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We've moved from one state to another before, but it didn't even count as a decent warm-up round for this epic adventure.

If you're here looking for tips and tricks on how to make a long road trip seamless and pain free...

You've brought me to Advice Tip #1: Be Realistic 

Do your kids fight at home? Then they're going to fight on the road. Do they whine and talk back at home? Guess what isn't going to change on a road trip! 

All of the planned activities and toys in the world will not completely stop the monotony of being in the car. 

Advice Tip #2: Pack Your Essentials 

No, not the ones already on your list. This isn't a weekend trip to grandma's house! This is a long, difficult road trip! Think outside the box, er, bag? 

I'll link a comprehensive list as soon as I write it. But think along the lines of your own toilet paper and Poo Pourri Spray (stop laughing, I'm serious). 

Advice Tip #3: Make The Most Of The Car

SILENCE IS DEADLY! 

You know how silence makes your Mommy Sense tingle because it usually means the kids are breaking something? Silence is an opportunity for the children to make that noise. You know the one. The noise that will make you briefly consider tossing said child from the moving vehicle? THAT NOISE. 

My family is super weird and we listend to the Welcome To Nightvale podcast for a majority of the drive. 

​We also played a couple of games! The winner (and only one I recommend for the car) was Loaded Questions Junior. The boys LOVED this one and I'm going to put it in our regular game box. 

Advice Tip #4: Maximize Your Stops

Your kids will spend 10 minutes in the gas station picking out their snack if you let them. 

ASK ME HOW I KNOW!

It took us a few days to figure out how to combat this and stop adding literal hours each day. 

At the first stop we let the kids pick out 3 snacks and 3 drinks. (We did the same) Then everyone chose one of each item and we put the rest in the trunk. (It was cold for the trip so use a cooler if it's warm) 

When we stopped to pee we would each grab a fresh snack or drink if we needed/wanted it. 

Boom. Seriously saved us a good hour each day. 

You're welcome. 

Let's start by saying that 2016 was weird. 

I had a lot go on personally...extended family being rushed to the ER and needing heart procedures, a cousin committing suicide, friends attempting suicide, friends getting married or divorced or having babies or losing babies, getting told we're moving to Alaska...

Add in the celebrity death toll and Charlie Foxtrot that was the ENTIRE ELECTION TIME....

I actually stayed up to see 2017 arrive because I was so glad to see 2016 leave. 

I ended the year staring longingly at this exact page, watching the cursor blink as my brain made that buzzing sound that comes with severe writer's block. 

This year is the year of change. 

I'm moving to ALASKA, y'all....and we're driving there! Crosscountry roadtrip! I'll be using the hashtag #AZtoAK to track the journey. 

I'm going to see a new psychiatrist after the move and work toward getting my diagnosis tweaked. Yes, I have depression and anxiety...but I'm fairly certain there's something else going on there. 

I want to throw myself more into blogging and social media. I need to work harder at earning a little money on the side as well. I also plan on couponing again because Alaska cost of living is ridiculous. 

I want to better myself this year too. I want to start taking yoga or Krav Maga or some sort of class. I worked really hard last year on accepting myself and my body...so now I want to make awesome even better!

My boys will be 6 and 8 this year...it's time to get into all of those talks that come with growing up (so if you have a good sex talk resource...go ahead and give that to me because AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH)

What do you want to do better in 2017?