The Good:
-beautiful scenery (Mt. Shasta is amazing, even when taken through the car window at 70mph- and no, I was not driving.)
-car naps
-lots of laughing and talking with one another
The Not-So-Good: -over 9 hours in the car, that was even too long for the grown-ups to take
-I burned several audio books to bring along, including Harry Potter, waited to burn them the night before, was unable to check the discs before we left- disc 2 didn't work but we were able to fill in plot points for Ben-note to self, take time to burn any cd's and double check them first
-Emma became carsick and missed the bag (but her aim was great on herself, her car seat, and the carpet)- very fitting that Ben is reading a book in the photo above entitled "Oh Gross" with a chapter dedicated to vomit...
The Top Tips: -pack picnic food for stops on the road (we always include a roll of paper towels, paper plates, and a cloth tablecloth, and a few special treats that the kid's don't always get to eat)
-both Ben and Emma had their own back-packs with art supplies, books, and a few surprises too (my parents often wrapped a small toy or book for my brother and myself to open each day on long car trips-they came by before our trip with a bag for both the kids.)
- I wish I didn't know this one but Handi-Wipes (or any anti-bacterial hand wipe) are really great for cleaning up vomit until you can get to the store to get some carpet cleaner. I did travel with large ziplock bags that were great for sealing in her dirty clothes but I will make sure to pack a large plastic bowl and some carpet cleaner in the future.
All in all a great first day and we made it to our destination- the home of cousin Jan and cousin Dorothea in Oakland, ate some amazing Chinese take-out, had a well deserved and much needed adult beverage, and lots of fun chatting, catching up, and not sitting in the car!
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