Rose's Family Road Trip

Three months in the outback, travelling around in a 4WD, pulling our camper trailer behind and throwing off all the constraints of everyday life, work and routine. Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? Put four kids in the mix, add one car-sick mother and wife, a decidedly un-outback like husband and a healthy spoonful of inexperience and what we actually have is, possibly, a recipe for disaster!

Of course, I’m hoping our outback adventure will be wonderful and amazing. But when my husband Mark first suggested it, my brain and body went into complete shock and instant rejection. Mark and I have four beautiful children: Beth (9 years old), Sarah (7), Sam (4) and Amy (2). Now, I love my kids and I love my husband, but really, do I want to spend every living, breathing moment with them all for three long months...that is the question?!

Finally, the day of reckoning arrived. We had packed the car and camper trailer within an inch of its lives. If the smallest toy moved from its place, the whole system of packing (i.e., shoving random things into spaces) would have come tumbling down. The kids were allowed only two soft toys each to sleep with, a mean feat considering Sarah in particular sleeps on a mound of toys.

I was feeling extremely nervous and excited. We kissed and cuddled our dogs, our assorted family and friends that gathered to wave goodbye. The kids were literally surrounded by every possible car entertainment device created. If the DS, DVD player, books, coloring-in, games, music, toys and over-enthusiastic food supply was not enough to keep them amused, I swore they would be strapped to the roof rack.

Did I mention that we were travelling with two other families? We, Family 1, have four kids. Family 2 have two kids. Family 3 have five. Yep, eleven kids all up. It’s a travelling kindergarten. Do you feel even sorrier for me right now?? So we met at Family 2’s place to begin the convoy of cars. Away we went. Bon Voyage!

These excerpts are taken from Rose's Road Trip from the Essential Baby website. To read the full article (part 1 & 2 so far) click here