This idea is b.RILL.iant!
How Does She…make car trips fun, keep track of fun trip facts, and did I mention fun?
I was cruising through Craters of the Moon national park with my family when I stumbled upon the most fun creative idea, I had to take pictures so I could share it with you. This family went on a three week road trip (I know, three weeks!) and kept track of it all on their car!
My husband and I had fun reading all their stats and we weren’t even part of the family! It made me want to be a part of their adventure, or at least create one of my own.
I think this is my favorite part, the stats…
I could’ve used the wild animal sightings list while I was in Yellowstone – did I mention I saw a BEAR! My first ever, it was awesome. Also, check out my husband in the corner of this pic. It is his first (half) appearance on HowDoesShe. Shhh, don’t tell him.:)
I love the LOST (9) – I’m glad I am not the only one who gets lost.
“Are we there yet?” (54) – classic. Also, check out the map on the side that shows where they had been so far.
Here is the sweet family who graciously let me take their picture after hiking around all morning.
They even set up a trip blog called a Slice of America and blogged about their adventures along the way – what a great way to capture those memories and not forget the details, (or forget the trip all together by the time you get around to scrapbooking it in my case). I googled what to use to write on car windows and found that liquid white shoe polish works, or I am thinking Are we there yet? is such a classic. Our family trip quote would have to be, “I have to go to potty!” said with enough urgency that you would be plain CRAZY to wait until the next rest stop. We have become pros at hiding in the weeds…is that legal? Don’t turn me in if it’s not…I”ll deny it.
While we are on the subject, we are right? I have a fun little story for you. It’s late and I am rambling so feel free to skip this part. Anyway, when I was pregnant with my first baby, my husband and I were on our way to visit his parents, about a 4 hour drive. We both had to go to the bathroom at the same time and couldn’t seem to find an exit (before our illegal weed issues). We thought it would be funny, or something, to see who could make it to his parent’s house without going. Dumb. Yes. We had to stop for gas but we didn’t go. Did I mention I was 9 months pregnant? N.I.N.E months! One of the longest hours of my life and the minute we hit the house I was in the restroom. When I came out all I saw was my hubby laughing. Why was he laughing you ask? He went at the first rest stop when I wasn’t looking and pretended the rest of the way that he had to go, SO BAD. Ya. He did.
Good times on the road.
What is your classic family trip quote?
(We are participating in these linky parties…thanks!)
Kristi @ Creative Kristi says
Oh. my. gosh. I would’ve killed my hubby if he had done that!! But that road trip idea is brilliant! Way to share your fun with everyone who (isn’t driving!) reads it! 🙂 Thanks for sharing it with us! I came over from Somewhat Simple’s Strut Your Stuff Thursday!
Shelley says
I LOVE this post. I love this idea. and I LOVE that your hubby did that to you!! I almost peed my pants laughing. NO pun intended! 😉
Mary Kay Chicoine says
Hi, Missy! Love that you enjoyed our car stats. For those out there that would like to do the same: The map on the side of the car was done with a stencil I made and a car spray paint (more info on our site…SliceofAmericaTrip.com). The stats were done with a liquid marker for writing “For Sale” signs on cars. Both rubbed off when brushed, both stayed pretty good through rain, though the red best.
We all really enjoyed our 31 day trip and have lots of memories! How much did we enjoy it….my daughter is now getting ideas for our next trip 3-5 years from now!
.-= Mary Kay Chicoine´s last blog ..STAT Oregon- Cal Coast Day 29 31 =-.
Petula says
That’s oh so very cool! Thanks for sharing it. 🙂
.-= Petula´s last blog ..Cheap auto insurance in Ohio =-.
Dawn (KitchenTravels) says
1. Love, love, love the car idea! How fun for the kids, especially.
2. I can’t believe you held it that long in your 9th month. WOW. And my husband would totally do something just like yours did. Good thing I have a sense of humor!
.-= Dawn (KitchenTravels)´s last blog ..Berry Cobbler =-.
Mindy says
I can’t believe he did that…the little stink. That’s hilarious. Our trip quote would be, “show.” If ever the movies stop playing in the back seat my little guy will let you know right away!
Stacy says
That is one of the funniest stories I have ever heard! I am going to try that idea on my hubby…I love it!
Our road trip motto is “hold it”. If one of my kids tells us they have to go to the bathroom, all 7 of the rest of us chant “Hold it! Hold it!”. You certainly know how to do that :)!
Nan says
Question: Doesn’t the shoe polish leave a “stain” on the car paint? I had always heard that it did…all those wedding wishes forever plastered on the paint of the newlyweds cars? My kids and I have a trip coming up and I think we’ll use this idea…super cute…but staying on the windows for our trip!
Janis says
Thanks for posting this. I checked out their documented trip. Very cool. What is very UNCOOL is your husband letting you hold it all that way. He would be in BIG TROUBLE if it were me! LOL. First time checkout out your blog…looks great! 🙂
Janis
Val says
How cool!!! I want to see a car like this one the road… or have an excuse to use it myself.
Tif says
We just came back from a HUGE roadtrip! Our favorite quote? “If you fart again, I’ll cut off your hair!” I still need to blog about it. Another roadtrip we kept track of the roadkills – http://louisisanta.blogspot.com/2009/11/because-i-know-you-plan-on-me-providing.html
Amy @ Living Locurto says
What a fun way to remember it all. My husband is a smart @ss, so I’d be too scared of what he would write on our car to do this!! ha.
.-= Amy @ Living Locurto´s last blog ..I Heart Faces – Surprise Photo Challenge =-.
Lissa says
My hubby would SOOOOOOOO do that! In fact, we live 4 hours from my parents and since I am 7 months pregnant we are always trying to see how long I can go without having to pee. I love it. Thanks for sharing!
A classic quote for our trips is “How much longer?” just another variation of “Are we there yet?”
Ann Henley says
I love it! I am so going to steal that idea for our van… the VOMIT COMET! Someone always seems to get sick in it!
Amanda says
The fact that you were able to make it an hour without going to the bathroom 4 times, I am jealous. We need to do this on our Disneyland trip. With two toddlers and four adults, I am sure that it will be interesting:)
Maryanne @Scrappy Gifts says
This is awesome!
I would have killed my husband if he did that to me with the “peeing.” I don’t know how you made it! I think I would have been so sick!
.-= Maryanne @Scrappy Gifts´s last blog ..Looking for Guest Bloggers =-.
Jenn says
there’s no way I could have held it for that long when I was pregnant…no way!!! Love the car trip idea, too cute!
here from tidymom, happy weekend!
.-= Jenn´s last blog ..Pretty-ing up the Place =-.
Katie says
LOVE this! I want to go on a road trip just so I can do this now…hahaha!
Kadra says
when deciding on a place to eat my husband always said, “Well we could always have The Waffle House!” to which the kids would always groan….
Lenetta @ Nettacow says
Super cool – I linked to this on my weekly roundup (post is under my name). Thanks for sharing!
.-= Lenetta @ Nettacow´s last blog ..Link Roundup – Its a Boy! Edition =-.
Laura says
Great post! Great idea! Wish we had thought of it when we took our 4 children on an 8000+ mile cross-country trip a couple of years ago. We were gone for six weeks and hit 11 national parks/monuments. It was awesome. When we do our northeast trip I’ll have to try to convince the hubby to post stats on the van.
Natalie says
“Let’s have a little joke.”
Once when we were on the way home from a trip we stopped at a hotel in the middle. At 6:00 in the morning, our then 4 year old sat up in bed and said “Let’s have a little joke.” And promptly laid back down and slept for another hour and a half. So now we often say “Let’s have a little joke” while on our trips as a way to pass the time.
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..Dont Wake the Baby!!! =-.
Tori says
When I was a Girl Scout leader asst., we raised money to fund a trip to Dollywood with our girls (think massive cookie sales). When we were getting ready to leave, we joked about writing on the van windows “Dollywood or Bust!” Come on…you know you’re laughing! We didn’t do it.
Shelley says
Ha. LOVE IT! 🙂
Stephanie says
You should have done it! Everyone passing by your vehicle would’ve gotten a belly laugh for the day!
Mindy says
“Illegal weed issues” sounds so wrong!
Missy says
ha ha. yes, it does! how funny.
laura says
fantastic idea, just don’t use the shoe polish (and possible window marker) on the paint of your car. it can bleach it. eek. although, your stats would be memorialized…hmmmm?
Deemarie says
Thanks for sharing this family fun idea and website. My little Princess and I enjoy reading the van messages:)