Trip Home

A three day journey, with two small children, would be daunting to anyone.  But it was even more daunting after our fun-filled, sleep-deprived trip with our family in Utah! But, we knew it was something to be tackled, so tackle it we did!
Day 1: We got a later start than we had hoped for, which is pretty typical for us. But, we were finally loaded up and all ready to go when we suddenly gained another passenger. Grandma Harrison (I think she was really delighted about this) sent Tori home with a bunny that sings! And just to make sure we share this joy with the world, here is its song!!!

So, we took the bunny's advice and tried to keep smiling! We made it to Little America, WY for our lunch break. It was kind of fun to share our lunch spot with at least 4 groups coming home from their Youth Conference Pioneer treks (you can see them in the background)!

Back on the road again, we made some great time and stopped for a snack in Rawlins, WY. Tori did a fantastic job holding this tree up for a bit!!!

 And, more than anything, Tori and Garrett just ran and ran!

Dinner was in Cheyenne, WY this evening. Garrett sure does love his chicken nuggets!!!

We finally made it out of Wyoming and to our hotel in Ogallala, Nebraska very late into the night. Garrett was out for the count and luckily transferred very well into his bed!

 Tori was still awake and so excited to be at the hotel!!!

Today we drove through Utah, Wyoming, and into Nebraska. And we listened to the bunny song 162 times- yes, we did keep track! Thanks so much Grandma!!!
Day 2: Spirits were once again high, as we started our journey for the day! Tori entertained us by wearing her blanket as a headdress!!!

 And Garrett made sure to show us his cute toes!

We stopped for lunch at a very picturesque rest stop in Nebraska! Garrett had a grand time running around the pond!

 And, for some reason beyond me, both kids loved this very fake rock!!!

 Tori, the rock, and some beautiful flowers!

We stopped for a snack this afternoon somewhere further along in Nebraska. Tori, Garrett, and Daddy took this opportunity to take a (very short) nap!!!

Hurrah, we found some sticks!

Garrett has some mad ninja skills with those sticks!!!

This evening, we stopped for dinner in St. Joseph, MO. We thought it would be fun to check out the Pony Express monument while there. Yeah, it was kind of in a sketchy part of town. So, we ate quickly, while Jared and I were both on constant lookout, took a token picture to prove we were there, and jumped back in the van!

We stopped for the night in Columbia, Missouri. Can you tell that Tori and Garrett were done with the day?

Today we drove through Nebraska, Iowa, and into Missouri. And we only listened to the bunny song 27 times today! This may have something to do with Tori dropping the bunny shortly after departure this morning, and sadly, neither Jared or I could reach the bunny to return her. And it could be, in part, due to the fact that the bunny went missing this afternoon!
Day 3: The goal for the day- just get home as fast as possible! We found a really neat place to stop for lunch in Bellefontaine, MO. Isn't it just beautiful?!!

No stop would be complete without finding a few sticks to play with and perhaps a tree to attack!!!

We made many more stops through the day, and then hit some crazy traffic a half hour from home. So frustrating! So, we took a rather random, but very beautiful detour and finally made it home this evening! And what, you may ask, did our kids do once we got home? Well, Garrett grabbed the strainer, used it as a hat, and went down the slide!!!

 Tori, on the other hand, ran upstairs and put on her ballerina costume!!!

Today we drove through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. We listened to the bunny song 17 times- see the reasons referenced above! We had a marvelous trip, but it feels so nice to be home!!!