I have a confession to make: we've never taken a roadtrip. Sure, we've taken to the freeways to visit family, but we've never loaded up the car with the specific intent of driving up the California coast or heading to Yellowstone (both are items on our family bucket list). So, I've never really had to worry about keeping our son occupied for more than a few hours. That said, we do have several items we always bring with us for car trips.

Headphones: They are a must. Our son has to use them for the DVD player, the Nintendo DS, the iPod Touch, the iPad and anything else that will make enough noise to bother everyone else in the car. We have a pair of Skullcandy headphones and they're great. When he's wearing them we can't hear any of the blips and beeps from his games.

Tech toys: As I mentioned, we're a gadget loving family. Before we head out on the road, I make sure all our apps are up to date on the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch and we look for new games to download. I make sure all my magazine subscriptions have the current issue downloaded. Even though I charge everything before we leave, I make sure we have our car kit, too.

Camera: Our son is picking up my photography habit. He's really starting to enjoy taking pictures. Even though he can take them with his iPod, I like to give him our point and shoot as well. If your kids have iPods too, there are a ton of free and easy to use photography and video apps they can use for the vacation photos.

 
Books: This is a no brainer. Since our son loves to read just as much as we do, a trip to the library is a must. Right now, our son is really into a few series. He's reading The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Secret Series and The Heroes of Olympus series.



It's no accident that I try to steer our son towards books with a high page count! He reads too fast to buy many short books. And yes, we know we're blessed.

Family games:  In addition to the things we played as kids like the license plate alphabet and license plate states game, I found a cute road sign bingo on Pinterest. You can download the bingo template from Oopsey Daisy.

Video camera: Right now my son is on vacation without us. I wish I'd had the foresight to order a waterproof video camera for him. He'll be riding a SeeDo, going fishing, kayaking and inner tubing for the first time. I'd love to have video of those moments captured from his perspective. This DB Power Waterproof Action camera is perfect for water activities.

Hopefully we'll be able to tackle some of the items on our family bucket list soon. There are so many cities, national parks and attractions we want to see. To quote Amy Foster from our trip to Disney this past spring, we only have 18 summers to spend with our kids. Make sure they are all memorable!

What ideas, tips or resources do you have to make road trips easy for everyone? What has been your 

favorite road trip destination?

This is post three in a series of sponsored posts and sweepstakes for the San Diego Honda Dealers Association. Visit and comment weekly for a chance to win Amazon gift cards! Affiliate links used. 

Renting A Camera Lens | Works For Me Wednesday

I really wanted to take nice photos of my brother's wedding. I have two lenses for my Canon Rebel and neither was going to cut it. I went to a local business, Calumet Photo, and they helped me choose a lens to rent for the weekend.

The staff at the rental counter were really nice. I told them I'm new to all this photography stuff and they were very patient with me. I told them where I would be (outdoor, day and evening) and what I needed the lens to do. I wanted a good all-around lens so I wouldn't have to worry about changing lenses out or carrying our big camera bag (which isn't a bag, but an ugly backpack not stylish enough for a wedding). 

They recommended the Canon 24-105. With it, I would be able to take close up and distance photos and, along with the speed flash I also rented, would work well in the dark, too.

I really liked this lens. Most of the photos I took were really crisp. There was a little bit of a learning curve to it. I tried some close up shots that ended up being blurry. In the evening, the speed flash caused the camera to run really slow.

I missed several shots of my brother and mom dancing because I was waiting for the flash to re-charge. I also wasn't prepared for how fast my battery would run out. The camera died early in the evening and like a dummy I left my point and shoot at the hotel. I've never needed a back-up battery until this. It's something I'll be investing in soon.

I also wasn't prepared for how heavy this lens would feel by the end of the day. Not only was my neck really sore, so were my arms. After carrying this around all day, mono-pods made a lot more sense.

Renting a lens was a little expensive. Because I picked up the lens on a Thursday, I paid for a three day rental. Still, $100 is a small investment if you're considering buying a lens. The Canon 24-105 ranges from $800-$1100 depending on whether it's new or used. I'd much rather rent it once to make sure I liked it before dropping that kind of money. Renting a lens was a great experience and I'm sure it's something I'll do again.

Have you ever rented a camera lens? How was your experience?