9 States, 1500 Miles and 3 Days later . . . .

. . . WE ARRIVED IN ALABAMA

My mom, Madison, Isaac, Hannah and I took a road trip to visit my sister Cori and her husband Grayson and 4 kids - Kate, Jack, Mary and Jude. We have been looking forward to this for several months and it was hard to believe we were finally on the way. We had a good trip - definately some long days but the kids were GREAT and it was fun for me to have 3 straight days of visiting with my mom! It was a beautiful drive - we passed through North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi & Alabama. I was suprised at how pretty Missouri and Arkansas were. I didn't realize they would be so green and lush! It is very green and pretty here in Alabama too. Tons of trees - which for me is a big treat! I miss trees :-)

The kids outside our hotel in Omaha, NE (where we stayed on Night 1)

Missouri - wasn't too different from what I am used to yet - farmland. It did get way more trees later further into Missouri.

Our handy dandy GPS (which I am so glad Brock bought for us before we left) led us right to a great coffee shop in St. Joseph, Missouri. They had a coffee roaster in the back with huge bags of coffee (on the floor on the right) MMMMM

Getting close to Kansas City - couldn't resist taking the picture of good 'ol DAVE!!

Kansas City was pretty although we got slightly turned around here and ended up in a not so pretty place! I must say I was a tad concerned that we would really get lost. There were so many one ways and we just wanted to get back on the freeway and couldn't find it. I saw quickly how easily a person can get lost!! We had one exit right after another and didnt stay on the ball I guess :-)

I can't figure out if it was really this steep or if I was holding the camera funny - hmmmm

Arkansas - this isn't even a good picture at all of all the trees but it was hard to take pics while driving :-) We didn't stop as much as I thought we would - once the kids were sleeping or we were on a roll not much stopped us :-) I took lots of pics out the window but not too many of them worked (surprise, surprise)Passing through Little Rock - looked pretty from the freeway :-)

Entering another state - it was so fun to be in a different part of the US :-)


I had to quick grab my camera for this because it was such a picture of what I would expect Louisiana to look like :-)

the kids still happy - we are on the home stretch now :-) Like I said earlier they were amazingly good. They didn't ask "when will we be there" all the time, didn't complain and didn't even fight much :-) Isaac felt sick a few times but never threw up (yeah!!) They got to watch several movies and Madison drew alot of pictures!!

Another great little traveler! She did great also - hardly cried at all except for a bit on our second day coming into Conway, Arkansas (where we stayed the 2nd night) It had been a long day and she wasn't the only one VERY anxious to get to our hotel :-)

Last picture of the drive - I couldn't get the Alabama sign because it was dark by then - oh well.