Get Your Motor Running (Head Out on the Highway)
About one minute before climbing into the car to drive to TASSSP, our first real step toward making DreamCatcher Curriculum LLC a reality! Here we stand in Arkansas...next stop TEXAS!
Looking back, it doesn't seem possible that we could accomplish so much in such little time. Amazing what you can do when your heart is set on it. All those weeks of work and planning--even with the flurry of meetings, curriculum drafts, and seemingly millions of things to do--it was SO. MUCH. FUN! It doesn't seem possible that we could be doing this for our day job. Well, hold on. At this point (February 28th) we haven't sold a thing. Let's not get too big for our britches just yet. Doing this fantastic work for a living all depends on if anyone buys our products, and the Texas TASSSP (Texas Association of Student Special Services Programs) conference (our first event with products to sell) will determine if our business venture has been worth the risk. Uh, no pressure or anything. Giddy'up. We're headed to TEXAS!
This doesn't exactly leave room for souvenirs. Jam packed and ready to roll.
Step 1: Load the car. Easier said than done with all of our stuff. Immediately following the Texas conference in Galveston, we are driving straight to Topeka, Kansas for the Kansas Counseling Association Conference. It's a two-fer, this trip, and we have much to pack (not to mention miles to go). I'm going to pause right there on the mention of miles and add a little note about travel. Pretty sure we've mentioned (maybe just a few times, wink) that we love what we do: creating and designing college prep curriculum. But something else us two DreamCatcher owners have in common: the complete, total, and utter l-o-v-e for travel. Say the word "trip" and our hearts beat a little faster. So the idea that this amazing job could possibly combine those two fave things? Shut the front door. This might be the most perfect job that ever existed. Well, if we make a profit, that is.
Our philosophy is that traveling for DreamCatcher won't be only about the destination...the journey matters, too. We plan to make the most of our trips with site-seeing, experiencing local culture, eating delicious food, and generally making the most of our voyage. Because our work is for students, however, part of our trips will be dedicated to visiting COLLEGES along the way. Our website has a page just for students, where we will provide useful, free printable materials along with "Notes from the Road" with pictures and information about the colleges we see. Planning for these little side trips will make the journey even sweeter.
A quick snap from the car on our drive through Talimena
Step 2: Hit the road. The car is loaded and off we go! We start our trip with the decision to take the scenic route down to Galveston, so as soon as possible we exit the Interstate and head toward the Talimena National Scenic Byway that straddles Oklahoma and Arkansas. Because we have such a looooooong drive down to Galveston from Northwest Arkansas, our stops are at a minimum today, but the drive on gorgeous Winding Stair Mountain through the Ouachita National Forest is incredible! You'll have to take our word for it because we didn't stop for proper photo ops, but if you ever find yourself in this neck of the woods, be sure to take this breathtaking excursion (autumn leaves would make the drive hard to beat). Onward to Texas!
Cool old pick-up truck outside the century-old Jefferson General Store
Welcome to warm sunshine in historic and quaint Jefferson, Texas
The drive through small towns, ranches and farmland makes for a surprisingly short (at least it felt that way) drive to our first stop, sweet little Jefferson, Texas. This historic little town has charm on every square block. After a quick lunch, we did a speedwalk/shop around town to do some antiquing and site-seeing. We discovered the quaint century-old Jefferson General Store with its sky blue vintage pick-up truck out front, and then stumbled across historic Excelsior House Hotel, dating back to 1858, where several U.S. presidents have stayed while in Jefferson. This precious little place with its marathon-long covered front porch looks nearly as you'd imagine if you walked in the door back in the 1800s. Noticing our awe of the place, a sweet lady (let's say she might be a manager) approached us in welcome and offered that we have a look around. That's when we noticed a bridal event (not a wedding, more like a show) was going on and admitted to not having tickets. Sweet lady manager insisted that it didn't matter to walk through and suggested taking a circuitous route through the courtyard around back and through the wedding party itself to admire the main areas of the hotel. When offered slices of wedding cake to sample, we couldn't resist. Perhaps that makes us wedding crashers of sorts? There are only three words to justify our behavior: red velvet cake.
In the lovely back courtyard of the Excelsior House Hotel
The one and only Ninfa's...our dinner napkin before getting smeared with guac and cheese.
Back on the road to Galveston! We put the pedal to the metal and cruised (did you know some Texas rural highways have a speed limit of SEVENTY FIVE miles per hour?!) on to Houston just in time for dinner at The Original Ninfa's on Navigation. This was where the Tex-Mex fajita as you know it, sizzling in all its delicious smoking glory as it's brought to your table, was invented. Mama Ninfa herself first stuffed sliced steak in a warm handmade tortilla back in 1973 and the rest is history! Mouthwatering, savory history. We gobbled up our fajitas with guacamole and reluctantly climbed back into the car for the remainder of our journey.
Step 3: Arrive at the Destination. Finally, sometime around dark-thirty, we rolled onto historic Galveston Island, Texas. Although it was dark, we could see some incredible historic mansions and architecture as we made our way to the hotel. Driving by towering palm trees, cracking the window to sniff the ocean air, we couldn't believe that we made it: not only to Galveston, but also that we made it to TASSSP as presenters, exhibitors, and business owners of DreamCatcher Curriculum. Um, after we unload our stuffed-to-the-gills car, that is. Thanks to the efficient valet staff (all four or five of them) at the historic Tremont House Hotel in downtown Galveston, it didn't take long to unload and find our room (complete with its charming vintage hardwood floors and sky-high ceilings). Getting organized, settled, and ready for tomorrow, we have no idea what to expect. Will this venture really work? Will anyone buy our stuff? Will TRIO accept our company and want to use our materials? Will this all have been worth it? We are about to find out.
“Make Your Passion Your Paycheck.”