. Kona looked back at me with her big puppy dog eyes, tail wagging, as if to say, "That wasn't nearly far enough, pal." I walked a little bit, ran a little bit, and ended up doing a little over a mile in 11 minutes. My body needed a break after that, so I took the weekend off. The next Monday I did my walk/run routine with Kona with a 13 minute/mile pace. And that's the way it worked for us for the next week or so.

"Take me running, PLEASE."

Some days I would get to 1.25 miles, but always with a slow pace. The difference between trying to get into running in the past compared with now was the big, black German Shepherd who continually urged me on. We would start off running, and when I felt like I was ready to walk, I would pick an object in the distance and decide to run until I got to that object. We would then walk for a spell, and I would pick another object, much closer, and commit to running when we got there. My out-of-shape body was trying to develop a rhythm, and Kona was there encouraging me (and sometimes dragging me). 

After about a month, I decided to try to run two miles. Kona and I made it two miles in a little over 20 minutes. This was no speed record, but I was very happy with the distance. I now knew that I could run two miles without needing to walk much. This was seven months ago, and Kona and I now run between 2 and 3.5 miles regularly. While I try not to pay much attention to our pace, we are averaging about 8:10 per mile. In seven months we have shaved about five minutes off our our average per mile pace. I use the Map My Run app, which is great for my competitive nature. I can see my progress, and almost always shove my sweaty phone in my wife's face after a run so she can see how I have done. This is a great app, and if you're not ready to get a large dog to help you run, this may be a good encouragement as well. 

She gets to flop down after the run...I have to go to work.

Aside from exercising the dog, I am feeling better. I have lost about 10 pounds, and my knees, which were not in great shape for many years, now feel fantastic (I did work with my chiropractor and wore a knee brace for about six months). Now that I'm feeling better, I've started biking to work once or twice per week, and I'm spending less on gas. These are all benefits that came just from trying to wear out my energetic, large enormous dog.

But the best thing has just started happening. Once school ended for the summer, my seven-year-old got up one morning and asked if she could go running with me and Kona. My initial thought was, "She's just going to slow us down. There's no way she could keep up with us." But I caught myself and asked myself what was more important - running fast with the dog or running with my daughter. She threw on her running shoes and came with us. We ran 1.2 miles, our pace was really slow, but we had a great morning. 

A few days later, my seven-year-old AND my four-year-old asked if they could run. It was a rainy morning, but I told them both to get their shoes on. We ran, we splashed in puddles, we talked, and we had a wonderful one mile run. I realized something that I almost missed. My running with the dog is not the most important thing. My faster pace, longer distances, or goal of completing a Disney half marathon at some point in the future are not the most important things. My relationship with my kids is more important than any of this, and I almost forgot that. That doesn't meant that I don't get frustrated or annoyed or short-tempered with them when I want to do something quickly. But the whole point of Renaissance Dad is engaging in life with my kids, and I almost missed this opportunity.

So thank you, Kona, for giving me another opportunity to spend time with my kids. Thank you for helping me get healthy so that I can hopefully have a long, happy life with all of my loved ones. And thank you, kids, for remembering to pick up the dog poop. Because after all, Kona is your dog.

Organic Gardening in the Desert

When my wife and I were first married, we were living in Illinois. One spring we decided to stick some tomato plants in the ground. We never watered them, we never fertilized them, and we ended up with an abundant harvest from those two little plants. A few years later we moved to Arizona. We stuck two tomato plants in the ground, fertilized them, watered them, sang to them, and they fried in the Arizona sun. We quit gardening. A few years later, we tried again. Through trial and error, I have had some successful years and some less than successful years. This year is successful; check out those tomatoes. You may think that this is a stock photo with enhanced color and wax coating for that sheen. But I assure you that that is an undoctored photo taken of tomatoes picked from our garden this morning. We also had a bumper crop of artichokes, hot peppers, lemons, and our apricot tree blessed us with two apricots.

Based on our experiences, here are some of the things that we have learned along the way.

1) Patience is a must. It will help you through the failures, and will make the things that grow in your garden that much better. Read more about gardening patience here.

2) The theme of patience lends itself to the practice of weeding. I hate weeding, but it is a must when gardening organically. Read more about weeding here.

3) Mulch, manure, and compost are all fantastic tools in the tool belt of the organic gardener. You can read about the importance of poop, especially in growing melons, here. Likewise, you can read about the importance of fighting weeds with mulch here.

4) Gardening is a great way to spend time with kids outside. This morning my 4-year-old and I picked the tomatoes highlighted in this post, and we had a great time doing it. Her shrieks of "Look at this one daddy!" warmed my heart. Kids love picking, and digging, and playing, and spending time, and it makes gardening that much more enjoyable. Read more about gardening with kids here.

I have found that organic gardening can be easy, if you're willing to do a little work dealing with bugs, weeds, and the occasional plant that gets fried by the sun. So roll up your sleeves, put on your wide brimmed hat, and enjoy your gardening. And please let me know what successes you've had with your gardening!

The 19 Best YA Fiction Books That Grown Ups Will Love Too: A Summer Reading List

When I was a kid, I loved summers. Summers meant spending hours playing outside, running through the sprinklers, watching for the neighbors to set up their Slip 'n Slide, and staying up all night reading. I developed my love for reading through the summers, and I still remember many of the books I read in my childhood. Summer reading was when I experienced the first book that made me cry (Where the Red Fern Grows. Seriously, has anybody not cried at that book), the first chapter book I read multiple times through (The Great Brain series), and the first book that I remember containing profanity (The Catcher in the Rye. I hid it under my mattress because I didn't know what my parents would think of it). Summer reading developed a passion that I carried into adulthood.

I am still an avid reader. I read every night before going to bed; in fact, I typically cannot fall asleep unless I read for at least a couple of minutes. Many good books have kept me up late in the night, and some books have given me the thrill that comes with an all-nighter without scholastic deadlines. I read The Hunger Game series when it was first published. I pre-ordered the second book, got it after work on a Wednesday the day it came out, and read it cover-to-cover in one sitting, finishing at about four in the morning before going to work the next day. It was worth it.

While my kids love books, they are still in the Good Night, Good Night Construction Site phase. I can't wait to read great adventure stories with them when they're older. So here is my attempt at pointing you towards some great fiction books to enjoy with the Renaissance Dad Seal of Approval. This means that if you read any book on this list that you don't enjoy, I cannot approve of your rationale for not liking it. So here is the list, in no particular order, with a brief description of the book without any spoilers.

1. Robin: Lady of Legend (The Classic Adventures of the Girl Who Became Robin Hood), by R.M. ArceJaeger - There have been many Robin Hood stories, but this one is written with a fantastic twist. Without changing the story much at all, Robin Hood is a woman in hiding. Great adventure story that is Renaissance Dad recommended for junior high and older. It is a book that is on my "re-read this summer" list.

2-4. The Staff and the Sword books (Book 1 - Cast of Stones, Book 2 - The Hero's Lot, Book 3 - A Draw of Kings), by Patrick W. Carr - This is a story about a boy, Errol Stone, who gets pulled into in an adventure to save his kingdom. It is a fast-paced medieval fantasy and is the kind of book in which the end of every chapter leaves me saying, "One more chapter before I stop." Parenthetically, Patrick Carr is a high school math teacher, and this is his first series. Renaissance Dad recommended for junior high and older. I have read it through twice, and I might hit the hat trick this summer.

5-8. The Hangman's Daughter series (Book 1 - The Hangman's Daughter, Book 2 - The Dark Monk, Book 3 - The Beggar King, Book 4 - The Poisoned Pilgrim), by Oliver Pötzsch - This is historical fiction about a hangman in 1600's Germany and his daughter. It is very fast paced, and is probably the most well-known book series on this list, although I have yet to meet anybody who has read any of these books. The author, Oliver Pötzsch, started writing the books as he was looking into his family history and discovered that he had Bavarian hangman roots. I should also mention that the first chapter of the first book makes it seem as this may be a gruesome series, but it is not as dark as it initially seems. Renaissance Dad recommended for high school and older.  

9-11. Blood of Kings series (Book 1 - By Darkness Hid, Book 2 - To Darkness Fled, Book 3 - From Darkness Won), by Jill Williamson - This is another medieval fantasy type series following a boy and a girl trying to figure out how to handle their magical abilities in a kingdom that is half covered in darkness. Similar to The Staff and the Sword, this is fast-paced and is difficult to put down between chapters. Renaissance Dad recommended for junior high and older.

12-14. The Safe Lands series (Book 1 - Captives, Book 2 - Outcasts,  Book 3 - Rebels), by Jill Williamson - Set in a futuristic dystopian society, a self-sufficient village is destroyed, several members are taken prisoner into the walled city inside the Safe Lands, and the one young man who was not taken must figure out how to enter and free the people of his village. I now officially read everything that Jill Williamson writes, and you should too! Renaissance Dad recommended for high school and older.

15-16. Children of Occam series (Book 1 - Containment, Book 2 - Equinox), by Christian Cantrell - set in the future, the first settlement on Venus seems to be thriving until a couple conceives and the society realizes that they do not produce enough oxygen for one additional member. The father must scramble and see if he can solve the oxygen problem, but what he discovers will change the society forever. Christian Cantrell is a software developer, and some of the technical writing in this series may seem a bit overwhelming to some, but it is worth it. Warning - Equinox was just released in March, and there is no future release date for what is sure to be the third book in the series. You may want to consider this if you really hate cliffhangers. Renaissance Dad recommended for mature high school and older.

17-19. Lion of War series (Book 1 - Day of War, Book 2 - Covenant of War, Book 3 - Song of War, by Cliff Graham - This is a historical fiction series following King David and the mighty men that fought with him. Graham is very clear that while he attempts to stay true to the biblical accounts of King David, he wrote these stories from a fictional standpoint since there is a lot of detail that is not included in the biblical accounts. Renaissance Dad recommended for junior high (boys) and older. Production on a Lion of War movie is currently underway.

So, Renaissance Dad readers, you now have an extensive reading list for some great literature. While I know that tastes vary from person to person, these are all books that I thoroughly enjoyed, and I have read most of them numerous times.

By the way, Renaissance Dad is now on Facebook. You can visit my Facebook page, like it, and get all of the great Renaissance Dad updates there. I'd also like to hear any feedback that you have about any of these books.

Happy reading!

Mother's Day Special: A Renaissance Dad Exclusive Drink

Photo by Nam

I have the most wonderful mom on the planet. And my wife is the reason that I am a Renaissance Dad. In honor of these two phenomenal ladies, I have created an alarmingly delicious drink.

I tried my first Tom Collins this week. I enjoyed it, but decided that I could improve it (sorry Tom Collins, wherever you are). While I initially wanted to call it the Renaissance Dad, I was convinced by my friend Anna that Mother's Day Special is a better name.

Mother's Day Special ©Renaissance Dad 2015

Ingredients:

- 1 part simple syrup (to make a simple syrup, heat equal parts water and sugar and let it cool)

- 2 parts citrus juice (equal parts fresh orange juice, lemon juice and grapefruit juice)

- 3 parts gin

Photo by Nam

- 4 parts sparkling water (club soda, soda water, etc.) 

Mix all ingredients and serve over ice. Garnish with a citrus wedge. Serve to the special lady in your life.

Mom and Renaissance Mom (RM), thank you for being so wonderful, and for inspiring me to make booze infused drinks in your honor. 

Happy Mother's Day!