Y Ahora Que, Now What #VayamosJuntos

Twenty years ago, I graduated from high school.  I was the first person to graduate out of my family. 

It was so important to me to achieve this not only for me but for my immigrant family that worked so hard for us to live the dream in America.  When you are from a different country and you immigrate, you soon learn how blessed you are being here.  The type of life, choices, and future is different.

For twelve years, I work my butt off trying to do the best in every area.  I worked so hard that I graduated with Advance Honors, #10 in my class.  I even got to sit on stage.  Everything to this point was outlined for me.  I knew what the next step was for twelve years.  My parents worked day and night to support my three brothers and myself.  What they kept instilling in me was that I had to get an education.  My mother started school at the age of twelve and when she got pregnant with me in 9th grade, had to quit school.  She never was able to go back.  My stepdad made it all the way to third grade.  Never tried to go back.  He always told us that he never tried and no one made him.  He could not read.  They wanted more for us than what they had been providing.  But neither one of them talked to me about after high school or made plans with me for college.  Right before I graduated my mother told me, I cannot pay for you to go to school.  If you want to go to school, you will have to figure out how to pay for it.  And I did.  I figured it out.

Fast forward to now.  I have a seventeen year old son who will be a Senior in high school next year.  We have been talking about college since he was in elementary school.  This is our last year of prep with him.  Part of the prep is getting him ready to go out into the world on his own.  What does that mean?  You graduate and then, now what?

Getting your high school senior ready for freshman year tips:

1)  Life Skills-Laundry, dishes, take out, etc.

We recently had a discussion in a mother's group of where our kids' skills landed.  Some had never washed laundry or done the dishes, ever.  Your kid will most likely move out one day.  If not college, life will make him or her move forward.  Do they have the skills to survive and be a good citizen?  Not a sloppy, stinky, messy child in his twenties.  My son has been doing his own laundry for years now.  We started in his teen years.  My mother never taught me how to cook because she was always working.  Take time out of the week and let the soon-to-be college kid cook a meal.  Cook meals together.  Growing up, I filled out all of my parents' applications.  Everywhere I went I was the translator.  That helped me talk to people when I was a grown up.  Do your kids' know how to fill out legal documents?  Trust me, from this helicopter parent, it is hard to let go of the reins.  We need to prepare them for life after high school.  Some things my parents never taught.  I was so sheltered.  I do not want to make that mistake and hinder my son from his progress.

2)  Money Management-Do your kids have a bank account?  Do they balance their accounts?  How do you think they will do on their own?  A suggestion is to give them a budget senior year.  They will receive monthly payments like they would in college.  They will have to purchase their own necessities.(shampoo, toothpaste, etc...)  This will include their spending money as well.  No extra money unless they work for it.  What would happen?  Would they be able to have enough money the entire month?  You do not have to go to this extreme but work out a plan to help them understand how finances work. 

-I had a friend get their scholarship money for the entire year at the beginning at the year.  They paid for the first semester and spent the rest.  So guess what, no college money for second semester.

3)  Goals-College is not for everyone but it gives you a better chance at bigger opportunities that may pay more.  We as parents know that, but our kids listen in one ear and it goes out the other.  We have sat down as a family and have decided that college is in my son's future.  He wants to be a Mechanical Engineer.  I am not sure how we will pay for college but that is our goal.  We also discussed how this goal can be achieved.  My son will apply for as many scholarships as possible, loans, and work through school.  Making our kids think about the next step will help them be prepared to face those steps.

4)  Relationship-A relationship in high school may or may not be what you have in college.  When you are kids, a break up can be the end of their world.  A strong relationship with your parents can be helpful to our kids who could easily be persuaded, misled, and  misunderstood.  Whether it is a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, parent/child relationship, or working relationship, it all starts with good communication.

5)  Getting Around. -Most of our kids entire lives we have taken them everywhere.  We have arranged rides or planned how they were getting home.  Have your kids ever taken the bus, rail, tram, or driven a car?  Do they know how to read a map?  Their way around town.

I remember learning how to drive at age 18 and shortly thereafter getting my license.  I had rarely driven anywhere must less across town.   

My son cannot tell you what side of town he is on, much less guide you to find his location.  He has used mass transportation before but never alone.  We will be working on getting his license and driving skills too.  He will have to learn how to get around. 

Once I graduated and enrolled in community college, transportation was the only thing standing in my way.  I do not want that to be the only thing standing in my son's way. 

Thanks to Toyota Latino for allowing me to test drive the Toyota Camry for a week.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

We still are not sure what university or college my son will be attending or get accepted to in a year.  We have talked about him staying in the Houston area and him going to a near city like College Station.  As parents we want them to have reliable transportation. 

Toyotas have been in our family over the years.  It is a trusted brand for us.  The Toyota brand has many safety features that can help young or new drivers, such as:

-Blind Spot Monitor-Alerts a driver when it is ok to change lanes.
-Rear-Cross Traffic Alert-Alerts a driver when they are backing out when a car is approaching.
-Back-Up Camera-Lets a driver see and make sure there is nothing behind them.
-Lane Departure Alert-Alerts a driver when an inadvertent lane departure is detected.
-Tire Pressure Monitor System-Comes standard on all new Camrys.  Alerts a driver when a tire or tires become critically under inflated.
-Dynamic Radar Cruise Control-Adjust vehicle speed to help maintain a preset follow distance and the vehicle in front of you.
-Pre Collision System-It anticipates when a frontal collision is imminent and can apply the brakes.
-Whiplash-Injury-Lessening Seats-The front seats are engineered to help reduce the risk of neck injuries.

It also has 10 air bags.  The 2016 Toyota Camry has a sporty new look.  It is very roomy. 

 It is an affordable car that won't break the bank too.  The 2016 Toyota Camrys start at $23,000.  If this is not in your price range, Toyota has other options at lower starting price points like the Toyota Yaris.  Like what we have.  The 2016 Yaris starts at $14, 895.

Help your kids be bold and let them make a statement in the world and on the road. 

Road Tripping-Toyota Highlander Adventures

Are you planning a road trip any time soon?  We went on a road trip adventure on our vacation last month.  We visited South Padre Island, Corpus Christi, and San Antonio. 

Thanks to Toyota for allowing me to take the 2016 Toyota Highlander on our road trip.  This vehicle was a loaner for a two week long test drive.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

Getting ready for a road trip can be hard, especially when you have to plan ahead and make sure you have everything you need.  When you have room, you want to pack everything including the kitchen sink.  We did not do too bad this time around, everyone fit all their clothes and shoes into one bag.

Tip-I let my kids bring a pillow, blanket, and maybe one toy that will help them keep comfortable. 

The Toyota Highlander has three-zone automatic climate control.  This allows the driver and passenger to each control their own temperature.  This is a great feature because I am always cold.  Also the second and third row are on a different control, so the kids don't have to freeze if the hubby decides to turn it to freezing.

Once everything is loaded, I like to make sure we have the address into the navigation.  I like to know exactly where we are going before we get on the road.  My hubby did not realize how far we were

actually going.  He kept saying South Padre Island was only 3 to 4 hours away.  I kept telling him it was further than that.  Our first stop was 6 hours away so I had to get the assistance of cruise control. 

The Toyota Highlander has a button I want on all my vehicles.  It is the vehicle to vehicle distance.  This button keeps you at a safe distance from the cars in front of you.  Should a car jump into your lane, it automatically slows down and puts you back at the safe distance select. (short, medium, long)  This is my favorite feature.  It can be very scary when a car jumps in front of you. 

We did have to make a few stops along the way, either to grab something from the back or to just stretch our legs a little.  This is the most miles we have driven other than that time we went to Disney.  We learned a lot from that trip.

Tip-Schedule stops.  You know your kids.  Do you need to make potty breaks?  We scheduled stops but we did have one unexpected stop.  Trying to find a restroom where there is none.  We eventually did find a restroom and it was a good reason to explore where we stopped.

I like that the Toyota Highlander has this easy to access flip-up rear hatch window.  We would just reach in and grab whatever we needed, no need to open the entire lift gate.

Tip-I filled up a snack bag with our favorites and small cooler for the long drive.  Before we got on the road, I handed each person a water bottle.  They also had their favorite drink available when they requested it.  All the trash got handed back to the front, this way it was easy to throw away when we stopped.  The bag and cooler was kept in between my son and daughter, no need to stop or to have to reach to the back.

We eventually made it to our destination.  This was not our only stop.  We spent a couple of days in South Padre Island and then headed back through Corpus Christi. 

One of my favorite things of leaving the city is that you get to see the sky.  We watched the sun go down, and then were able to see all the stars in the sky. 

The Toyota Highlander has a panoramic moonroof.  Like the song says, "The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas"!  So beautiful.  The kids always enjoy sitting under the stars.

We had a good ole time visiting the different beaches.  It is always good to get away from it all.  At the beach, we were able to just disconnect.  Aside from taking a few pictures of the family, we totally disconnected when we were there.

Tip-Be one with nature.  Dig your feet in the sand.  Let the kids bury you.  We did not let the cold water scare us away.  We walked the beach.  We jumped the waves.  We people watched.

I am so happy we were able to take this road trip.  My husband even mentioned we needed this.  It helps us all reconnect.  We laughed, played, and were able to unwind from it all.  With our ever so busy schedules, this little break is just what our family needed.  I can't wait for our next road trip.

Where do you road trip?  What are your favorite memories? 

2016 Scion iA Review

***Disclosure-I got to test drive the New 2016 Scion iA for a week to review.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

My family and I attended the Houston Auto Show 2 weeks ago.  A brand that really stood out was Scion.  You have seen those box looking cars out on the road, right?  If you are not familiar with the Scion brand, the original “box,” the xB and the FR-S sports car are all part of this brand. 

Scion iA is the brand’s first-ever sedan with a sporty look.

It is newly designed for the savvy generation of drivers like you and me.  It comes complete with so many features, lots of space, new technology and cool styling to fit any lifestyle. 

It is up to whatever challenge or opportunity comes your way.  This week I put it up to the challenge of my family, schedule, and it showed us it's true colors.

Challenge #1-Trunk Space

Trunk space is very important to every family.  Latinos have big families.  One meal together could mean lots of extra food and drinks needed.  We don't even need to be celebrating anything.  We love to host all of our family which in our family includes grandma, grandpa, their kids, and their kids' kids.  When we went grocery shopping this week, we did a double take.  We weren't sure all of the groceries would fit.  Was the Scion iA trunk big enough?

It was up to the challenge!  We fit every single item in the trunk, everything.  It passed our test.

Challenge #2-Tech Savvy

The HD Radio Traffic helped me check traffic on every trip.  I normally use my phone to guide me through traffic.  This way I was able to get in the iA and no matter where I went, I knew where not to go.

The Rear-view backup camera was impressive.  It has a wide view.  I have driven cars before and have not felt the rear view camera to be this awesome.  Check out my view-all clear for take off.

Challenge #3 Safety-

How fast is your reaction time?  On pretty days my husband takes my daughter outside to play.  When I get home, I am always on the look out for all the kids on my street, especially my little one.  A normal routine is to open the garage, drive in, and close the garage, right.  My son and I were driving into the garage, as we drove in the iA came to a complete stop.  The car alerted we had hit something.  What was it?  The low-speed pre-collision system is designed to detect objects on the road ahead of you and can, under certain conditions, apply the brakes to help avoid a collision.  We did not hit anything but it was good to know that the car would come to a complete stop.  This time it was a bouncy ball the toddler lost control of as she opened the garage door. 

For drivers who think they live the fast and furious lifestyle, Sport Mode is available with the flip of a switch.  I like the Sport Mode.  But what I liked the most was the affordable price.  Price tag is $15,700 for the 6-speed manual transmission and $16,800 for the 6-speed automatic, redefining “entry level.”

For more information, you can go to:

FB- www.facebook.com/ToyotaLatino

Twitter - www.twitter.com/ToyotaLatino

Instagram - www.instagram.com/ToyotaLatino

New Driver-Car Tips

***Disclosure-I was allowed to test drive the new 2016 Scion tC for a week.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

As a new driver, what did you learn about your car?  I remember not learning anything about my car but learning about the road.  I wanted to pass my driving test so bad, I studied my book front to back.  But I did not study or learn about my car like that.  Now as a mom of an almost driver, I wanted to go over some car tips that I learned later on in my life.

Do you know what side your gas tank is on?  Have you ever driven someone else's car and needed to pump gas? 

Look in the picture, do you see the little arrow on the gas pump?  Whatever side it points to is the side that your gas tank is on.  Easy, right?  Did you know that? 
Also, some cars have a lever near the driver's side door to pull for the gas tank door to open.

Do you know how to use cruise control?  I never did.  I travel a lot and refused to use it.  I was so scared to try it.  I was afraid it would be stuck and I could not get out of the speed I was on.  Some cars are different but the same concept.

The Scion tC has a button that needs to be pushed in to set cruise control on.  Check that the icon comes on when you hit the button.

 Next, learn how to use your cruise control.  How do you set it?  Is it by a pull down of the lever or a push up?  How do you release cruise control? 

 A new driver may not need to learn how to do this just yet but it may cause a panic attack is they accidentally hit the button on.  I freak out when any light comes on in my vehicle.  Go over the different lights that can come on in the car, so that the driver will know what is going on.  A distraction can cause an accident.  In some vehicles when a warning light comes on, the vehicle can start making a dinging sound alerting the driver, and this could distract the driver.  It is better to know what to expect.

The first car I drove around was my dad's hand-me down used car.  It had many miles on it and it was a vehicle taking to and from school.  I was not complaining.  But again, I never inspected the vehicle and one day when I got a flat I was stuck on the road.  This was way back when not everyone had a cell phone, omg, yes there was a time.  So I was stuck on the road alone.  Someone stopped to helped me and asked if I had a spare?  I didn't know.  Yes, naïve.  Did I have a jack?  IDK...So now any vehicle I get into, I always check to see if I have a spare and a jack, just in case.

Do you know where to look?  Do you know how to use a jack or change a tire?  My name says it all, but it was not always like this.  I learned to become independent.  So in case I am ever stranded with a flat, I know what to do, do you?  Don't be the damsel in distress.  Or at least know if you have the right tools for someone to help you change your flat.  Remember to always be safe.  We once got a flat in my mom's old station wagon.  It sounded like a helicopter was following us.  But it was not, it was a flat.  My mom ended up getting stuck at the entrance of the freeway.  Luckily some good Samaritans stopped to help get us off the freeway and to a safe place for the tire to be changed.  I have heard too many horror stories of people getting hit on the freeway after getting a flat. 

Be safe.
If your car will make it, get off the road.
If you are on the freeway, head for the shoulder.
If your tire will make it, try to get off the freeway and head to a safe place to change the flat.
If you have roadside assistance, call them.
I always call a family member and tell them where I am, and my plan of action.

Tips like this can help when driving a new car, driving someone else's car, or being a new driver.

Recently driving the new 2016 Scion tC, I was able to check all of it's features out.  For this car being a 2-door vehicle, it has a lot of space.  Check out the truck space:

It fit my family of 4 comfortably.  My husband was skeptical at first but I think he is now looking at the Scions totally different.  My son and I even cruised down to San Antonio.  We had a smooth drive to and from.  And that truck space even allowed me to do all of my holiday shopping.

Stylish and sporty.  One of our favorite features was the panoramic moon roof.  But the feature that everyone loved the most was the interior floor lights that you can control by the push of a button.  My daughter wanted it pink when she was in the car.  My son picked blue.  My husband wanted it green.  I just agreed with whoever was riding with me. 

Off-Road Adventures #VayamosJuntos

***Disclosure-I drove the Toyota Tacoma for a week for review.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

Have you ever taken your family on a road trip?  Growing up in a Latino family; road trips, vacations, or get-a-ways were not in our budget.  Summer came and went, and we-we did not go anywhere.  When we returned to school, my friends had stories of all the adventures they went on.  As the oldest, I understood why we could not go.  Our family did not have the money, much less the privilege to take time off.  We also did not have a reliable car, and you can't take a trip, if your current vehicle is not dependable.

Thanks to Toyota for allowing my family to take the Toyota Tacoma on our end of Summer camping road trip.

My husband and I worked around our schedules and managed to find a few days we could get away.   Our adventure took us camping.  But before we hit the road, we need to pack.

We had so much extra room in the Toyota Tacoma.  We were able to pack 3 coolers, 2 plastic bins, 2 tents, 2 family canopies, 4 fold-able chairs,  and so much more.  My husband asked if I wanted to bring the kitchen sink too.  I did not have to worry about our camping gear we tied our gear down using the D-rings, deck rail system, and stored some items in the In-bed storage.

We then were ready to hit the road to the Guadalupe River.  Not before entering the address in the navigation system.  Especially since this was the first time we went to Guadalupe River State Park.

When traveling one of the things I always like to know is the speed limit.  You do not want to get pulled over for speeding just because you are not aware of the speed limit in a city your are traveling through.  The Tacoma displayed the speed limit on the screen right next to the highway name I was on.

Since we were not traveling alone, we were keeping in contact with the other vehicle.  No talking and texting for me.  The Tacoma displayed the text on the vehicle screen.  The text message came up on the screen.  My husband, the copilot/passenger, hit play so I could also hear the message out loud.  

It actually started getting really dark and I noticed lighting in the distance.  My husband checked the weather and it was not looking good for our weekend.

But we did not let this ruin our plans.  We arrived our destination.  Only to find out, we were not there yet.  We had to take the long gravel road to our campsite.   We made it just in time to pitch our tent before quite time.  I was so glad the Tacoma had an outlet in the bed of the truck, so handy.

Our air pump was taking too long to inflate our air mattresses.  We just took our mattresses to the truck, inflated them in a zip, and were ready to hit the hay after that.

Our trip to the park seemed long since we hit the road right at rush hour.  I even think me and husband complained more than our kids did.  This trip was so needed for us to just unwind.  And once we were there, we did just that.  It was a great camping adventure we are ready to do again.  We are looking forward to visiting more state parks, closer ones.  When we checked in, we received this brochure with park information.  Check this deal out:

Unlimited visits to over 90+ state parks for only $70 annually.  What park will we go to next?    

Travel Tuesday-Guadalupe River State Park

There are many beautiful state parks and I am on a mission to visit as many as possible.  Guadalupe River State Park is in Spring Branch, Texas.    

The park allows their visitors to canoe, hike, fish, swim, tube, picnic, and camp.  We decided to take our kid's on one last road trip before Summer ended.  It also has been a long time since we have been camping. 

I like being out in the great outdoors.  We got to disconnect.  Really, I had no cell service.  Disconnecting was so much fun.  Our phones were turned off and put up.  

We got to see animals.  We had armadillos just walking around our campsite.

We got to roast marshmallows, and make S'mores.

We went tubing for the first time.

Someone got to jump in muddy puddles and we didn't care!  It started to rain but she did not let that ruin her fun.  Jumped puddles until the sun finally came out.

The great outdoors wore some of us out.  So we took naps.

We had an awesome time.  We will be returning to this park again.  We are already planning our next camping trip.  I was so worried about going camping with our toddler but it turned out great.  The biggest rule was there were no rules!!  This trip was a big success.