Trippin' on a Road Trip!

I know, I know, we just got back from the beach!  Well, apparently I'm a glutten for punishment, because on Sunday we're headed to the mountains for a week.  So, between the laundry and packing and meal and activity planning.....I thought I'd share with you some of the preparations we've been making.  The whole family chipped in! 

Yes, they could play games on their gadgets, and watch movies the whole way; but that's 8 hours of being engulfed in those things and I just can't take it.  Besides, they'll get bored with those anyway, and probably go cross eyed in the process.

So, here's what I got from The Dating Diva....

A License Plate List for the kids to check off. I've no doubt this will turn in to a competition between the two of them. All I have to say is, "They'd better not make me pull this car over!"

Checkpoint cards.  This really got the kids excited because we sat together and mapped out our route, then listed towns along the way to look for.  They can check off each town as we pass it, and maybe I'll avoid the ever agonizing, "Are we there yet?" along the way.  The Dating Diva hung hers across the car with clothespins, but I opted to puch holes and put them on a ring.  Let's face it.  Traveling with 2 kids, your luggage, a cooler, pillows, blankets, toys - these things hung on a clothespin across the car and I'd probably strangle someone with the line.  Not to mention I foresee the clothespins turning in to weapons of the pinching variety.

I also downloaded this Battleship Game from Mom's Minivan....

And here's a game Em created.  Car Bingo. No, you can't win diagonally.  Yes, it only takes 3 space to win horizontally, but 7 to win vertically.  I pointed that out.  She doesn't care.  She's almost 13.  Moving on.

And, my husband's creation - the Snack Box.  Look, don't judge. There's no priority for cuteness in my husband's world.  It's all about practicality. Hey, Cavemen are people too! 

We take this thing everywhere.  It stays packed in the bottom of our pantry, and any time we go on the boat, or on any drive/activity that will last more than a few hours; the Snack Box goes with us. It is a must have in the car, in hotels, everywhere.  We love this thing!  He even has a ziploc bag with napkins and wet wipes stowed away in it.  Yep! He's a keeper.

We're packed and ready to go!  See you on the flip side!