Week 25: Road Trips, Family Tables, and Finding Connection

Allison Lloyd
Aug 27
2 min read

Dinners 64-68

This week was a big travel week. On Sunday, the kids came back from their weekend with Dad, and by Monday, we were in full packing mode. We had a lot to think about: five days at my mom’s house, two weeks of camp for the kids, and an international trip for me. It was one of those “how are we going to fit it all in the car?” kind of weeks.

Connecting By Driving

By July 1st, we hit the road for the 12-hour drive to my mom’s. Long drives can be tough, but I’ve found ways to make them fun and even a little special. I always pack each kid’s favorite salty snack, sweet treat, and road trip drink (Dr. Pepper for my son, Fanta for my daughter). Sandwiches and snacks keep things simple and budget-friendly, but we always plan for one “fun” treat along the way. This time, it was boba from Dutch Bros, which is a new road trip favorite.

What surprised me most, though, is how much connection can happen in the car. Yes, everyone has their headphones and quiet time (which is important too), but we’ve also started playing trivia together. Right now, it’s Friends trivia. My daughter reads the questions, my son and I compete to answer, and we always end up laughing. Sometimes we’ll add in a musical for a family sing-along. Honestly, those hours on the road end up being some of our best connection moments.

Family Visits and Dinner Times

Once we arrived, the rest of the week was about family. From July 2nd to the 5th, we had dinner together every single night! Five dinners in a row, which feels like a record for us lately! Most nights included my mom, my sister-in-law, and my niece and nephews. The meals were simple: pot roast, pizza, pasta but the company was what mattered.

I think family dinners mean so much to me because of how I grew up. At our house, dinners often lasted way too long because whoever finished first had to do the dishes. (Spoiler: my dad never did the dishes, so the rest of us stretched out the meal as long as possible!) Those meals became filled with big conversations and lots of laughter. Sitting at my mom’s table this week, I was reminded of that and I was feeling so grateful my kids are making their own dinner table memories.

Of course, it wasn’t just the meals. We swam, went to the movies, hung out at cousins’ houses, and just enjoyed being together. But at the heart of it all, I kept coming back to one thought: connection is the goal. Whether it’s in the car with trivia and boba tea, around the dinner table with too much pasta, or simply during everyday moments, that’s what matters most.