Road-tripping, it's not for sissies

We have been driving all over the place these last 2 months of living here in Syracuse with John's parents.  People are always making jokes about how I'm so crazy to be constantly taking road trips, sans John, with all three kids.  I figured since I'm pretty experienced at this point, I could share my system for making it work, and making it worth it.

Here are some of my must haves:
a mini van...
with a DVD player
ok ok... that's true, but ALSO:
iPod and headphones for me so I don't have to listen to Disney shows for 12 hours
Crystal light energy packets with water bottles so I can stay alert
lots and lots of salty snacks and treats - this also keeps me from getting too sleepy
a small cooler kept within reach for cold drinks
a new playlist to enjoy if/when ALL the kids are asleep at the same time, preferably one with a funny name.  We have some titled "Oregon or Bust", "Road to Hell" etc.  I'll probably name my next one "Don't kill the kids".

For the kids:
every movie we own
a backpack for each kid, kept at their feet
in their backpacks are small toys, snacks, juice boxes, coloring books, stickers, markers, crayons
a few treats like suckers, for desperate moments
our newest addition to the kids aresenal... the Wii, hooked into the car.  Genius!
each kid also has one blanket, wears comfy clothes and slip on shoes
for Rowen I keep her snacks, books, toys and bottle stuff on the passenger seat by me

On average, our drives are around 11 hours.  I can drive to the Bay Area in about 10.5 and Tif's in Arizona in 11.5 and Summers in Oregon in about 12.  My goal for each of these drives is to only stop twice.  We eat breakfast at home, top off the gas tank and hit the road.  We re-fuel and take a potty break about 4 hours in, then a few hours later stop again for a meal and more gas and another restroom break.  Then we don't usually stop until we arrive.  It works well for us.  I have split up all of these drives before.  We have slept in Truckee going to Summer's, Page going to Tif's, and Reno going to mom and dad's, and in my opinion it is NOT easier to split up the drive.  I feel like it drags in out and is so hard to get the kids back into the car on day 2.  I'd rather just get there and not have to think about long car rides until the trip is over in a week or so.

So that's all there is to it.  Keep wipes at hand too... and sanitizer for after using gas station bathrooms.  Eww.  And a phone charger.  Ok, I think that really is it.  As far as making it worth it... I would say that your trip needs to be long enough to justify the long car ride.  A week at least is what I need.  Often longer.  Going home is always harder than heading out.

It's a good thing I'm getting so good at this.  I took the kids to Concord for 2 weeks already, Gilbert for 1, and we are driving to Carlsbad in June, then back up to Concord, then Medford, then Tahoe, then home from Tahoe.  It would be a true statement to say that I put probably twice the miles on my car that you put on yours.  My minivan has been like a tiny apartment for us lately, and will be until our new home is done in July!  Hallelujah!

Mother's Day 2013

We were going to be in Kauai over the real Mother's Day, so the sunday prior we celebrated as a family, and I was properly spoiled.  We went to a 9am ward so we could head down to AF canyon for the afternoon and evening.  Being my daughter, Rowen slept through church... naturally.  (PERK to living with John's family, we could leave her in bed!)  The kids gave me cute cards and a bouquet each as well as 3 candy bars.  What can I say, they know the way to my heart.

We headed down to the canyon and hiked for a bit.  It was our first time taking Koda, and the first time that Rowen could participate in our favorite family activity!  They both loved every minute, Koda is like a true mountain dog and was in heaven. Rowen wished she could keep up with the boys and Koda's hiking and would yell at me to take her higher up the mountain.  She thought throwing rocks, playing in dirt and eating sticky smores was the best thing that ever happened to her.

It was probably my favorite Mother's Day yet.  I'm sure lucky.

 

 

Puppy Love

On Sunday, a new member joined our family.  Koda was the last of Gary and Michelle's puppies from their dog Maggie.  Koda was adorable, and we decided to keep her.  We have been talking about getting another dog for a while now.  Last summer John wanted a yellow lab, a few months ago after the Bitton's got a yorkie, we looked into smaller dogs.  We have considered bull dogs, huskies, cocker spaniels, and yorkies.  Every time we would find something, the timing wouldn't feel right, or we just wouldn't agree.  And then Koda came along.  So ya, we don't have a yard, or a freaking house for that matter... but she was here now, and cute as can be, and FREE!  Sold!

The funny thing was how the second we told the kids that she was our dog, they were so obsessed!  They hadn't paid that much attention to her all day, but they have been inseparable since. Rowen has a serious thing for puppies right now, so of course she is obsessed.  When she wakes up now the first thing she says with her sleepy eyes is "puppy?" to ask where she is.  We named her Koda because she looks like a bear and Koda is a bear name from that ridiculous Disney movie Brother Bear.  She is half Bernese Mountain dog, so she is really big, and will get to be huge, but she will be an outdoor dog.  She has a really, calm laid back temperament, which was the thing that made me fall in love with her.

So welcome to the family Koda.  We hope you learn to like us.  I'll probably get really annoyed with you and your fur when you get huge and less puppy-ish... Rowen will probably keep trying to ride you and pick you up by your tail... but we hope you like us anyway.

Back at it, but first...

You guys, isn't my new blog so pretty?!  I have to give my friend and designer Jenn a shout out before I dive in to the millions of posts I have stored in my brain.  She came up with this and installed it and dealt with my annoying blog illiterate questions.  She's super talented and in more ways that one!  So if you need a new blog design, a killer ombre hair color, or a personal stylist... she is more than qualified to be your girl! Talk about being multi talented! So check her out at www.wondermintdesign.com

I'm not sure I still know how to do this...

Why did blogging go out of style? And why did having a third child feel like 

I may as well have fallen off the face of the earth? Basically, I'm hoping this lasts... But I'm feeling a renewed energy for blogging. I miss it. I miss having this outlet. I love instagram, but it's not the same. I think my motivations will be different this time around, and I may decide to be private (still unsure) but for now... I'm jumping back on this train. Join me! Let's bring blogging back in 2013!

Ps. If you follow me on Instagram, the pictures here will most likely be redundant. As much as I wish I could/would... I just don't pull out my big camera hardly ever. So iPhone photos are all I really have. My blog will just have a lot more words... So it's ok if you think it's boring and choose not to read it.... Let's still be friends in real life though. I won't take it personally.