Destination: California

We weren't even out of Phoenix before my patience was being tried to the breaking point. Sydney didn't pee before we left the house, as I had asked. Daisy was nervous about laying down in the backseat. Oliver wanted to lay down on my lap, and wouldn't be swayed to sit anywhere else. Also, I hadn't stopped at Starbucks. I had been in the car for all of 25 minutes before I wanted to scream. But, as the drive progressed, so did the behaviors of my kids.
The drive, on the whole, wasn't too bad. One good thing about traveling with the dogs is that they don't allow for lolly-gagging. We had to make our stops quick, to be sure they wouldn't get too warm in the car. Quick pee, drive through. That was our philosophy for the day.
Still, as of this moment, I'm pleased with how my day rolled: No traffic until I got into the Valley (of course). No temper tantrums. No accidents. Good speed. Good times. Good kids.