5 Ways to Make the Most out of your Road Trip

We. Love. Road trips. We don’t go on them as often as we used to, but there’s nothing like packing up the car and hopping in for a grand adventure. I think my favorite thing about it is the control you have over your trip. You can stop when you want for as long as you want which is a freedom not enjoyed when on a plane, train, or bus. Plus, you don’t have to worry about any other person besides you and your travel buddy or buddies. No stressing about why the guy over there is coughing…although, I’m usually seated next to them. Yikes! SO how can you make the most out of your road trip? We have 5 ideas.

Use your time productively

Learn something while driving! We love listening to audiobooks or podcasts during our trips. It gives us something to think about and to discuss! One can almost never run out of topics this way if traveling with someone else. If you’re traveling with family or friends who aren’t terribly into your audiobooks or podcasts, why not have a good set of questions to discuss and get closer while you’re at it? If you’re already close friends/relatives, you won’t likely need to prepare ahead of time, but do take advantage of the time you’re trapped in the speeding metal on wheels to chat! By the way, a good playlist is a definite must!

Use this anywhere travel guide for a fun spin

I bought this travel guide for Jonathan a few years ago and it is filled with some really fun activities to do anywhere you are. We keep it in the glove compartment of our car so that we can spontaneously have a great time exploring - it’s even great when you want to explore the city you live in as well!

Don’t let your schedule keep you from being a bit spontaneous…

See a pretty field and want to stop? Do it! See the perfect overlook? Stop! Shoot some photos or just dwell in the moment and then move on. Don’t let your schedule keep you from experiencing the wonders of nature you could see on your trip!

…But Research Ahead of Time

You never know what kind of quirky sites there might be on your way! Do some research on your intended route and plan in some extra time if needed to see some points of interest like restaurants, museums, and parks (just to name a few).

Road Trip Games

We were on to something when we played I-Spy and Truth or Dare as kids in the car. Would You Rather is another fantastic one that leads to great conversations. I came across a book of 3,000 WYR questions the other day that I was very tempted to purchase! We’ve had some fun discussions with that game.

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How do you make the most of your road trips?

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Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins

I don’t know if you’ve figured it out yet, but I have a soft spot for any kind of baked good. I will admit that I don’t gravitate toward them as much as I used to, due to taste buds changing and the desire to be more healthy, but if you hand me a muffin, I’ll at least take a bite.

I wanted to add some more nutrition to my original banana chocolate chip muffin recipe, and I’m not sure that I really achieved that since I kept the chocolate chips (you can substitute with nuts to make a nutty banana oatmeal muffin), but they turned out so great that I’m sharing the recipe with you here.

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These muffins are sweetened with banana and maple syrup. I suppose the unsweetened applesauce could naturally add some sweetness too, but you can’t even tell it’s in there.

Make sure to cool these babies completely before eating them - they tend to stick to the paper liner. Alternatively, skip the paper liner completely so you don’t have to worry about that.

I keep these in the fridge and enjoy them with breakfast with a hot cup of tea. Mmm.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

What you need:

• 1 large ripe banana, mashed

• 1 cup whole wheat flour

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/8 cup melted coconut oil

• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds

• 3 tablespoons hot water

• 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup rolled oats

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (or chopped nuts of your choice)

• 1/8 cup almond milk

• 1/2 cup applesauce (I’ve also had great success with plain soy yogurt)

• extra chocolate chips/nuts and oats to top (optional)

what to do:

1. Grease or add liners to a cupcake or muffin tin and preheat the oven to 350ºF

2. Make flaxseed egg by mixing the ground flax and hot water in a bowl and let sit

3. Mix your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl

4. Mash the banana and mix the wet ingredients in a smaller bowl

5. Add wet ingredient mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until well mixed

6. Fill pan cavities and top with extra chocolate chips and rolled oats if desired

7. Bake for 25 minutes, until a nice golden brown

8. Remove from oven and transfer muffins to a wire rack (I use these from Amazon and love them!) and cool completely before enjoying (if they are not cooled completely, they tend to stick to the paper liner if you used one)

Store these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

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What do you like adding to your muffins?

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31 Books I Read in 2020 (Part 1)

I’ve officially exceeded my book reading goal for this year (thank you, COVID-19), so I’ve had to up my numbers. On Instagram, I did a poll to find out if you wanted a mid-year book list and 97% of you said you would like that. Here are the books I’ve read so far this year. I did not list any as DNF (did not finish), though at least three came very close. As you will see, the range of genres is pretty broad, even in the fiction/nonfiction realm but I wanted to keep the list simple. Reviews for my favorites will come later :)

I use a combination of Libby (free library app - you just need a library card!) and Kindle Unlimited (use this link to try it free for 30 days!)  to read so that I don’t collect more books than I already own and spend more money that I should probably save. I’ll link the books below (affiliate links that help us keep Maple Alps going!) as well so you can grab your copies easily. You can find some other favorites of mine in my Amazon Storefront as well, and keep your eyes out for part 2 of my 2020 books in January.

For the second half of the year, I plan to add some foreign language books (I have a few German ones on my shelf I’ve been meaning to get to) and some more nonfiction and memoirs. I haven’t gotten to more because I’m on a loooooong waitlist to get some of them. By the way, if you want to be friends on Goodreads, you can find me here! I finally updated my account.

Happy Reading!

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Nonfiction

// 1. “Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals” by Rachel Hollis (get your copy on Amazon here) // 2. “The Act of Marriage: The Beauty of Sexual Love” by Tim LaHaye (get your copy on Amazon here) // 3. “Scatterbrain: How the mind’s mistakes make humans creative, innovative, and successful” by Henning Beck (get your copy on Amazon here) // 4. “Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo (get your copy on Amazon here) // 5. “The Life-Changing Manga of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo (get your copy on Amazon here) // 6. “The Little Book of Hygge” (The Happiness Institute Series) by Meik Wiking (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 7. “Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave” by Joanna Gaines (get your copy on Amazon here) // 8. “Educated: A Memoir” by Tara Westover (get your copy on Amazon here) // 9. “Becoming” by Michelle Obama (get your copy on Amazon here)

Christian Nonfiction

// 1. “How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals About Personal Growth” by Henry Cloud (get your copy on Amazon here) // 2 . “Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely” by Lysa TerKeurst  (get your copy on Amazon here) // 3. “God’s Smuggler” by Brother Andrew (get your copy on Amazon here) // 4. “The Insanity of God” by Nik Ripken (get your copy on Amazon here) // 5. “More or Less” by Jeff Shinabarger (get your copy on Amazon here)

Historical Fiction

// 1. “Egypt’s Sister: A Novel of Cleopatra” (The Silent Years #1) by Angela Elwell Hunt (get your copy on Amazon here) // 2. “Harvest of Gold” (Harvest of Rubies, #2) by Tessa Afshar (get your copy on Amazon here) // 3. “Land of Silence” by Tessa Afshar (get your copy on Amazon here) // 4. “A.D. 30” (A.D. #1) by Ted Dekker (get your copy on Amazon here) // 5. “A.D. 33” (A.D. #2) by Ted Dekker (get your copy on Amazon here) // 6. “Becoming Mrs. Lewis” by Patti Callahan (get your copy on Amazon here)

Christian Fiction

// 1. “The Negotiator” (O’Malley, #1) by Dee Henderson (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 2. “The Guardian” (O’Malley, #2) by Dee Henderson (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 3. “An Heiress at Heart” (Love’s Grace, #1) by Jennifer Delamere (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 4. “A Lady Most Lovely” (Love’s Grace, #2) by Jennifer Delamere (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 5. “A Bride for the Season” (Love’s Grace, #3) by Jennifer Delamere (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 6. “Sensible Shoes: A Story about the Spiritual Journey” (Sensible Shoes #1) by Sharon Garlough Brown (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 7. “Redemption” (Baxter Family Drama Redemption Series #1) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 8. “Remember” (Baxter Family Drama Redemption Series #2) by Karen Kingsbury (get your copy on Amazon here)

Non-Christian Fiction

// 1. “The Enlightenment of Bees” by Rachel Linden (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 2. “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens (get your copy on Amazon here)
// 3. “Wolf Hollow” by Lauren Wolk (get your copy on Amazon here)

Dealing with COVID Crisis (Ask Amanda)

Question: How are you dealing with the COVID crisis and staying productive?

This is a great question. Sometimes I kind of wonder how I am dealing, myself.

The corona crisis, while I did sort of see it coming gradually, still took me by surprise. Overnight, I found myself first not going into work,then  staying home from everything as businesses started closing and people started wearing masks and gloves to the empty-shelved grocery stores.

Those first few weeks were bizzarre. Everything happened so fast, and decisions had to be made quickly. Events were cancelled. Loss was felt. The fear was high and tension could be cut with a knife.

So back to your question: how am I dealing with this crisis and staying productive?

To be honest, I don’t have as much free time as I was hoping I would have had. Teaching online is no joke, y’all. I feel like I’m staring at a computer screen 8+ hours a day - and honestly, I probably am. That being said, I’m not that mad about having to work from home. 

Here are a few ways I’ve been staying sane over the last two months.

Having a Schedule and a Plan

Having a schedule helps me to stay on track and stay motivated. No regularly staying up late or sleeping in for this gal. 

This may be strange, but I really do need to keep up with my regular meal and habit planning as well. If I don’t, I tend to make poor choices - especially when it comes to food. Having a game plan helps cut down on having to grocery shop and gives peace of mind that I need when entering the kitchen.

Boundaries

As I mentioned earlier, I work a lot more than I used to. Because of this, and because my office is now stationed in my living room most days (I let my husband use our shared office), I need to set hard boundaries. I start work at 9am and finish at 5pm. Not before, and not after. That may seem harsh, considering I’m a teacher, but it’s important for my mental health that work stops at some point, and I can think of something else. 

I feel I can also mention here that one thing I did that I am so happy for was set up a Google Voice number instead of giving out my cell phone. Students would text at all hours if I had done that. I also keep emails off my phone. I need the dissociation of work when I use my personal devices otherwise I get sucked in (I don’t keep the Google app on my phone either - strictly web browser and email).

Frequent Breaks

I have definitely been guilty of working straight for hours on end while at home, and by the end of those spurts, not only can I not walk or sit up straight, my creativity and overall sane-ness tends to wane. In order for me to be as productive as possible, I take frequent breaks to move my body or drink water (or refill my tea mug). I talk a little bit more about getting movement during self-isolation in a post here.

Exercise and Being Outdoors

I’ve always loved to exercise, and I really love that I have time to do even more of it now! Not only does fresh air and vigorous movement help my blood flow and productivity, it also adds to my routine. It’s also nice to be able to do it in the morning stress-free since my starting times are a bit more flexible.

Being outside is another fantastic brain break. Sometimes getting outdoors means lugging my reading out to the balcony. Other times, it means getting into the dirt and gardening. Usually, however, it means going on a hike or for a run. Going outside gives me something to look forward to and something to enjoy. I’m so thankful that the weather has been pleasant the past two months!

House Projects

Well, for us, right now this looks like getting some painting done and deep cleaning for summer. Let’s see what else we’ll be able to get done - I’ve been meaning to share some more of our house projects on the blog!

Hobbies

Well, when I can. Work has been crazy busy, but I do make some time for some writing and a lot more reading. I’ve also been working on some hand lettering. I thought about picking up some crocheting projects I set aside once Winter ended, but I haven’t been able to bring myself to do that with the weather being so nice out!

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One thing that I haven’t been doing is taking advantage of online learning that is outside of my profession (inside is plenty enough right now!). Honestly, I can’t bring myself to watch another zoom interview or teaching session because it just feels like work.

What have you been doing during this time of self-isolation?

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Creating Excitement Around Celebrations with Basic Invite

It is likely that you or someone you are close with had to cancel a celebration due to our current global situation. I know we have had to cancel something of our own and friends who had weddings, showers, and graduations planned had to make difficult decisions to delay festivities, or make them viewable online in some creative form or fashion.

I know that some places are lifting shelter-in-place restrictions, but even if you are forced to be in the latter category, you can still give your event a personal touch that only you can do. A great way to do this is to send a personal invitation in the mail! I love a good digital invitation, and have definitely sent some in the past (even our wedding had digital invitations!), but right now, with pretty much everything being online, I don't know about you, but I find myself craving something real to hold in my hands. 

I’ve teamed up with Basic Invite to help you with great options for your personalized invitations, whether you need high school graduation invitations, wedding invitations, if you just want to send a letter on some of their beautiful stationary, or even thank you cards! They have some unique designs that are drool-worthy.

When I say personalized, I really do mean personalized. Basic Invite offers almost unlimited color options and gives you the freedom to change the color of each element on the card or invitation. They also allow you to order a printed sample (on top of the instant preview as you create it in the website!) before you place your final order so you know exactly how the quality is and make sure it is absolutely perfect! I love that. Did I mention that they also have over 40 different colors of envelopes and foil cards that are available in gold, silver, AND rose gold?! Yes, please!

My favorite thing about Basic invite is that they have an address capturing service. That means, you can store addresses in your account (and collect them easily from family and friends) and they print recipient addresses on your card orders at no extra cost! You may want to handwrite for a personal touch, but when you have hundreds of cards to send, this is a great option - especially because they look really tasteful.

If you need some graduation invitation ideas (they have clear ones to die for!) or any other announcement, invitation, or stationary needs, I would definitely head over and check out Basic Invite.

Right now, Basic Invite is offering 15% off with the coupon code: 15FF51!

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No matter what situation you find yourself in right now, know this: people love snail mail, and your family and friends still want to celebrate you and your accomplishments and milestones! Basic Invite can help you with all of those needs. Right now, Basic Invite is offering 15% off with the coupon code: 15FF51!

Connect with them on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter

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