Epic Summer Journey

I am very much a follow your heart, let intuition lead you, and go with the flow kind of gal.  If it was up to me there would be no clocks.  I hate lists and I despise schedules.  Impulsive... I LOVE being impulsive. 
(Sorry to my Aspie readers, but that is just who I am.)
So, when my family and I made the decision to make a major road trip, driving from Oregon, to Texas, then to Lego Land, and back home a huge part of me wanted to just wing it. 

For weeks my dear husband asked me if I had a list, of course I did...it was dancing in my head right now and I was pretty sure everything was on it or about to be on it soon.  Next thing I knew my daughter had gleefully made a complete list of what she needed to pack (three weeks before the trip.) and was walking around her room checking things off and looking very satisfied. 
Since I am also the kind of gal who loses things VERY easily I decided that if I must make a list it would be a google spreadsheet.  I made the list, my husband was now calm and happy.  But I knew that the list wasn't enough.  So much more planning needed to happen to make sure my family flourished on our epic journey. 

Somehow I landed in a family of list makers and schedule lovers.  Maybe it was God's little way of pushing me to get my act together.  Whatever the case, I got my act so together for this trip that I even got the complement "you are such an amazing planner."  I just laughed and laughed, but it was true. I kinda kicked butt on planning the trip. 
Thanks to my son's OT I got lots of tips on figit things to provide.  Thanks to pinterest and www.momsminivan.com I got amazing games for the kids.  I made folders for each of them with bingo cards, scavenger hunts, a map coloring book, comic books, and even a homemade eye spy game.   I planned to reveal prizes (OT figit suggestions) every couple hundred miles.
I made long pillows full of rice that looked like caterpillars so the kids could have some deep pressure.  I hung a shoe storage bag on the back of each front seat so the kids could easlily reach all there stuff and keep it...ORGANIZED! 
I booked hotels in advance with swimming pools, and I talked them through what the trip would be like in advance. 
All of this went against my instict, but it was all done with love and the amazing thing that happened...
the trip went wonderful.  They were happy, excited, rarely bored, and enjoyed the trip.  I enjoyed the trip, my husband enjoyed the trip.  Our family drove over 5,000 miles and we still love each other, not only that but we had fun together. 
Now, a little honesty here.  We did allow digital games after 1pm each day, and we did listen to a TON of Radio Lab. 

More on the trip soon...