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.

Press Pause

Boston at 4.5
Your favorite color is green.  I automatically give you the green cup and plate and bowl at every meal.  You prefer milk over water, but your favorite is orange juice.  You love loft house cookies, fruit snacks, mac and cheese, and "white" vanilla activia yogurt.  You love ranch with almost anything, especially chicken nuggest "the ones in the freezer".  You love the show Wild Kratts (you used to call it Wild Craps).  You want me to scratch your back every night for you to fall asleep.  You hide from daddy when he comes home, you think it's a fun game.  You tell me playing inside is boring, and you only ever want to play outdoors and with all your friends.  You are mostly a big boy, independent, smart, funny... but the other night while I laid with you while you slept, I caught some glimpses of your baby-ness.  You still played with the hem on your short sleeved pajama shirt, and you make a sucking sound and motion when you fall asleep and close to when you wake up.  You call your dreams "sleep stories" and sometimes if I'm with you right when you wake up, you tell them to me, and you think they are real memories of things that really happened.  You mark time by how many "sleeps" or how many mornings until something happens.  You like to negotiate and make deals.  You are getting good at it.  When you tell me something you want or need and I say "yes" you sometimes say "is that a good idea, mom" or "that's a deal".  You love Rowen.  You love to carry her when I let you, and you are so helpful with her.  She loves you a lot too.  You eat a lot of breakfast, but hardly any lunch.  You never get your own soda, unless I get you a happy meal, but you love to  have sips of mine or daddy's, but especially dads mountain dew.   You call Naomi, "Maomi".  You want everyone around you to be happy.  You never exclude friends, you never bully, you are a sweet and gentle boy.  You always make me differentiate between grandma's and grandpa's.  There is a "california grandma" and a "no-ped grandma".  You told daddy that you don't want to live in Utah, but you want to live on an island with pirates and treasure.

Naomi at 3.5
You are all girl.  Tough as they come, but girly all the way.  You love princesses and pink and purple.  Tangled and Gnomeo and Juliet and Princess and the Frog are your favorites.  You are smart as a whip.  You memorize songs and movie lines, it never ceases to amaze me.  You are a firecracker.  Sweet one minute and sassy the next.  When you get in a mood, you say "NO!" in your sassiest voice as a response to anything anyone says to you.  Anything.  You are snuggly and still love to be babied.  You fall down a lot, are a little clumsy, but usually just pop back up with no tears or drama.  The other extreme is that you can be the most dramatic girl I know.  You love Rowen.  You are so good and gentle with her.  You are always so concerned about what she is doing, if she is crying, hungry or if she is awake.  You love to take care of your babies with me and do with them what I do with Rowen.  You love to talk about "when I was a baby" and even things like "when I was a mommy".  You are a talker.  Always talking talking talking.  In the car, to yourself, to me, to anyone who will listen and even those who won't.  You love for me to do your nails.  You ask to take your gummies first thing every morning.  You hardly ever eat any breakfast, but devour lunch and would probably eat 3 lunches if I let you.  You are the.messiest.eater. of all time.  Hands down.  Sometimes you get lazy and want to be spoon fed.  You give great compliments and love to tell me that I'm smart and pretty.  You like to dress yourself and almost always put your underwear on backwards.  You say a few things in your own way that I love.  You say "bix" instead of fix.   You hate to have your teeth brushed.  You are freakishly strong and solid muscle.  Your tiny body is so tight and toned.

Rowen at 9 months
You are the smiliest baby I know.  You are so social and stare people down until they make eye contact and smile at you.  You are crawling fast and climbing up to stand at everything.  Even though you are so mobile, you still love to be held.  You love daddy.  One night when you were sick and I brought you to our bed, it was pitch black but you heard daddy'
s voice in front of you and you just leaned your head forward until your forehead was leaning against his face, and you left it there.  You dive for me if someone else is holding you.  You get a little nervous if I walk away while a stranger is holding you.  You turn on your mobile in your crib when you wake up.  You put one of your pointer fingers in your mouth when you are being cute and a little shy.  You like to nurse on all fours.  It's the funniest thing I have ever seen a baby do.  You moan and grunt and thrust your body when you want me to feed you.  You love cheerios and any food we will give you.  You are ticklish and sometimes laugh when I take off your diaper.  You are impossible to change because you roll around like crazy.  You are so chubby and huge, people can't figure out where you came from.  You are a good sleeper, sleeping through the night and sleeping in pretty late in the morning (like 9am).  You love to roam around the toy room and find whatever you can get your hands on.  You love Boston and Naomi, and get so excited when you hear their voices.  You have no teeth yet, and no real signs of them coming soon.  You rarely snuggle now, unless you are very very tired.  When I can get you to snuggle with me, I swear I would hold you forever.  I'm obsessed with you.  I can't get enough of your smell, your chubby body, your gummy smile, your luscious lips, your pudgey hands.  I just adore every bit of you, even when you are naughty and a pill at church.  I could just keep you 9 months forever.  

Making the most of a dry winter

We have literally had the lamest winter season!  There was probably 3 snow storms when the snow actually stuck to the ground.  The kids would BEG to play in the snow and build snow men and go sledding.  Our neighbors got them these sleds at their birthday party, so one day, when John was off and there were some remnants of one of our sissy snow storms, we went searching for a sledding hill.  They had a blast, and it was a great reminder to me and John that it really doesn't take much to please these two.  This was the smallest hill ever at a random church in Cedar Hills, and they thought they were the bravest!  John and I rode down with them a few times, and they looked at us like heros.  Meanwhile, Row slept soundly in the car like the good little babe she is.