Family Route 66 Road Trip Vacation Adventure Historical Americana Travel Experience for Kids

Travel

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Editor's Note: Watch for next month's family vacation travel review about the original Hollywood Wax Museum, located on Hollywood Boulevard just blocks from the segment of Route 66 that runs through Hollywood, California.

Historic Route 66 is a nostalgic family fun road trip like none other. One that every modern American parent might consider taking your family on before the kids all graduate high school.  Constructed almost 90 years ago in 1926, Route 66 was the first highway to run continuously through eight states from the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago, Illinois to the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, California. In its hey day, buzzing with all kinds of small shops and businesses dotting both sides of the roadway, the highway was unbroken, extending for 2,448 miles.

Santa Monica Pier, MommyBlogExpert.com

Many parts of the old road have been displaced in the name of progress and by today's gigantic U.S. Interstate Highway System. Luckily, though, in 2013 it is still possible to take a family friendly vacation along part or all of the original Mother Road route to enjoy the ultimate in American kitsch and pop culture. 

As a child in the 1960s, my family of five and I traveled the whole way from Chicago to Los Angeles in the heat of the summer in my Dad's unairconditioned 2-door sedan without seatbelts. Yes, these were the days not only before seat belts and large coast-to-coast motel and hotel chains existed, it was also a time when posted highway speed limits usually were 80 or 85 miles per hour. For sure, multi-week road trips like this are among my most treasured childhood memories.

When I became a mother of four children within a year -- a big brother followed by girl, girl, boy triplets -- the spirit of Route 66 past beckoned me to return with my own family.

My kids at National Route 66 Museum, Elk City, OK, MommyBlogExpert.com

I've answered that familiar call more than once. In fact, over the years since my kids were small, we've driven Route 66's entire length as well as various segments of this most famous byway across middle America, both on trips where we were accompanied by my hubbie and on adventures when I drove alone with just our children. Along the way, we almost always stayed at vintage roadside mom and pop motels. We also used car seats when the kids were younger and have always worn seatbelts, I can assure you.

Classic Car along Route 66, Kingman, AZ, MommyBlogExpert.com

Along Route 66 there are still so many family friendly fun, historical and educational stops along the way. Whether you choose to make the whole trip or just do a small segment, much awaits you and your kids to enjoy.

My family & I at Meramec Caverns, Stanton, MO, MommyBlogExpert.com

Here are a few of my personal family favorite tourist attractions, some require an admission charge, others are free or in-expensive to visit.

• Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California
• Petrified Forest National Park & Painted Desert, Arizona
• Wigwam Motel, New Mexico
• Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas
• Blue Whale Water Park, Catoosa, Oklahoma
• 11-mile stretch of Route 66 runs through the corner of Kansas
• Meramec Caverns, Stanton, Missouri
• Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum, Pontiac, Illinois

I reckon it won't be long before Route 66 is calling my name again. There's much, much more that I'd still like to see. So, perhaps I'll be seeing you and your family somewhere along Route 66, the Mainstreet of America real soon!

Culmination of Route 66, Santa Monica, California

Stay tuned: Coming in December is another MommyBlogExpert family friendly travel review about my visit to the Hollywood Wax Museum which is considered to be the U.S.'s longest-running wax museum.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

FTC Disclosure: I am being compensated for this blog post made possible by a partnership with Clever Girls Collective and Hollywood Wax Museum and opinions are mine. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Sweepstakes Jackson Hole Ski Trip for Two includes Airfare, Lodging, Lift Tickets + More

Giveaway
Ends 12/18/13*

Here's a sweepstakes that ski and powder snow enthusiasts will absolutely love. Win a Dream Trip for Two this Winter to exquisitely beautiful Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Ski Magazine ranks Jackson Hole, Wyoming as the #1 overall skiing resort for 2014.

Grand Prize 

Jackson Hole Ski Trip for 2

includes Airfare, Lodging and Lift Tickets

Awesome Bonus Prizes also up for grabs

• GoPro Hero3+ helmet mountable video camera
• A Marmot ski outfit including jacket & pants
• Smith Prize Package for 2 with helmets, goggles, sunglasses & t-shirts

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*Contest Ends on or about 12/18/13

Me on the ski slopes in 2013, MommyBlogExpert.com

Good Luck!!!

FTC Disclosure: I have entered this Sweepstakes and am also sharing the contest entry information with Mommy Blog Expert readers. I did not receive any compensation or payment for this post and opinions here are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's home page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Dipped Candy Bars Halloween Fall Recipe Features Nestle Products as Main Ingredient

Good Food

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Classic candy company Nestle has done it again. They're bringing back many of the delicious Halloween specialty candies from past years as well as some new sweet treats for the 2013 holiday ranging from NERDS, SweeTARTS, Laffy Taffy and Butterfinger to Nestle Crunch and more.

In response to more moms and dads seeking out large variety bags of chocolate and sugar candy to fuel all the festivities, parties and trick or treating, the brand has rolled out three new Halloween candy variety packs which are large-sized and value priced. 

Considering that according to NDP Group's Snack Track Holidays Halloween Profile 8 out of 10 families participate in multiple Halloween events, this makes them perfect for parents to multi-purpose.

Big bags introduced for this pumpkin season include Nestle Nuts About Peanuts -- a big 20 ounce bag of fun size bars of Butterfinger, Baby Ruth, Goobers, and Oh Henry! (SRP $5.99). Also new this year is the 65 ounce Nestle Chocolate and Sugar Variety bag with 215 pieces of NERDS, Gobstopper, Crunch and Butterfinger mini-size pieces (SRP $14.99) and the absolutely gigantic 103 ounce sack of WONKA Trickster Treats loaded with 425 individually-wrapped pieces of Wonka's most popular confections including Laffy Taffy, Gobstopper, SweeTARTS and Spree (SRP $19.99).

Nestle Butterfinger Pumpkin, new in 2012, is back

I love working with Nestle, creating recipes and new and easy DIY ways to present their various candy brands for a range of important holidays throughout the year. For Halloween 2012, I dreamed up a heavenly Store-Bought Candy Bar Candy Apple Recipe.

Homemade Candy Bar Candy Apples from MBE Halloween 2012 post

Then, last Christmas I invented a recipe for some scrumptious Butterfinger Blondie Bar Cookies. Next for Valentine's Day it was tips on How to Create a Party Candy Bar Display and -- in Spring 2013 -- I developed an Edible Cookie Easter Basket Baking Craft filled w/ Nestle seasonal candies.

As in the past, prior to composing this post, the brand sent me a huge box of candy to jumpstart my creative thinking for Halloween 2013. I rose to the challenge by conceiving another beautiful and sweet new recipe to make incorporating the new Nestle's Nuts About Peanuts Halloween product. The directions to quickly and easily make these Festive Fall Sprinkle Dipped Candy Bars that you can serve from now through Thanksgiving appears below.

Recipe

Festive Fall Sprinkle Dipped Candy Bars

Ingredients
1 T. powdered egg whites or meringue powder
1 c. powdered sugar
2-1/2 T. water
12 assorted Nestle fun size candy bars, unwrapped
Fall & Halloween sprinkles and sugars
Candy Corn to garnish serving dish (optional)

Directions

1. Beat the first 3 ingredients together with an electric mixer for a few minutes to create royal icing, adding additional water if necessary 1/4 t. at a time until it is pourable but not too runny. Cover bowl with plastic wrap to prevent mixture from hardening and set aside.

2. Set up a cake cooling rack on top of a plate to prevent a mess on your countertop. Then line up unwrapped bars on the rack with a little space in between and spoon the royal icing over half of each bar (allowing it to drip down top and sides, but not bottom) of candy. Immediately sprinkle with your choice of sprinkles and/or sugars, gently pressing decorative elements in to hold in place. 

3. Allow to sprinkles/icing to dry and harden and then serve on a decorative plate as a dessert at dinner or for a party and enjoy. Garnish with candy corn if desired to add color and interest.

About Nestle USA
Nestle has been honored as one of "The World's Most Admired Food Companies" for 16 years in a row. Nestle USA, with 2012 sales of $10 billion, is part of Nestle S.A. of Vevey, Switzerland. Stay up on to date on everything Nestle is doing by visiting NestleUSA.com or by liking the company on Facebook.

FTC Disclosure: I received the Nestle products pictured to facilitate this Halloween review but did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. The recipes, ideas and opinions are my own. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.