Maria and Sam catch a cozy cat nap before heading off to Northern California, all the way from Portland, Oregon, for a family reunion.

Their mother, Martha, has lots of survival tips to share:

Favorite child-friendly activity: We do lots of car trips with our little monkeys, Maria and Sam, ages 3 and 1. I try to find fun little things for entertainment. This trip the theme was music so we had maracas and drums. We were driving from Portland to Northern California for a family reunion (an anticipated seven hour car trip, give or take two hours for those in the midst of potty training and the crawlers needing movement).

Travel tips: Prior to the trip we mapped out Starbucks (kid friendly, clean bathrooms, needed caffeine), parks and rest areas along the way. Also, I have a pack in the car that has a giant picnic blanket, bags, wipes and a first aid kit.

Your favorite way to make it feel like home?: We always have their blankets and one animal/doll friend for when things are too much. We always bring the camera for capturing all the fun and a cell phone to play with when a meltdown is imminent. Also, there are no rules or expectations -- it's all about survival, but giving the 1-year-old an ice cream cone to hold may have been a bad idea!

Must-have travel gear: Our advice is to bring CDs for singing, bubbles, and stickers. I tossed in a few puppets so i could have them talk to the kids from the front seat. We borrowed a DVD player and it was our saving grace.

Don't forget to send us your favorite family escape!

Thanks for sharing, Martha!