Whirlwind Vacation Comes to an End

We're home! I don't know where to begin explaining all of the fun stuff we experienced on our vacation... I'm sure the details will have to come in segments, because there truly is just too much to tell about.

We took off the early morning of September 11th, dropped Laura Lu off at her auntie's house in Chicago, and headed down the long I-80. The kids didn't do so bad in the car, considering the cicrumstances. We picked up a little portable DVD player, and brought along many movies they had not yet seen. Lifesaver! I took these picture right away so the kids would still be smiling. LOL!

We hit every playground we could find on the way to California, some indoor (Who knew McDonald's doesn't make a bad salad?) and some outdoor.
Hunter found a room full of basketballs, and was in heaven!

Theo is up in the tubes!

This playground was on the side of the road by a gas station in Nebraska... not bad. The kids loved running around for a change.

We planned on staying in a small town called Kearney, Nebraksa, but when we arrived the entire town was full of visitors to an agricultural fair... the interstate was booked 150 miles in both directions! We had to drive another 1oo+ miles down the road to find a place to sleep. Here's the sunset over Nebraska.

The next day we finished up Nebraska, and headed into Wyoming. Less cornfields. Finally, some change of scenery, larger rocks, more hills, and mountains.

Somewhere in northern Utah, western Wyoming we found this playground at a rest area. This one may have been our favorite. Very clean, with caged Buffalo and Elk across the street. We realized at this point that Hunter loved the playground stops b/c he could squat and poop. Kids are so funny. Ben made friends with this little blonde girl from Wyoming at this stop. So cute, (I didn't get a picture).

The drive through Park City Utah was overflowing with fall color. We didn't stop here, but I could see off the interstate this town is very cool... the buildings, even the chains, are fancy & rustic in decor. Everything was colorful, and new-looking, a lot like southern Denver.

We stopped in Salt Lake for quick food. I think we found what could be the ghetto portion of Salt Lake. Who knew? I had my west coast experience here... as I order lunch, the lady barely spoke English. I ordered a chicken salad, and by the time we pulled out of the parking lot we realized she forgot the pollo--she didn't forget to charge me for the pollo though. Dumbass. We had to go back in and get my a salad with some subtance to it. I almost wanted to go back home at this point. But I focused on what lie ahead.

This is the great Salt Lake. I-80 goes right along the southern portion of the lake.

However, the Great Salt Flats, which followed the lake onour journey, had to be most boring part of the trip. The i-80 is straight for over an hour, not a curve or twist, and all you see if salt on the ground. Even the hills disappear, and it's all salt.

Thank God the salt is behind us, and we're looking at actual mountains! Nevada here we come...

Somewhere in Nevada Dad bought Hunter a twinkie. These are his favorite. I don't buy twinkies. Never have, never will. But when Grandma visited she brought some home, and Hunter devoured them in less than 3 bites a piece. Dad treated him... Good car food, dad!

This is more representative of Ben's demeanor in the car. LOL. We spen the night in Winnemucca, Nevada, and headed through Reno in the morning...

Just after breakfast time we arrived in California! I could smell the mountain air, and could hardly resist hopping out of the car to touch the trees. It already felt like home.