Bonsai Trees - A Green Alternative to Sending Cut Flowers - PRODUCT REVIIEW

by Janis Brett Elspas
MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com

Recently, I was asked to choose a ProFlowers product from their site to review for this blog.  I've never had a Bonsai Tree nor had I ever considered owning one of these exotic plants until now because I thought it might be too hard to take care of.  So, I checked out this online seller of gift baskets and plants site and became curious about the Gardenia Bonsai that's available by mail for $49.99 from Proflowers.com

This is definitely a novel gift idea either for yourself or to send to someone special whether for a special occasion or "just because."  For example, this would be a beautiful gift for someone who has an extended illness or to show your appreciation to one of your kid's teachers at school.

Just a few days after I ordered this Pro Flowers gift, it arrived by UPS.  The outer box it was shipped in was sturdy and had several open vents so the plant could breathe on its way to my house. As unpacked it, I could see that it was very well-padded with bubble wrap and packaging material, ensuring that both this unique Bonsai variety as well as the ceramic pot it came planted was in perfect shape. 

The soil around the trunk of the mini plant arrived moist with a lovely natural rock on its surface (I have since added a second faux rock that says "growth" on it.   The greenery looked very fresh upon arrival.  You could see the green Gardenia buds forming but it did not have any flowers blooming yet when it joined our family.

I followed the directions watering from the bottom by placing the pot in 2" of water to soak for about 20 minutes. I also obeyed the instructions to keep it out of direct sunlight -- even placing it outside at night so the cool evening air would stimulate the buds to finish developing and to open. 

However, after a few days I noticed some of the lower leaves turning yellow.  At first I was worried that this cute Bonsai I named Cutie-Pie was sick or might be dying -- possibly because I did something wrong.  This would have been very sad, if true, because this little tree is a baby at only 3 year old.  But, after I read through the plant care pamphlet it came with I read that if new leaves are yellow (or light colored with dark veins) that you should give it a suitable acid-type fertilizer, which I did.

We are on a 4-week family roadtrip that I am blogging about for MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com now so I will have to get back to you with an update on Cutie-Pie's health later this summer.  I have a friend plant-sitting for me this Bonsai, though, so I know she is being well cared for.  But I will definitely keep you posted -- I'm hoping to have good news soon and will post additional pictures after we get home from this trip.

PLEASE COMMENT--Whether you are new to Bonsai Trees or an expert on the subject I'd love to hear about your own experiences with this type of intriguing plant.

FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert received the Gardenia Bonsai for this product review but did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post. 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.

Getting The Kids to STOP Asking "Are we there yet?" on Family Vacations

by Janis Brett Elspas

MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com

As we continue along Route 66, we keep finding more really cool off the beaten path things to do with my kids that I think other families will enjoy just as much.

Anyone who has ever taken a child on a roadtrip knows the inevitable question kids always seem to ask: "Are we there yet?"  Why not make the journey as much fun as the final destination?  For example, to a typical kid traveling with his/her family, the desert might look boring and monotonous from the highway.  If parents can point out all the jewels scattered along both sides of the highway, kids will have a whole new way of looking through a car window as the world whizzes by.

On those long stretches of open road, here's just the tip of the iceberg of all you can show your kids

• A collage of landscape textures, from varying shades of sand to multi colors of rocks to different types of trees, plants, and other indiginous vegetation
• Native wildlife ranging from birds and animals to insects
• Beautiful sunrises and sunsets
• A multitutde of various types of clouds and formations by day and stars in the sky for as far as the eyes can see by night
• Different sorts of climates, temperature changes, wind variations, and an assortment of weather conditions that include both clear days and storms
• All kinds of road signs and billboards and possibly other man-made structures 

That is why I love the wide open highways of America -- there is always something to look at along the way that I can point out to my kids.  Besides, my children and I also enjoy exploring America's small towns, especially those that offer historic examples of American design and architecture.  It also explains why I've talked so enthusiastically with them while driving and looking for roadside remnants of days gone by.

Watching my kids getting as excited about seeking out these relics as I am, of course, is a blast.  More importantly though, I think what is most fulfilling is the shared experience that results -- adventures and discoveries that we can talk about with each other.  What a way to open up the conversation with one's teens and for us all to learn together in the process!

On this trip, my teens have rarely asked, "Are we there yet?"  Instead, the moment we wake up in our motel each morning they want me to go over a map with them, together deciding where we will be headed for the day. How about you? How do you get your kids excited when traveling by car?  Feel free to leave a comment and share your own ideas below this post.

 FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert did not receive any compensation, either in the form of products, services, or cash payment related to this post. See complete FTC disclosure information at the bottom of this and every page on this blog.

Family Roadtrip Continues - Day 2

by Janis Brett Elspas
MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com

Spent another awesome day on the road today with the kids along I-40 and Route 66.  So far we've logged about 700 miles total for this roadrip and have driven in three states: California, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Our first stop Monday was Bearizona, a one-of-a-kind drive-thru wildlife park near Williams, Arizona (south of the Grand Canyon) right off Route 66.  They're not listed in the major travel guides yet, because they are brand new, currently having a "soft opening" this summer. This is a great time to try out the park, too, as Bearizona has discounted admission fees by 50% for their preview season this summer.  I'm told that they expect to have the official grand opening for the 2011 season..

Wait till you hear about Bearizona's most unusual format -- you drive your own car through some beautiful terrain that has been refashioned as enclosures that mimic the wild habitats of the park's residents, which currently include wild burros, Big Horn Sheep, North American Black Bears, Bison, Wolves and other exotic animals. They even have a pair of darling bear cubs named Kona and Coco as well as some wolf pups Little Thunder, Geronimo and Victorio that you can see really close-up once you are out of your car right next to the giftshop on your way out of the park. 

According to one Bearizona employee that my kids asked, all the adult animals in the drive-thru section were all raised in captivity so they are not aggressive.  We also learned none of the juvenilles was born here -- all the little ones are rescues from shelters for exotic animals.

Here you see my family and I at the beautifully landscaped visitor's center at the end of our drive through Bearizona. 

All I have to do is get my 14 year-old son who doubles as this blog's IT Director to show me how to use this new PC laptop and help me edit and post the pictures and video footage we got at this great family stop and I'll be adding some more pictures to this post.  My four teens can't stop talking about how much fun this stop was. 

It's only day two and already we've chalked up more stories to tell you about Route 66 than I'll have time to write about while traveling. So be sure to stay tuned as I talk about these fun experiences in future posts.  For sure, this historical highway has been fascinating both for me (a baby boomer) and my kids, who really enjoy old-fashioned things like black and white movies and vintage motels (and of course they love road trips, too, because it's in their genes). 

As for dear old mom, our stop earlier today in Winslow, Arizona was particularly thrilling for me as I was a college student in the 70s when The Eagles hit song "Standing On The Corner" was first released.  Pictured is how that landmark corner looks today, where Eagles music plays over the loud speaker at one of the town's shops, creating an atmosphere that is truly authentic. 

My kids did well getting into character for these shots, didn't they?

Till Tomorrow, Happy Trails from Gallup, New Mexico

FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert did not receive any compensation, either in the form of products, services, or cash payment related to this post. See complete FTC disclosure information at the bottom of this and every page on this blog.

Historic Route 66 from California to Arizona - Family Roadtrip Day 1

by Janis Brett Elspas

MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com

 

Our Family SUV Loaded & Ready to Go

iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

Though we didn't leave the coast till 2 pm Sunday, I still drove 350 miles to Kingman, Arizona yesterday.  Except for stunning desert views along the Interstate and the abandoned remains of Highway 66 which ran along side of it, there wasn't much to see.  

In the days ahead we will be exploring what does remain of the Mother Road, one of the most famous stretches of highway in the world, since more and more remnants of days gone by will be popping up along the roadside as we progress eastward which I'll be blogging about.

Our goal at the outset of this trip was to get out of California as fast as possible  because we hope to travel 6000 or more miles within the next four weeks, so everything is progressing nicely.  The high point of our day yesterday was literally the outdoor temperature as we crossed the very blue Colorado River into Arizona -- believe it or not it was a flaming 114 degrees at 7 in the evening just an hour or so before sunset!

Some Family Packing Advice

Traveling lightly on these family roadtrips definitely has its advantages.  For one, it makes it possible to fit everything into the cargo area of an SUV like ours, so mom or dad doesn't need to injure their back hoisting luggage on or off the rooftop rack.  It also makes it so much easier for kids -- even younger ones -- to help unload the car at the end of each day when everything is easier (and safer) to reach.

Mid-century Classic Police Car, Kingman Police Station, AZ

iPhone Photo by Janis Brett Elspas, MommyBlogExpert.com

When you are able to back right in to the front door of your room like we did at Days Inn right on Historic Route 66 in Kingman last night -- unpacking is almost fun.  

I just love roadside motels like the ones in small American towns, they are so homey and charming. We typically don't make reservations because I like to see the place before I inquire about room availability.  At just $49 for a very nice room, with 2 queen beds plus a generous breakfast included, the Kingman accommodations we settled on were a real find considering that something similiar would go for upwards of $200/night back in L.A.

This post took longer than usual to write as I'm learning to use a new PC laptop -- quite challenging since I'm tradtionally an Apple desktop and laptop user.  We're packed and ready to hit the road, so I'm logging off for now.  Happy Trails to you until we meet again here.

FTC Disclosure:  MommyBlogExpert did not receive any compensation, either in the form of products, services, or cash payment related to this post.  See complete FTC disclosure information at the bottom of this and every page on this blog.

2-Day Count Down to the 2010 American Family Summer Roadtrip - U.S. Travel With Kids

by Janis Brett Elspas

MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com

It's our annual summer road trip vacation count down.  Less than TWO days from today our family's U.S. car trip, departing from Southern California for points east of the Golden State with my 4 teens aboard (triplets, age 13, plus big brother, 14) is scheduled to begin.

The fact that as mom I'll be on my own with the FOUR TEENS above for the first 2 weeks, before I pick up Hubbie at a midwest airport for the return two week trip home, may scare some less intrepid parents.  But don't worry, we've done this all before many times as you will learn in this post.  So, I hope this trip is as thrilling for you to read about as much as it is for my family to experience and for me to journal about.

We've been doing these extended family car vacations every summer since all four kids were in diapers at once.  This rather unconventional mode of holiday travel is an effort to pass on the tradition to my own kids that my father started with the multi-week summer auto trips he took me and my siblings on when we were kids in the 1960s.   As you might think from our family's well-used map of the U.S.A. pictured below, in the past five years alone my hubbie, kids and I have averaged between 4000 - 5000 miles per summer driving the Interstates and back roads of America.  With a different route each year, we've accumulated some pretty awesome memories and good stories which are destined to last a lifetime for each of us.

What's different about this trip is that it will be the first time that this mom (also known as MommyBlogExpert) will be blogging about it along the way.   You'll have a lot to look forward to as I'll be posting regularly about insider sightseeing tips discovered and the experiences we have, as well as tell you about our lodging and eating while on the road exploring over the next month.  As we travel, we'll also be testing and reviewing a variety of products and services that we will be carrying with us that are enhancing our old-fashioned 2010 American Family Summer Roadtrip in some way -- by making it easier or more affordable, fun, educational, and/or more meaningful.  Our summer trip stories will continue on MommyBlogExpert.blogspot.com into the fall after we return, too, because I expect that there just won't be enough time to share even half of everything I'll be able to tell you about.

 

Since we have such an awesome time on these travels and expect lots of other families might too, I started to think.  It seems like I'm not the only one who recalls them with such fondness -- there are so many other baby boomers that remember fun car trips with their own families in the 50s and 60s.  So, the question begs: Why is it that road trips have fallen out of favor anyway?  This is partly due to a change in mores and culture here in the states beginning in the 1970s as well as to the increasing convenience of airplane travel.  That's not even to mention the high price of gas or the plummeting number of quality time hours that parents and kids spend together today as compared to several decades past. Pics of our kids hiking in Montana (above) and Huckleberry picking in northern Idaho (below) last summer.

By blogging about this road trip I hope to do my part to reignite America's family road trip tradition.    Ultimately, the goal is to show how a car trip in the Internet age rises above simply being a summer vacation, soaring to new heights that tighten the bonds between children (from babies through teens) and their parents while creating lifetime experiences that cannot be imprinted in our hearts, souls, and minds in any other way.

Join us for the ride via this blog, as we pack and set off for this exciting family adventure.  You can also keep track of us by following on Twitter where I'll be tweeting travel-related tips as we discover them using the Twitter hash tag #USfamilyroadtrip , as well as tweeting photos that my kids and I take during the trip.    I look forward to all your comments about our travel experiences!

FTC Disclosure:  MommyBlogExpert did not receive any payment or other compensation associated with this post.  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.