Notes for a road trip with preschooler and toddler

My 4-year-old told me the other day that he would love to spend two days driving to Texas. Even when I told him he wouldn't be able to ride his bike or run around, he insisted he'd love it.
Nonetheless, the longest road trip I'm planning on before they're ... well, ever ... is the 3-hour trip to the cabin. In preparation for summer, I created a Google doc with a list of supplies, over half of which is dedicated to the drive.

Then I arranged to send the kids on the first trip of the season (the one during holiday weekend rush hour) without me. I am sure, however, that my precision packing will make for a lovely ride for Daddy and Papa. Here is an excerpt from my emailed instructions:

Important nighttime things are in open zippered pouch of grey suitcase. Except for toothbrushes, which are in front closed zippered pouch. There are DVDs and headphones in side armrest, if either of you has a laptop w/ DVD player. There is an iPod, charged, in front cupholder. Songs under "Music for Books" can be played along with the four books in the seat next to Z. Other books also next to carseat. Also, auto Bingo sheets in one of the books next to Z.
Each kid has a backpack of things to do in their seats. There are two filled water bottles next to W. There is a bucket of animal crackers next to the driver.
I'm sure W will explain the seating arrangements, but the current configuration has Papa next to W and behind Z, and Eric driving.

There is sunscreen in one of the front pouches. There are helmets loose in the trunk, and I'll put W's bike in there too. And Z's pack-n-play + monitor.

Any questions, call me :)
Have fun!

"I just need a little exercise"

That's why my 4-year-old told me he wanted to go to the Y the other day. (It happened to be a day off from preschool, and let me tell you, I was pretty ecstatic to hear that. He didn't know what sort of bribery I was prepared to give in to to lure him there myself.)

The Twin Cities Kids "Marathon" (my quotes...it's a long-held runner's gripe that people misuse the word to mean things besides a 26.2-mile run) tomorrow is hoping more kids make similar demands of their parents:

"Medtronic TC Kids Marathon operates under a simple premise: the sooner we can instill healthy lifestyles in our kids, the better health they will have later in life. A major contributor to a healthy lifestyle is getting regular exercise."

Plus, there will be T-shirts and snacks (hopefully something less contradictory than the suckers and cookies they had at our last kids' cross-country event).

Hope to see you there.

The Sprout

At first, it didn't occur to me that my son, wearing pink footie pajamas, a pinwheel-green helmet, and riding a green bike, might look unusual riding down Ford Parkway. When it did, I took a picture (with my phone! and uploaded and downloaded it to the internets myself!!):

Working out more = blogging about it less

The current state of our house (somewhere between disheveled and disgusting) is also testament to working out more. I naively thought that since the kids now spend about 90% of waking time outside, the house would no longer require what's it called...housework. Instead, it seems that the house AND yard AND porch require an equal amount of attention. And since on a good day, I only have patience for about 30 minutes of it, I probably should be looking forward to fall.
I'm not, of course.
The upside is that I finished third in my (new..ahem) age group at Get in Gear last week. Next up: The TCM's mile in downtown Minneapolis next Thursday.

In the meantime, if you're looking for an excuse for a bike ride this weekend, the annual May Day Parade is Sunday at 1 p.m. It's my favorite thing in Minneapolis, and this year, my son and I are donning pinwheel-green helmets and crowns to take part in it. He gets to bling out his bike in green foil and ride in a parade: What could make a 4-year-old happier?