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Road Trip Nation Giveaway!

Happy Thanksgiving! We’ve had a lovely day here in Vermont — I’ll share a few fun photos, below. We hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving day too!

But first, with all of the road tripping going on this Thanksgiving weekend, it seems most fitting to share news of the Olliebop Road Trip Nation giveaway. After I wrote this post in praise of Road Trip Nation recently, the nice folks in the Green RV contacted me to offer this box of SWAG to give to one lucky reader! It contains an assortment of goodies to inspire tweens, teens, and even grownups to follow our passions and consider unique careers and paths in life.

To enter to win, leave a comment in the box at the end of this post between now (it just takes a second!) and December 15. In your comment, just name one favorite road trip destination! That’s IT. It’s also OK to leave your comment at the end of the original post. One entry per person.

Two DVD sets, the book “Road Trip Nation: A Guide to Discovering Your Path in Life,” hat, stickers and buttons

Like many of you, we are road tripping this weekend! Here we are this morning, headed to Vermont. Ollie loves to settle into the back of the car, and we pile stuff all around him.

Next: naps, music and movies. If Hudson and Ella disagree on what to watch or do, we get to give them the speech about how we didn’t even have iPads or DVD players when were were kids. Blah, blah, blah… I’m guessing many of you have had the same conversation, yes?

Then Mr. BOP and I can catch up. Topics today; steps needed to finally finish the kitchen renovation {that’s a whole other story}, that he has just finished writing his 41st song and wants to write 100 songs by the time he is 50, and our conflicted feelings on Ella’s #1 Christmas wish — a trampoline {anyone have advice?}.

The best part of the any road trip is the destination {well, one would hope!}. Ella gives Grandpa {aka “Tappa”} a big hug. {Hudson is not in any of these pictures because he was rather sick and in no mood for picture taking!}. The good news is that he improved throughout the day and was able to join for Thanksgiving dinner.

Upon arrival, Grandma {aka “DorDor”} gave the grandkids — Daniel, Emmett, Ella and Hudson — the job of posting the menu and welcoming guests on the yard sale chalkboard she recently scored.

We spent the afternoon while the turkey cooked outside in the beautiful sunshine; playing kickball and having a quesadilla picnic. It was an unusual kind of Thanksgiving Day — in a good way.

Followed by our feast! As always, well worth the wait.

It simply does not get better than this!

Today, we are truly thankful.

From right to left: Dor Dor, Aunt Sue, Uncle Vic, sister Sarah, Daniel, Tappa, Hudson, Emmett, Ella, Beth {me}.
Mr. BOP; photographer.

On behalf of Mr. BOP, Hudson, Ella, Ollie, Pablo, and me – Happy Thanksgiving! And Happy Road Tripping!

{Now, scroll down to that comment box and enter to win! Just tell us a favorite road trip destination.}

The fine print: This is all so official isn’t it? A drawing will be held to include all commenters from November 22-December 15, 2012. The winner will be randomly selected on December 15, using the true random generator on Random.org. The winner will be notified through the provided email address and must respond to “bop@olliebop.com” to arrange for the free delivery of their prize. It is recommended to add bop@olliebop.com to your contacts to avoid a junk mail classification. If a response is not received by midnight on December 17, 2012 a new winner will be chosen. Open to US residents only. One entry per person.

Thank you to Road Trip Nation for their generous offer! Full disclosure: they kindly surprised us with an extra season eight DVD for our family to keep — and I can attest that there is some true gems of wisdom here!

Finally Feels Like Fall! A Day in Vermont

I spent Friday afternoon in the capital of Montpelier, in my home state of Vermont. My beloved Aunt Alice was traveling through from Santa Fe, offering an excuse for a field trip back home. The weather has been dismal lately here in the Northeast, but the sun did cooperate for a few of hours — enough to offer a quintessential fix of Fall. And there’s nothing like Fall in the Green Mountains! I snapped a few pics with my iPhone {and tried the new panoramic feature too}.

I posted one of these shots this afternoon on my personal Facebook page and there were so many “likers” that I thought I’d share here too. I tried to use jazzy borders and things to distract from my iPhone photography. Did it work? Enjoy the Autumn eye candy, here at the Vermont State House:

Sigh. I love Vermont.

A Moment of Zen

Well, Hello! We have come catching up to do. How are you? How’s your summer? I wish we could sit and have that conversation in person {though you could share summer highlights in the comment box on Olliebop. I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to!}.

All is well here, with many happy summer moments to look back upon. It’s also been way too nutty. The kitchen renovation and our comings and goings have been overwhelming at times. Current kitchen status: I’d say 75% done. No countertops for another two weeks, and Mr. BOP and I need to empty the first floor of the house this week because we’re having the floors refinished — while we’re “at it.” See? We’ve done this to ourselves! We haven’t cooked for real in a month, and I can’t wait ’til it feels like home again around here.

Highlights of our summer so far — a fun-filled reunion with Mr. BOP’s family here at our house, Hudson’s booming DJ business {7 jobs in 6 days the first week of summer!}, Ella’s performance as Sharpay in High School Musical, a trip to the beautiful Adirondacks, time spent with special friends from afar, two kids off to sleep away camp, and a stunning NYC family wedding at the Boathouse in Central Park this past weekend. Simultaneously, we’re awaiting supply lists and schedules in the mail, as we look ahead to Middle and High School. Bittersweet, for sure.

So, all of this has pulled me away from my computer, and for the lack of posting {and Facebooking, and Tweeting} I do apologize. Next summer I’ll put up a vacation notice to make it official and guilt-free. I know you understand.

So back to that Moment of Zen. Here’s a simple thing that I’m happy to pass along:

For the days that I have little time and too much stress, I’ve discovered Rodney Yee’s Yoga for Beginners DVD with guest instructor {and now Yee’s wife} Colleen Saidman. This isn’t a red-hot new release by any means, but it was recommended by a massage therapist friend as a quick way to decompress and stretch. It’s divided into several 15 minute segments and able to be squeezed in as necessary. I’ve especially enjoyed Saidman’s “Rejuvinating” segment {I choose the “inspirational” narrative vs. the instructional}, filmed with the Hawaiian ocean in the background. For anyone who is a true beginner, it is recommended to review the pose guide first.

I picked up the DVD at Target {it’s also on Amazon} for less than $10. I do have some yoga experience, and this is not a challenging workout — but I have used it for a quick re-centering and stretching amidst a busy day. For that it has been a beautiful thing. For a preview, or a whole wealth of videos from which to choose, check out Giam TV. A free ten day membership allows you to stream this video as well as thousands of other peaceful offerings. Namaste.

Wardrobe Malfunction

Bit of a snafu this weekend: On Friday we were packing for the Adirondacks, while also coordinating with four construction guys in the midst of our kitchen renovation. One minute I was giving the OK for the plumbers to cut an unexpected 3′ x 5′ hole in the hardwood flooring and the next I was texting my sister that yes, I would bring mustard {which I ultimately forgot}.

By 3 pm we were on the road, en route to beautiful Saranac, NY. We had planned on island camping with a canoe — but when the weather forecast had a lighting bolt pictured on each day of the weekend we changed plans and reserved a boathouse condo at Amerpersand Bay. We were looking forward to a relaxing and fun-filled weekend with my parents, my sister, and nephews.

When we arrived, Ella — still wearing her pinnie and shorts from the morning’s soggy LAX camp — realized that her weekend bag was nowhere to be found. She had packed, but amongst the mayhem her bag hadn’t made it to the car. She was fighting tears, realizing that she had no bathing suit, no favorite stuffed animal, no cozy robe, no toothbrush, and no extra clothes for the weekend. Big bummer.

Our search for extra clothes morphed into a fun activity that was a big hit {and salvaged Ella’s mood}. We staged a forgotten luggage fashion show, with Ella as the model. Each of us put together a surprise outfit from our clean items in our own bag for her to wear in the show. The coffee table, complete with fish wallhanging as backdrop, became the runway. Hudson cued up some fashionista music, and we all took turns narrating the big reveal as Ella descended down the stairway with the next surprise outfit. She rocked a variety of looks, each drawing from a different person’s weekend wardrobe.

First was this ensemble, showcasing my nightgown, socks, bathing suit, and bathrobe sash:

Next up, Mr. BOP’s multi-dimensional lifejacket-inspired trend setter:

Cousin Emmett’s shorts and T-shirt, along with fuzzy blanket and toy orb inspired a spiritual and reflective vibe:

And Grandpa’s PJ bottoms, hat, and shirt — with this unique hairstyle — resulted in a decidedly old-world feel:

And then there was this inside-out creation…

Aunt Sarah was surprised when her robe and nightgown became a glamourous jumpsuit and headpiece:

And Cousin Daniel’s outfit made a statement in honor of models everywhere who might like to “Eat More.”

{It actually says “Eat More Kale.” If you haven’t heard about the Eat More Kale controversy, here’s the story.}

This activity was great fun. By the time the fashion show was over I think Ella was more than cool with forgetting her bag. Isn’t being the center of attention better than a toothbrush? And, the clothing problem was completely solved when I came upon this treasure on top of the condo’s washing machine:

How have I missed “LA’s Totally Awesome Laundry Detergent” before? Is this a common household item?

Upon this discovery all was especially well — and we were happy campers.

In the non-camping sense, that is.

Last Hurrah: Hawaiian Adventures

Hello there… as promised, a peek at the rest of our adventure in Hawaii. At the moment, I’m having the complete opposite of an adventure — sitting by my lonesome here in Panera while Ella is at LaCrosse. Mr. BOP’s in Buffalo. So it’s nice to revisit these more exciting days. Yes, it makes me want to go back! {If you missed the other two posts on Hawaii, they are here and here}.

Adventure #1: We booked a tour of the Big Island with Blue Hawaiian Helicopters; a quality operation with friendly, safety-oriented staff. Highly recommend!

The most amazing thing about the Big Island of Hawaii is the diversity in its landscape. We started out flying over an expansive area of lava flow from the Kilauea volcano. And yes, we saw lava! Not huge amounts, but it was still exciting. Taken through the helicopter window:

The most striking part of seeing the island by helicopter is realizing how diverse the land is — as the eastern and western sides receive vastly different amounts of rain. Interesting fact: the Big Island includes 11 of the world’s 13 climate zones. We watched the land change from dry, black lava rock to lush, green rainforest. This was taken as we travelled up the coast near the small city of Hilo:

We then continued up into the valleys of the Kohala Mountains… foliage and water was everywhere.

The two hour tour was something we’ll never forget {and I only had to resort to anti-nausea deep breathing now and then}. I can’t think of a better way to take in the diversity and beauty of this special place.

Adventure #2: Kohala Zipline. So much fun — and I can’t begin to express how kind and supportive the staff was. Here’s Anthony getting my gear all set {Mr. BOP; ever the wise-guy}. We enjoyed talking with Anthony about the happy new life that he and his wife are carving out in Hawaii — after selling their draft horses and leaving their farm in Indiana. I love hearing stories like that.

Once we were suited up, part of the adventure was conquering a small mountain in an old Swiss army truck…

And we were up in the canopy. Note to self: lens cap!

A majestic and fun-filled course, through the Hawaiian forest…

Our afternoon of zip lining was a great success — just enough challenge, with a unique perspective.

Whether big or small, exotic or simple — gotta love a good adventure! Now, back to the Wednesday routine…

Surfing Hawaii {And the Inside of Our Fridge?}

We’re back — arriving late last night from Hawaii! It was a fantastic trip {see more of Hawaii and the Four Seasons in this previous post}, and I want to share our adventures on the Big Island. Mr. BOP was a man on a mission; with an itinerary that included zip lining, a helicopter tour, surfing lessons, and swimming at night with manta rays. Big plans. And, I see now that I can’t reasonably fit them into one post. So today I’ll go with surfing and hope to get the rest in one last Hawaii post very soon.

** Also on the docket this week: the Top 12 Favorite Books of my Book Club, as voted on our 9th anniversary! **

But first, surfing. Upon the recommendation of the concierge, Mr. BOP and the kids signed up with Hawaiian Lifeguard Surf Instructors in Kona, Hawaii. The “lifeguard” in the title had a nice ring to it. I’m not-so-much of a water adventure person, so I signed on as family photographer. And they were off!

Ready…

Contemplating…

And surfing! The instructors were not only patient and friendly, but they enabled everyone in the group to get up and surf successfully — with many spills along the way. I was perched with zoom lens nearby. It was thrilling to see progress over the course of two hours.

{Above: our instructor shows us some moves.}

Hudson, Ella, and Mr. BOP all reported that surfing is very tiring {total upper body workout} but “awesome!” They don’t call a swim shirt a “rash guard” for nothing though; Ella’s thighs and forearms were pretty raw…

And then there were three — very tired, but satisfied — surfers…

{Cue the Baywatch music}.

Onward, to the next adventure!

Oh, but first I have to show you our fridge — as Hudson set up a vacation preservation system for us earlier today. The leis are being carefully monitored with a regular spritzing system. The “Aloha Spirit” is still with us!

Aloha From Hawaii

Where to begin? I’m in our room, all by my lonesome at the Four Seasons Hualaiai on the Big Island of Hawaii — making dinner out of Pinot Noir, macadamia nuts and banana chips. It’s dark outside, and ocean waves and the live sounds of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” are wafting through the open screen doors {the unofficial Hawaiian anthem, with thanks to the late Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwo’ole}. I’m having a moment.

I meant to post earlier this week, and ideally more than once — but that would have involved ignoring the family and all. But, right now, Mr. BOP and the kids are out in the deep dark ocean swimming with manta rays. Um, no thank you! Not my thing. So now’s my chance to blog before we depart tomorrow. The Pinot and macadamias and I will choose a nice selection of photos to share. We’ll start with some pretty around-the-resort pics right now, and we’ll save the thrill-seeking shots {surfing, helicopter, and zip line} for a post tomorrow or the next day. There’s too much to cover in one swoop.

So you may have seen this one on my Facebook page. On our first walk down the beach, Ella found this piece of coral – and we loved it. And it loved us back.

And, nearby there was a giant green sea turtle napping happily on the lava rock. I’m not sure if he loved us back, or not. It was hard to tell.

I should explain… we’ve been here at the Four Seasons for Mr. BOP’s annual company trip — vacationing with a large group of fantastic people {adults and kids} whom we’ve gotten to know over the years. The company selects some incredible locations as a “thank you” to people who work hard, and we are more than happy to come along for the luxury ride once a year. But being the Vermont girl that I am, I have to make sure you know that this isn’t our usual modus operandi. Our kids are only allowed to come to a place like this because they still act like going camping is the best thing ever!

And speaking of luxury, a few tidbits about the Four Seasons: First, the people here all have the “Aloha spirit.” It’s part of the screening process. They are friendly as can be, and passing through the lobby is one big “Aloha”-fest. When we arrived last week after our 17 hours of travel, we were greeted with chilled face towels, fresh flower leis and drinks containing even more flowers. These kind of special touches just keep on coming. It’s been so so nice. Here I am, enjoying my first-ever mai tai. I drank half and switched to wine, lest I overdo. But it was good.

Outside of our room is the entrance to the resort boutique. I snapped this shot of Ella, before we went inside to browse — which led us to a display of beaded bracelets stacked on the checkout counter. They looked fun and beachy; like you might want to group a few together. Ella was hoping to buy some with her own money until she saw that they were each priced between $400 and $900. The clerk mentioned that there were small bits of diamonds involved, apparently.

The view from our room:

And this is one of my favorite things… mammoth onions rings and a club sandwich delivered on the beach. Yes, I ate them all.

And flowers, flowers everywhere. Ella has taken an interest in up-close photography this week. She took these flower photos…

And I’ll wrap up with a few curiosities which are completely random, but fun. First, a dessert at one of the company dinners — ice cream, custom blended upon large blocks of dry ice. We could choose our “mix-ins” and cream was poured on top of the ice and stirred until it became ice cream. A fantastic dessert novelty!

Last night, we saw a fantastic display of Hawaiian culture at a show for our group. In addition to hula and story-telling through dance, we saw this awesomeness:

And today in Kona, we noticed this sweet ride {a Mercedes} in the parking lot.

Mr. BOP and the kids have returned successfully from their manta ray adventure…. big smiles and tired people. Hope you enjoyed this random assortment of our brief encounter with the good life. Hawaii is such a special place and we’ve loved being here!

Suzanne’s Famous Homemade Granola Bars

We’re back in the groove after a hectic, yet relaxing week of school vacation. {I don’t know how the words “hectic” and “relaxing” belong in the same sentence — but in this case, they do!}. Ella’s Lacrosse season began today and it seemed like a fitting occasion to finally make my friend Suzanne’s homemade granola bars. I’ve been intending to for so long — as it’s a recipe I asked for years ago, after trying them at a kids’ party. Another friend, Sheri, makes them for her daughter’s high school Lacrosse team and they are so popular that the girls have named them “LAX bars.” Ella devoured a bar on her way out the door:

Here’s the recipe, given to Suzanne by her sister-in-law {the original source is unknown}. But the beauty of this recipe is its improvisational nature. Choose the kind of granola, nuts, dried fruit, chips {ie: chocolate, white chocolate, peanut butter chips} and sweetener to use. Just keep the wet-to-dry ingredients in proportion and you’re good to go. They can be mixed and in the oven in 10 minutes.

Granola Bars:

Makes about 10 large bars. Double to serve a sports team, classroom, or party.

1 cup granola cereal {like Cascadian Farms Organic Oats and Honey, or your favorite}

1 cup oats

1 cup nuts, chopped

1/2 cup flour {white, wheat, or other}

1/2 cup dried fruit

1 egg

1/3 cup honey or maple syrup

1/3 cup oil {canola, safflower, etc.}

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together; spread out on the bottom of a greased 9″ by 12″ pan {use a jelly roll pan if doubling}. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. Cool partially {not completely or they will be difficult to cut} and cut into squares or bars.

My notes after making these for the first time…. Rather than mixing in nuts and dried fruit, I pressed some into the top of one half of the pan before cooking. This was to accommodate kids in braces and food preferences in our house. Because of this, I added more oats and chocolate chips to compensate for the reduction in fruit and nuts. I also sprinkled in some ground flax. I started to cut and remove from the pan a little bit too early {I could tell because they were falling apart}, so I waited longer and they become more firm and very sturdy. Definitely a success and everyone loved them!

Added 5/10/12: Another note after talking with Sheri on the sidelines of the field… she doubles the recipe and still uses the 9″ x 12″ pan. Fed a large team of LAX girls. Sheri also prefers syrup to honey.

With thanks to Suzanne for sharing her recipe — a great one for on-the-go families.

I’m curious. What’s your signature recipe that everyone always asks for?

Mine? Taco salad, hands down.

Maple Sugaring Time: A Rite of Spring

This beautiful sunny March day is happily reminding me that it’s Maple Sugaring time here in the Northeast. It sneaks up on us every year, and I’m always so glad when we get organized and get ourselves to a sugar shack. What’s better than experiencing the sweet, cozy, steamy, old fashioned phenomenon of sap becoming syrup?

Last year we visited the New York State Maple website and sugar shack locator {type your zip code into the box that says “find a producer near you”} and found Maple Valley Farm in Corinth, NY. We had a glorious day there. A few pics to get us all in the spirit for this year’s sugaring season:

Ella and Grandpa followed the signs to the sugar shack’s plumes of smoke and steam.

Tractor rides were also offered by Maple Valley’s friendly staff.

Once inside, Ella and I savored the sound and smell of the sap boiling down. A family owned business, there were several of friendly folks on hand to tell about the process {and to offer samples}.

An aside: You’ll see that I’ve got my magic hat on… the one that has been my favorite for years. This hat once spent an entire day in a mud puddle at a ski area and was run over by the car. I noticed it — black with mud — out of the corner of my eye as we were leaving. After a wash it’s still going strong! It’s one of my “favorite things.”

We walked from the shack along a road lined with maple trees at the ready.

Before heading home we devoured an outdoor pancake breakfast, with fresh syrup. Soooo good!

Planning to soak in the sweetness of Maple Sugaring season?

Maple Weekend is March 17-18 and March 24-25 throughout New York State.

Vermont has several special festivals and events listed here {March 24-45th is open house weekend in Vermont}.

And, sugar shacks throughout MA, VT, ME, NH and CT are listed on Boston.com {affiliated with The Boston Globe}.

I’m looking forward to this year’s sugaring outing, glad to have found some sources to make the most of the season.

I hope that you, too, get to savor some time in a sugar shack this year!

For Skiing Families: A Gift from Us to You

For families who ski, the prep and packing is often more daunting than time on the mountain. Last winter we needed a better packing system, especially with Hudson joining ski club. On some Thursday mornings he needed to leave for school at 7 a.m. with all of his ski gear in tow. So, a packing list became our key to workable Wednesday nights. I knew he would have everything he needed — and most import — I didn’t need to be involved. Hallelujah!

Read On, For the Free Ski Bag Packing List Download, and More!

I thought some of you might like a copy of our list, formatted for 8 1/2 ” x 11″ paper. Click on the image below to download, then share with your ski friends. Leave a small stack of these with each ski bag and forget about it.

Equally important for our skiing sanity is that all four of us have our own backpack ski boot bag. No longer do we pile everything in one duffle, especially since the kids are old enough to join other families for a day on the slopes. We’ve been happy with our Transpak Boot Bags {available in several models, sizes and price points} — money well spent to allow each of us to carry our own gear.

Next, we visited our local electrical supply store to buy colorful electrical tape. Hudson got creative with adding distinctive colors to his boot bag and ski bag. The stripes below have held up since the beginning of last season — and made his bag easy to spot in a pile of stuff left in the cafeteria by 200 ski clubbers.