indicators of tattoo: Roadtripping with Nitto: Palm Springs

Road trips have always been a special part of our pre-kids life, and now that Henry and Charlie are here it's a whole new kind of adventure. So when Nitto Tire approached me about working together, I thought it was pretty perfect as taking more trips has been on our family "to-do" list since Charlie was born. Hank spent a decade touring with his various bands, so he is always excited about just getting in the car and going. And now as a family we can't get enough. Every weekend it seems like we're heading somewhere new, be it a quick hour-long drive to Sedona, or even making the trip to California. The days of just "getting up and going" are long gone though with two small children, so the key for us is PLANNING. We start packing days ahead, get together snacks, print out directions, check the tires, you name it. It's a little bit exhausting, but we think the adventure aspect of it is well worth it.

Last month we decided to take a road trip to Palm Springs. We packed the car to the brim- it's impossible to travel light with a 6-month old and a 3-year old- and off we went. Our third row was folded down to accommodate the pack-n-play, stroller, baby carrier, diapers, suitcases, snacks, food...the list goes on. And it's funny, because before I became a parent I didn't think too much about the drive. The concept of driving was simple- just get there. But now with two little ones my mind is always on safety, and that's why I love having such peace of mind with our tires. When you think about it, the tires on your car really are the foundation of your travel. They're getting you there, they're the base, they're between you and the road. And as a Mom, I need that foundation to be solid.

The drive to Palm Springs went by quickly, minus the two bathroom breaks, one lunch break and a Cabazon Dinosaur break. But we got there. And of course the bathing suits immediately came out and all four of us were splashing around in the pool before we knew it. We spent the rest of the weekend driving around, seeing the sights, and eating good food. And even though we had to break for naptimes and snacktimes and potty breaks all day long, we wouldn't have it any other way. This new kind of road trip sure is different than the kinds we used to take, but as far as adventures go, this kind is a lot more fun.

This is part one in a series of posts about road trips I'll be doing with Nitto. If you have a moment, pop over and check out the tires they put on our car- Hank and I both give them two (four?) huge thumbs up. And like I said above, I love them because I know I can really count on them to be safe. I'll be working with Nitto over the next couple of months, and next time I'll be breaking down some of the planning and checking off lists we do before a trip, and sharing photos from where we're headed next. Can't wait!