Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Five Favorites: The Road Trip Edition



So we're going on a short trip to New Hampshire this weekend (with The Donaldsons!), which means I need to pack up 6.5 people's stuff to make sure we have everything we need.  I would say that I need to pack for 7 people, but Phil is pretty good about getting his own stuff packed with the occasional "Should I bring this shirt or this one?" and "Why are you bringing so many pairs of shoes?"  We've solved that last one by giving me my own suitcase.  

Anyway, these are my five favorite things that I make sure we have when we leave the house:

1)
Junk Food

Because nothing says "It's time to PAAAAAARTY!" like some chips and cookies, amiright?  I pretend like I'm packing healthy snacks (fruit, peanut butter, bread, granola bars) but I stash the goodies in the bottom of the bag for Phil and I to snack on while the kids are sleeping.  This is getting harder since having a girl because my Maggie can smell chocolate from a mile away.  I find as long as I unwrap the chocolate really quietly, pop it in my mouth while hunched over so nobody sees what I'm doing, keep my mouth shut the whole time I'm chewing and don't breathe until it's long gone, then I'm golden.

2)
Dramamine

Oh my goodness, do you know that carsickness runs on the maternal side of the family?  No?  Neither did I until I found that every.single.one of my kids inherited my carsickness.  So, we give Dramamine to the most repeat offenders and bring plenty of ziploc bags in case something, errr, comes up.  Bonus side effect of this wonder drug: sometimes the kids even sleep!

3)
Audio books

In conjunction with number 2 above, having a car full of motion-sickness-prone-kids means that said kids can not read books or watch movies in the car (#firstworldproblems) so we get books on CD from the library (this is what we'll be listening to this weekend) and play them until the baby starts crying which is when we switch over to Veggie Tales music, his current fave.

4)
When your kids gotta go, they gotta go!  Pulling over on the side of the road has happened one too many times for my liking, and with the boys, it's a relatively easy solution (just point away from the car) but girls are a little trickier to relieve.  That's where this comes in really handy.  
Just look at how much fun he's having!

5)
Quiet Games
Have your kids play the Quiet Game or the Statue Game or the Sleeping Game until they figure out that these games are only fun for the adults with headaches.  Side note: my Dad used to always wish for one of those privacy screens in limos that he could just push a button and the divider would come up and he and my mom would be in their own little world.  After five kids, I totally understand.  In fact, I'm thinking they should come standard on passenger vans.  

When all else fails, buy them a thick shake or hand them a huge lollipop to keep their little mouths busy for as long as possible and repeat the parenting mantra "We're almost there!"


17 comments:

  1. We always bring our little potty on trips, too! I'm making a master list of things to bring on an upcoming trip and chocolate is definitely on it! :)

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  2. We love Audio books! Book of Virtues by William Bennett and the Jim Weiss stories are great! Have fun!

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  3. you are killing me with that eating chocolate. it is so true!

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  4. Oh, my goodness. You are one brave woman. All that car sickness...We have only one that gets it, and he cannot read or anything just like you've said. He's leaving for Canada next week, 8 hour trip...He does not need dramamine anymore,(outgrew?) but can't read or anything while driving.

    Licorice!!!! You didn't mention Licorice! That's our travel thing. Tom would say Sunflower seeds...but only the big kids like those. (and not the mama)

    OH, Colleen, have a wonderful time!!! Safe traveling prayers...

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  5. I *always* forget about Dramamine!! And I totally forgot it makes you sleepy, geez. And you are a complete genius for #1. Great mama!

    Have fun in NH and say hi to Tommie Depaola! (the only thing i know about NH!)

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  6. I am totally stealing the thick shake thing. Have funnnn dear friend! : )

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  7. Audio Books are my favorite too! I'll have to get the Roald Dahl collection next.

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  8. We're doing the audio books, too! I'm taking Rebekah's suggestion and getting "39 Clues", which was written by the same guy who wrote the Percy Jackson books. So you KNOW JP will be all kinds of envious.

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  9. Fun, fun, fun!! I actually love road trips with the gang -- even with carsickness and crying babies and whatnot . . . I just love heading out on the road. It's mostly the junk food, I'm sure.

    But yeah, that limo glass thing would be a hot item on passenger vans, I can guarantee!

    Happy trails! :)

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  10. You are so lucky to know those guys. Have fun and a safe trip.

    I should even say this but...WHERE ARE THE DVD PLAYERS??
    i feel like a smuck~

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  11. I hear you on that needed break from the VeggieTales! Although desperate times call for desperate measures I totally cave to the Veggies...

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  12. Packing for me plus the two girls is a major task... Can't imagine what it is like to pack for 6!!!

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  13. We're going to be driving for 3 days straight next week...I'm already stocking up on junk food!

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  14. Ha, this list is great! It's bringing back memories... good and bad! We all had carsickness to varying degrees, and I'm afraid I still have it when I'm not the one driving. Dramamine it is!

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  15. Great list! Hope you guys have an awesome trip!

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  16. Safe travels! Sounds like you've got all your bases covered. Even in the shoe dept.

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