A camcorder with a screen is great for playing back what's been recorded. In fact, ''playing the movie'' became a daily ritual. A Polaroid camera is a good substitute. But if neither apparatus is your thing, keep a journal. I found myself writing down the children's choice phrases.
Hawks seem to love hanging out around highways.
The trip will make a lot more sense to little travelers who observe. Look at license plates and match them with the states on the map. Soon, those you rarely saw will be commonplace and seeing one from your home state will be more special. Some rivers, like the Yellowstone in Montana, we crossed again and again. In North Dakota, the scenery could be dull but the clouds seemed bigger, better, and more easily made into creatures than anywhere else on our trip.