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.