Freeze Frame

Where were we stopping? Why had we risen at 9:00 AM on 5.5 hours of sleep? And more importantly, why, had we driven that 16 hour drive in the first place instead of just stopping in Salt Lake City like normal people? Why? Well...

The Golden Gate Bridge? Well.... Maybe... Or..........

DISNEYLAND!!!!!!

Yes, you're right, we drove 2600 miles in 2.5 days, checked into the hotel, changed our clothes and ran out to the Happiest Place On EARTH!!

What Happens in Vegas...

We left Salt Lake City around sunset after dinner. We'd been driving since 8 AM, around 12 hours at that point and we still had 2 states left to go. By this time we were on a major highway, and out of the major mountains so we made great time skimming along in the dark. The kids had fallen asleep and it was a peaceful drive. Did I mention long? Yeah, long. Really long. Don't underestimate these 16 hour drives, they are killer. Finally, after miles of roads, and driving through the corner of Arizona through a HUGE canyon (no pictures, it was dark), we reached Nevada and an oasis of lights.

Vegas is amazing to see at night coming out of the desert. It's even more amazing to drive through the strip, with people laying in the road, puking, or wandering around at 2:00 AM. Especially while trying to find your hotel room. Which you would think wouldn't be hard to do. I mean, there are hotels everywhere. Everywhere you can imagine. But not ours. This trip, we had decided to stay at La Quinta hotels, since they allow pets, were located everywhere, and in the past they've been clean, neat, and easy to find. Our problem lay in the fact that there are 5 La Quintas in Vegas, and that the GPS kept sending us straight into town when I knew it was on the outskirts near the airport. Furthermore as I mentioned it was 2:00 AM and we'd been on the road for nearly 18 hours. And, there were people everywhere. It was a mess. Meanwhile one kid woke up and was amazed, the other woke up and was like WHY ARE WE IN VEGAS!!? I finally found one LQ, ran in, and got directions to the new LQ, which I guess was really new, which explained why we couldn't find it. I was actually at that point really happy that we weren't staying at that LQ since there were people wandering around asking where they'd moved the hotel rooms to. Instead, ours indeed was on the outskirts, a brand new one, with a spectacular view and nice comfy beds. We collapsed in them at about 3:30 AM, with the alarms set for 9:00, ready to head west again.

There are no pictures here, somehow I misplaced the Vegas pictures, I think they are on a cell phone somewhere. Possibly not my cell phone. Which is problematic.

Prairie Dawn

South Dakota, land of open spaces, black hills, and lots of family. We headed out at 6:00 AM into the misty morning fog, and finally at around 12:00 we got out of the Frozen tundra into South Dakota.

The day was uneventful, until, I made the decision to drive past Wall (home of the famous Wall Drug of course) because though we were low on gas, there should have been plenty to drive the next 40 miles. Until, we pulled into Rapid City and right into a traffic jam, where it took us 45 minutes to drive the final 4 miles, the entire time with the gas light on low. Part of me was wishing we'd run out of gas, and thereby block the one supposedly open lane of traffic that was there. I mean, 45 minutes on a major highway? For a tiny amount of repaving? Weridness!

But we finally made it, and met my cousin Josiah, his wife Jennifer, and their adorable happy baby Jacinth, and then a little later we were joined by my cousin Dawn, her son Philip who every time I'm around him I completely want to take home with me, and my aunt Pam. We had a great time eating pizza, and playing at the waterpark attached to the hotel. The kids ran and swam their legs off. I have no idea how it is possible to run up the stairs that many times but I have a hunch it has something to do with the adrenaline rush of the slide. Whatever the case, from my view on the lazy river, it makes me tired :).

Tomorrow, we go WEST! I always feel like Rapid City is the end to the midwest and the start of the west. I love going west, it just brings such wonderful feelings of freedom, freedom from snow, mosquitoes, and tornadoes. Westward we go! And now for the random pictures. I'm sorry I have none from tonight I gave the camera to someone who wasn't swimming and there were no pictures taken. Too many good conversations instead!

The mist breaking over my roving in the window (long story)

Statues in SD

Our yearly Corn Palace drive by!

Yearly Corn Palace over the shoulder picture.

Missouri River crossing. I love how the landscape changes from prairie to bluff here.

One Year Ago...

We were in Disney World on an extended family vacation.

It's going to be -18 degrees here tonight. Not counting the windchill. Sigh.

We started with a Birthday Breakfast

And cocktails

Then a Princess was made

A boat ride across the water

To the Hoop De Do Review

Back across with the castle lighting our way

And Magic Hours to contemplate Main Street

 I am not clear, as to why I am not in Disney World this moment actually. Something to ponder while avoiding the wind chill and freezing temperatures. I think I'm going to knit myself another scarf.

Dells Day 2

Ok, there's supposed to be a hawl thing here. But doesn't it look like face?

We got up bright and early today and divided and conquered. Some to the pool, and others to Madison WI to yarn shops. We found a lovely little one on the lake with a great coffee shop behind it. So fun!

Then we headed down to ride the Ducks, and go for more water rides. Knitting commenced again, but I worked on something new, so not much progress was made.

I love Madison, but it's C-O-L-D!

Wisconsin River

Look!! A crooked house!!!!!!

The WI river where the ducks go in

Thus starts a zillion pictures

Mr Driver was great, and super funny.

There was an old 1850s house behind here, but I found the old gazebo more interesting

The trail home