**DRIVE IN** For Fun

Last night, we went on an ADVENTURE.

The rules of the ADVENTURE are as follows:

1. You do NOT know the destination of said ADVENTURE until arrival.

2. Well, there's really only one rule. But you MUST follow it.

Adventures were born sometime in the summer around the time I was 10 years old. Mom, bless her heart, had all five of us home every day and had to be inventive beyond typical childhood entertainment. So once a week, we went on an adventure.

Refer to Rule No. 1: we never knew the destination of our adventure until we arrived. The anticipation was epic. We'd spend all day trying to guess and very rarely did we actually guess correctly. Mom was creative like that. But I remember no matter what we did, it was always fun.

We've been doing adventures for a few years now. Last night's was one of the BEST. EVER.

First the preparation.

Plenty o' snacks (because it's IMPOSSIBLE to watch a movie without popcorn!)

Plenty o' drinks! (because a boy can have a soda on a Saturday night and because popcorn makes you THIRSTY!)

And plenty o' blankets. Because you'll never know when East Texas temperatures drop from a balmy 72 to 48 in a matter of mere minutes. PLUS you have to be nice and cozy to watch a movie at a drive in. (OOPS, did I just break Rule No. 1???)

In addition to NEVER TELLING the location of an adventure, it's kind of fun to do things to throw your kids off the scent of your true destination. For example, stop and fill up your gas tank, because then they think you're driving really, really, REALLY far away. Go to the bank ATM for cash, because then they think it's going to cost *exactly the $40 fast cash you just withdrew (even if it didn't).

On the way to the adventure, stop and get pizza (because popcorn isn't enough for an epic drive-in picnic!)

And let the boys play the $.25 rubber ball game...because let's face it, to 8-and-9-year old boys, that's practically an adventure in itself.

On the way to your adventure, point out misleading road signs.

And watch the anticipation heighten.

 

And when you pull in, watch their faces closely for the amazement and happiness (provided  you haven't taken them to the planetarium AGAIN, which they thought was a cool adventure the first three times...)

Set up at the Sky Vue drive-in takes a few minutes. It's best to get there early for a front-row parking spot. Back in, of course, so you can screen the movie from the comfort of your trunk.

Spread out the picnic.

And get ready for the dancing...WAIT WHAT? I don't know about you guys, but when the oldies are cranking over the drive-in sound system, you kinda wanta dance. And Luke was breakin' bad to Johnny Be Good. So I HAD to join him.

When it's finally time for the movie, at approximately 7:05 p.m. (check listings as start time is based on the amount of darkness), settle into your trunk (at times like this I miss my Nissan Pathfinder).

We watched Hugh Jackman Reel Steel on the HUGE screen right in front of us!

One of the best things about a drive-in is that you don't really have to sit still or be *that* quiet. You can sit, lay or cuddle.

And best of all, you can fall asleep in the nest of blankets in your car.

(Which they both did at different times)

But really, there was nothing better than being in the night air, watching Hugh Jackman a movie and enjoying each other.