(written in chronological order)
· DON'T STAY UP UNTIL 4 A.M. MAKING TRAVEL GAMES FOR YOUR KIDS WHEN YOUR HUSBAND IS BORROWING A TWO-SCREEN DVD PLAYER FOR WATCHING MOVIES.
· MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR OWN ROAD ATLAS BEFORE YOU LEAVE.
· BEING A PASSENGER WHILE DRIVING IN FOG MAKES ME CARSICK.
· HOT CHOCOLATE & A GLAZED DONUT DON'T TASTE THAT BAD COMING UP (SEE ABOVE).
· JUST BECAUSE YOU SEE THE PERSON IN THE OTHER LANE DOESN'T MEAN THEY SEE YOU.
· NOT ALL GAS STATIONS OFF OF AN INTERSTATE ARE CREATED EQUAL.
· BRING THE COMPLETE FIRST AID KIT, IF YOU BRING IT, YOU WON'T NEED IT. IF YOU DON'T BRING IT, YOU'LL END UP BUYING MEDICAL SUPPLIES WHEN SOMEONE ENDS UP BLEEDING.
· DON'T BOTHER TAKING YOUR FAMILY TO A NEW RESTAURANT BECAUSE EVERYONE (INCLUDING YOUR HUSBAND) WILL ORDER THE EXACT SAME THINGS THEY WOULD AT MCDONALD'S.
· CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE IS WORTH STOPPING THE CAR FOR.
· DON'T LET YOUR HUSBAND HELP PACK THE KIDS' CLOTHES. EVEN IF YOU GIVE THEM A LIST AND HE JUST HAS TO CHECK THINGS OFF, STILL CHECK YOURSELF, NO MATTER HOW STRESSED OUT YOU ARE.
· YARD WORK IS OPTIONAL IN KANSAS – AT LEAST THE PART WE SAW.
· COFFEYVILLE, KS IS PART GHOST TOWN, LITERALLY. OH, AND AMAZON.COM IS THERE, TOO.
· OOLOGAH AND TALALA ARE REAL PLACES (NOT IN KS).
· BRING ALL YOUR VITAMINS, PRESCRIPTIONS, SUPPLEMENTS, ETC., WITH YOU – EVEN THE ONES YOU THINK YOU WON'T NEED. BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE ONES YOU DEFINITELY WILL NEED.
· DON'T PLAN ON ACTUALLY SLEEPING ON A TRIP WITH THE KIDS.
· YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH CHOCOLATE WHEN YOUR SANITY IS AT STAKE.
· MAKE SURE YOU REALLY KNOW WHERE YOU ARE TRYING TO END UP BEFORE YOU PLAN YOUR ROUTE, ALTHOUGH THE SCENIC ROUTE IS KIND OF FUN.
· SODA POP MAKES KIDS CRAZY.
· IT SNOWS IN TULSA. AND PEOPLE FREAK OUT.
· SEEING 7 KIDS & 2 SHOPPING CARTS IS APPARENTLY A STRANGE PHENOMENON. BE PREPARED FOR QUESTIONS.
· TURNPIKES ARE FASTER, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE CHANGE TO USE THEM!
· SANTA HATS AT CHURCH ARE COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE.
· A LATE NIGHT SONIC RUN ON CHRISTMAS EVE MIGHT MEAN YOU HAVE TO DRIVE TO MORE THAN ONE BEFORE YOU FIND ONE THAT'S OPEN. AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK HOW MUCH MONEY YOU BROUGHT BEFORE YOU ORDER.
· DON'T LEAVE YOUR VALUABLES IN YOUR VEHICLE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
· ALWAYS CHECK YOUR KIDS' POCKETS BEFORE THROWING ANYTHING IN SOMEONE ELSE'S WASHING MACHINE. EVEN THOUGH YOU NEVER LET THEM HAVE GUM, THAT WILL BE THE TIME THEY HAVE SOME.
· BANGING ON THE PATIO DOOR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO SCARE THE PEOPLE INSIDE IS NOT FUNNY. EVER.
· CROCS MAY NOT BE PRETTY, BUT THEY SURE ARE COMFORTABLE!
· CHILDHOOD MEMORIES GET FUNNIER WITH EACH TELLING.
· I LOVE PAINTING CERAMIC STUFF! (ALTHOUGH I PLANNED OUT THE ENTIRE DESIGN FOR MY COFFEE MUG AND THEN GOT THERE AND THEY WERE OUT OF MUGS, I STILL AM HOOKED!)
· NEW WIPER BLADES ARE AWESOME. ESPECIALLY AFTER TWO YEARS WITH ONES THAT DON'T WORK.
· FINDING A HOTEL ON THE FLY MAY NOT WORK FOR THE ANAL RETENTIVE PLANNERS, BUT IT MIGHT BE LESS WORK.
· CHECK THE WEATHER FORECAST FOR YOUR DESTINATION SO YOU DON'T WAKE UP SURPRISED. (IT'S PROBABLY A GIVEN THAT IT WILL SNOW IN IOWA DURING THE WINTER.)
· IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO PLAN TRAVEL AROUND PMS.
