Traveling is a big part of our lives.  We live 400 miles away from ‘home’, and seeing the cousins and grandparents regularly is a must.  My husband’s job requires frequent travel.   We also love to vacation and take weekend jaunts.

My husband’s and my worlds tend to collide when we travel as a family.   My husband is the polished, suited executive who can pack in less than five minutes, make it through security with Ziploc of perfectly sized toiletries, board a plane with laptop and Starbucks in each hand, and deplane wrinkle free.   I, however, am the frazzled mom of three who has a purse, camera bag, three backpacks, and twelve electronic devices for entertainment.  I will have one child running shoeless after airport security, one that needs to use the bathroom NOW, and one on alert to look for ‘Mountain Dew’ signs because I had to give security my just-opened and much needed daily dose of caffeine.

We drive much more often than we fly, and I am somewhat more accomplished in traveling by car.  I can identify every clean bathroom in Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma.   My departure times perfectly avoid rush hour in the cities.  I pack plenty of  goodies and games for travel.  Packing for myself is often a toss up though:  I tend to forget shoes or socks, and usually  have to go shopping  to make it through the trip.   Again, my husband is packed in less than five minutes.  A less stressed traveler, he does not find it necessary to pack matchy hair bows for Miss J’s outfits, or care if E-Man’s suitcase if full of Mario Brothers t-shirts and sweat pants.  He can load the car without an avalanche upon opening, a feat I have yet to master.

Our children’s favorite part of traveling is the hotel room.  There is so much joy to be found in unwrapping glassware and jumping on a strange bed.

Somehow,  all five of have returned from every travel adventure, which is total success in my book.  Right?