the underwear drawer

or I could just run a propofol drip for the length of the car ride

So we are driving down to Disneyland (sorry, DisneyWORLD--I always mix that up and people get very indignant for some reason) in exactly one week. On one hand, it's kind of a relief to be driving--no schlepping through the airport with two kids and the stroller and two carseats and the carry-ons, no having to pay extra to check luggage because our days of traveling light are probably over, at least for the next three or four years. (Do you know that since our honeymoon, which was a 16-day trip, Joe and I have never needed to check any luggage, even when we were traveling with Cal? True. What it mostly amounted to was four bags for Cal and half a bag each for me and Joe.) But on the other hand, it's going to be a seven hour drive with two kids in the back of a smallish Honda. I am...concerned.

I'm not sure how Mack is going to deal with the ride, but I hope he will be OK with it once we're on the highway. (He seems to have some sort of built in accelerometer, such that he cries in the car if our speed drops below 5 mph, but he's OK as long as we're moving fast.) But Cal I'm not so sure about. SEVEN HOURS, my god. Preschoolers are not renowned for their patience and ability to sit still.

So I'm amassing some sort of mighty amusement pack, which I will try to parcel out at discreet intervals and keep him at least somewhat entertained for the ride down. There will be stops along the way of course, hopefully at least one at a location with some sort of playground so that Cal can run around and tire himself out (I am thinking one of those Chick Fil-As with the indoor plastic kid Habitrails) but for the car so far, I have this:

• CARS (dur)
• Markers and a pad of paper
• Play Doh with various rollers and imprint tools
• Stickers
• String and beads
• Books
• When all else fails, Thomas the Tank Engine on my iPod

But I am open to suggestions. Anything that you keep in your arsenal to keep your kid entertained on the road? Don't forget, it's a seven hour drive there, but then we still have to drive seven hours back. The more portable amusements in my bag, the better.