Preparations

Posts are few here lately since I've been preparing for a long trip to visit all the family as soon as school is done. After figuring out that we couldn't afford to buy a small trailer to use for all traveling from here on out, we looked and researched and googled and finally decided to get one of these:

It's called a hitch rack and it goes on the back of the jeep. We also bought a bag made to go in the rack, but I'm about to go to Walmart to see if there are rubbermaid tubs that might work better. We have a lot of stuff we have to fit somehow!

And for good measure, we also bought a rooftop bag. When all 6 of us are in the Jeep there's not room for much else. (Although at Christmas we fit the 6 of us, all our luggage, and gifts we were giving in there. It was not a pleasant ride! We're hoping not to repeat that!)

Each of the older three have their own cd players so I've been busily working on making copies of tons of audio books and music cd's from the library.

I making copies so I don't have to worry about keeping up with the library originals - we've lost an audio book on vacation before and had to pay to replace it. Not cheap!!!

I read an idea about using cookie sheets as lap desks since they have the edges to keep crayons from rolling off and they are also magnetic. I think that's smart!

I'm also going to have some games ready. Any suggestions? We have two days of driving on the first leg and then a 10 hour drive a few weeks later and then another 10 hour trip to come home. Are we nuts? John assures me that families all across America do this every summer. Maybe we're all nuts....