We are about to load up the car and head up to the Twin Cities to visit my cousin and her kids. Our kids are close in age, and it should be fun watching them play together. We just have to get through the drive first.

It’s a four hour drive to the Twin Cities. Audrey will be fine, she has been going on girls weekends since she was one. I’m worried about Elliot though. This is twice as long as he has ever been in the car. He is used to the two-hour drive to my parents, and he often cries about an hour and forty-five minutes in.

We don’t have a DVD player in the car and the kids don’t have iPads (not because I’m against screen time, but because they are expensive so I haven’t bought them….yet). I’m doing a few things to make the drive as smooth as possible.

1. I’m packing snacks. Snacks usually keep the kids quiet for 20 minutes. I’m bringing teddy grahams, cheez its, raisins, and pouches. Those are all snacks that don’t make a big mess. I live in a fantasy world where I don’t think my back seat is littered with popcorn and M&Ms from trips past.
2. I’m packing quiet books. I’m very lucky to have a sister who sews. She has made two quiet books for Audrey, and I’ll be depending on those to keep kids happy for part of the drive. I’ve also thrown in some crayons and paper for on the drive coloring.
3. I’m having each kid pack a back pack with books and toys they want to play with on the drive.
4. I’m bringing their blankets and favorite stuffed animals to help them sleep in the car.
5. I’m bringing my Aunt Kathy with me. She is so great. I love talking to her, the kids love her, and it’s going to make stopping for snacks and potty breaks so much easier.

I hope the drive goes well. I also hope the kids sleep on the drive. You can bet I’ll be counting stuffed animals before and after each stop. I’m not going through the stress of a lost Minnie again.