Road trip catch-up!

We just got back last night from our long road trip to Illinois and back. Thirty plus hours in the car with two small children–without electronic entertainment, thanks to my rushed packing right before the trip–was a great adventure. We were surprised by how well both kids did in the car, especially since both were sick at various times.

Since I have innumerable pictures, I’m cutting straight to those:

Lydia running around getting her wiggles out before the trip.
Lydia running around getting her wiggles out before the trip.

IMG_7710On the way to Springfield, we stopped by Hannibal, the home of Mark Twain:

Blocking the model of a statue that was supposed to pay tribute to Twain. It was slated to be erected during the Depression, and because of its expense, it never got built.
Blocking the model of a statue that was supposed to pay tribute to Twain. It was slated to be erected during the Depression, and because of its expense, it never got built.
In Mark Twain's house.
In Mark Twain’s house.

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Mark Twain with a binky.
Mark Twain with a binky.
Our own Becky Thatcher.
Our own Becky Thatcher.
Tom Sawyer's white picket fence.
Tom Sawyer’s white picket fence.

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In the museum.
In the museum.

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That night we arrived in Springfield in time to catch the tail end of a family pizza party. I don’t have any pictures, but the girls were soooooooo happy to see my mom.

We stayed at the Presidential Abraham Lincoln Hotel, which is where my grandma always took us swimming whenever we visited her. I got up three hours before Abe and the girls, and after eating breakfast, I swam in the pool. It felt exactly the same as it did when I was little–they haven’t changed the decor one bit! The only thing missing was the sauna. Maybe it wasn’t safe enough, but I did feel nostalgic when I noticed it was gone.

Abe and the girls woke up at 10:30am, just in time to get Maid-Rite and head to the picnic. Maid-Rite is the nation’s first drive-thru; it’s also one of my favorite Springfield spots because we used to go there every time we visited Grandma.

At Maid-Rite, in the car.
At Maid-Rite, in the car.

IMG_0067At the picnic:

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My cousin, Kathy, pushing Lydia on the swing. Lydia and her kids, Kole and Kaitlyn, became great friends.
My cousin, Kathy, pushing Lydia on the swing. Lydia and her kids, Kole and Kaitlyn, became great friends.

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Beth attending to the three dogs, Bella, Cooper, and Payton.
Beth attending to the three dogs, Bella, Cooper, and Payton.
Lydia showing Grandma her boo-boo.
Lydia showing Grandma her boo-boo.

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Frisbee with the cousins.
Frisbee with the cousins.

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Frisbee with cousins
Action shot.

Then we went back to the hotel so Abe and the girls could swim before dinner. At dinner, we took a lot of family pictures, all of which can be accessed here for the next couple weeks. After that, I’ll need to upload them from the CD which my mom is so kindly sending me. Thanks, mom!

Here are the pictures I did get:

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Taylor sang us a song, and Aunt Dee held the speakers.
Taylor sang us a song, and Aunt Dee held the speakers.

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Parker sang "Never Mind, I'll Find Someone Like You" by Adele. He was amazing!
Parker sang “Never Mind, I’ll Find Someone Like You” by Adele. He was amazing!

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Abe joined the kids in serenading us with a resounding rendition of "Let it Go."
Abe joined the kids in serenading us with a resounding rendition of “Let it Go.”

IMG_7928 IMG_7931 IMG_7937Then Clark, Swathi, Abe, the girls and I took a walk to Abe’s Lincoln House. It was dark, so I didn’t take my camera. Too bad! The house was lit up and beautiful. It’s right downtown, so the walk wasn’t too demanding–which was great, considering we’d gorged ourselves at dinner.

But before our walk, I got a picture of Abe posing as Abe.

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The next morning, we barely made it to church in time to hear my mom give a fantastic Relief Society lesson on love. (Well, I got to hear it. Abe and the girls can’t go to Relief Society.)

Then we headed to Grandma’s for lunch and some visiting. While there, Lydia suddenly came down with a 103 degree fever. As I cuddled her, Abe gave her medicine. Oops! She vomited that right up, all over me. Emma, pictured below, is my new favorite person. She was so great at helping me clean the vomit off in the bathroom. Seriously, whenever I have my next baby, I want her to be the nurse.

Emma and Grandma put on a great puppet show. Emma is one of my new favorite people. When Lydia got sick and happened to vomit all over me, I handed her off to Abe and headed to the bathroom to clean off. Emma came with me and helped the whole time--I now want her to help me deliver my next baby (whenever that happens!).
Emma and Grandma put on a great puppet show.

IMG_7949After saying hasty goodbyes, we headed off. Lydia slept until we arrived at a Dairy Queen, several hours later. She was feeling better, so we got her an ice cream cone.

Lydia gets very subdued and polite when ill. Here she is meditating (or waiting patiently--same thing?) outside of Dairy Queen.
Lydia gets very subdued and polite when ill. Here she is meditating (or waiting patiently–same thing?) outside of Dairy Queen.

That night, we stayed at Abe’s Aunt Bonnie’s lake house in rural Missouri. It was gorgeous.

The view from the porch.
The view from the porch.

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Aunt Bonnie's house.
Aunt Bonnie’s house.
Mary padding around chasing the cats the night we got in.
Mary padding around chasing the cats the night we got in.

The next day, we stopped in Independence, Missouri, to visit our church’s visitor center. The Independence temple lot is really important to Latter-Day Saints. The Community of Christ (formerly the Reformed Latter-Day Saint Church) owns most of the lot, and they’ve built their own temple on their portion. We visited that, too.

Inside a reconstructed log cabin.
Inside a reconstructed log cabin.
In front of the Christus. Lydia really wanted to touch Jesus' toe.
In front of the Christus. Lydia really wanted to touch Jesus’ toe.
The Community of Christ's temple.
The Community of Christ’s temple.
The inside of that spiral dome.
The inside of that spiral dome.
Mary wanted to be done touring.
Mary wanted to be done touring.

We spent the rest of the day driving. Kansas, in my opinion, is a little spooky. Since the land is flat and a lot of time there aren’t any trees in sight, it feels like you’re lost at sea. The sky is so big and oppressive. But, at the same time, it’s also pretty:

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We got to Denver late that night, and in the morning, we completed our Grandparent Grand tour.

Visiting Grandma and Grandpa Forsythe.
Visiting Grandma and Grandpa Forsythe.

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At Grandma and Grandpa Edmudson's house. The girls and I met them for the first time--so long overdue! We enjoyed them a lot.
At Grandma and Grandpa Edmudson’s house. The girls and I met them for the first time–so long overdue! We enjoyed them a lot.
William Norris Edmondson, Abe's great-grandfather.
William Norris Edmondson, Abe’s great-grandfather.
Abe's great grandparents, William Norris Edmondson and Mary Hazel Coulter.
Abe’s great grandparents, William Norris Edmondson and Mary Hazel Coulter.
Abe's grandpa and great-grandpa. Abe's grandpa was very sick with asthma his whole childhood, and no one expected him to survive.
Abe’s grandpa and great-grandpa. Abe’s grandpa was very sick with asthma his whole childhood, and no one expected him to survive.
I think this is a picture of Abe's great-grandparents, Jeremiah Couter and Amanda Staten.
I think this is a picture of Abe’s great-grandparents, Jeremiah Couter and Amanda Staten.
The family home back in Kentucky. Abe's grandpa came to Colorado in 1961, and his whole family stayed behind.
The family home back in Kentucky. Abe’s grandpa came to Colorado in 1961, and his whole family stayed behind.

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Karin, Grandpa Edmondson, Grandma Edmondson, Mary, Abe, Lydia, and me.
Karin, Grandpa Edmondson, Grandma Edmondson, Mary, Abe, Lydia, and me.

Then we drove home.

Driving out of Brighton, Colorado (where Abe's Grandma and Grandpa Edmondson live).
Driving out of Brighton, Colorado (where Abe’s Grandma and Grandpa Edmondson live).
This is hide and seek--NOT peek-a-boo. Did you know you could play hide-and-seek in a car?
This is hide and seek–NOT peek-a-boo. Did you know you could play hide-and-seek in a car?
Mary played with her feet most of the trip.
Mary played with her feet most of the trip.

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Nearing Salt Lake. We love where we live. If only it could be a little closer to the family we just left!
Nearing Salt Lake. We love where we live. If only it could be a little closer to the family we just left!

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