We owe these seniors WAY more than rolls of quarters and fancy pens. The Class of 2020 deserves to celebrate the way the rest of us did – in sweaty polyester gowns and unflattering mortarboards – but coronavirus has robbed them of those regaled traditions.
To the members of the Class of 2020:
This really sucks. And I’m so sorry.
You have been robbed of all the pomp and circumstance (pun intended) afforded you in graduating. Friends and family looking forward to celebrating your accomplishments have been forced to settle for lame video celebrations, car parades, and socially distanced commencements. Whether high school or college, this particular graduating class is getting more than a raw deal with the current COVID-19 crisis.
I feel you. I wish I could make things ‘normal’ again. And I’m sorry.
As the school year comes to a close, the seniors in my life have been heavy on my heart. Saying goodbye to students at the end of the spring semester is always sad, but this year has been especially difficult. When we left for Spring Break, we were sure we would see each other again. We anticipated some time away, but we remained positive. Then everything ended abruptly. Campus was closed (I’m sure there’s mold growing in a coffee mug in my office…); classes migrated online. And that was it.
If you got a spring break, it was overshadowed by the uncertainty and impending doom of the not-yet-understood virus sweeping the world. And worse yet, its namesake is the king of vacation beers. High schoolers missed Prom, awards banquets, and valuable time with friends before jetting off to the next thing.
College seniors trudged through Zoom University in their childhood bedrooms after abandoning the hard-fought independence of adulthood after four (ahem, or more) years. You missed parties, ring dunking (whoop!), and the opportunity to truly succumb to Senioritis. None of it is fair or fine.
It’s okay to be pissed. I’m pissed for you.
I’ll spare you the litany of discussions surrounding the job market, the uncertain landscape of fall college/graduate school, the impending uncomfortable greetings, and the like. Suffice it to say there may be more darkness before the light. But we WILL get to the light. We will. And when we do, you are still member of the effing CLASS OF 2020 – bonded in the age of uncertainty and unscathed by the broken promises of timely celebration.
You have sacrificed for this pandemic. Your families and loved ones have sacrificed. Believe me, hell hath no fury like a mother denied the perfect cap and gown photo op with her kid. You likely won’t be given sufficient opportunity to compensate for all these cancelled fetes. We can’t even figure out how to shop for groceries without anxiety.
I am grateful for your resilience and your ingenuity in the face of this abstruse reality.
As a person who has tortured my favorite people with ALL the graduations, I fully acknowledge what you’re giving up. You’ve spent hours and years sitting through lectures (sorry again), writing papers, taking tests, and learning stuff you may never need to know after this month.
Texas A&M Class of 1999 (undergrad) – Someone should have talked me out of wearing those shoes.
But more than the buildings and the desks and the ridiculous assignments, you have been asked to distance yourselves from your friends, teachers, and support structures. Those relationships are what matter, and they will endure. You are bonded by experience, and this is one profound experience, Class of 2020.
I wish each and every one of you the very best.This crisis does not define you. Your tenacity does. You’ll eventually receive the diploma you’ve worked so hard to earn. And when you do, I sincerely hope you’ll frame it and proudly display it right next to your face mask and that sacred square of toilet paper.
Out there things can happen, and frequently do, To people as brainy and footsy as you. And when things start to happen, don’t worry, don’t stew. Just go right along, you’ll start happening too!
A metaphor for life in the age of homeschooling and quarantine.
This box represents so much to me.
We picked up our kids’ school materials last weekend to prepare for an indefinite period of homeschooling. Like the rest of the known universe, our schools are closed. I am henceforth in charge of simultaneously managing the formal education of a 6th grader and a 2nd grader. I teach adults for a living; I’m well aware that I have neither the skills nor the patience to engage in primary school instruction. This box represents unfamiliar territory.
The amazing teachers, administrators, and counselors at the school cleaned out lockers and desks (think about all of the fun and yucky stuff they found). Then they packaged all the supplies we would need to ease the transition. They put everything into carefully labeled boxes for the kids, ready to be opened and absorbed in a new environment. This box represents a dedication to learning.
I felt the love and attention each box was given as they were carefully loaded by volunteers into the car. But something wasn’t right; it felt cold. The sterility and caution of the current environment was apparent. Everyone wore gloves and stood awkwardly far apart from each other. The typical warmth of our school community was missing. This box represents social distancing.
It broke my heart to tell my daughter she couldn’t get out of the car to hug her favorite principal when we arrived at school. Teachers were fighting back tears as they waved from afar and told us how much they missed their students. This week we’ve gotten so many emails and check-ins from everyone at school saying how hard the physical separation is. We feel it. This box represents the love teachers have for their students.
We’ve spent the last week foraging through the books and supplies in the box. Both kids were relieved to have familiar materials as we worked through the first week of homeschool. The textbooks, pencil stubs, and incomplete sets of crayons provided surprising comfort. This box represents my kids’ nervous excitement about schooling at home.
This is our daughter’s last year on the ‘lower’ campus of our school. The thought of her not returning to her second-grade classroom, sitting with her friends, and listening to her fantastic teacher is devastating. She may not swing at recess or eat in the cafeteria or worship in the chapel again. This box represents an unfamiliar grief.
Our first week of distance learning, utilizing the tools carefully packed in this box, was fraught with highs and lows. We are all adjusting and finding ways to connect to the material, to normalcy, and to each other. There were no instructions in the box. There were no answers in the box. This box represents an indefinite period of uncertainty.
Also, I’m really delayed in getting this post together. It has been on my ‘To Do’ list for almost a week. I find my ability to focus and prioritize my own needs has significantly diminished in quarantine. I’m working hardest to preserve calm and stability within the walls of our home without the freedom of exploration or luxury of socialization. And we’re adjusting. We’re practicing grace and finding fun where we are instead of seeking it somewhere else. This box represents a new (albeit temporary) normal.
Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.
Looking for a few new spooky Halloween ideas? We’ve scoured Amazon for the best finds of the season.
We are very serious about Halloween in our house. Very serious. We throw parties. We decorate every nook and cranny. And we carefully plan our costumes as early as possible (but we don’t purchase them before September 1 because kids change their minds…). I have amassed quite a collection of decorations and supplies over the years, but I just can’t resist fun, new Halloween stuff. My storage spaces echo this sentiment with packed collections of spider webs, gothic candelabras, and myriad spooky materials.
Yet every year I scour my favorite haunts for trifling trinkets and spirited sundries to add to my collection. Of course, it would be wicked for me not to share the treasures I’ve found. So, my pretties, here are my favorite Halloween treats from Amazon.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission on recommended products at no additional cost to you.
Halloween Pillows
Changing out throw pillows is one of my favorite ways to spice up seasonal decor. I use festive pillows on my patio furniture, living room sofa, and chairs to set a spooky mood around the house.
Misting Party Light
Pop this cool find in a jack-o-lantern on the porch or in a vase as a centerpiece for a chilling party effect. It uses water for mist so safe it’s around kids.
Gross Out Faux Medical Supplies
Use these blood bags, syringes, and Petri dishes to serve potables (potent or otherwise) at your spooky soiree.
I love to suspend these creepy gummy body parts in a thin layer of Jell-O in a Petri dish. My kids ask for them every year!
Spooky Skeletons
We love dressing up the skeletons that sit on the porch every Halloween. Bony and Peaches are always festive as they welcome our guests. The last couple of years we’ve started collecting (plastic) animal skeletons to add to our spine-tingling display.
Bony & Peaches in their fetching scarves.
Mantle Decorations
A spooky mantle or table sets a the mood for all who dare to visit your home. I love to gather miscellaneous decorations and kids’ Halloween crafts with a few new things to spice up the fright!
Outdoor Spookiness
Our outdoor decoration game is always strong, and we’re shameless with our inflatables from September to January. I love these new witch hat lights for over the front door or adorning a tree. They’re battery operated so they can go just about anywhere. Try switching out your porch lights with these flame-effect bulbs to trick the treaters. I also like to change our front flood lights to glow spooky colors on Halloween night.
I hope you try a few of these spooky finds! Whatever your decorating poison, get everyone involved in the effort. Recruit your kids, your roommates, and your neighbors to help. Happy Haunting!
Halloween wraps fear in innocence, as though it were a slightly sour sweet. Let terror, then, be turned into a treat …
Chase away rainy day blues with a visit to one of these fun, family-friendly, and completely climate controlled venues.
Breckenridge is a mountain-town paradise. No matter the season there’s always plenty to do outdoors. Whether it’s skiing during winter and spring or hiking and biking during the summer months, visitors flock to Breck for fresh air and an active lifestyle. But there are days when it’s just too cold or too wet to be outside. Fortunately indoor activities in Breckenridge won’t disrupt your fun, and they’re worth a stop even on the brightest and warmest days. All of these recommendations are in close proximity to downtown and easy to access even in inclement weather.
** This post contains affiliate links. In some cases, I earn commissions from qualifying products at no additional cost to you.
Flex Your Creative Muscle
Our absolute favorite indoor activity in Breckenridge is painting pottery at Ready, Paint, Fire. We’ve been known to stop by several times a week during our annual summer visits, especially on rainy days. We now have a veritable menagerie of unicorns, dragons, ballerinas, wizards, and other whatnots, each representing a delightful afternoon spent at the studio on Main Street. Beth, the proprietor, and her staff are always friendly and willing to help guide your creations.
Ready, Paint, Fire isn’t just a pottery studio. If your inner Picasso is calling, you can paint masterpieces on canvases using easy-to-follow instructions. Many of them are Colorado themed and make a fun souvenir. You can also create mosaics and take evening glass fusing classes. (323 N. Main Street)
Escape a Room
We are big fans of escape rooms anywhere, and our favorite in town, Escape Room Breckenridge, has several fun themed adventures to explore. We recently rescued our school pet in the new “Wizard School” room, and it was loads of fun for the adults and kids. Noodling through clues and puzzles is a fun way to escape a rainy day in Breck. (233 S. Ridge St., Suite C)
Visit a Museum
If you have to spend time indoors on vacation, why not learn a little something? Breckenridge is home to several small and well-curated museums located in or near downtown. None of them requires an entire day to explore so pop in to the nearest collection when one of those wicked mountain storms descends.
Barney Ford House Museum
The Barney Ford Victorian House Museum is a reflection of the life of Barney Ford, an escaped slave turned entrepreneur and civil rights leader. His harrowing story is told through period archives and depicts a time in Breckenridge different than some of the mining-centered exhibits in town. Spend time reading the placards around the house to appreciate 19thcentury Rocky Mountain life. (111 East Washington Avenue)
Edwin Carter Discovery Center
Breckenridge’s natural history museum, the discovery center is home to Edwin Carter’s vast array of taxidermy specimens and other treasures. The museum features many interactive exhibits and is a great detour for the entire family. (111 North Ridge Street)
Summit Ski Museum
The Summit Ski Museum traces the history of Breckenridge’s favorite pastime, skiing. Featuring equipment and archives from the 10thMountain Division, a military unit that fought on skis during WWII through the development of the Breckenridge ski resort we know today. (308-B South Main Street)
Hit the (Indoor) Ice
The Stephen C. West Ice Arena is a great place to visit any time of the year. Perfect your hockey skills, work on your triple salchow, or just free skate with your family on Breckenridge’s coolest indoor excursion. Check the website for hours and have fun out there! (0189 Boreas Pass Road)
Downstairs at Eric’s Arcade
One of Main Street’s main attractions (especially for kids) is the arcade at Downstairs at Eric’s. The bar and restaurant are always busy, and a great pit stop no matter the weather. The food at Eric’s is surprisingly tasty – try the fried pickles and soft pretzels while the kids play. The arcade was recently expanded to include a number of fun and interactive games. Want to drive a Star Wars land speeder? Challenge your kids to a basketball shoot out? There’s something for everyone downstairs! (111 South Main Street)
Bon Mot Bonus: Eric Mamula of Downstairs at Eric’s (a.k.a. THE Eric of Eric’s) is currently the Mayor of Breckenridge. Be sure to say “hello” and catch up on local politics if you see him there.
Enjoy Your Own Company
Finally, if the rain or chilly weather keeps you indoors, why not spend some time hanging out and playing games? Take some time to explore your vacation rental and snuggle up with your travel companions. We never leave home without a deck of Uno cards, some fun art supplies, and a few packable family-friendly games. Our favorites include Sequence, Jenga, and Connect 4. (Click the links to access travel-sized versions on Amazon.) Sometimes it’s a good idea to actually rest while on vacation.
Breckenridge, Colorado is an amazing place with tons to do both indoors and out. It’s easily accessible and centrally located for summer and winter excursions, and our family always loves the time we spend there. (Check out my “Road Trip Readiness” post.) So go explore and enjoy all the town has to offer!
The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I‘d love to hear about your fun vacation tips for rainy days. Please comment and share. And thank you for stopping by Being Bon Mot!
This summer marks our family’s fifth cross-country road trip. While the drives are long, we love having our own vehicle and an abundance of stuff when we travel. Pillows from home? Yes, please! We certainly have our mileage limits, but our kids have become quite the road warriors. The idea of driving 15 hours in a confined space with bickering siblings is enough to make anyone nervous, but with a little preparation and a lot of prayer, we manage to survive and, even enjoy, our time together.
Over the years I’ve put together a “Roadtrip Readiness” checklist to help plan for the long journey. Here are five easy tips to help you and your family prepare for the road ahead.
** This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying products at no additional cost to you. I never recommend products that I haven’t tried myself.
Service your car
It may go without saying, but it is a wise idea to give your car a mechanical once-over before embarking on a long drive. I learned early-on that road trips can be hard on vehicles, and we sometimes neglect routine maintenance if our normal routes are relatively short. I tend to stay within a five-mile radius of my house so my car coughs and sputters at the idea of a 1,000-mile journey.
Change your oil if you haven’t done so recently, especially if you’re driving through extreme temperatures. Ask the mechanics to check all of your fluid levels and top them off as necessary. Most neighborhood oil change outfits and even automobile repair shops will look over your car for free or a small fee. It’s worth the investment to ensure that everything is ship-shape under the hood.
Check the pressure and general health of your tires. Make sure your windshield wipers are streak-free. Be sure all of your headlights and blinkers are in working order. You get the idea.
In spite of all this service, I always pack an emergency car kit just in case. Having it in the car gives me peace of mind, and, let’s be honest, everyone needs one of those reflective triangle thingys.
Clean & Tidy
Listen, road trips are messy. Your car has never seen snack crumbs like the ones that materialize after ten straight hours of driving. That’s why I like to start with a clean slate. I go beyond just the typical interior and exterior wash and take time to empty out the nooks and crannies. I empty the in-door storage, glove compartment, etc. of anything extra before disembarking. You will need as much space as possible to store your necessities in reach while on the road.
Real Life Road Tripping – It’s messy business.
My kids have a tendency to stuff toys and even random trash into their cupholders, seatbacks, you name it. I get help from them on this step, and we always find a ‘lost-forever’ Shopkin or favorite pencil somewhere.
Check Your Data Plan
Here’s the truth: we survive road trips mostly because the kids can spend time playing games and watching shows/movies/YouTube on their devices. Until I stumbled into the awesomeness of unlimited Wi-Fi in my super cool new minivan, we burned through my cellular hotspot bandwidth rather quickly. I always dreaded getting that “you’ve reached your data limit” notice hours from our final destination.
All data plans are not created equal. If you intend to have your kids use devices while on the road, I suggest contacting your service provider to understand your available data (personal hotspot available limits are often different than general monthly allowances). For limited plans, I recommend asking for help understanding how bytes and bits translate into minutes/hours of Wi-Fi use. Then multiply that times the number of people tapping into the data. Don’t forget the co-pilot.
Map Routes & Make Reservations
I never advocate for winging it on road trip routes or overnight plans. Check the possible paths to your destination and think through how many hours you want to spend driving each day. Our family can tolerate about eight to nine hours (500-600 miles) before we need a break from driving. Your time may vary depending on your kids’ ages and your general determination to get the whole thing over with as soon as possible.
Do you want to stop and eat lunch or drive thru and press on? How often will you need to stop for fuel? These are things to think through before hitting the road. And remember that younger kids (and husbands with micro-bladders) need potty breaks often.
If you plan to stop overnight along the way, I strongly recommend making a hotel reservation in advance. Doing so avoids the mayhem of searching for a suitable room once you finally decide to call it a day. Plus, it gives everyone something to look forward to (especially if you book a place with a pool!).
Bonus Tip: While digital map apps and GPS work fine in most cases, I recommend having a paper map of your overall route to consult in cases of poor reception. This good ol’ fashioned road atlas works well for us. It’s also fun to have your kids follow the route in their own atlas and learn about the states you’re passing through.
I recall a time during college when my friend and I drove from Memphis to Nashville (almost three full hours) looking for a hotel along I-40. We were road tripping back from New York to Dallas over Spring Break, and it was a less-than-awesome end to a great trip. We still talk about how tired and grumpy we were that night. And how we ended up in the grossest motel ever. Needless to say, I learned my lesson.
Spontaneous Stop Near Royal Gorge, Colorado
Fun Exploring the Rock Yard
Please don’t misunderstand. I love spontaneous stops at fun places along the way. Never pass up a visit the world’s largest ball of twine. (In case you’re wondering, it’s in Cawker City, Kansas.) Pull over at that cute little fruit stand touting Texas’s finest peaches. Always make a little extra time for bathroom and snack breaks. Because, with road trips, the journey matters, but with kids in tow, so does the destination.
Pack Up & Hit the Road
Once your car is clean, serviced, and ready for the trip, find a good place for your luggage and equipment and hit the road! Be sure to put everything your pilot will need within safe reach. I always make sure I have plenty of water and copious amounts of coffee along with my lip balm and cell phone close by.
Give your kids easy access to their own snacks and water if you want to avoid having to hand them something every 2.4 minutes. I also put their books, easy art supplies, and other activities in a bin between them. Check out the fun mini activity pouches created by my friends and mompreneurs at Twig & Olive – they’re perfect on this little tray to pass time in the car.
Bonus Tip: Pack a separate overnight bag with changes of clothes and toiletries if you plan to stop along the way. Be sure it ends up being placed in easy reach in the back of the car, along with anything else you’ll want to take in for the night.
My kids love to road trip in their flip flops so they can kick them off as soon as we’re in the car. Because we usually need either socks and/or tennis shoes at some point along the way, I slide them under the seat for easy access.
We take a small cooler with snacks that can serve as meal substitutes like hummus and pretzels, salami and cheese, etc. Plus it’s great to have a cooler and ice packs handy for picnics on vacation. Packing a jug of water from home also saves us time and money. We refill our reusable bottles along the way instead of buying bottled water at every stop. Ours lasts for days and helps my sensitive-tummy family transition into using local water while away from home.
Bottom Line: Road trips are what you make of them. We try to focus on the fun of the journey as much as the excitement of reaching our final destination. Happy trails to you!
To travel is to live.
Hans Christian Andersen
I’d love to hear your road trip stories. Please comment and share below.
Top 6 dining choices to meet characters on your magical vacation.
Reservations Recommended
Bust out the autograph books and get your cameras ready! Presenting my Pixie Six Best Character Meals at Walt Disney World:
Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Akershus is sometimes seen as the not-so-wicked stepsister of the more grandiose Cinderella’s Royal Table, but Bon Mot princesses prefer the intimacy of Epcot’s regal buffet. It’s also easier to get a decent reservation. Try to get in early for breakfast then skate directly to “Frozen Ever After” to be first in line to ride (located right next door).
Characters: Belle greets you at the door. Other princesses include Snow White, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Ariel, Aurora, and others as schedules permit.
Tusker House
The Tusker House buffet serves some of the best food in the park, and the venue is perfectly themed for its Animal Kingdom (Africa Village) location. Look for reservations featuring the River of Lights Package which includes access to reserved seating for the evening event at no additional charge (If you weren’t able to get a package reservation, I recommend asking the hostess about seating vouchers at check-in because sometimes they have extras.).
Safari Chic Characters: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy
Safari Mickey always gets a thumbs-up!
Hollywood & Vine
Hollywood & Vine has two different character meal offerings at Hollywood Studios. Breakfast features a traditional buffet with popular Disney Junior stars. Minnie hosts the lunch and dinner buffet and seasonal themes vary throughout the year. The diner-style restaurant is centrally located and features a photo-worthy background at the entrance. We prefer breakfast because we still have a huge Disney Junior fan in our midst, and morning reservations mean early access to the park to rush to Toy Story Land or to get in line for Jedi Training.
Breakfast Characters: Doc McStuffins, Vampirina, Sofia the First, and Goofy (Fancy Nancy is joining the party in March 2019).
Lunch & Dinner Characters: Minnie (the hostess with the mostess), Mickey, Donald, Daisy, and Goofy.
Starting the day with her favorite toy doctor.
Garden Grill
Chip and Dale host meals at the Garden Grill in The Land pavilion at EPCOT. It’s one of my family’s favorite character meals for two important reasons. First, the meal is served family style and includes some of the park’s most delicious dishes (We’ve done breakfast, lunch, and dinner here and prefer the unique lunch/dinner menu as the breakfast offerings aren’t much different than those offered in other restaurants.). The absence of a buffet is also a welcome change of pace. Second, the restaurant spins! Your table slowly floats above the “Living with the Land” ride sets and makes for a fun and ever-changing ambiance.
Characters: Chip & Dale, Farmer Mickey, and Pluto.
The Crystal Palace
At the Crystal Palace character buffet at the Magic Kingdom, the characters are the star. Your favorite Hundred Acre Wood Characters reside here and spend ample time entertaining their fans of all ages. The glass-domed restaurant is centrally located just off of Main Street USA. The menu is pretty standard fare, but the garden greenhouse-esque atmosphere provides a refreshing respite from the theme park chaos. And did I mention you get to meet Tigger?
Characters: Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore
Supercalifragilistic Breakfast at 1900 Park Fare
This character breakfast is, well, supercalifragilistic. It’s worth the trip over to the Grand Floridian Hotel to join Mary Poppins and friends for a meet and greet. 1900 Park Fare is a great option for arrival day or a non-park day. Try to make some time to explore the resort after your meal; you won’t regret it. Dinner at 1900 Park Fare is fun for the Cinderella purists and fans in your family and includes a buffet of world flavors. (Tip: Use a Lyft Minnie Van or other private transportation to avoid the chaos of bus transfers, etc.)
Breakfast Characters: Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatter, Tigger, and Pooh
Dinner Characters: Cinderella, Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, and Drisella (a.k.a. the wicked step-mother and -sisters), and the Fairy Godmother.
Chip signs an autograph for his adoring fans.
Character meals are one of the best ways to meet characters without having to wait in lines at Character Spots throughout the park. And I think it’s the ultimate in vacation multi-tasking (you’ve gotta eat, right?). We tend to maximize our Disney Dining Plan by cramming as many character meals as we can into our visit, but even if you’re not on the Plan, I strongly recommend finding time for just one. It’s always a great idea to make reservations as early as possible when traveling to Disney World (start making them six months in advance if possible), especially at the park’s most popular restaurants.
Visit https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/ for more information on these and other dining options for your visit. Please note that characters are always subject to change.
It’s always hard to Pixie Six, especially when there are so many great dining options at Disney World. What are some of your favorites?
