Trip July 2010

I had the most awesome opportunity this summer... it started with how about driving Sarah Jean and the babies with Vickie.... it turned into driving to see Sarah, driving to see Kristal and driving to CHICAGO with my mom!  I so wanted to go see Sarah just to see Ethan before he wasn't a baby anymore and truthfully just getting there and back was all I had in mind... but to get to see Kristan and the kids and do all that we did on the trip was amazing!

It is 1800 from to Chicago and 1800 back plus driving to Saint Louis and Indianapolis!  Over 3700 miles! 

Our first day got us to Tunica, MS.  We stayed in the Sam's Town hotel which is across from Harrah's Casino which has the PAULA DEEN Buffet!  This is the reason we went to Tunica!  It was really neat!  We got there after 8:00 so we were really, really hungry!  The restaurant looks exactly like her home!  It was beautiful, we got to eat cheesy grits, fried green tomatoes, cheeseburger meatloaf, bacon wrapped corn and of course there was butter on the side.  I did okay diet wise... we knew we were going to eat here and I decided to just try a few small bites of whatever I wanted and I did!  I had one plate, but went back for another fried green tomato and a little bit more mac and cheese in lieu of dessert!

The next day we headed for St. Charles, MO.  We were going to the exact place that the Lewis and Clark Expedition started!  I was very excited and this is one of the bigger reasons that we are homeschooling!  WE studied them and we saw them!   It was amazing!  We went to the Boat house (it hold a replica keelboat ) and museum.  It was all really well done and we had a great time! 

Sarah and the kids met us at the museum... I  cannot believe how big Emily Jean is getting!  Ethan Drake is adorable!  I could not get enough of him!  Emily was hilarious doing her scavenger hunt of the animals in the museum... she is sooo smart! 

After the museum we met up with some of Sarah's extended family for dinner... her brother was there and other "family" members... it was a fun group and I enjoyed visiting with Kevin and Samantha! 

We stayed the night in the Boone's Lick Inn.  It is a historic bed and breakfast in downtown St. Charles.  It was very nice and we enjoyed the special treat of a bed and breakfast- it was the kids first time in this kind of hotel! 

The next morning we headed for St. Louis.  We had plans to go to the Zoo being in the middle of a heatwave we skipped it, we just made other plans.  Sarah and the kids were running a little late so we ended up going to the ARCH earlier- which was nice because it hadn't gotten as hot YET!  We got to the arch just as it was opening and were greeted with another reminder of life after 9/11.  Security checks at a National Monument.  It is disconcerting to say the least... but we made it though!  Once in side we got to go all through the museum of Western Expansion and see a TON of Lewis and Clark stuff.  This is all what we will be working on as the school year progresses so I know we can think back and remember what we saw in the museum!

We met up with Sarah, Robbie and the kids, had a nice lunch and headed to Target for "Grandma Carrie" to buy the kids some stuff!  We got toys, clothes, a few school things for the kids!

We headed out for Indianapolis after this... we nixed seeing some more history stuff in Illinois but it couldn't be helped!

Finally we got to Indianapolis and met up with Kristal, Sam and the kids at Cracker barrel.  We had some trouble getting around town because we picked a week almost as bad at the INDI 500 to come to Indianapolis.  It was a the Brickton (?) race they had streets blocked off and police directing traffic! FUN!

We got to our hotel which was really neat... it is really like dorms that are rented out during the school year.  It had two rooms and a small kitchen and living room so we all got to just chill and everyone had enough room!  Kristal and the kids stayed the first night with us!  Mom cooked a great dinner and we let the kids swim!  I got to wash clothes and have a work out!

WE had a birthday party for the birthday girl!!!  3 years old!!!

The next day we went to the Indianapolis Children's Museum... I cannot say enough good things about this place.  It is 15.95 for adults at first I thought this was way too much but IT WAS WORTH IT!  It is HUGE!!!!  We spent over 4 hours there and did a little over half of the exhibits!  It was just so neat and had so many cool things to see.

 My favorite was a glass blowing exhibit.  They had computers that simulated glass blowing and a glass ceiling full of blown glass!  There was a round seat that spun very slowly so that you could lean back and see the glass!  It was so beautiful.  You could just sit and look!

They had a big Barbie exhibit.. It was really neat

They got to dig at the Dino dig and dress up like raptors!

And there was an Egypt Exhibit!  It was really, really neat.. Here the kids are on a crocodile on the Nile River!

We left the museum and headed out to eat at BOB EVANS.  I love this restaurant and never get to eat there unless I'm up north!  After a fabulous dinner we went to Trader Joe's!  Mom and I have always wanted to visit one and it was really cool.  The one we went to is obviously small and there is a much, much bigger one is Chicago but we didn't have time to fit it in!

Okay, Chicago tomorrow!