Ten on Tuesday - 10 Ways to Have Fun on Long Car Rides

Can you see them? Peeking out from the shadows.



How about now?



Stinkerbelle got braces yesterday! She was so excited to get started and, of course, to pick out the band colors. This time she went with purple and black for Halloween.

My husband was the one who made the appointment so I asked him on Sunday night what time our Monday morning appointment was. Eleven was the answer so you can imaging my surprise when I was awakened by a call early Monday morning telling me that he made a mistake and the appointment was actually at NINE! It was 8:50 AM so I threw on the nearest clothes and ran out of the house without my knitting or a book to read. Almost three hours later Stinkette had the first of her braces installed.

Now, as I prepare to go away for a long weekend I hope that I prepare better for this trip than I did yesterday. What better time to discuss 10 Ways to Have Fun on a Long Car Trip?

1. Listen to good stuff on the radio - Music is good but I prefer podcasts from my iPod or talk shows because I can easily get lost in them. It's nice to have something to disctract you from the traffic.
2. Knit - not this weekend because I'll be driving, but usually I can get a lot done.
3. Stop at a scenic overlook - it's a great excuse to stretch out. I especially like to stop in the mountains or the shore.
4. Bring snacks - Notice I didn't say eat snacks. I often grab a small bag of M&M's or something like that but I get caught up in saving it for later and get to my destination before I eat it. I like to think of eating it though.
5. Read a good book - I know that not everone can read in the car but I'm thankful that I can. I read when I commute too.
6. Talk to the people you're with
7. Look for funny/interesting license plates - I love to try to decipher the really cryptic ones.
8. Watch videos - it's actually my girls who are watching but it makes the trip more fun for all of us because this fuss less over the duration of the trip when they're entertained.
9. Bring surprises - sometimes the aforementioned videos are surprises. If we're going on a long trip then I usually gather magazines, books, and other fun stuff to surprise my girls with. On a nine hour drive it makes a big difference.
10. Watch the scenery go by - not so much when I'm driving of course.