So this weekend is the drive from Austin to Boston. Three days. Two thousand miles. Are you jealous yet?
Bart will be driving the whole way, since I am not old enough to drive a moving van (and I’m obviously very very sad about that . . . ).
We’ve got four or five books on CD to listen to on Bart’s laptop (Maximum Ride (Book 1 and 2),The Hunger Games, and Enna Burning, so far), which should be a nice past time.
BUT! I am one of those people who has a hard time just sitting still listening to something. I need something to do with my hands while we drive and listen, with state after state flying by.
Any good suggestions?
Katie says
knitting or crocheting. (crocheting is actually pretty easy to learn if you don't know how) You could make a scarf because it's going to get pretty chilly in Boston 🙂
Lexilooo says
you should find some of those funny travel bingo games, where you slide the little screen thingie over the picture when you see it! they are silly, but so much fun!
Science Teacher Mommy says
suduko?
janet says
Games! My personal fave is the baby name game (pick a fave boys and girls name for every letter of the alphabet – nerdy I know), crossword puzzles, listening to musicals (and singing along), any kind of car/bingo/i spy/ type of game? Happy driving!!
megan says
Learning to crochet is a good idea. You love scarves. A quick trip to the craft store for some yarn, tools, and a book. . .
Or you could get a book of madlibs. Bart and I used to think those were way funny. Granted, we are 20 years older now, but still.
Mad Hadder says
I'm knitting Christmas stockings on our upcoming roadtrip to Minneapolis. Here's a good game–pick a holiday and going backwards describe what you did each year. Also you can do a "Pick the Best of Austin" and write them down for posterity. Sock puppet shows out the window for passers-by! Oh, I'm also going to be planning out my upcoming school year. You've probably done that already. Have you planned your first trip to Freeport yet?????
Kimberly F. says
I have no good suggestions, I'm just amazed that you're really not old enough! I rented a U-Haul for a day and they didn't have a problem, and if I recall correctly I'm a few months younger than you! What would have happened if you and Bart were the same age?!
Sherry says
You already know how to crochet, so you don't need to learn how. I say crochet! Also if you have an clothes that need mending that you have been avoiding – buttons, hems, whatever. That is a good option too.
Janelle says
I was also thinking crochet. You could make baby blankets to donate. It's totally easy and mindless so you can still pay attention to the story.
Jess says
Good luck with the move! We actually had a fun time driving across the country for our move. But we shared the driving.
I second the knitting suggestion. Fun and mindless.
heidikins says
rubics cube? M&M's?
…definitely M&M's.
xox
Rachel says
We just drove 13 hours to California and 13 hours back this weekend. I had laminated billions of letters and things for my classroom and spent a couple hours cutting them out. Unfortunately, that didn't take long enough! I think I'll learn to crochet for our next drive. Good luck!
Elizabeth says
I sewed together quilt squares on a really long car ride one year – you can probably find some precut ones at your local fabric store.
When we moved from Nebraska to Redding I took my camera with me and took TONS of pictures, and that was fun.
Did my book that I sent make it to your PO box in time?
Jenny says
Hand-to-mouth-to-bag-to-mouth. We like roasted almonds, baby carrots and cut up petite celery stix on long trips, because they're a little more healthy, but we also pack licorice, skittles and m&m's… variety is the spice of a long drive! Happy Trails to you both~ We also like the lisence plate game and making up bios on the truck drivers we pass.
Saskia says
I second the knitting and the quilt idea. I think it would be cool to have something tangible to represent your move (but then, I'm terribly sentimental). Plus, they'd allow you to still listen to the book, or Bart, whatever is more important..
artemisia says
I am with you. I need something TO DO. I immediately thought learning to crochet would be a good idea. It is not too difficult to learn and you get immediate gratification small projects.
I also do a bunch of crosswords, word fill-ins when I can muster the brain power for crosswords, and sudoku.
Safe travels on your new adventure!
meleah says
I have been on many a road trips 🙂
This last one, I spent $1.25 on a suduko book and it was the best money I could have spent. I have tried bringing projects but I feel like they just take up extra space around my feet and I never really put that much time into them. What ever you choose I would choose something small and easy to put down quickly.
Ralphie says
Coloring! I'm shocked no one has suggested coloring.
It's very therapeutic.
Becca says
Go to an old lady store, I mean, needlepoint store or something, and get a cross stitch. I did one in Argentina and it got addicting. You can do the temple you were married in, or a fun design, or your last name (ha! I almost wrote it! and you just talked about this, what, yesterday?!), or whatever. It's fun not only to keep your hands busy, but to make you appreciate an entirely different generation. I love that.
Kimberly says
Ditto crochet. I think it's soothing to create something with my hands.
Bean says
Coloring! Like when you were little with coloring books and crayons and markers. It's fun! 🙂
Douglas Carl says
Sing 100 bottles of beer on the wall several thousand times, or, you could start with 1 Million bottles of beer on the wall.
I like the idea of a large book of crossword puzzles and other puzzles
You could bring a hymn book and sing every song to Bart acapella many many times.
How about memorizing the whole New Testament?
Erin says
One of our favorite car games is to pick something to memorize (last time it was the Family Proclamation) and have the person in shotgun read sentences aloud over and over. Then you try to recite by trading off every other word. Take it to the next level and start timing yourself and matching vocal inflections.
If you're looking for something more hands on, maybe you could memorize something in sign language.
Melanie says
Crocheting was the first thought that came to mind. What about crossword puzzles. I did one for the first time in a long time this week and now I'm totally addicted. Don't forget to bring a dictionary!
Jeanelle says
I'm not too crafty and like someone else said, all of that crafty stuff takes up space. I love games so I play games on my iPod or do sudoku. they also have those little electronic games like yahtzee or whatever. Although the bad thing is games mean you don't interact as much with Bart and then he gets sleepy or bored. The memorization thing is a great idea. You could also re-learn all of the scripture mastery or D&C 4 or something like that?? Have a lot of fun!
Jodi says
Oh wow, good luck on your trip! I usually end up driving so that I don't have to worry about having something to do with my hands. I doubt anyone would mind if you blogged in advance so we had some good stuff to read!
Miriam says
I was going to post yesterday and say sew quilt blocks or crochet – but thought it sounded too old fashioned! I'm excited to see how many other people have suggested it also – guess I'm not so out of the loop as I thought I was! Good luck – we enjoy car travels (or truck in your case)!
Suey says
I really liked the m&m suggestion! 🙂 And cross stitching, though for me that might make me car sick. Hey, you could get some crayons and a coloring book and color while you listen to the books! Fun.
Douglas Carl says
Forgot boondoggling!! Make all of your Christmas presents!!
RA says
Some friends of ours take stacks of Trivial Pursuit cards and just try to go through them for fun. Or, you could keep score, as we inevitably would.
There are a few books that have conversation-starting questions (like this one, although I can't vouch for it), and that might be fun for you and Bart. But I suppose you'd need to buy it, and maybe that wouldn't be worth it to you.
Does your 2,000 miles come anywhere near the Philadelphia area? Hmm? Hmm?
Packrat says
Look at and soak up the scenery! See how many different state license plates you see. Try naming the different plants. I seldom get bored riding in the car – well maybe between Winnemucca and Reno. 🙂