Summer Vacation 2013 Part 1

 Okay, for the sake of time, I am going to post a ton of pictures, with just a little bit of writing- even though I want to write a ton!! 

 We left on Saturday and we super prepared- until it was time to go. Then we spent at least another hour and a half trying to get our car's dvd player to work. We were desperate, since we were headed for a 36 hour drive! Then was one solution we came up with. We actually taped our flat screen tv to a dvd player and then to diapers (so it would be high enough) and then to the console. We were laughing so hard- it was sooo redneck!!

 We had high hopes that it would work, but quickly realized that on every corner it tipped over and that we couldn't drive across the country like that. So, we stopped at Haley's and dropped this off and borrowed her portable dvd players. Thank you, Haley!

 But before we went to Haley's, we stopped and used our coupons for free ice cream cones! Yea! Because we all know there is no better way to start out a long trip with kids, than by loading them up with sugar.

 10 hours later- at Little America, the place we all love. This was about 10 at night, and we had our requisite oil hiccup (meaning oil pump problems) and were there about an hour and an half. Good thing this place is so fun! We got corn dogs and went potty, etc. I should state for the record, that before this we had stopped about a thousand other times for potty breaks, as some of our children, let's call them A. Campbell, or Alaina C.,  have bladders the size of peas.

 Aren't these wonderful pictures? I think it is clear that I have a future in photography.

 After that, Danny drove through the night- iicck, and by the afternoon of the next day we had made it to Daddy's. This is cutting out a lot- like Irelyn screaming and refusing to get back in her car seat, lots of Irelyn pee-throughs and lots of potty breaks. I think I have blocked most of it from my  memory by now. 

Yeah!! On Daddy's porch! It felt so good to be out of the car, and the weather there was wonderful, surprisingly.

 We promptly ordered Casey's pizza and the girls ran down the street and made friends with the neighbors' kids. Oh, and we gave Daddy and Heidi lots of hugs!

We played at Daddy's until the evening, and then drove to our hotel. 

I thought we would never be able to all share a single hotel room together for the next two nights, but they were all so tired, it was just fine.

 More stunning photography...

 The next morning we took our time waking up, eating breakfast and getting ready. Irelyn was so tired, she quickly fell back asleep on the bed.

 Waahhh! I have no pictures of Bonkers!! We went there with Daddy for the afternoon, and crawled around like hamsters in their tunnels and then ate dinner at Golden Corral. It was very yummy and we wore Daddy out, so then we went to the hotel and swam until 11 pm so that our kids would be worn out, too.

 This was the next morning. Irelyn took off her diaper and was jumping up and down on the bed with her hands between her legs, shouting, "I nekid! I nekid!" (I'm naked.)

 Then we went to visit good ol' Perry. It was satisfying, in some deep and surprising way, to go back there and take some time to look around and hug the old trees, and to be able to show the kids. (Daddy was still recovering from playing with us the night before, so he stayed at home.)

 The mound of trees off to the right are the remains of the old house.

 We did try to find someone  to ask permission, but we couldn't find anyone. So we just tried to be respectful and ready to run if we heard rifle shots.

 Pictures of the creek. It felt so good- like the land remembered us.

 The kids found a teeny toad and played with him for a while, until Danny made them put him down. City boy, doesn't he know that toads were made for kids to carry around?

 Behind where the old house used to be, is a new house that I don't think was ever lived in. Kind of odd, but maybe there is a reason. The lawn was beautifully manicured though, and there was a wonderful garden by the long red barn, so someone must come by, even if they don't live there.

 By the long red barn- now I am wishing I had taken more pictures.

 Ahhh... the old storm cellar. Memories...

 We wondered how much of Grandpa's old stuff was still in here. I really wanted to go exploring behind here and lift up the old sheets of corrugated metal and look for baby bunnies, but I was a little afraid of really getting shot.

 The tree that I always call the Berry Tree, but will someone tell me why? It didn't grow berries on it, did it? Anyway, I remember playing in it a lot.

 Tristan and I went down on the other side of the bridge, closer to Bowling's, because I hadn't seen the creek on that side in so long. These are pictures from there. Is it like you remember, Mommy, Megan?

 The water levels were really low, but we saw lots of frogs and got some shells that the kids brought back home.

 We saw a couple of snakes, and this one we very rudely upset when we turned over the rock he was under. It struck at us, which scared me and made me remember that we were in rather untamed areas, and so then we went back. 

I was sure that this was a copperhead, but after looking at pictures on-line, I think it is just a water snake. I didn't know that non-venomous snakes will strike and even bite. I would have freaked out if that had happened!

 We also got lots of skeeter bites which are just barely healing on Alex, since he won't leave them alone. Megan and Aiden will attest to this. 

Ahhh... beautiful creek of our childhood. It was so fun to see you again and made some part of me very happy and peaceful. Thank you for being almost exactly the same as I remembered you.

 After that we went into Perry and drove around a little, which pretty much covers the whole town, and got ice cream cones and a necklace and earrings at an antique store. 

Then we went back to Perry, took Heidi to the vet for a bad leg, which turned out to be a sore tail, and then went to the park to play.

 They thought this was fun for 20 seconds.

 Emme's face here cracks me up. So Emme.

 This was the face Emme gave me when I said, "Smile!"

 Do-over

The pictures Emme took.

 Then we went to the store and got lots of little microwavable things to eat at Daddy's house, since after this we were driving through the night to Meggie's. 

Byes with Daddy, for now. :( 

 Hey, look! I'm in a picture!!

 Poor Danny drove through the night, again. I tried to drive for a while, but it was windy, narrow highways at night and there were tons of semis. I was kind of freaked out, so Danny couldn't sleep anyway and took over the driving. (See, if you are incompetent and endanger your family's lives, then you don't have to do any driving!)

The next morning, about two hours from Megan's, we stopped at the Catter's farm, a wonderful magical little place. Danny got oil from him on our last trip and we got some more this time, too. 

 To me, their place was just perfect. I was sad that his wife was gone, and I wish I would have gotten a picture of Boyd! He was a character, with a beard and coveralls and a heart that he wore on his sleeve. He gave the kids cookies and let them run all over the place, swing in the garage and push around toy shopping carts they found. 

 Their garden was so cute, it looked pretend.

 The kids caught another toad!

 Visiting the calves. They farmed soybeans and corn, and I am sure they have lots and lots of money. But he does oil and biodiesel for all of his tractors, got his patio furniture from someone that was throwing it away and uses any and all kinds of paper for over 50% of the bedding for the cows. This man was efficient!! I felt very indulgent after being around him.

 Chasing their kitty. The kids were so happy to be out of the car!!

When we left, we got about 15 miles and then, after counting our money, realized that we had shorted him $100! So, we turned around and found him again. He was so nice, and said that he didn't want to say anything, and then gave us a bunch of corn fresh from his fields and lots of good advice about life. Next time I will get a picture with him! Oh, and the corn was the best we had the whole trip!! 

 After this it was onto Meggie's!! Which, even though the GPS said was only 2 hours away, took us another 3 hours. Typical for us.... 

We had already had so much fun on our trip, it was hard to believe that it had only begun!!