Ah, the family summer road trip. Remember being trapped in the back seat of a hot car with your siblings? No one wore seat belts back then, which worked out great to play the Rolling Game we created. At each turn of the car, you hurled your body across the bench to squish the poor soul next to you. So sorry to my little sister, who was probably stuck in the middle between my brother and I. Stinks to be the youngest sometimes.
On one family vacation we made across the state when I was a kid, the air conditioning went out in our big, blue boat of a station wagon. Strange vapor started blowing from the vents. “Oh…Dad?…Is that supposed to be happening?”. There was some grumbling as the windows were rolled down by my parents on a steamy afternoon a couple hours into our journey and several more hours ahead of us.
I vividly remember another mishap that occurred on a trip up north. With our family driving down the highway, we heard a loud rumbling coming from the roof where the suitcases were strapped. It went on for quite a while, but my father didn’t seem to be concerned. Suddenly we heard a WHOOSH! and then silence. Turning around in our seats to look out the back window, we found my Mom’s salmon pink suit case flying through the air behind us, like a rocket being launched into the sky. It made quite the projectile and a sight I will never forget. Thankfully no one was close behind us and amazingly, the thing stayed closed when it hit the pavement.
I heard a great line from comedian Jim Gaffigan about being on family vacations as a kid. He recalled thinking, “Why is Dad always in a bad mood?”. Anyone traveling with small children, at some point, can relate.
We never camped when I was younger. The closest we came to it was when we rented a large cabin with my cousins on a lake in Eagle River, Wisconsin. It was fabulous for us “city” kids! We caught minnows in a bucket, Gramps took us out in the row boat, and we had campfires many nights. It was a whole new world of adventure and wonder.
All this nostalgia over family car trips was brought on by being in the throngs of summer, as well as a cookie decorating contest being hosted over at the Cookie Connection. There are some AMAZING entries (see them here) and these were my last minute contribution to the “vintage vacation” sets. I couldn’t help but conjure up trips I took as a child, and those yet to come with my own kids.
Here’s a little glimpse into the decorating of my camper cookies. First I used these cutters to make the caravan shapes I imagined, by cutting and pasting the dough in various ways.
Next, I marked out the design with a food writer on the baked cookie as a guide for the frosting. I was deciding on color combos as I went along, so I don’t have too many steps photographed. You get the idea, I hope!
I’m sure you have an amusing family vacation story. We ALL do. If so, I’d love to hear about it! Leave your anecdotes in the reply section below…if you dare embarrass your families. 🙂
Safe and wonderful travels wherever the road may take you this summer. Feel good knowing they will be worthy memories that your kids will someday blog about.
Melissa Joy Cookies 
These are awesome Miss!!!! Your creativity astounds!!!! I want them just to look at, not to eat…they are too neat to eat!
They turned out awesome MJ! I’m so glad you included a Door County cookie. 🙂 The tiny printing that looks like an old typewriter is amazing. Too cute to eat, I agree.
Maps had to include places I’ve lived and places I’d LIKE to live! 🙂
GOOD Morning! I’ve admired your cookies when I’ve seen them on Pinterest but did not know that you had a website until this morning! You are an Amazing cOOkie artist! Thank YOU for SHARing your creativity, talent and passion! I really liked your piece on sending cookies to our troops in the Middle East…I don’t think we can ever do ENOUGH for our military personnel AND their families!! Many and continued BLESSings to you and yours, Miss Melissa Joy…your name is fitting as viewing your photos brings me great JOY…my life is extremely hectic like everyone else, but one of the ways I try to de-stress and insert little moments of happiness and fun into my days, is to pin beautiFUL cOOkie CREATions…and dream of the day that I can try my hand at it… 🙂
Wow, Cindy! Thank you so much for your sweet words and so glad you enjoy my work. I LOVE to do it and you should try to create some as well. Once you start, you’ll be hooked! There is a lot of help out there on the web to get you started.
Please continue to stop by and comment. I like to know there are people out there listening, because sometimes on this end of the computer, you just never know! 🙂
My family and I are going on a road trip vacation around Wisconsin in August. I would love to have these cookies as a surprise treat for the trip. Can I order a set? Are you able to ship to Green Bay? Just let me know. P.S. We miss you at the Wednesday Broadway Farmer’s Market! 🙂
I sent you an email! 🙂
I love these…how did you get the type-set words on there? I can think of so many ways to just use that idea…
They are little letter stamps. I bought them for $1 somewhere (sorry I can remember!). I color the stamp with a food writer then stamp it on the dry, frosted cookie. I would recommend the cookie be dried for at least a day before doing this. It will dent the frosting otherwise when you stamp! Thanks for your comments!
Thank you…So you stamp each one individually not on a bar where you write sentences? I was picturing one of those… I will have to find some of these letters…
Yup, each one individually. I don’t know too much about stamping, but a bar sounds easier! For this set I kinda liked the letters more organic anyway. Check the dollar bins at random box stores…I think that’s where I found them!
thanks…I love all your cookies and ideas…I am such a rookie and just play with them…wish I could spend a week just shadowing a cookie person like yourself…doing all the dishes and cleaning up the messes…I think one could learn so much that way…
Wait…you’ll do my dishes?! Come over! 😉
I’ve always wanted to go to Wisconsin!!!!
I have a soft spot for trailer cookies and I am in love with yours! Utterly adorable!
The summer when I was eleven years old, we traveled across country from our home in CA to my aunt’s house in MA. Our trailer was a sleep six, but in reality it was more like four! I was the youngest of four kids. We had a new Chevy Impala and my mom had seat belts installed and also an air conditioner. What I remember most in the travel part was that our car overheated many times…I was getting an ulcer staring at the engine light, just waiting for it to go on:) Parking the trailer was always a nightmare too…my dad never seemed to be able to do it, under my mom’s directions…also ulcer inducing. I could go on and on, but will spare you:) Thank goodness we had a great time once we got to my aunt’s house!
I can’t wait to try some trailer cookies…I actually have had them in the freezer for quite awhile.
Sounds like your dad was a lot like mine. Ulcer inducing. 😉 He still is, but it makes for great stories and I love him! Thanks for sharing your story!
This is cuteness overload!!!
Thanks Calleye!
Love these! So nostalgic…our family didn’t have a camper but we always wanted one. Did a lot of tent camping when our kids were little. So many memories!
What kid didn’t want a camper?! Thanks for commenting!
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Hi Melissa. I love your cookies. I was just wondering if I can order the trailer cookies from you? We are having a camping party on June 9. I have four boys and just am not talented like you. Please let me know if this is an option. We live in NJ. Thank you.. Kimberly
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Do you make these to sell! I’m leading a book discussion about a couple who take a trip in a camper and I’d like to serve these.
Please email me at melissajoycookies@gmail.com if you are interested in ordering cookies. Thanks!