Do you want your kids to stop driving you mad?

Me too. Unfortunately, I haven’t figured out the solution to that. What I have figured out is how to keep mom from opening the car door on the highway while on a 12-hour road trip. I’d say that’s a win!
.
Last week we went to one of our favorite places to visit. New Mexico! We usually visit the Santa Fe area, and made sure to pass through on our way to our final destination.  We stayed in an amazing cabin in the Jemez Mountains, about 2 hours northwest of Santa Fe, isolated from most people and spotty cell service. If you’re ever in the area, or looking for a really neat Airbnb, check out The Freelove Cabin in Jemez Springs, NM (linked HERE).  You won’t regret it!  We broke the road trip up over two days and stayed in a small, unknown town in West Texas.  We spent the week hiking, playing in the freshly fallen snow right outside our door, bathing in hot springs, eating New Mexican food (hello red and green chile!), and visiting historic sites and national monuments.  Check out some of our vacation pics.  We found a local photographer Counterpart Creative, to come take some pictures of us in our element.  It was SOOOOOOOO cold during our shoot, but I think the pictures came out great!
 
Then, keep reading to find out my tricks to staying sane during a loooooong car ride with small children.

I knew the 12-hour road trip with 3 littles would be a battle. So, here are my tips for staying sane with small kids cooped up in the car:
☝️ Snacks. Enough said. Make sure you stock enough easy to grab snacks that don’t make too much of a mess, easy to open, and don’t spill.
✌🏼Sticker books and no mess markers and color books.
🤟🏽Order seat organizers for each kids’ seat to hold trash, toys, tablets, colors, paper, etc. Also snag a couple of bins that will fit in between aisles or on the floorboard to collect toys and the random stuff that appears in the car.
🖖🏾 Clean and organize the car BEFORE you leave. And then do a good sweep every time you stop for gas or food.
🖐🏿 When things get really crazy, pull out those freshly charged tablets, pre downloaded with all their fav shows and movies. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride. 😂
.
Of course, we still had our moments where someone had a meltdown along the way, but overall, I’d say it was one of our least chaotic road trips!
.

What are some tips you have for staying sane during long road trips?